Which is better?
Both have Lemon and Cedar wood shaving soaps. I am intrigued by the combination. Anyone try them?
Both have Lemon and Cedar wood shaving soaps. I am intrigued by the combination. Anyone try them?
Mama Bears vs. QED
- Thread starter jay29
- Start date
will not diss QED as i have not tried --- have 4 Mama bears soaps--and i will be a life long customer--- Love them all --Bonsai, basil and lime, menthol citrus-lemon one, and a cedarwood,
i mix with a pinc of my Zirh latherless cream and achieve super lather--- plus i read a thread on here on how many peple luv the mam bear lady! she is gr8!!!
Like supporting small biz!! especially when they r gr8 people!!
i mix with a pinc of my Zirh latherless cream and achieve super lather--- plus i read a thread on here on how many peple luv the mam bear lady! she is gr8!!!
Like supporting small biz!! especially when they r gr8 people!!
Lemon and Cedarwood is a traditional combination in English grooming (Trumper, the lamented Charles Tyrwhitt, etc.)
The MB L&C is very much in the Tyrwhitt mold, mostly cedarwood with a very muted lemon, more of a light woody scent rather than a strong citrus one.
Never had the QED but experience tells me it will be louder and brighter than the MB. Whether it is more lemon that cedar or vice versa someone else will have to say.
The MB L&C is very much in the Tyrwhitt mold, mostly cedarwood with a very muted lemon, more of a light woody scent rather than a strong citrus one.
Never had the QED but experience tells me it will be louder and brighter than the MB. Whether it is more lemon that cedar or vice versa someone else will have to say.
Why debate? Get them both.
I've used both soaps. Not the lemon/cedarwood combo, but I've used both brands.
Shave-wise, to me both of them are pretty much identical. The difference really stands out in their scents. Charles (QED) scents his soaps LOUDLY. He crams as much EO into them as it's possible for him to do without adversely affecting the soap. He also (except in rare circumstances) uses only EOs to scent his soaps, and high quality (read: not cheap) ones at that. So if you use his lavender soap, for example, it's like there's a lavender farm in your bathroom with you as you shave.
By contrast, Mama Bear scents her soaps at a much lower volume. She also uses fragrance oils along with EOs to scent her soaps. Because of this, she's able to offer many more scents, and most of her (FO-scented) soaps are a lot cheaper than QED's.
All other things being equal, I personally prefer QED's soaps. I like the rich, heady aromas his soaps offer. Not necessarily every day, but every now & then. And I've noticed that in the case of his Chocolate & Mocha Java shave sticks, the EOs he uses -- and the quantity of them -- actually serve to both cushion the shave more effectively & make my skin feel amazing afterwards. So those 2 soaps in particular make a big difference in the quality of the shave, and therefore (to my mind) stand above the other soaps in his line, quality-wise.
My 2 shekels.
Shave-wise, to me both of them are pretty much identical. The difference really stands out in their scents. Charles (QED) scents his soaps LOUDLY. He crams as much EO into them as it's possible for him to do without adversely affecting the soap. He also (except in rare circumstances) uses only EOs to scent his soaps, and high quality (read: not cheap) ones at that. So if you use his lavender soap, for example, it's like there's a lavender farm in your bathroom with you as you shave.
By contrast, Mama Bear scents her soaps at a much lower volume. She also uses fragrance oils along with EOs to scent her soaps. Because of this, she's able to offer many more scents, and most of her (FO-scented) soaps are a lot cheaper than QED's.
All other things being equal, I personally prefer QED's soaps. I like the rich, heady aromas his soaps offer. Not necessarily every day, but every now & then. And I've noticed that in the case of his Chocolate & Mocha Java shave sticks, the EOs he uses -- and the quantity of them -- actually serve to both cushion the shave more effectively & make my skin feel amazing afterwards. So those 2 soaps in particular make a big difference in the quality of the shave, and therefore (to my mind) stand above the other soaps in his line, quality-wise.
My 2 shekels.
Which is ever so much more diplomatic than "savagely bludgeoned in the security and privacy of your own bathroom by enraged lavender-wielding street-thugs," which was more my initial impression of the QED Lavender.
Good breakdown, Evbo.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks for all your replies. I'm looking for the strongest smelling soaps. I love great scents in conjunction with great performance.
In my opinion it's QED all the way then. I can't even use QED because the mad amounts of EO in them. My face is on fire after I use their sandalwood.
That is a consideration. Some of the QED's can be inflammatory on some people.
I have also used both products and I prefer the product that Charles produces at QED. Loud, bright, aggressive, mad, and even inflammatory are all good descriptors of Charles approach to making soaps. I have reached a point where I refuse to travel with out a shave stick in Pine and Cedarwood. Nothing I encounter on the road remains me of my home and family as much as this soap Charles has created. Damn silly I know, but true. YMMV
- Thread starter
- #12
Wow! QED will get an order from me tomorrow!
I love heavy scents!
You won't be sorry. Make sure you check out his lime soap while he still has it in stock!
Going to have to try QED now...you guys are hopeless!
Wow! QED will get an order from me tomorrow!
I love heavy scents!
You will not be disappointed with QED and their great loud scents, but I would recommend giving Mama Bear a try to down the road. While her scents might not be as over powering as QED to some I still think all of her soaps that I have tried have had wonderful amounts of life to them.
I have my @$$ kicked everytime by lime wielding thugs and rose wielding thugs meself!!
For single note scents, Charles has no equal, IMHO.
R
rodeo
can someone please post a link for QED so I can check his site out? Sounds interesting to me.
NEVER MIND - FOUND IT
Based upon what I have read above, I just had to order some to try. Hope the scents are as strong as everyone says they are.
Ordered
Lemon & Cedarwood
Pine & Cedarwood
Tangerine & Spearmint
Stick Soap
Lime
And YES, Mama Bear makes excellent soaps too and I do have a handfull of those and plan to order more from her. Top notch service and product!
NEVER MIND - FOUND IT
Based upon what I have read above, I just had to order some to try. Hope the scents are as strong as everyone says they are.
Ordered
Lemon & Cedarwood
Pine & Cedarwood
Tangerine & Spearmint
Stick Soap
Lime
And YES, Mama Bear makes excellent soaps too and I do have a handfull of those and plan to order more from her. Top notch service and product!
Last edited by a moderator:
R
rodeo
I see it only in "stick" form but I grabbed one of those to try too and will use it for travel. I do travel allot for my job and am just now gathering a second travel kit and switching away from throw aways on the road...
Never tried QED but I want to make sure you know that the Mama Bear soaps have plenty of scent. Apparently not as much as the QED products, but it's not like you lose the scent in your bathroom. Some of them fill the place up with marvellous scents.
Just FYI. Used one this morning that I've had since October and it still has a powerful scent.
Just FYI. Used one this morning that I've had since October and it still has a powerful scent.
- Thread starter
- #20
Well, I ordered Romance soap and Dragon's Blood Splash along with my Royall aftershave/cologne sampler from ebay. Close to $50 for shaving stuff. My wife will whip me! LOL
