Mulling a spring/summer soap

[Bjlefebvre]

Just an update. In true B&B fashion, I've acquired a few soaps in the summer vein, including a few mentioned in this thread:

B&M Reserve Cool
Zingari Man Explorer
Declaration Grooming 88 Chestnut
WSP Barbershop shaving cream

A few thoughts re: scents:

WSP Barbershop basically hits the same points as Reserve Cool, but is done better IMO. I couldn't even really tell you why - it may be just that the Reserve base is too finicky for me. For real, out of all the items listed, I can see WSP Barbershop shave cream plus Floid Vigoroso becoming my main summer shaving combo. The WSP scent seems cleaner, a tad more subtle, and it's easier to whip up into a lather.

I want to like Zingari Man Explorer, but the first few sniffs make me wonder if it's going to be too sweet a scent. The scent notes make it sound like almost a perfect fit for me - citrus and vetiver - but to me it's almost candy-like at first sniff. We'll see - this is the only one I haven't tried yet. I've heard great things about ZM performance and looking forward to trying it.

DC 88 Chestnut I really like. But it's also very akin to B&M's Seville. Seville may be a tad more powdery, but not much.

Anyway, as always, YMMV. But for real, don't sleep on the WSP Barbershop and Floid combo.

 

[Barbarian80]

I don't think Explorer is sweet at all. It has this clean musky scent as it dries down. It just smells like a clean man- i know the scent is based on a frag. Its one of my favorite soaps and of course sego is fantastic. I'd have no trouble using the soap and splash every day of the year. If i had to cull my soaps then i'm keeping explorer.

88 Chestnut on the other hand. I really liked it initially. Good summer scent. Not really into the European/colonia scent vibes it exudes. B&Ms Seville can takes its place all day every day.

 

[Bjlefebvre]

Yeah, I tried Explorer this morning, and changed my initial view. It might have just been the scent building up off the puck that made me think it too sweet at first. There's still a little sweetness to it IME, but nothing cloying at all. It's a good soap and I'll be keeping it.

 

[Leverspro]

Wow, there are some great soap suggestions in this thread. I think I'm going to have to try Savannah Sunrise. I received these two soaps this week and am quite blown away by both of them. My aim was strong citrus scent for Summer season

and these hit the mark, as well as my wallet.

 

[Owen Bawn]

Is anyone is still looking I'll add my name to those who suggested Razorock's Santa Maria del Fiore. A classic Italian soft soap with the Tabaco Toscano scent. Do yourself a favor and get the matching after shave splash, and then add a bottle of the Zi Peppino splash as well. It is a tobacco flower scent that complements the SMdF brilliantly. There's also a Zi Peppino soap; I've yet to try it, but the scent of the splash makes me think it'd be good.

Razorock also used to carry a Green Tobacco soap and balm by Tcheon Fung Sing that is an outstanding Italian summer soap. The exact same soap is sold under the Mondial label at half again the price of that sold by TFS. I have no idea if Italian Barber still has it.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

The cooler the weather, the stronger the scent I can tolerate, although I still don't like anything that demands too much attention, as I find it distracting. I prefer my awareness to be on the sharp blade on my face, and not be too distracted by scent.

As the weather gets warmer, my preferences shift to barely scented products. The scents I can enjoy in winter, can be overwhelming in summer. I think the strength of the scent is more significant than what the scent is, in terms of my seasonal preference.

 

[NewYorkBuck]

Grooming Dept Peach.

 

[Adam18]

All set for Spring and Summer .....