Razorock Santa Maria del Fiore Sapone da Barbara. For me it is just an odd soap/croap/cream to lather. And for me I am finding the scent unappealing. And Tabac...awesome lather, just can't handle the scent.
Vulfix Sandalwood - Almost got a headache from the overpowering artificial gingerbread scent. St. James of London Cedarwood & Clarysage - Very powerful and slightly synthetic cedar scent. Yet again I feel a headache coming on. Tabac - I'm just not a fan of the scent. Proraso Sandalwood - I'll use the tub I have, but won't rebuy. I have to be in the right mood to use it. Slightly depressing earthy scent Arko - Smells like Ajax all purpose cleaner
Soap really is the ultimate YMMV item I think after reading this thread. Mitchell's Wool Fat and Tabac are the only two I definitely would buy again if I ever ran out and I see them getting a lot of hate.
I have only tried a few soaps, I usually buy creams, but the soaps I've tried that I won't buy again are the Van Der Hagen. They dry my skin out and don't find anything special about them. As for Williams, I like it. I didn't at first because I had trouble getting a good lather, but once I learned to let it sit in a cup of hot water while I shower then it seems to lather better. Plus I like the smell of it. The Col. Conk soaps are okay, but I probably won't buy any more of it.
Cella, Proraso, Stirling, VDH, Colonel Conk, Crabtree & Evelyn, AoS, Tiki, and Badger. I think the is the list so far. Some of them aren't too bad just not exactly love.
I think a LOT of peoples opinions come down to two major factors. First being water hardness. A lot of soaps perform a lot differently at different degrees of water hardness. Here at my house in the city my water runs a steady 240ppm(parts per million of totally dissolved solids), At my lake house with well water it is 450+ppm, I also have a 4 stage RODI(reverse osmosis deionized) filtration system that I used for my reef tanks that I have shaved with the water from which measures 0ppm. I have shaved with all three and using the same soaps I will get different lather characteristics. Secondly is skin complexion. I'm not talking pale or dark, but rather dry vs oily. I get oily skin if I am not washing my face a couple times a day. I have noticed on days I shave where I have oily skin the lather will act differently than days that my skin is clear.
Seems the negative comments for these two are MWF for difficulty to lather; Tabac for the scent. No 'hate' here—love MWF— just not a fan of the Tabac scent… ...Now THIS particular soap had the most off-putting scent I've ever experienced with a shave soap. Ant spray in soap form.
I won't be buying any Trumpers soaps again. I love the scents. Trumpers scents are probably my favourites. The problem is I can't get a decent lather from them. I won't be buying any Razorock soaps again. I've tried two. They smell great. I get a good lather quickly and easily with them. I also get a horrible burning sensation on my face. Won't be buying TOBS Coconut shaving cream. Great scent. Same burning face problem I had with the Razorock soaps.
I will not buy again: 1. Proraso (green) 2. Catie's bubbles 420 3. Williams cream 4. Le Père Lucien (impossible to obtain a decent lather)
Only one I've tried so far that I won't buy again (haven't tried a ton since I'm newer) Stirling Gatlinburg. Great performance, but the scent... I thought I smelled like someone's old cigarette butt
MWF, horrible smell (wet sheep), and it seems to dry my skin more than my other soaps. T&H Trafalgar cream, pretty sure my skin would be less irritated if I used diesel instead, gave it to my step brother, and he had the same experience. Body Shop Maca Root, very comfortable, but my skin doesn't like it for daily use, and I don't care for the smell.
I am going to reverse a previous "won't buy again choice". I said the RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore was on my no-buy list. But I watched a couple of videos on it yesterday and decided it needed a second chance. And it is really a nice soap. I loaded my brush in the container and then did a face lather. Worked much better. Nice product. It just goes to show...never say never.
pannacrema - can't lather it no matter what crabtree-evelyn sandalwood - don't care for the scent and can't lather it MWF - same
1. Col Conks-Scents turned my stomach and I found the performance sub par. 2. Current production Williams- No longer struggle lathering it just don't care for the skeeter repellent smell 3. VDH deluxe- Smell As always YMMV.