Tabac or MWF. or ?

[sero-sed-serio]

Hi im looking to try out some new soaps and I have been eyeing MWF or Tabac. Now I've seen a lot of discussion on Tabac's scent but not a whole lot about MWF's. Could someone describe it to me? If you have another recommendation please make it (maybe one of Mama Bear's?)
Just to let you know I am looking for a winter soap and I hate to sound cliche but I would like to stay away from "old man scents".
Thanks in advance, I am grateful for the amount of knowledge on this board,
Sam

 

[FLTiger]

MWF's scent is very mild--it just smells clean to me.

 

[michiganlover]

I hate to sound cliche but I would like to stay away from "old man scents".

Are you ok with "old lady scents" or specifically a soap that smells like old ladies?

I personally found the smell of Tabac to be horrible, and it gave me an almost instant headache. It was promptly sold after 2-3 uses.

 

[mretzloff]

Sorry that I cannot be of any help, but...GET TABAC!

 

[joshmpdx]

you say you're looking to try soaps, plural, and Tabac and MWF would certainly be good ones to jump in with.

the MWF scent is soft, elegant and lovely. tabac however, might be considered "old man" smelling to some.

what other soaps should you consider?

the Valobra hard soap
a tub of proraso or omega
Pre de Provence
QED/Mama Bear/SRD

 

[mdunn]

keep in mind that irisch moos is tabac with a different scent

 

[sero-sed-serio]

Thanks guys! I'm definitely looking at MWF right now. I will probably just buy a refill and mill it into my own bowl. What is the best way to do this? I know I cant melt it down like glycerin based soaps.

 

[Leche]

Thanks guys! I'm definitely looking at MWF right now. I will probably just buy a refill and mill it into my own bowl. What is the best way to do this? I know I cant melt it down like glycerin based soaps.

A cheese grater works well. Just make sure you wash the cheddar off. And if I can make a recommendation, get both.

 

[FLTiger]

And if I can make a recommendation, get both.

+1

Both are great soaps, and both are sufficiently well regarded that, even if you decide that you don't care for one or the other (or both), you could easily get rid of the one(s) you don't like on the BST.

 

[DSB]

I MUCH prefer Tabac to MWF. But, I fully endorse the "get both" advice. This is a comparison you should make yourself!

 

[negncic]

Big fan of the MWF. It smells like what it is. SOAP

 

[thatguy1807]

Get Provence Sante, it has the best scent of all and to me its on par with Tabac performance wise.

 

[BrewMaster]

I was in your position a month or so ago. I got both plus a few from Mama Bear and The Gentlemen's Quarter. Tabac is by far my favorite for the scent and the quality of shave it delivers. Tabac is super slick with a great, lofty lather.

MWF smells like overcooked lamb to me. The shave is ok, but if I hadn't already grated it into a bowl, I would have sold it. I will not be re-buying MWF, but I will be stocking up on Tabac.

I also like Mama Bear's soaps a lot. I don't see myself shaving with any other soaps beyond Tabac and Mama Bear.

Note that you can get Tabac from FragranceX.com with free shipping and 10% off right now.

 

[negncic]

I was in your position a month or so ago. I got both plus a few from Mama Bear and The Gentlemen's Quarter. Tabac is by far my favorite for the scent and the quality of shave it delivers. Tabac is super slick with a great, lofty lather.

MWF smells like overcooked lamb to me. The shave is ok, but if I hadn't already grated it into a bowl, I would have sold it. I will not be re-buying MWF, but I will be stocking up on Tabac.

I also like Mama Bear's soaps a lot. I don't see myself shaving with any other soaps beyond Tabac and Mama Bear.

Note that you can get Tabac from FragranceX.com with free shipping and 10% off right now.

I guess this shows you that you need to try them yourself. Although I do not dislike Tabac, I find I enjoy both the scent and shave quality of MWF much more than that of Tabac. I think I even like Dr.Harris Lavendar better than Tabac. But I am a noob.

 

[MPruett]

I'm kind of torn... on one hand Tabac lathers up and works like no other soap I've tried (admittedly not very many).

On the other, Tabac smells like an 80 year old woman's perfume- it has this weird flowery smell that I associate with old ladies (and so does my wife, FWIW).

MWF doesn't smell so funky, but at least in my experience, doesn't seem to lather up quite as well. It is less drying though, and I can see how if you weren't as greasy as I am, the less drying soap would be the preferred option.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Get Provence Sante, it has the best scent of all and to me its on par with Tabac performance wise.

I like Provence Sante also and it does have a great scent.

 

[joelmole]

Pre de Provence is a winner too. It also doesn't hurt to try an Italian cream soap like Cella, Valobra, or Proraso/Omega.

 

[MrFusion]

I love Tabac's lather but the scent is not my favorite. I still use Tabac though.
MWF, as pointed out above, smells like soap but does not lather (for me) quite a well as Tabac. It does produce a very good lather for my shaves.

Bottom line, I like both. If you like the smell of Tabac, get it. If not, try MWF. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

[Bertilak]

My favorite three are (or were) Tabac, MWF and Cella. Note that all are tallow soaps. I did have a problem with Cella -- it has no preservatives (the others do) and it went rancid on me. When it's good it's very, very good. When it's bad it's BAD.

scent-wise:

Tabac -- OK by me but I can see how others may not like it
MWF -- as said above, smells like soap
Cella -- my favorite -- almond, but not a marzipan-like scent. Have heard it referred to as "bitter almond". Not too strong, in any case.

All perform excellently.

 

[blacdisco2000]

Try whit D.R. Harris Arlington.