Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet soap: review

[Mad Man]

SWMBO returned from England a few months back with the haul above - Kent version of MWF, Murdock Travel Shave cream/oil/brush in a wet pack, No 10, couple of pucks of Cade & Penhaligons BB soap, EF soap and BB AS balm. Also other sundry items including the BB and EF EDT. Yes, she's a keeper.

Finally cracked the BB today for a 'first look' (been using the balm for a while and adore it). Face lathered with my SR 3824, soaked the puck first, didn't change any of my setup from yesterday's run with the "fat" so I'd have minimum variables.

SR picked up the soap easily, 20-30 good swirls meant I had a decent load of the pre-softened puck and the soft Melbourne water had a sweet looking proto-lather forming. The scent though really exploded from the tub and I was well rewarded with the classic BB scent throughout the shave.

Applied to face the lather went on easy enough, 2-3 dips gave hydration and I didn't feel any pain in working the loaded brush into a good-looking lather. I realised quickly though that the tactile sensation of the BB compared to a tallow-based soap gave a different sensation on the face and this was validated by the first pass with the blade. I'm still a huge fan of Proraso Green soap and adore it as a standout non-tallow (for me). The BB did not give me even a close approximation to the slip of Proraso or the cushion and comfort of Cella (which I've been using almost exclusively for 3 months). The nearest I could equate it to was a generic shave stick I picked up from the supermarket a year ago in my first few weeks wet shaving. 2 passes and touch-up gave me a noticably 'rougher' shave with some more stubble than usual I could feel (but not visually see). Compared to some reviews I've read here I was expecting pulling, tugging and a generally nasty shave but - sorry to disappoint - it wasn't that bad...but it wasn't that great either.

Long story short? Even if BB was cheap, I wouldn't buy it again. The magnificent fragrance was not enough to rescue it. When you DO take price into consideration I could DEFINATELY not justify re-acquisition. At all. Period. The balm, the EDT are delightful but the soap left me underwhelmed and disappointed at what SWMBO invested. At that price point there are far, far better lathers to be had. Truth be told, some of the best lathers IMHO are also some of my cost-effective (that means cheap lads!). YMMV with BB. Mine did not. Down it goes into the Cupboard of Shame to await the arrival of a shaver with less discerning tastes.

Am I alone here or have others been left deflated by Penhaligons' soaps? Are the creams better??

 

[Tom Ford]

Yes, the BB cream is MILES better than the soap.

Since reformulation of the BB soap, it has suffered significantly. I believe the reformulated (non tallow) English Fern is slightly better than the BB.

I do have puck of reformulated BB, and don't use it as the lather is average. I love the scent, but it certainly doesn't justify the price point or quality (lack of).

 

[gaj90027]

The Penhaligon's creams are great!

You should consider milling your BB puck and combining it with another milled unscented or neutral scented shaving soap puck.

I believe it was Rudy Vey who mentioned he mills his Pen's EF puck together with a palmolive tallow stick and enjoys the great EF scent with the excellent palmolive performance. I would try milling that BB puck with a valobra stick or AoS unscented.

Not an ideal situation but at least you can get some use out of it.

 

[Phog Allen]

How the mighty have fallen. I am one of those Anglophiles who thinks every man should have something from Trumper, Truefitt & Hill, and Penhaligon's in his toiletry locker. However, I cannot help but feel the lustre has been taken from almost every one of the old line British houses. And you have no idea how much it pains me to say that. Other than the fragrances which for the most part are quite traditional and superb, Penhaligon's shaving products are on the slide. I have used the Blenheim Bouquet cream and have threatened to buy it just because it is one of the last of the Brits to seemingly grasp that performance, presentation, and packaging all go hand in hand with product image and price point. The BB cream is in an elegant glass jar with a gorgeous label and lid. And well it should at over fifty dollars. Yet they get the butter fingers with their shave soaps which were arguably their flagship shaving product. I have a tallow fifth BB soap and it is just superb. I hope this all gets sorted. And do thank you dear wife and tell her all of us are most envious. I think my wife would do the same but man, that is some haul.

Cheers, Todd