Searching for my starting lineup

[JMax]

Christmas came early today. Arrived home to a few packages, but still waiting for my Wholly Kaw Fougere and a couple of Declaration Grooming samples.

Thoughts so far:
PdP 63 was love at first whiff. Can already say that I will likely keep this stuff around.

I won't be keeping the PdP sage and Provence Sante, both smell good (the PdP smells really good) just not good enough compared to everything else I received. Also keeping a fougere spot open for the Wholly Kaw and Dedication.

Speaking of which, the B&M fern smells great. Will have to duke it out with the Dedication for the second fougere spot.

The Cheshire and the Seville are both outstanding. Seville is a nice barbershop that kind of reminds me of TOBS sandlewood. I think I'm leaning towards Cheshire though, really loving those citrus notes.

Soap Commander truly is unscented (just what I wanted) and the Haslinger is close enough to unscented for me (expecting greatness in the performance department.)

Can't wait to try everything out and report back.

 

[Graybeard57]

Quite a lot of excellent soaps. Enjoy, and let us know your favorites.

 

[stook2001]

If you are referring to WK Fougere Bouquet, it is an excellent scent and great performance. I also like the scent of PdP 63 but I prefer the performance of WK overall.

 

[JMax]

If you are referring to WK Fougere Bouquet, it is an excellent scent and great performance. I also like the scent of PdP 63 but I prefer the performance of WK overall.

Really excited as I've heard so many great things about WK. Have you tried anything from declaration? If so, how do WK and Declaration compare?

Interestingly enough over the last few hours I've cooled off on the 63, may not be keeping that either but we'll see. Will be picking up a full sized Cheshire and quite possibly the AS.I like the Seville more than the Fern, but likely won't be picking up full sizes of either. Unless the Declaration and WK fougeres are total busts.

Thinking SV or Valobra might be my next pickup unless anyone can recommend something else.

 

[stook2001]

Yes, I have 3 L&L (Declaration) soaps and 4 Wholly Kaw Donkey Milk soaps. Those are my #2 and #1 soaps respectively. Followed probably by Sudsy Soapery. Between those 3, for whatever reason, I tend to get consistently the closest shave with WK. It is a little bit harder of soap than L&L and Sudsy and I suspect it will last longer. I find WK to be the best overall balance between slickness, water tolerance, and post shave hydration. L&L might be very slightly slicker when it is perfectly lathered but, in my view, that optimal band of lather quality is more water sensitive than WK. For me, as a practical matter, I end up with a more consistent lather from WK pass to pass and lather to lather. These are both excellent, top tier soaps though. Hard to go wrong and I'm splitting hairs just based upon my own experience.

I don't personally find SV or Valobra to be as good as those 3 but everyone has their preferences, of course!

 

[JMax]

Yes, I have 3 L&L (Declaration) soaps and 4 Wholly Kaw Donkey Milk soaps. Those are my #2 and #1 soaps respectively. Followed probably by Sudsy Soapery. Between those 3, for whatever reason, I tend to get consistently the closest shave with WK. It is a little bit harder of soap than L&L and Sudsy and I suspect it will last longer. I find WK to be the best overall balance between slickness, water tolerance, and post shave hydration. L&L might be very slightly slicker when it is perfectly lathered but, in my view, that optimal band of lather quality is more water sensitive than WK. For me, as a practical matter, I end up with a more consistent lather from WK pass to pass and lather to lather. These are both excellent, top tier soaps though. Hard to go wrong and I'm splitting hairs just based upon my own experience.

I don't personally find SV or Valobra to be as good as those 3 but everyone has their preferences, of course!

Thanks, this is what I was hoping to hear as I already ordered a full sized WK. BTW, where does B&M fall for you?

 

[stook2001]

Depends which base and I can't give as authoritative answer since I don't have as much experience. I have only one B&M soap currently, which is Lavanille in the older base. I seem to have a slight reaction to it so I don't really use it anymore and I'd be hesitant to compare it at this point since it's been a while. I have sampled the Latha line once and didn't love the base but that was only 1 shave. I haven't tried the reserve base but would very much like to. I expect to get a crack at it soon in the big passaround thread.

 

[stook2001]

By the way, regarding PdP... one great thing about it is that it is a ridiculously hard soap. I have probably 20 shaves on my puck and it looks basically new. It would probably last a near millennia.

 

[tclobaugh]

PdP and Province Sante are both crazy hard soaps. The sante would make a good bath soap.

As to what other soaps I'd recommend... WK and declaration are 2 of the best right now, so you are doing well. Grooming Dept and Tallow & Steel are 2 others you should look at that are in that league.

Nuavia is also very good but on the pricier side.

 

[JMax]

PdP and Province Sante are both crazy hard soaps. The sante would make a good bath soap.

As to what other soaps I'd recommend... WK and declaration are 2 of the best right now, so you are doing well. Grooming Dept and Tallow & Steel are 2 others you should look at that are in that league.

Nuavia is also very good but on the pricier side.

Def planning on trying some Grooming Dept. when stock is more readily available. What's scared me off of Tallow and Steele so far are the scents. It's just the 5 right? None really seem appealing to me but maybe you could recommend one or two?

Planning on getting through the artisans and treating myself to like 2 out of the SV, Valobra, MDC, Pannacrema, C&S camp in the spring around my birthday. Probably won't be able to hold out that long, realistically speaking.

Nuavia is like a Pannacrema line? A bit confused about Nuavia atm.

 

[JMax]

Yes, I have 3 L&L (Declaration) soaps and 4 Wholly Kaw Donkey Milk soaps. Those are my #2 and #1 soaps respectively. Followed probably by Sudsy Soapery. Between those 3, for whatever reason, I tend to get consistently the closest shave with WK. It is a little bit harder of soap than L&L and Sudsy and I suspect it will last longer. I find WK to be the best overall balance between slickness, water tolerance, and post shave hydration. L&L might be very slightly slicker when it is perfectly lathered but, in my view, that optimal band of lather quality is more water sensitive than WK. For me, as a practical matter, I end up with a more consistent lather from WK pass to pass and lather to lather. These are both excellent, top tier soaps though. Hard to go wrong and I'm splitting hairs just based upon my own experience.

I don't personally find SV or Valobra to be as good as those 3 but everyone has their preferences, of course!

Man Sudsy Soapery has me interested in a few scents: pumpkin spice, vanilla almond, and the white sage lime. Hopefully Pasteur carries Sudsy, will be going there later this week.

Any experience with Mike's btw?

 

[stook2001]

Honestly, I can not recall if Pasteur carries Sudsy. Someone else could probably tell you exactly where it is stocked if they carry it. I was in such a rush when I was there, sadly, and had an agenda that didn't include Sudsy since I already know the scents in that line.

I do like the vanilla almond. The lavender and peppermint is also very good for me. The sandalwood and citrus is also good to my nose. There is also going to be a small run of Delor de Treget soon, I think. Pretty sure I saw that announced in an email recently from them. It's a very nice, complex orange scent. Anyway, those are the 4 that I like. There are certainly a lot of people that seem to like the white sage and lime but its not one of my favorites.

Mike's wasn't great for me when I sampled it. I should try it again sometime.

I like the others that you mentioned as well. Pannacrema is good, although I havent tried the higher end nuavia line yet. MdC has some really great scents in my opinion. I also tend to get a really close shave with the samples that I've tried of MdC. Not quite sure why. It's sneaky good, although the post shave isn't quite up to my favorites. It's also a bit pricey. I'd love to split a purchase with some others at some point maybe, like thirds of three scents, since they last a long while.

 

[JMax]

Honestly, I can not recall if Pasteur carries Sudsy. Someone else could probably tell you exactly where it is stocked if they carry it. I was in such a rush when I was there, sadly, and had an agenda that didn't include Sudsy since I already know the scents in that line.

I do like the vanilla almond. The lavender and peppermint is also very good for me. The sandalwood and citrus is also good to my nose. There is also going to be a small run of Delor de Treget soon, I think. Pretty sure I saw that announced in an email recently from them. It's a very nice, complex orange scent. Anyway, those are the 4 that I like. There are certainly a lot of people that seem to like the white sage and lime but its not one of my favorites.

Mike's wasn't great for me when I sampled it. I should try it again sometime.

I like the others that you mentioned as well. Pannacrema is good, although I havent tried the higher end nuavia line yet. MdC has some really great scents in my opinion. I also tend to get a really close shave with the samples that I've tried of MdC. Not quite sure why. It's sneaky good, although the post shave isn't quite up to my favorites. It's also a bit pricey. I'd love to split a purchase with some others at some point maybe, like thirds of three scents, since they last a long while.

Count me in anytime.

 

[tclobaugh]

I forgot to mention Sudsy - that's a top tier in my book too.

I'm not the person to ask on T&S scents as none of them really appealed to me. I was lucky enough to be able smell samples of many of their line, but it's been long enough that I don't really remember much except that I didn't find a match for my nose (I'm a little picky). The best that I can tell you is that their scents are complex. The performance of the soap was stellar, so I'll keep my eye open for future scents from them.

Nuavia is made by Pannacrema. It's their premium line and is top tier. They also have a line called H2O (vegan) which is very good as well (almost top tier). There is an older pannacrema line (tallow) that is no longer made - this is very good too (about the same as H2O)

Hope this helps.

 

[BigJ]

Trying these out would be an excellent project over the holidays!

 

[cryhavoc]

Which Provence Sante soap did you get? Their Green Tea is a nice mild scent but it is a great performer.

 

[major_works]

I believe Pasteur's does carry Sudsy Soapery. I want to say it's not on the big wall but on one of the opposing shelves. Look at the one to the left of the cellar door in the floor.

 

[JMax]

Which Provence Sante soap did you get? Their Green Tea is a nice mild scent but it is a great performer.

The green tea. I could see others liking it but something about it makes me wanna puke. It reminds me of something or someone that I just can't figure out.

Also got the impression, even before buying it, that it's a good to very good performer but not on the top level of what's available today. Can't really say since I haven't (and won't be) trying it.

 

[JMax]

Trying these out would be an excellent project over the holidays!

The Haslinger is your fault!

Thanks

 

[tclobaugh]

Which Provence Sante soap did you get? Their Green Tea is a nice mild scent but it is a great performer.

Provence Sante is a quite nice. It doesn't get nearly the mentions as pdp but I feel it's an equal in performance