Did you remember to remove the plastic wrap? 
Don't laugh (well, some but not too hard), this actually happened to someone a few years ago.
Don't laugh (well, some but not too hard), this actually happened to someone a few years ago.
No.88 Redux
- Thread starter garyg
- Start date
I’m glad I stocked up on C&S soaps a few years back.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Did you remember to remove the plastic wrap?
Don't laugh (well, some but not too hard), this actually happened to someone a few years ago.
Ha, I remeber that! No plastic wrap, they’re in something like wax paper. The new puck was very shiny though, it looked like a piece of injection molded plastic. And lathered like it too.
Me too. And AoS Valobra.
I didn't have the pleasure of trying the older version, but recently ordered some of what I assume is the new. I have other hard, triple milled soaps that don't give me any problems. The No. 88 lather was very disappointing - foamy and dissipated quickly on my face. I have the same issue with Truefitt & Hill. Like I said, I have other hard soaps that lather fantastically. I'm open to any suggestions on how to get good lather out of these.
I only managed to grab some travel pucks of the original 88 and O&C.
Glad I did. I also have some decent Valobra stock. It's a shame when
this kind of this happens to a classic soap.
Glad I did. I also have some decent Valobra stock. It's a shame when
this kind of this happens to a classic soap.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
If you find a way, be sure to post.
I'll just echo everyone else's observations. This is really disappointing. Surely some one at C&S uses their own products and knows how crappy this new version performs. You would think that person would tell someone up the food chain that this stuff sucks!
This soap base has been derided for years yet they still put it out. I can't imagine they haven't seen a huge hit on their sales. The only company that I've seen that scrapped this base was Crabtree and Evelyn, but then they discontinued the new base, which was really their old base, unfortunately. I don't think they recovered from the reputation hit.
Well, your report Steve makes me happy I pulled the trigger on 6 large pucks of the O&C from Harrods this spring. Only place I could find it for a reasonable price.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
The C&S base has not been derided for years. Up until the latest release, the C&S base was made by Valobra, Italy, one of the finest hard soaps. AoS tallow is the same base.
Maybe you’re thinking of something else?
There have been bad soaps cross my path over the years. I have, in the past, been reticent to throw any away. I’ve had some success soaking the puck and lathering on the puck, often going back to the puck for each pass.
I think you misunderstood what I meant, I meant that their new base seems to be the same as the Soapworks poorly lathering sodium hydroxide base that is used by UK soaps like GFT, T&H, Penn etc. C&S, DRH, and TOBS were some of the few that had not given in to the dark side.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Yes, I misunderstood. My apologies sir, and this is a problem with the written word which I have experienced myself recently.
Thank you for your gracious reply!
Thank you for your gracious reply!
No problem, I can't tell you how many times I've misread posts online lol.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Kudos to Phil @BullGoose for following up. I emailed him and here’s his response:
The response from Phil (this is cut and paste so the entries may be backwards).
Hello Steve:
Czech and Speake now utilizes a US Distributor called the King and I. In any case, this is what Christopher Dunn of C&S wrote to Bauni King in response to my concern about the soap.
“Hi Bauni,
Thank you for your email.
This will be one of the last of the old soaps from Italy. If you remember, we found you the last 30 units I think and you have not yet had a delivery of the new version – these will be with you later this week.
The new formulation is superior to the old soap from Italy. It is far more moisturising.
I honestly don't know what is going on. The soap that I have is not the new formulation (which I believe is made in England). I mainly use Oxford and Cambridge but the one puck of No. 88 that I used several years ago did not lather nearly as well as my Oxford and Cambridge. Could it be that there was a bad batch? I'm just throwing out ideas as I don't know. I just don't think a company as large as Czech & Speake would be untruthful regarding ingredients and origin. They just have too much to lose.“
Additionally, Phil writes:
’I have forwarded your email to both Christopher Dunn and Bauni King. I also will take a puck home to see if I have any luck with it.
I really hate it when a company reformulates a soap. It always creates confusion and doubt. I will definitely ask or a sample puck of the new formulation before I decide whether or not to carry it. The last thing I need is another Trumper situation.
Thanks again for the heads-up.’
And a thank you to Phil for following up.
So maybe a bad batch? Iit does happen, there was a bad batch of Eufros a few years ago, bad coconut oil I believe
The response from Phil (this is cut and paste so the entries may be backwards).
Hello Steve:
Czech and Speake now utilizes a US Distributor called the King and I. In any case, this is what Christopher Dunn of C&S wrote to Bauni King in response to my concern about the soap.
“Hi Bauni,
Thank you for your email.
This will be one of the last of the old soaps from Italy. If you remember, we found you the last 30 units I think and you have not yet had a delivery of the new version – these will be with you later this week.
The new formulation is superior to the old soap from Italy. It is far more moisturising.
I honestly don't know what is going on. The soap that I have is not the new formulation (which I believe is made in England). I mainly use Oxford and Cambridge but the one puck of No. 88 that I used several years ago did not lather nearly as well as my Oxford and Cambridge. Could it be that there was a bad batch? I'm just throwing out ideas as I don't know. I just don't think a company as large as Czech & Speake would be untruthful regarding ingredients and origin. They just have too much to lose.“
Additionally, Phil writes:
’I have forwarded your email to both Christopher Dunn and Bauni King. I also will take a puck home to see if I have any luck with it.
I really hate it when a company reformulates a soap. It always creates confusion and doubt. I will definitely ask or a sample puck of the new formulation before I decide whether or not to carry it. The last thing I need is another Trumper situation.
Thanks again for the heads-up.’
And a thank you to Phil for following up.
So maybe a bad batch? Iit does happen, there was a bad batch of Eufros a few years ago, bad coconut oil I believe
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Reformulate is a four-letter word here normally. Very few reformulations are in the direction of a better soap, but rather lowering the production costs. I understand that but how these companies aren't seeing a drastic loss in sales, plus a number of angry emails and letters, etc is beyond me.
I had to LOL at this. They actually believe they've improved the spectacular Valobra by making it far more moisturizing. I'll take the old formula please. If I feel less moisturized, it's a risk I'm willing to take.
So glad I hoarded both varieties of the pre moisturized pucks several years back at a time when I was still consuming large quantities of Ardbeg while internet shopping.
I guess "superior to the old soap" is open to interpretation!
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Let’s keep in mind that according to Phil’s missive above, this is not the new soap, it’s the last 30 pucks of Valobra-made soap. The new soap has not landed in the US yet.
Like everyone else, I don’t know what’s going on, but let us not pre-judge the new soap that no one has tried yet. The new Floris pucks are excellent, of course unlike Valobra-made C&S, it would have been difficult for Floris to make one worse than the old.
Like everyone else, I don’t know what’s going on, but let us not pre-judge the new soap that no one has tried yet. The new Floris pucks are excellent, of course unlike Valobra-made C&S, it would have been difficult for Floris to make one worse than the old.
So Floris finally dropped the high sodium base?
