Aaron, I enjoy checking out your collection of fine brushes. I will show your collection to SWMBO when I break down and buy that CH2 I really want. You know, to justify my purchase. "honey, were lucky I only want one expensive brush":biggrin: I reference Jody's razor collection to her every time I get another razor.(it works) And really Tabac is good soap. If it wasn't for TSD I would have never have tried it. I have nothing but praise for Tabac.
Congrats on the Tabac, Nick! I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Don't let the dog eat it. I don't consider Cade expensive, and don't see how anyone would. (I realize the quote above does not necessarily reflect your opinion of the products.) Sure the bowl costs an outrageous amount, but most soap bowls do. Really a good soap, and not talked about around here much for some odd reason. Nick, try the L'Occitane Cade shaving soap. As for the side conversation, yeah, I try to limit my talk about my Kent BLK4 because the current price (not the price I paid) always gets brought up when I do. I'm always happy to see pics in the SoS thread of other folks using Kent brushes, though. I fell in love with that brush at first sight, and using it just sealed the deal.
Wow! I got to sleep for the day and come back to an avalanche of activity! I'll probably try it someday, as I seem to be turning into a soap junky. I've noticed though I'm getting all these soaps and then I realized..... I ONLY HAVE TWO AFTERSHAVES!.....I DON'T have any pre-shave products!........I only have one cream! To tell you the truth, I've been lathering up in the shower with TSD iced watermelon, letting it sit because it feels good then rinsing it off and then lather up again with whatever else I'm using for the actual shave. Seems to work For me, it's not necessarily a bad thing that lower end stuff gets recommended, so long as the quality is adequate. I don't mind saving up and spending for quality as long as I feel that I get what I pay for (shoes come to mind). However, I'm also fairly certain I can find something within the 30-40$ range that will serve my needs well. There is a lot I want to try though, and it all costs money to do so. To tell you the truth, I haven't been getting bad shaves with the VDH boar, or the Eterna pure bristle. (I've been rotating them to give them a chance to dry out). It's really that I would like to add something with a little bit more quality to my routine. I want to try the badger, but I don't know I'll like it, and I do kind of like the scrubbiness I get from the boar brushes that I have currently. That being said, it's frustrating because everything costs money and how do you know that you even like it until you try it. It's not like I can view any of these products locally. That's why it's great there is a good community here. At least, if I don't like it there is a good chance I can trade it off. Anyways, that's enough ranting for me! You guys have all been great, very encouraging, and have not steered me wrong. It good to have a place where if I have a question, no matter how silly or inane, I'll get a decent answer.
Tabac was my 1st soap and lathered great then and now. I wasn't too crazy about the smell and now I can't get enough of it. Also use the Tabac after shave balm. Enjoy it. I still use it regularly and more often than others that cost me a bit more.
Thanks. MWF seems to get great reviews but also quite a few people complain about having trouble with getting a good lather from it. This confuses me and thus I have never tried it. Tabac has never given me any issues with lather and I like it overall. My all time favorite (so far that is) is D.R. Harris Marlborough triple milled shaving soap. Better glide and better moisturizing than Tabac I think.
For me, the Tabac soap is a magnificent shaving item. So much of rich, creamy, and stable lather with the classic Tabac scent. The cream version is not as good as the soap.
I think Tabac is awesome soap but the scent reminds me of my grand Father when he would come to visit after spending a night out in a 1970's cheap strip club. Scent's can certainly bring back odd memories.
"1970's cheap strip club" I didn't realize when I woke up this morning that I would see a phrase like this. I think you are correct in how odd memories are triggered by items that are non-sequitur to the incident itself.
I know exactly what you mean about the odd memories being triggered. I can't stand Pinaud Clubman, because it reminds me of being a little kid and being around grouchy, uptight old men with no patience for kids.
Favorites seems to change (and I'm not talking about 70ies strip clubs) but I still love D.R. Harris Marlborough and then Tabac. For creams I have rediscovered Truefitt and Hill, just bought a tub of Trafalgar and the after shave balm to go with it. Very nice and I like the smell. MWF I have yet to try. Since some complain that it doesn't lather well, if the water is too hard, I was put off a little. Don't know what water I have, but all my soaps thus far lather well.
I, too, like Tabac -- maybe because it does remind me somewhat of Old Spice, the soap I started with many years ago. I had no idea it was still available. Is it back in production or are those pucks vintage ones bought off e-bay? I would love to try it again to see if it's as good as I remember.
Used Tabac again this morning after a long time of using mostly English Creams and I don't think the Brits have much on Tabac. Still a great soap. I still haven't tried MWF but I have several years worth of soaps and creams, so the only thing I buy on occasion is after shave balm. It seems to run out faster.
In a way I can see that but no need for a down-smiley! I just tried out my 1st ever puck of Tabac today and am impressed by the lather (better than VDH with less effort) but the SCENT is fantastic. I mentioned elsewhere that even through the foil it reminded me strongly of Avon's '60s era Leather a/s, a favorite of mine, but when I was actually using it, it also brought to mind Aramis, which you may have smelled wafting off of your grandad from that strip club. Either way, it does have a '70s groove going on, but a good one. BTW...what would a '60s strip club smell like? Hai Karate? An '80s club, Drakkar? Intriguing. Pointless and irrelevant, but intriguing.
