Small time soap mail call - 10 samples + initial thoughts

[spolct]

SOTN 2/2/19:

THE MIDNIGHT STAG!!

Performance was great for me with a great post shave feel as well - no different from my other Chiseled Face soaps. As to the scent, it wasn't for me and I passed it along to a buddy who seemed to enjoy it. I tried to pass it along to a coworker but he wanted nothing to do with it. I'll say that it was not as terrible once lathered up and I kind of wanted to like it because it's so different and slightly crazy but I kept catching whiffs of it several hours later and decided to try to pass it along. Also my wife didn't like it at all. It's worth the cost of a sample to see if it's up your alley as at the very least it should give you a great shave.

 

[Hyloworks]

Tonight's shave featured Noble Otter - The Trail. Initial impression from the container didn't yield a standout scent but once lathered I got a nice outdoorsy scent with a good bit of sage coming through which is a scent I've been looking for. My grandparents lived in northern NM for a long time and their property (and that area in general) had lots and lots of sage brush. Post shave I pull always pull the remaining lather from the brush and rub it into my hands for a minute or two. I find it soothing and it also is a good way to evaluate the lather. A few minutes after that the smell dissipated into just a nice soapy smell with all the good bits of sage gone. Somewhat sad. Performance wise it was very slick and gave adequate protection. It wasn't the thickest lather ever but it didn't disappear mid-job which I think tells me it was hydrated enough. It lathered up pretty quickly, but I didn't actively shake all the water out of my brush like I typically do (habit from using Stirling).

I enjoyed this one but the scent didn't totally sing to me like my B&M Nocturne or the CF Cedar & Spice but I wouldn't say no to a full puck of it. It's on the short list.

I know it is a polarizing scent, but I can honestly say that after trying 50+ soaps that Nocturne is my absolute favorite shave soap scent. To me it is perfection. It reminds me of the barn store at the farm we always went to for pumpkin picking, hay rides, and corn mazes. The barn store smelled like wet leaves, muddy wood floors, apple cider, and smoke from the fires outside. Didn't mean to hijack your sampling. I will take any and all Nocturne soap and aftershave that people don't want. Happy shaves! Cheers!

 

[spolct]

I know it is a polarizing scent, but I can honestly say that after trying 50+ soaps that Nocturne is my absolute favorite shave soap scent. To me it is perfection. It reminds me of the barn store at the farm we always went to for pumpkin picking, hay rides, and corn mazes. The barn store smelled like wet leaves, muddy wood floors, apple cider, and smoke from the fires outside. Didn't mean to hijack your sampling. I will take any and all Nocturne soap and aftershave that people don't want. Happy shaves! Cheers!

It was your post saying that Nocturne was going away that sent me in search of backups. I have 2 full pucks and 1 at 95%. I've only tried 20 or so and Nocturne is the only one that I'll stop down just to open it up and take a whiff. Hopefully they'll re-release it at some point, preferably before I run out...

 

[Hyloworks]

It was your post saying that Nocturne was going away that sent me in search of backups. I have 2 full pucks and 1 at 95%. I've only tried 20 or so and Nocturne is the only one that I'll stop down just to open it up and take a whiff. Hopefully they'll re-release it at some point, preferably before I run out...

Yeah, I remember. I'm glad word made it to you in time hahaha. Unfortunately Will at Barrister and Mann said that it is retired. I'm hoping maybe next year he will re-release it in the excelsior base. One can only hope. I always open it just to smell it as well. I have two pucks and 4 bottles of aftershave hahaha. I seem to use splash way faster than soap. I disregarded my wife's feelings and bought a full tub of Midnight Stag the more I use it the more I love it. It smells like being in my grandfather's old car with leather seats and his smoky leather jacket from always burning wood, and the smell of barely combusted fuel. Great reviews by the way, and hoard that Nocturne!

 

[spolct]

Yeah, I remember. I'm glad word made it to you in time hahaha. Unfortunately Will at Barrister and Mann said that it is retired. I'm hoping maybe next year he will re-release it in the excelsior base. One can only hope. I always open it just to smell it as well. I have two pucks and 4 bottles of aftershave hahaha. I seem to use splash way faster than soap. I disregarded my wife's feelings and bought a full tub of Midnight Stag the more I use it the more I love it. It smells like being in my grandfather's old car with leather seats and his smoky leather jacket from always burning wood, and the smell of barely combusted fuel. Great reviews by the way, and hoard that Nocturne!

That's a great memory. I think that if I had something similar in my memory banks then I would enjoy it quite a bit more. Or maybe if I was a mechanic?

 

[Hyloworks]

That's a great memory. I think that if I had something similar in my memory banks then I would enjoy it quite a bit more. Or maybe if I was a mechanic?

I feel that if I was a mechanic I would be sick of the smell hahaha. The same way people in the food and beverage industry start to hate the smells of certain foods because they always smell like them.

 

[spolct]

I feel that if I was a mechanic I would be sick of the smell hahaha. The same way people in the food and beverage industry start to hate the smells of certain foods because they always smell like them.

Good point. Either way I really wanted to like it but just couldn't. Maybe in 3-5 years I'll pick up another sample of it and try again. Maybe. For now I'll just have to hoard all the Nocturne. I'm looking forward to trying Diamond in the near future.

 

[Hyloworks]

Good point. Either way I really wanted to like it but just couldn't. Maybe in 3-5 years I'll pick up another sample of it and try again. Maybe. For now I'll just have to hoard all the Nocturne. I'm looking forward to trying Diamond in the near future.

Tomorrow!!

 

[Hyloworks]

So after our conversation I saw that Chiseled Face released Sherlock and Midnight Stag in the liquid soap that they sell which I have in Ghost Town Barber and love. So I went nuts and ordered Midnight Stag in the liquid soap and soap bar. Obviously I added some other things as well. I recieved them today. Just awesome. Diamond tomorrow. Cheers!

 

[spolct]

So after our conversation I saw that Chiseled Face released Sherlock and Midnight Stag in the liquid soap that they sell which I have in Ghost Town Barber and love. So I went nuts and ordered Midnight Stag in the liquid soap and soap bar. Obviously I added some other things as well. I recieved them today. Just awesome. Diamond tomorrow. Cheers!

Liquid soap?!? Not what my wallet wanted to hear..

GTB is next on my list from them. Might need to try Sherlock too. so many soaps!

 

[Hyloworks]

Liquid soap?!? Not what my wallet wanted to hear..

GTB is next on my list from them. Might need to try Sherlock too. so many soaps!

Ghost Town Barber and Sherlock are two of my personal favorite scents to date. They are a lot more palatable than Midnight Stag. The liquid body/hand soaps are awesome. The bath soap bars are great too. I can't live without either of them now hahaha. The liquid hand/body soaps come in what looks like a wood glue bottle.

 

[spolct]

Next sample from the box was SOTN 2/9 - Chisled Face Summer Storm

Same great CF base with a nice clean scent. I get some rain and the ozone? and a bit of Earth in there. Not super strong and not my favorite either but nothing wrong with it at all. My wife liked it ok as well. No irritation or cuts which seems to be a trend with CF products for me.

This was a neck only shave which means that the previous shave (2/5) started my beard. Spoiler alert: the next shave is when I finally attempt a DE head shave. How will it go? How many pints of blood were lost? Stay tuned.