Want to Try My First Soap.

[Boyextraordinare]

I've used a variety of creams since I started traditional wetshaving - my favorites being GFT and T&H - and want to start using soaps.

What are their pros and cons?

What do you guys recommend? I want something top-performing and well-scented.

Consequently I'm probably going to buy from store rather than order online - so I can catch a whiff.

At my immediate disposal are soaps by: Trumper's, C&E, T&H, AOS, MWF.

Of these MWF sounds most appealing but I dislike the scent so I don't think I'll be going with it.

What do you guys think?

If it's of any importance, I have a plethora of brushes and am starting to like boar more.

 

[SilverKarn]

I would suggest something simple first and then move to something "top performing"

Maybe VanDerHagan or Mama Bears first.

Tabac is a good starter choice. If you want to use MWF i suggest you buy a puck of Williams. IMHO Williams is as hard to make lather with as MWF, if you can make lather with Williams you can make lather with MWF.

But if you must purchase one of the choices you stated in your post, i would suggest going with Trumpers soap, pick your favorite scent.

 

[cvac]

I enjoy Trumpers but like Pre De Provence more. No idea if you can get that where you are w/o buying online.

 

[cstewart]

Of the ones you listed, I've used T&H Luxury, Kent (MWF) and AOS Sandalwood. They all work very well but I'd go with AOS Sandalwood just based on scent alone.

 

[goose]

Kaveh,

Trumper's are my personal favorites and they come in several different scents.

Clint

 

[Boyextraordinare]

Thanks for the replies, gents.

I think I'll stick with Trumper's and this time go with a flavor better-scented than the Coconut Oil.

What's up, Clint!

 

[markb]

Of the soaps you listed that you have immediate access to, I've tried the AOS and C&E (Nomad)..

The Nomad is a very nice triple milled soap that has a nice, fresh "woody' fragrance (at least to my nose). Very pleasant..

The only AOS I have is the 'Lemon'.. The soap performs great! Tallow based and I get TONS of slick lather (better than the Nomad). But the smell's not there.. Has a sort of clay note to it.. Not unpleasant and it doesn't linger after it's rinsed off. But if the scent is a selling factor for you, you might want to look at one of the other AOS scents..

 

[rbaloha]

I would go to the closest Wal Mart, Wal Green, etc. and buy a $2 VDH puck.

If you like soaps try em's line of soaps -- great value longlasting easy to lather clean soap. Wonderful skin care qualities.

 

[DaveAri]

Of the ones you listed, I've used T&H Luxury, Kent (MWF) and AOS Sandalwood. They all work very well but I'd go with AOS Sandalwood just based on scent alone.

+1 on AOS Sandalwood, it also contains Coconut Oil.

 

[prewt]

oder Tabac online. Almost everyone that has tried it, ( 95% I'd say ) love it for the performance and I'd guess 10% of those that liked it didn't like the scent. If you don't like Tabac, you can sell it easy as pie on the BST forum. Tabac was the one factor that made my friend dump the canned goo. Now he enjoys shaving, even tho he keeps a beard!

 

[Boyextraordinare]

Everyone talks about Tobac.

I've tried the EDC and not liked it, but smelled the bar soap and have.

What's it closest to? Anything like Imperial Leather?

I'm going to phone Colonial Drug and see if it has any stock.

EDIT: What SS most closely matches Cusson's Imperial Leather bar soap in scent? That's an aroma

 

[VR6ofpain]

Everyone talks about Tobac.

I've tried the EDC and not liked it, but smelled the bar soap and have.

If you don't like the Tabac EDC, it is doubtful that you would enjoy the scent of the shave soap. The EDC and soap are virtually identical scents.

That said, you shouldn't totally rule out Tabac, because the lather is amazingly good. What you could do is wait a few more weeks till Sir Irisch Moos is being sold by some vendors. It has the same lathering abilities as Tabac, with a more mild scent.

 

[goose]

Kaveh,

Gordon had mentioned to me once that Trumper's Almond shave soap has a similar scent to the Imperial Leather soap. I haven't had the chance to check that one out in person, but you may want to take a sniff since you have some local retailers that carry it. The Limes and Sandalwood also have nice masculine scents to them.

Clint

 

[Boyextraordinare]

Went to a CO Bigelow today that carried only Rose and Violet.

I have a cold and in consequence am congested but my GF cited they were very minimally perfumed, and that's not cool.

The Andover, MA Andover Shop near me has everything Trumper's, so I'll smell the Almond tomorrow.

Thanks for the hot tip

II.

Also, what's that Anchor & [?] co. sold at Target that makes bowls well-suited for soap refills?

 

[doleeo]

Kaveh,

It's Anchor Hocking. Here are the ones that I use. I actually got mine at Wal-Mart though.

 

[petr]

If you are so close to Colonial, you are set. Personally, I would buy aos lavender or trumper sandlewood. Also, ask for Joris ss @ colonial which is a favorite of mine, but it has a somewhat soapy smell like IK or MWF.

Since you prefer a nice scented soap, you may want Floris, specifically JF which is a modern take on citrus. Performance w/ Floris is top tier for sure.

People like tabac because it works like a miracle, not the smell.

Cons? Soaps have none.

 

[Boyextraordinare]

Def not IK or MWF - boringly dull-scented.

I believe the original Andover Shop, near which I live, carries Floris soaps and I'll have to examine those...

II.

When I use creams I dip my once-shaken-but-otherwise-wet brush in a SC tub, load, and whip up my lather in a cereal bowl.

Should I use this technique with soap, or is the whole point to prepare the lather within the depths of the A&H bowl?

 

[markb]

When I use creams I dip my once-shaken-but-otherwise-wet brush in a SC tub, load, and whip up my lather in a cereal bowl.

Should I use this technique with soap, or is the whole point to prepare the lather within the depths of the A&H bowl?

Here's a great soap lathering tutorial:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136

Personally, after loading the brush I build the lather directly on my face. Just seems to work better for me.

Also, if you can locate any near where you live, check out Pré De Provence & Provence Santé. Both are nicely scented soaps as well as great performers..

 

[Ru4scuba?]

See my thread on soaps from Colleen at The Gentleman's Quarter. Her soaps have amazing scents, essential oils and leave your skin feeling good long after the shave!

 

[goose]

Kaveh,

Shave soaps are typically not as strongly scented as their shave cream counterparts. Of the Trumper's their Sandalwood is probably the one with the strongest scent. Other strongly scented options: Tabac, D.R. Harris Marlborough, Penhaligon's or Floris. Just a word of caution on the Floris soaps. There have been several bad reports on the current Floris No. 89 soaps and some have said that their other scents aren't performing as well as they used to either. So Floris could be hit or miss in the performance department. The Penhaligon's English Fern shave soap is my top performer but it is very difficult to find. It is strongly scented as well. If you see some locally you should pick up a puck.

Clint