Santa Maria del Fiore

[williabe]

Well, I shaved this morning with the Santa Maria Novella, to offer a crude comparison to the Razorock Santa Maria del Fiore of yesterday.
As in previous shaves with SMN, it reminds me of Proraso Green, with the menthol, camphor eucalyptus combo underneath light tobacco scent.
Possibly SMN is 'brighter', a bit more menthol/camphor note than Razorock SMF.
And the RR SMF seemed to show a deeper tobacco note.
I have to say, the RR SMF was a thicker, richer lather than SMN, but that is a difficult call with only a couple shaves since water amounts can vary so much from shave to shave.
Could it be that RR was aiming to dial up the lather cushion, to bring in something akin to MdC?
In any case, both are excellent, top-tier shave creams, with the major difference being the value price tag on the RR.
Just my 2c!

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Excellent insight - appreciate the input from someone who used both. And BTW: love your pics!

 

[surfshaver]

I have SMN and really like it. Compares favorably with the best I've tried, including ABC hard soap, Valobra hard soap, B&M, CRSW, XPEC, etc. If SMDF is as good or better than SMN then for the price, it's one of the best soap/cream deals there is. Of course, I said the same thing about RR XXX. As usual, Joe brings value like no other.

 

[sarimento1]

Excellent insight - appreciate the input from someone who used both. And BTW: love your pics!

thanks, Bill, for feedback and nice words!

 

[mbkintner]

Sold out now.... WHEW! You guys almost got me. I told myself that if it was still in stock when I got home from work that I was going to place an order. Even though I just ordered 8 tubs of P.160 Saturday. You bunch of enablers!!!!!

 

[xillion]

I love the scent and performance of SMF. I bought another jar this morning.

I wish Joe would make and SMF aftershave splash with the same scent.

 

[Johno]

Just as soon as I was notified as it was 'in stock', I went to the Italian Barber site added a jar and went to add a few more goodies and went to checkout. Out of stock. Oh well maybe I'll get lucky next time.

 

[deltashave]

Newbie question here...how are you loading this soap? Do you swirl the brush directly on this soap...although it feels too soft to do that. Or do you take some out of the jar like a cream?

thanks

 

[otto76]

Newbie question here...how are you loading this soap? Do you swirl the brush directly on this soap...although it feels too soft to do that. Or do you take some out of the jar like a cream?

thanks

i swirl on the soap but I left the lid off for part of a day to let it dry a little. It worked fine.

 

[xillion]

I scoop mine out with a little spoon and lather in my bowl.

 

[Jinx18]

scoop out with a spoon

 

[Musikmann]

TSE aka The Shaving Evangelist uploaded a review of this soap yesterday on YouYube. He made it sound pretty darn good, especially for the modest price.

 

[Jinx18]

TSE aka The Shaving Evangelist uploaded a review of this soap yesterday on YouYube. He made it sound pretty darn good, especially for the modest price.

While the soap is great I don't think he has a single video where the product isn't "an amazing, must buy, incredible product". The YouTube reviews are nice to watch but next to none are actual constructive criticism.

 

[paintflinger]

While the soap is great I don't think he has a single video where the product isn't "an amazing, must buy, incredible product". The YouTube reviews are nice to watch but next to none are actual constructive criticism.

Yup

 

[deltashave]

scoop out with a spoon

I scoop mine out with a little spoon and lather in my bowl.

i swirl on the soap but I left the lid off for part of a day to let it dry a little. It worked fine.

Thanks!. Sounds like it's dealers choice - I'll try both ways to see what works for me.

 

[raf952]

While the soap is great I don't think he has a single video where the product isn't "an amazing, must buy, incredible product". The YouTube reviews are nice to watch but next to none are actual constructive criticism.

Occasionally some products TSE reviews will get a negative or lackluster assessment. Since he buys most products for himself he tends to get things he's inclined to like--so there's no major surprise: while every so often I'll take a flyer and get something counter to my inclinations, that doesn't happen too often.

 

[Jerry-built Hustler]

Well, I shaved this morning with the Santa Maria Novella, to offer a crude comparison to the Razorock Santa Maria del Fiore of yesterday.

Excellent analysis and pictures; thank you. I'll be interested to hear your perspective as you continue to use the two creams, especially now that I've got a sample of SMN incoming. If I end up liking the cream as much as some folks around here, the discovery of an affordable alternative (or maybe one that's better) would be great news. (So long as Joe can satisfy demand. I can't believe how fast his stock sells out. It's like concert tickets for a popular rock band.)

 

[CyberJCM]

Well...... After 2 uses I get to be "that guy".

I'm not as enamoured with the scent as the rest of you. While I do pickup a note of vanilla or leather or tobacco occasionally, most of the time I'm smelling XX with eucalyptus. It's just not my thing, I can't help it. There's nothing offensive or wrong with the scent, its quality, its just not really my thing, and I wanted to like it.

I also unfortunately wish the menthol was a little more intense. Not freezing cold or anything, but slightly more than this. I'm having trouble noticing its in there at all.

Those are my only negatives though. Everything else about it is great. Makes a nice lather, not the slickest I've used but no slouch. Face feel and shave is excellent. After shave is nice too. And of course, the jar and the price are top notch!

As with every great product Joe and RR put out, the only issues one could really have are subjective.

 

[Terp61]

I'd like to see this soap readily available rather than a limited edition. I've four shaves with it, the performance is very good.

 

[sdaodaniel17]

Well...... After 2 uses I get to be "that guy".

I'm not as enamoured with the scent as the rest of you. While I do pickup a note of vanilla or leather or tobacco occasionally, most of the time I'm smelling XX with eucalyptus. It's just not my thing, I can't help it. There's nothing offensive or wrong with the scent, its quality, its just not really my thing, and I wanted to like it.

I also unfortunately wish the menthol was a little more intense. Not freezing cold or anything, but slightly more than this. I'm having trouble noticing its in there at all.

Those are my only negatives though. Everything else about it is great. Makes a nice lather, not the slickest I've used but no slouch. Face feel and shave is excellent. After shave is nice too. And of course, the jar and the price are top notch!

As with every great product Joe and RR put out, the only issues one could really have are subjective.

That's exactly how I feel about the stallion people go absolutely crazy for that soap and i gave mine away it gives me a headache I don't like it at all scents are subjective .. But to me the performance is top notch

 

[Jerry-built Hustler]

I'd like to see this soap readily available rather than a limited edition. I've four shaves with it, the performance is very good.

I didn't realize that it was - I'm not sure how I missed that bright red advisory. That sort of kills it for me. I'm not into limited edition creams, because if I end up really liking something, I like to know I can keep using it. Think of all the anguish we go through when an excellent product is either discontinued or reformulated. Going for a limited edition cream is like subjecting oneself to that distress on purpose.