So, I've heard a little about this shop on some forums, but on SRP Colleen has a slavering, worshipful following. Seriously, it seems TGQ are the only soaps they use over there... I only found a couple of reviews of her stuff here...Does anyone else have any experience with her soaps and creams? Worth the shipping? I've got a hankering for some new creams...
I only had a sample of the creams, but I had a very hard time getting a decent lather. Still want to try the soaps.
I tried the soaps but wasn't that impressed. They didn't seem to have much cushion or lubrication. The scents are nice but I thought they were a little spendy. I think TSD's soaps are much better. But like you said, lots of people really like her soaps, different soaps for different strokes.
I've come to prefer the hard, triple milled soaps overall, but I think Colleen's soaps compare well with any glycerin soaps made commercially or by home makers. AND the scents are outstanding. Certainly worth the shipping. Her bath soaps are outstanding too. Besides the quality of her products, one of the reasons she is so popular on SRP, is because a number of the guys there did a lot of testing for Colleen when she was first developing her shave soap. So there is more of a personal relationship. As with many of our vendors, Colleen is very nice and a pleasure to deal with. Jordan
I agree with the majority and agree with her scents are phenomenal but the performance is just OK. Very nice bowls also and great presentation with the soaps! I would agree that everyone should have at least one in their arsenal. I would opt for ordering the samples first though if you arent sure.
Thanks for the info, guys. Jordan, I'm sure she is a lovely person--I think she's a member here, as well, but I haven't seen any posts from her... I was a bit surprised, actually, by the extent of the praise at SRP, when her products don't get nearly as much mention elsewhere. People were recommending it over Tabac...a rare phenomenon. Now I can see the reason; a personal relationship is a very valuable thing. Hmmm...I guess the search continues.
Jim, I had 2 creams from TGQ, Highlander and Bay Rum Sweet Orange. I just couldn't get to like the scent and I felt the performance was a just so so. I PIF'ed to a member at B&B and he said he thought they were "purty good". Just though I'd let you know my opinion Aaron
The biggest problem I find with the soaper's products is the effect that water quality has on their performance. These products usually have less ingredients in them to promote sudsing/lathering action; they're just simple soap. However, if you have better water, I find they perform very well, and with superior scents to most of the big commercial products available.
Hi Jim, I first started purchasing soaps from Colleen over two years ago, and am pretty familiar with how they worked for me. I've reordered many times since, and still have 2 that I use as a change up in my small rotation when nothing else will quite do the trick. I can't speak for her creams, having not tried them, but I do know it's a very unusual formula. The base is from kinda recipe from the 30's or 50's she found, and has improved upon it. Heh, it comes with instructions to help in making the lather properly. Her soaps are about the best of the many small vendors products I've tried. Not only do they perform especially well for me, but a few of em smell amazing! Shes a perfumer, and some of her custom blends are truly unique. Hehe, doesn't mean you're gonna like em, only that you've never sniffed anything quite like it. Performance may be just a tad better than JoAnna's soaps (also very good), if that helps any. Yes, Colleen IS an extremely nice person to talk and deal with, but that wouldn't be enough to post something good about her products unless I truly enjoyed em. You might order a sample pack from her as an inexpensive way to see what's up. I think you might be amused. You know, there's that huge thread about her products over at SRP. You're right about Colleen's status over there, and it's well earned. I hope that pushes you off the fence........heh Martin
I've used one of her soaps. To be quite honest, it didn't do anything for me. Not a good lather, not a good shave. The TSD soaps are better glycerin soaps in my opinion. Quite frankly, TSD soaps are the best glycerin soaps I've used up to this point.
If you want to try them get the sampler. IMO, the soaps are better than the creams. The lather is different than most of the soaps out there. The resulting lather is more lotion-y than most other soaps available. The scents are top notch. I have used a lot of soaps and I would have to per her soaps in their own category as they are not very similar to normal glycerin or triple milled. It's not the same as the SCS soaps. The SCS soaps look different than standard glycerin soaps, but when lathered up perform similarly to glycerin. Get the sampler pack if interested and you might need to alter your lather building technique some with the soaps. I face lather and just made sure I had plenty of soap loaded then added a tiny bit of water until I got the lather that worked for me.
Agreed. The soaps are better than the creams, but I find TSD and Mama Bear to be better shaving soaps. Nice-shaving small vendor creams are very hard to come by for me. I haven't found one yet that works as well as TOBS, Proraso or even KMF. If you want to try something from her, I suggest a soap sampler first.
