Why Acqua di Parma?
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- I just answered the question, above.
I appreciate you taking the time to provide a list.
Pen's BB, C&S, MdC, La Toja & Valobra are wonderful performers.
Is Taylor's Coconut a sweet smell? Sounds great for summer.
I have P-160 and its enough almond for me. I have a tub of TFS Ciotole Barbe Rosse which is described as Cella on steroids but we'll see.
Taylor's Coconut is maybe a bit more sweet than dry but fairly middle of the road. I find Taylor's scents to be their weak point generally. For example, I'd be hard pressed to find a better performing cream than their avocado, particularly if you have dry or sensitive skin, but while a liked it at first, I can't take the scent now (same problem that I have with Tabac).
That said, I don't think there's a better all-around cream than the Coconut in its price range. It is super cushioning and slick without causing the razor to skip. I think it runs circles around GFT's much heralded coconut, although the GFT scent is a bit drier, which I like. I actually like it for winter because it is rich and evokes memories of warm weather getaways.
That said, I don't think there's a better all-around cream than the Coconut in its price range. It is super cushioning and slick without causing the razor to skip. I think it runs circles around GFT's much heralded coconut, although the GFT scent is a bit drier, which I like. I actually like it for winter because it is rich and evokes memories of warm weather getaways.
No way in the world you can convice me TOBS and proraso are better than ADP or XXX - Stop shoppe I love.
Is there a particular strop shoppe cream that you guys recommend? Russian Tea Room sounds interesting.
AdP performance wise is average at best, scent is superb though.
Strop Shoppe Special Edition Barbershoppe with Tallow. Has shea and coccobutter - very soft creamy soap, scent is strong but light sweet and clean, good stuff.
Just remember it's there Special Edition line we're talking about - my experience is with their tallow versions. I like their lemon eucalyptus because it's mild and inoffensive but still enough of a scent to enjoy. It really is a fairly straightforward combination of lemon and eucalyptus. Similar to RazoRock 888.
Of the cologne scents, I also like the Barbershoppe the best, though I've heard great reviews on both the Baker Street and Black Tie. I found the Baker Street stung my face just a touch but I'm sensitive to cologne-like fragrances. The Barbershoppe is nice and mild. I haven't tried any others.
I went back to what's left of my AdP to shave with it again this morning. I wanted to give it another try in light of this thread. I loaded my brush generously. I have to say, the scent has grown on me but I wouldn't say it's grown on me to the point of being a fan - I can see why others would love it though - it occupies a rare space that is very refined.
It does create beautiful looking lather - creamy and dense. But I found, once again, the lather is just not particularly protective. It offers little cushion and decent glide, which led to my razor skipping as I shaved. I have to stand by my original assessment with respect to performance.
I actually find it very similar in performance to Castle Forbes (another product that gets rave reviews from most on performance but which doesn't cut it for me - it's fine but not great IMHO). However, I love CF lime scent so I would take it over AdP. And though CF is an expensive product too, it is considerably more reasonable than AdP.
I was tempted by the Russian Tea Room, too, but ultimately didn't get it. The limited edition soaps have the same butters as the special edition, too, so they probably perform similarly.
I really like Black Tie, Special Edition w/ Tallow. A pleasant cologne scent. I'm tempted to get some others, but the SE soaps are 8oz, so it'll take me 2 years to use it up probably as it is.
I think I've decided on the strop shoppe special edition barber shop with tallow. Looking for a clean non overpowering scent.
i found ADP to be more cushioning than MWF. But i have also heard MWF to be called fast cutting since it isn't thick (as far as i can tell). while post shave MWF felt great, I found it during the shave to be nothing of remark or note.
i dont think i have ever heard AdP cause skipping.. that sounds like it's drying out too fast.
Excellent post. My take on this is that the whole experience of using the Collezione Barbiere products is a luxurious one which reeks of quality. I submit that there is probably no other "range" of products in all of shavedom in which all of the individual items are of such top quality. From the shaving cream (both tub and tube are excellent), to the facial scrub and the top-of-the-heap aftershaves, there is not a weak player on the team. Most of the other "ranges" of products (DRH. GFT, TOBS) are stronger in some areas and weaker in others. In my opinion, they tend to have subpar aftershave offerings, which is a particularly strong point with AdP. If one even compares the wenge wood razor handle and brush from AdP CB to the tacky AOS offerings (neither of which I have direct experience with), AdP just seems to know like no others how to keep things elegant. But is all this worth the price - that's everyone's individual call.
Valdez, wonderful and very accurate post. Nothing even comes close to the offerings of AdP.
Granted, overhead in the price funds the marketing and presence, but god damn! They still pull off something fantastic in the men's range.
SMN at LAFCO was nice, but nothing like AdP.
AdP isn't for everyone... But neither are dollar store faves.
Granted, overhead in the price funds the marketing and presence, but god damn! They still pull off something fantastic in the men's range.
SMN at LAFCO was nice, but nothing like AdP.
AdP isn't for everyone... But neither are dollar store faves.
Ah, one of those elegant bathrobes pictured would be nice on a frosty morning!
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No. Two different outfits. Biochimica is a large industrial manufacturer; TFS is a small artisan shop in Torino.
Great video, I enjoyed watching it.
Obviously, it's very nice marketing like this, combined with expensive packaging, and big margins to the retailers, that AdP sells for the prices it does. There definitely is a market for it and I personally love walking around and looking in Neiman Marcus. Sometimes it doesn't matter that the cream inside costs a few bucks.
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I went back and tried the AdP yet again. It's been bothering me that my results have been consistently disappointing despite it's popularity. And the skipping I experienced last shave wasn't due to lather that had dried out - it was moist and slick.
Today's lather was the best I've ever had with AdP. The difference? I used my Simpson Case brush - which I've never used with it before - that's all I can think of. However I've been thinking a lot lately about how certain brushes are really great matches to certain products (not just the fact that some brushes are better for creams and some for soaps). In the case of AdP my lather was noticeably thicker and more protective using the Case brush - it was in fact a really good shave.
I'm going to stick with it a bit more and pay attention to how my other brushes do with it.
