Are there any soaps (or creams) you have purchased and used that you won't buy again because of poor performance?
Joshua Tree Soap Works. It is just regular soap that does not lather Tabac Maybe MWF, but I am on the fence on that one. The last few shaves have been pretty good. Proraso. I have too many of them, and by the time I get through them I would probably be fed up. It is a good soap, but there are better soaps out there Mystic Waters. I have only samples, but they have proved to be difficult to lather. Williams. I have a few pucks I got just out of curiosity. But I never use them and see no reason to buy more
GFT coconut soap ... disappointing performance, and it even made a miserable shower soap. Proraso Green, or any eucalyptus soap ... nothing wrong with the performance, but my skin dislikes eucalyptus On the fence with Cella and Vitos Red ... great performers, but I don't enjoy the scent
Razorock Classic (burned, EDIT: great performer though) Williams (no good) Figaro(burn) Dr Harris (no good) but havent given up on it yet Stirling Glacial, any glacial (I love stirling soaps, but the glacial soaps are way to cold for my face)
Williams (surprise!) Van Der Hagen. I like the scent, but there's other soaps and creams out there that are so much better and smell better too. Geo F. Trumper's Limes Soap. Love the scent, but it's a pain to get the lather right. About every three shaves the lather is great, but it's just so hit or miss. I usually end up adding a squirt of KMF Lime to it to salvage the shave, and by that point, I'm wondering why I just didn't start off with Kiss My Face to begin with.
Williams ( I still feel like a dork for buying it in the first place) VDH. Not a bad soap, and cheap enough, but not good and cheap enough for me to buy again Mama Bear Again not bad, but it just doesn't impress me that much.
I initially liked all these soaps...but I don't think I would buy them again...not that they are terrible...just too many other good ones on my shelf now: Col Conk Unscented Fendrihan Unscented Proraso Green Sterling (several of the scented ones burned my skin...e.g. Coniferous, Orange Chill, Bergamot Lavender) I guess I am just a sensitive kind of guy.) Arko (still on the fence with this one...can't quite get around the scent) RazoRock Classic (scent is similar to Cella)
QCS Vostok. Not because its a bad soap. I thought I wanted something cool but this was just over the top. My eyes turned red and was watering so much I could barely finish the shave.
I love this recurring question... I cannot think of any I absolutely hated. In the "meh" category, Most of the Italian soaps, Cella, RazoRock, etc. Stirling- I know, almost universal love but, meh. Col. Conk Any glycerine based soap. Piffed or sold. Proraso, good stuff, I have others that I favor MDC- i liked it, it didn't like me.
**Not to step on any toes, but the list below are just some of the soaps whose performance I found wanting and prefer not to purchase in the future. Others will no doubt have different experiences with these. À chacun son! DR Harris soap - poor lather performance Stirling - poor lather performance, but love the scents & menthol Pre de Provence - poor lather performance Williams (not the vintage variety!) poor lather performance I wont buy anymore Tabac—not for it's performance, which is great, but I simply cannot abide the scent.
I'll never buy crabtree and Evelyn soap again. I tried for weeks and could no get this thing to lather at all. As soon as it touched my skin it would disappear. I had the sandalwood scent which I loved. I just ended up using it in the shower.
Quite a few actually. Williams - Lather breaks down too quickly. Also smells like citronella candle Arko - Lathers much better than Williams but smells the same Conk Glycerine soaps - Not bad, but nothing I could get excited about either Van Der Hagen - There are better soaps in similar price ranges Taconic Mint and Bay Rums. Wasn't crazy about the scent on either and they were really a pain to lather. Stirling Bay Rum - Not my style of Bay Rum The Soap Exchange Texas Leather. I enjoy it, but my wife doesn't