trying to understand why so many seem to think arko smells bad

[Grafi]

I love Arko scent. Im kinda classic scents freak. Arko is a dirt cheap soap that you can make a awesome lather from. It's tallow based.
and its far better then some pricey competition
I can lather up anything yet I prefer tallow soaps. Yet we lack of tallow soaps in UE because of some eco moronic dump ducks. So the amount of available tallow soaps exponentially shrinking here. Even Tabac is palm oil based now for god sake. And no one cares that palm plantations are deadly for the environment. Sorry for a little of topic

 

[RenoRichard]

Ran a poll a while back; about 25% of responses indicated that ARKO smelled bad/urinal pucky to them. I'm one that is put off by the smell of ARKO when a stick is freshly opened. Also, I have a sensitive nose for certain scents. I used an ARKO stick this morning that's been sitting here in Brooklyn left from a prior trip and aired out for at least eight months, maybe a year, and it smells and works just fine. AFAI can tell it's the citronella smell that puts me off a fresh stick, the lemony smell that remains after months of airing seems pleasant enough and reminds me of a plain old soap. I never have had an issue with Williams, but I only have one puck left. Performance-wise, ARKO has always been a great value, gives a good shave, and despite my dislike of the initial odor, I've bought a couple of dozen sticks over the years. I do smell an earthy/chemically funky bit underneath the top scent of the La Toja stick that's not the best to my nose, but that too fades after using a stick for a while.

 

[P1C0]

In Germany it too appears to be quite polarizing.

There is this codecheck.info entry for ARKO (codecheck.info is a German website/app for reading info and reviews about a product) from which I have taken a screenshot of the negatives of the soap and how people agree or disagree with those (I translate immediately after):

• It is unfortunately judged by many unqualified idiots (30 yes / 6 no)
• too many questionable/cheap ingredients (24 yes / 12 no)
• pungent soapy scent (85 yes / 106 no)
• not for sensitive skin (8 yes / 29 no)
• smells like urinal cake (6 yes / 38 no)

 

[LRod]

I think a lot of the nice smelling soaps are something like 10-20x more expensive. I think a lot of people have to come up with very strong reasons why they need the more expensive soap

I like TOBS Cedarwood so much that I have a supply that will last me for well over a year.
It smells so good to me that it's the only reason I need!
They can jack up the price and I'll still buy it!

 

[desrgrl]

My order from Top of the Chain arrived, so I've tried Arko for the first time (my review of all the soaps will be a week or two away, on the soaps thread). I'm here, however, to discuss my first shave with Arko!

First off, I'm not sure why, but in this thread, and elsewhere, I somehow thought it needed another constant, and called it 'Arklo', my appologies to @FarmerTan and others who may have noticed my uncultured gaffe).

One would think, being a woman, that I don't know the smell of a urinal puck, but I did indeed work for a short time as an office cleaner, that included cleaning urinals and putting in pucks. I don't smell 'urinal' because the association isn't that strong, but there is enough of that chemical/lemon whiff that I see where some guys are coming from.

The opening itself, there was a strong smell of 'sugary/chemical/lemon drop candy' smell, that dispersed quickly, and just left 'soap/lemon'.

I like the Ivory soap smell.

I wish the lemon were a bit less chemically, more like sunlight or Pledge furniture polish, and a bit less like Citronelle. It did make for a neat mental association. I first used it the bath (chin, underarms, legs). And it is a nice light smell, which is good, because as mentioned elsewhere, I'm pretty unisex on scents, I just don't want the 'lumberjack/rum/cigar/forest smell. A couple of days later when I used it on chin alone, it reminded me of washing my face at camp as a kid. It was a family camp, very much 'roughing it' compared to a lot of places today (three hole outhouses, cabins had not electricity/lamps, wash station had water run from the main lodge to a metal counter with central trough, probably 8-10 people could fit around it, you'd fill a basin, wash up, teeth, etc, and then dump the water into the trough and it would drain off somewhere or other)... makes perfect sense now that I think of it... Ivory soap, and a bunch of people drowned in bug spray in close quarters. For me, a very pleasant association. Very much clean, simple, basic.

I do get both sides though, if it had that strong of a chemical/lemon smell stay on me, instead of fading to just a 'clean' smell, then it would be a no go.

Being minimalist, I do not want to go down rabbit holes, however, I think it is reasonable to have a few different soaps for different purposes....

Arko lathers like a dream. Again for those in the back, it LATHERS like a dream. I suck at lathering, and it is just a blessing to not have to struggle at all, or for a longer period of time, to get up a nice foam. Also, while it might not be everyone's cup of tea, I love soaps that are a bit more on the slick side, which Arko is. I did a rub on face/face lather, and a lather up as best I could on the end of the stick and lather it on, both worked fine.

I don't find it overpowering to use, or afterwards, but it does have this odd ability to be very pungent just sitting there on its own. I put it up in the little side cabinet, and the next day when I opened the cabinet for something else, it slapped me in the face, but then dissipated again very quickly. I will definitely need to transport it into a container of some sort, and I see there is a thread on that, so I've got some ideas for there. If I come up with anything spiffy I might post it here.

Lather. It's all about the lather.

I do want maybe two more soaps, that can be my 'go to' as well, one for an everyday but maybe a bit more of relaxing/soothing scent, and then maybe something a little more opulent, 'spoil myself', luxury smell. It might take a bit of time, and I don't want to end up with dozens of soaps looking for the perfect one. However, as of now, Arko is the 'basic go-to fresh clean scent' soap, overtaking my Proraso (which, while the menthol is nice, doesn't do near as nice a job at lathering).

mmmm...lather... *dreamy look*

Also, @FarmerTan, I am now officially a convert. Do we get T-shirts? Are there decoder rings?

 

[FarmerTan]

My order from Top of the Chain arrived, so I've tried Arko for the first time (my review of all the soaps will be a week or two away, on the soaps thread). I'm here, however, to discuss my first shave with Arko!

First off, I'm not sure why, but in this thread, and elsewhere, I somehow thought it needed another constant, and called it 'Arklo', my appologies to @FarmerTan and others who may have noticed my uncultured gaffe).

One would think, being a woman, that I don't know the smell of a urinal puck, but I did indeed work for a short time as an office cleaner, that included cleaning urinals and putting in pucks. I don't smell 'urinal' because the association isn't that strong, but there is enough of that chemical/lemon whiff that I see where some guys are coming from.

The opening itself, there was a strong smell of 'sugary/chemical/lemon drop candy' smell, that dispersed quickly, and just left 'soap/lemon'.

I like the Ivory soap smell.

I wish the lemon were a bit less chemically, more like sunlight or Pledge furniture polish, and a bit less like Citronelle. It did make for a neat mental association. I first used it the bath (chin, underarms, legs). And it is a nice light smell, which is good, because as mentioned elsewhere, I'm pretty unisex on scents, I just don't want the 'lumberjack/rum/cigar/forest smell. A couple of days later when I used it on chin alone, it reminded me of washing my face at camp as a kid. It was a family camp, very much 'roughing it' compared to a lot of places today (three hole outhouses, cabins had not electricity/lamps, wash station had water run from the main lodge to a metal counter with central trough, probably 8-10 people could fit around it, you'd fill a basin, wash up, teeth, etc, and then dump the water into the trough and it would drain off somewhere or other)... makes perfect sense now that I think of it... Ivory soap, and a bunch of people drowned in bug spray in close quarters. For me, a very pleasant association. Very much clean, simple, basic.

I do get both sides though, if it had that strong of a chemical/lemon smell stay on me, instead of fading to just a 'clean' smell, then it would be a no go.

Being minimalist, I do not want to go down rabbit holes, however, I think it is reasonable to have a few different soaps for different purposes....

Arko lathers like a dream. Again for those in the back, it LATHERS like a dream. I suck at lathering, and it is just a blessing to not have to struggle at all, or for a longer period of time, to get up a nice foam. Also, while it might not be everyone's cup of tea, I love soaps that are a bit more on the slick side, which Arko is. I did a rub on face/face lather, and a lather up as best I could on the end of the stick and lather it on, both worked fine.

I don't find it overpowering to use, or afterwards, but it does have this odd ability to be very pungent just sitting there on its own. I put it up in the little side cabinet, and the next day when I opened the cabinet for something else, it slapped me in the face, but then dissipated again very quickly. I will definitely need to transport it into a container of some sort, and I see there is a thread on that, so I've got some ideas for there. If I come up with anything spiffy I might post it here.

Lather. It's all about the lather.

I do want maybe two more soaps, that can be my 'go to' as well, one for an everyday but maybe a bit more of relaxing/soothing scent, and then maybe something a little more opulent, 'spoil myself', luxury smell. It might take a bit of time, and I don't want to end up with dozens of soaps looking for the perfect one. However, as of now, Arko is the 'basic go-to fresh clean scent' soap, overtaking my Proraso (which, while the menthol is nice, doesn't do near as nice a job at lathering).

mmmm...lather... *dreamy look*

Also, @FarmerTan, I am now officially a convert. Do we get T-shirts? Are there decoder rings?

T-shirt? No, better.

You are the first XX chromosome human with a seat at the "Arkotable in Arkoland"!!!

 

[Slock]

I have tried to teach my children to make good choices. I need to lead by example.

 

[timetofly]

T-shirt? No, better.

You are the first XX chromosome human with a seat at the "Arkotable in Arkoland"!!!

I say that you appoint @desrgrl as Queen of Arkoland. That would allow us to put a full court press against the nay sayers.

 

[StewB]

I say that you appoint @desrgrl as Queen of Arkoland. That would allow us to put a full court press against the nay sayers.

The War Department would probably need to approve that appointment...

 

[Strumbringer]

I’m just waiting for the Fabuloso or Windex soap to come out.

 

[velocityboy]

The first time I smelled Arko I was immediately taken back to childhood vacations/road trips when we would stay in cheap motels along the way and there would always be that tiny bar of soap in the bathroom. Still wrapped of course but upon opening you could tell it was quite old and brittle as parts of the mini bar had turned yellow. It was just plain soap, no added fragrances, no lotions, no colors. That's what Arko smells like to me, just soap, not bad but not good either. Could I use it if I had to? Sure but when there are so many others that make excellent lather and provide a pleasant scent as well I don't find myself reaching for it much at all.

 

[ynggrsshppr]

The first time I smelled Arko I was immediately taken back to childhood vacations/road trips when we would stay in cheap motels along the way and there would always be that tiny bar of soap in the bathroom. Still wrapped of course but upon opening you could tell it was quite old and brittle as parts of the mini bar had turned yellow. It was just plain soap, no added fragrances, no lotions, no colors. That's what Arko smells like to me, just soap, not bad but not good either. Could I use it if I had to? Sure but when there are so many others that make excellent lather and provide a pleasant scent as well I don't find myself reaching for it much at all.

Same, just smells like soap to me. Boring, but not offensive. The only problem I have with Arko is that it's a bit drying. Otherwise it's awesome. Easy to use, effective, cheap and lasts forever.

 

[FarmerTan]

Same, just smells like soap to me. Boring, but not offensive. The only problem I have with Arko is that it's a bit drying. Otherwise it's awesome. Easy to use, effective, cheap and lasts forever.

If you use gasoline for aftershave like I do ya don't notice how drying Arko can be!

Seriously, there are times in the winter when I put a balm on my incredibly handsome face.

 

[P1C0]

On the slickness topic, I came home yesterday after a long journey only to find some bits of ARKO in my bowl, I had forgotten to refill and was too lazy/tired to do it at the time, so I shaved with what was a thin lather on the 1st pass and ARKO-scented water on the 2nd. No problems, clean shave with no irritation, almost bbs.

 

[desrgrl]

I say that you appoint @desrgrl as Queen of Arkoland. That would allow us to put a full court press against the nay sayers.

Oh dear heavens no. I don't have the command and presence to be a queen, and unless you are a true princess (looking at you, Anne, Princess Royal), there is an age at which you should not be referred to as a princess (possibly exceptions of parents/partners), and I am well past that age.

Maybe court jester? I'm not sure I'm that funny though. Courtier? Not fancy enough.

I'm probably best suited to basic things, like a page. I could be a Pagette! If I find a few other pagettes, we could form a Motown band.

PS - I believe @FarmerTan 's wife would be Queen.

 

[desrgrl]

The War Department would probably need to approve that appointment...

The War Department would be scarey. I don't really need a title at all, if I have to have one, humble page would suit me fine. Where is the message going sir? When does it need to be there? (I could even make up cosplay style Mercury boots with little wings).

 

[desrgrl]

The first time I smelled Arko I was immediately taken back to childhood vacations/road trips when we would stay in cheap motels along the way and there would always be that tiny bar of soap in the bathroom. Still wrapped of course but upon opening you could tell it was quite old and brittle as parts of the mini bar had turned yellow. It was just plain soap, no added fragrances, no lotions, no colors. That's what Arko smells like to me, just soap, not bad but not good either. Could I use it if I had to? Sure but when there are so many others that make excellent lather and provide a pleasant scent as well I don't find myself reaching for it much at all.

*whispers so Farmer Tan doesn't hear* It could be that I later find a soap that would replace it, but I'm working on bare minimalist supplies, and I don't want to sink too much money into trying different soaps, and then doing auction/PIF on them, because I'm not keeping a whole arsenal.*end of whisper*.

I have a couple of others (Caties Bubbles, Declaration Grooming) that were in my order, and that I'm trying out now, and I'll finish off my Poraso and Cremo (Cremo is very nice, but I don't like tube format), then maybe I'll add another soap to try. I'm sure there are great ones out there, but I only want 3-4 at the end of the day, with anything else going as give aways. (By note of explanation, recovering RAD).

 

[FarmerTan]

Oh dear heavens no. I don't have the command and presence to be a queen, and unless you are a true princess (looking at you, Anne, Princess Royal), there is an age at which you should not be referred to as a princess (possibly exceptions of parents/partners), and I am well past that age.

Maybe court jester? I'm not sure I'm that funny though. Courtier? Not fancy enough.

I'm probably best suited to basic things, like a page. I could be a Pagette! If I find a few other pagettes, we could form a Motown band.

PS - I believe @FarmerTan 's wife would be Queen.

Oh, my wife definitely has command and presence!

She completely completes me! She is in command whenever I'm in her presence, lol!

She is Siegfried Farnon to my Tristan.

 

[oscar11]

I don’t care for any strong scents especially day after day.