Testing Scheermonnik soaps

[Ivo4u2]

Otoh there Are a lot of pretty girls in piets disguise you never know what souk will bring you in Sinterklaas his big book…

For the non Europeans… if you do not behave you will end up in Sinterklaas his naughty book, get some spanking with the roe and might end up in Piets emptied gifts bag to spend some time in Spain doing labor… which is still better as the German krampus folklore on which it was loosely based…
Though that spanking might attract some of use wet shaving enthusiasts…

 

[Ligeti]

Scheermonnik Berk - second encounter 1

This is how I described this soap at the first encounter: "The smell of a vibrant green wet forest. Sun after the rain. Leaftrees only, no pines. Combined with artisanal gardening. Sitting on your knees and grabbing in the soil with both hands. A very different and surprising smell. Very relaxing too."
At the second encounter, I quite agree with myself though I would change the order. It's more like sitting on your knees and grabbing the soil and fallen leaves under a birch tree after some summer rain. It's clear and clean yet weird (to me) as a shaving soap smell. What I mean to say: I do like the smell, I'm curious whether I'll get used to enjoying it as a shaving soap perfume.

 

[Ligeti]

Scheermonnik Berk - second encounter 2

I wondered if Berk soap would combine nicely with Pitralon Classic AS. They actually do. To some extent.
Yesterday, I forgot to mention Berk isn't the softest of the set. It takes at least some pressure to scrape of some soap from the surface. Not like with a hard soap (like Tabac). But harder than Delftse Donderslag. More like Beau Brummel.

 

[Ligeti]

Scheermonnik Berk - second encounter 3

Third day of my return to Berk. Still enjoy the weirdness of the perfume in a bathroom context. But also still have the feeling something isn't totally right.
Another Scheermonnik that I'll be happy to use the sample but probably will never buy a whole tub of.

 

[Ligeti]

Scheermonnik Berk - second encounter 4

Last day of my return to Berk. I keep coming to the same conclusion: I like the scent and I like the surprise of having this scent in the bathroom. But it's not a shaving soap smell for me.

 

[Ligeti]

Scheermonnik samples - overview after 5 shaves each

First of all: what a wonderfull way to present samples. Nice mini-tubs, lots of soap.
Also: even if their consistency isn't the same (some being softer than others, Delftse donderslag being even kind of crumbly), they all produce a very nice lather. That shaves perfectly.
The major difference is in the scent. And that's a highly personal experience. Here is mine:

• They all have some Scheermonnik character. So if you like one, you might like most. And the other way around.
• Delfts wit: I like the warm, sweet, pipe-tobacco like smell. But not enough to buy a full tub of it. I guess.
• Delftse donderslag: the vanilla-lavender combo doesn't work for me. Even didn't finish my 5 shaves.
• 1778 Beau Brummel: the tea-honey-coconut-marzipan is subtle and does appeal to me. But probably not enough for a full tub.
• Soek: the pepernoot-gingerbread-bastogne cookies aroma might work at Sinterklaas. But not the other 364 days of the year. Didn't finish the 5 shaves. Not my cuppa.
• Smoor: vanilla-sandalwood; warm and sweet. Some complexity to it. But also a lot of Scheermonnik. Not sure about this one.
• Berk: I like the smell of soil and fallen leaves under a birch tree after some summer rain a lot, but can't match it with bathroom/shaving.

So it looks like there might never be a full tub of Scheermonnik in my soap rotation. But I like to stress again: great samples of really very good soaps. Just personally not the scents I look forward to using day after day.