Czech & Speake Oxford & Cambridge Shaving Soap in Silver Anodized Dish is on sale at Bullgoose for $160. What could possibly make a 90 gram shave soap worth $160? The description makes it sound good, except the title said silver anodized dish and the description said anodized aluminum, maybe they knock of $5 if I pointed this out to them. Czech & Speake shave soaps are a joy to use. This tallow based soap produces a very rich and slick lather and has an intoxicating scent of lavender (blend of English and French lavender) topped with herbaceous peppermint and rosemary essential oils with bergamot on a base of warm oak moss. In the words of Czech & Speake, Oxford & Cambridge "is a fresh and invigorating scent evocative of the English countryside, varsity matches and the great British sporting tradition". Who can argue with that? Comes in a beautiful and sturdy anodized aluminum dish. Makes a great gift -whether to yourself or to someone else. Product of the UK 90g
Hm. $160 is a *bit* over the top in my book. The description makes me curious, though. I've got a liking to tallow based soaps (Tabac, Arko, Palmolive stick, vintage Williams ...). So if it passes my way at a more reasonable price, I guess I'll try it! Well not presently, as SWMBO's car broke down. We'll have to spend about € 2000 to get it into shape... but I don't know yet where to find that amount of cash...
A friend gave me some C&S Oxford and Cambridge and C&S 88, about a week supply of each. I just really love the stuff. A replacement puck costs $38, so your buying the dish with the rest. My understand is that it's the same soap as AoS (made by Valobra) just scented differently. Well, at any rate, it's an excellent soap with a fantastic scent, IMO, but a little rich for my blood. If you have the coin, I do believe you'd enjoy it, I sure did.
It is, but C&S isn't known for having cheap shaving soap either. That said I'm sure it's a fair price. Phil over at Bullgoose is one of the better vendors I've dealt with.
After reading Petr's review on B&B, I may have to try this, but I think I'll do without the travel tin. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/141067-Czech-amp-Speake-Oxford-amp-Cambridge "This is a mysterious and expensive soap that I have wanted to try for a long time. So what is this stuff? The short answer is it is AOS shave soap strongly scented with dark lavender (Czech and Speake Oxford & Cambridge fragrance.) It is made in Italy. The puck has the exact same color and consistency (triple milled) as AOS soap. I lathered both side by side and it lathers (and shaves) exactly the same as AOS. Gents who complain about the subtle clay like lavender smell of AOS soap have an alternative - a huge lavender bomb alternative. It is intoxicating. It is so strongly scented that while working today I had to move the box across the room from my desk. Nearly three hours after shaving, my wife can still detect the fragrance of the soap on my face. If you are unfamiliar with AOS shave soap, you should know that it is one of the few tallow first ingredient shave soaps remaining. I consider it to be one of the best shaving products in the market. It has beautiful lather, is super creamy, and generates with total ease. In efficacy, only tabac ranks higher. It is pricey. The shave soap with the dish or travel tin is one of the most ridiculously priced items in the market. However, the refill pucks are within reach at $30 for a box of three travel size refills (2"x1/2"). If lavender is your thing (Santa Maria Novella meets Castle Forbes type lavender), this is your huckleberry"
You're right $160 appears to be a standard price, but it's a lot cheaper with a black bowl instead of the anodized bowl. I guess I never considered they would be charging over $100 for the bowl. http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/czspshsoinbl.html How many shaves would you get from a 25 gram puck? http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/czspoxcatrsh.html
Is that Czech & Speake soap 30 times as good as Kell's, Nanny's Silly Soap, Prairie Creations or The Shave Den soap? How about 3-6 times as good as Martin de Candre? If not, then it might be just a tad overpriced. Maybe start making shave soap and selling it for $160 a puck?
C&S is more expensive than competitor brands. Sort of like how Hermes is more expensive than Guccie & LV. And the difference between two brands does not equate from a quality perspective. Maybe Hermes is bit better but not better equal to how much more they're charging.
