Please Recommend a Soap

[Mr. Igg]

Unfortunately, scent is, as I'm sure you know. My wife, she of the bionic nose, says Tabac smells "clean, like soap". So, compare that with flowers, a funeral home, the 70s, and whatever else, and you get the idea: YMMV. The good news: You can sell a puck in about 18 seconds here.

MWF: As stated, low-risk on resell if the lanolin doesn't agree with you.

Harris: Great stuff. Lather just shows up when I threaten it with a brush. I haven't seen a trend as to why someone would or wouldn't like it. (Not saying some dislike it; they do, on this thread, as you've seen, but I can't recall a common theme, as with Tabac's scent or MWF's lanolin.) Another low-risk resell if you dislike it for some reason.

Haven't used your other candidates.

I recommend any and all of Tabac, MWF and Harris, with complete assurance that, should you dislike, you'll be out very little money on a resell. Good luck!

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I personally would hold off a bit on MWF if you're looking for your first soap. Some have difficulty lathering it which can be off-putting at first until you nail it. Go with something like Tabac or AoS (if you're looking for Tallow) or TGQ, SCS, Mama Bear etc if you're looking for something else.

Proraso Green or White Tubs are also great buys...cheap and amazingly effective. However if you've tried the cream they are very similar so that wouldn't be my first recommendation just to give you some variety.

 

[PhatMan]

Hi,

For me, Cella, P160s (Morbido & Duro) and Tabac are the best performing soaps; I also use a tallow-based Palmolive stick for travelling.

For a first soap, I would recommend Tabac - the aroma is the subject of quite a bit of debate Personally I don't like the aroma, but the soap performs so well for me I just have to use it !

Good luck !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

 

[azmark]

Each manufacturer you use has a very good soap as well and worth a try.

 

[TiberiuR]

How about Speick soap stick?
It's very well worth a try! It is perfect for my taste.
You should order one and give it a try.

 

[nav]

How about Speick soap stick?
It's very well worth a try! It is perfect for my taste.
You should order one and give it a try.

+1 to this [plus MWF] would be such a great entry into soaps for anyone

 

[oversaturn]

MWF with the ceramic bowl. If for some strange reason you don't like it you can just get a refill puck of something else to put in the bowl and you still have the coolest thing in shaving sitting in your bathroom. Tabac smells like the nineteen seventies.

+1

I have the MWF with the ceramic bowl. MWF is an excellent soap and the bowl is a fine piece of art.

I just don't like the scent of Tabac very much. It doesn't smell like tobacco, it is a flowery old-fashioned scent. I've really tried it, it is an excellent performer and lathers like crazy, but I gave up because of the scent and gave the entire puck and bowl to my dad.

 

[rm71]

I don't think TOBS soaps are anywhere near as good as their creams IMO. Try the European Palmolive shave stick. Top notch performance at a bargain price. Col Conk is also cheap and good.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

The above soaps mentioned are great (MWF, Tabac) I like them a lot. However, for only a few bucks you should try using VDH. I have used it and it's a great performer. Give it a shot for under $3 bucks it would be a cheap experiment.

 

[Saltchuck]

I've been DE shaving for a year and half.
Besides Valobra, I've only used creams (Proraso, Spieck, TOBS St. James & Almond, and AOS Sandalwood). ...

What soap should be my first?

Given what you've been using, I'd suggest DRH Arlington as a good start. Top notch soap, easy to use. (I find Trumper's soaps difficult to lather.) Proraso Green Tea and Aloe Vera (white tub) is a good Italian soap, as is Cella. Crabtree & Evelyn Sienna is another good soap.

Enjoy!

 

[Gatsby]

You can always count on the great gentlemen of B&B to come through.
Thank you all so very much!

I'm going with D.R. Harris Arlington.

Since this is my first soap, I'm going to hold off on MWF given that it does pose some problems with latherability (or so I've read).

I've tried a lot of creams, and, from my own research and the posts on this thread, I'm finding D.R. Harris to be akin to Spieck: no doubt there is better, but it's still a fantastic product.

I'll keep you all posted on my first shave with the D.R. Harris.

Thanks again.

 

[Oglethorpe]

Good choice. Harris in my opinion is a cut above Tabac but not by much, and the scent is clean and citrusy.

When you get ready to blow some money on soaps, the cream of the crop IMO is Czech and Speake. It'll make your head spin.

 

[nav]

Since this is my first soap, I'm going to hold off on MWF given that it does pose some problems with latherability (or so I've read).

But don't hold off too long. Many people [including myself] waited so long to try it and once tried, regret sets in...regret of waiting so long to try what IMO is the finest soap available.

 

[Schwert]

but don't hold off too long. Many people [including myself] waited so long to try it and once tried, regret sets in...regret of waiting so long to try what imo is the finest soap available.

+1

Arlington will do...but MWF will be waiting in the wings to swoop in and push that one aside.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

Geo. F. Trumper Rose Shaving Soap

 

[The Fish]

I love Tabac. It definitely smells "old fashioned" but in my opinion in a very pleasant way. It makes great lather and after several months I haven't even gotten through half of the puck. Seriously, it lasts forever.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

You can always count on the great gentlemen of B&B to come through.
Thank you all so very much!

I'm going with D.R. Harris Arlington.

Since this is my first soap, I'm going to hold off on MWF given that it does pose some problems with latherability (or so I've read).

I've tried a lot of creams, and, from my own research and the posts on this thread, I'm finding D.R. Harris to be akin to Spieck: no doubt there is better, but it's still a fantastic product.

I'll keep you all posted on my first shave with the D.R. Harris.

Thanks again.

Any of the DR Harris line would get my vote MWF in a month or so

 

[pauls51]

You would have to at least try Tabac! And absolutely put MWF on your list and MBs (even if it isn't straight away!)

 

[solar]

MWF is a solid performer. Cella is a delight to use; smells like marzipan, lathers very well and has this delightful soft quality that makes me want to ball it up and toss it around all day like a wonderfully mild yet aromatic baseball.

Also, really consider Mama Bear. You can buy four tubs of soap, each an amazing fragrance and wonderful latherers, for a very decent price. My favorite is the Aromatic Pipe Tobacco, hands down,

Best,

Chris

 

[Gatsby]

I knew it: a soap AD is starting to set in!

I've ordered the D.R. Harris.

My birthday is in a few months. I'll be sure that SWMBO will know MWF is first on my wish-list