Maker of TSD soaps?

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by CatMan, Oct 24, 2007.

  1. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    Jeez, Joe - what if the rest of us want some?!?
     
  2. Hi All,
    I received my order from JoAnna on Saturday,....... only took two days, which I appreciated. Included were the soaps ('bay rum' and the other being 'lime'), as well as a nice ' sample sniffer' of the double strength Bay rum cologne. Wow............nice pop to it!
    I'll most likely review one or both soaps in the near future, but I wanted to comment on just a couple things. I've used the 'lime' soap these last two days and plan on the bay rum tomorrow or the next.
    I wanted to mention the way these soaps look, at least to me. I'm sorta used to mostly seeing translucent looking glycerin based products, with the exception being Colleen's (TGQ) soaps. Those are opaque, and come in a few different muted colors, depending on the scent.
    JoAnna has shipped me something I've never quite seen the likes of. They're both the same unusual off white color...... opaque, and almost an eggshell shade I'd call it. The texture is also something new to me, but not in a bad way at all. I cut a chunk to be melted out of the tub, and the consistancy is something I haven't run across before in the 6-7 other glycerin soapmakers products whose I've seen or used. I actually like it a good bit, but it IS unusual IMO. Anyone else notice this at all?
    I won't do a review yet on how they perform for me, since I want to spend some time getting things right with the lather. It's a litle different animal than I'm used to, but well worth the effort.
    There's a reason for the time being spent, and it's a good one. JoAnna? Your version of 'lime' is the best I've ever smelled in a soap. That includes numerous other vendors, well known on all the forums. I always use Castle Forbes SC as my idea of the best possible 'lime' fragrance, and you have matched that, IMO. Ordering blind like this is always a crapshoot, but you hit my idea of a perfect lime scent right on the nose. I'm optimistic the performance will hit the mark just as the scent did. I also want to mention I liked the strength you made it, and I was able to smell that wonderfulness throughout all 4 of my passes. Man..........what a great thing to sniff while shaving.
    Ok...........I'm done,
    Martin
     
  3. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    Aww come on, Martin. This is gonna go right to her head, ya know? You shouldn't feed the animals!! :cool:
     
  4. Hi Michael,
    Well, I have to admit it's always pleasant when something actually smells exactly as you hoped it would. I recently had that same experience with Colleen's 'coconut cream' offering this summer. I finally found the perfect version of coconut,but it took a while. That stuff is amazing.
    That journey started a long while back with Trumpers version of coconut SC, and I just don't get that stuff. Way too faintly scented for me, and nothing special in what scent there is, IMHO. Same thing with my first encounter with a lime shave cream or soap was the T&H version. Man, I couldn't bring myself to buy it, after seeing how little it actually smelled like 'Limes' to me.
    So yeah, I'm glad to have taken the chance and ordered from JoAnna. This version is one I'd put up against any others out there. That's how well it 'fits' for me.
    Martin
     
  5. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    Agreed on the Trumper's coconut! "Faintly scented"? Now there's an understatement!!! As far as I'm concerned, it HAS no scent! I sent Joanna a sampler a while back and she agreed. Shaves ok, but smells like it's inert!

    As for JoAnna, we just don't want her head to swell too much!! :rofl OTOH, I haven't ordered yet so I should probably watch my step here. I'll order coconut and she'll send patchouli!! Won't you, Dear? ;)
     
  6. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    I don't have coconut yet. So, yeah if you order coconut, I guess I would send you Patchouli. :p
     
  7. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

  8. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    Well, all this talk about how great JoAnna's soaps and creams were (plus of course, the great scent of the Orange cream sample she sent me a while back), I couldn't put it off any longer. Just ordered Bay Rum EO Cream and, after that last note from JoAnna, I had to get the Patchouli EO Soap (she was going to send Patchouli no matter WHAT I ordered!). ;)

    Looking forward to trying them. JoAnna, do you have my order packed yet? :D
     
  9. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    Nope, not packed yet.

    You don't have to get Patchouli, if you don't want it. :(
     
  10. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    I know that, Hon...was just harassing you. Don't want EVERYTHING said about you to be good! ;)
     
  11. sparky5693

    sparky5693 Administrator Staff Member

    Administrator
    These soaps certainly are a different animal, and that's a good thing in this case. They take water really well, and seem hard enough that a soap should last a good long while. The conditioning in this stuff is amazing.
     
  12. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    Today, I received my soap and cream from JoAnna (I mean, TSD store). Too bad I had already shaved!! Bay Rum cream and Patchouli soap. The scents are wonderful and if they're anything like the Orange cream sample she sent me a while back, the scent will not diminish when lathered - as with so many of my others. Looking forward to tomorrow's shave...the soap, I think.

    Thank you, Princess....
     
  13. fritz

    fritz New Member

    I use the T&H West Indian Lime cream and like the scent, even though it doesn't really smell like one would think limes smell. It's scent is that of the lime oil in the peel, not the smell of the fruit inside. So, yes, it's a little different, but it kinda grew on me. (And the cream is really nice, too, no matter what it smells like.)

    My wife must have liked it, too, because last Father's Day she gave me a bottle of the EdC! Makes a good combination with a light Bay Rum AS and a little spray of that bitter lime on top....
     
  14. Hi there,
    I looked at your post, and to recap: You also don't think that lime version smells like you thought it would, but it grew on you. You find it smells like lime 'oil' rather than the fruit itself. The SC DOES work well, no matter if it smells like what you envisioned or not. Ok?
    My problem is I felt the lime scent was added as sort of an afterthought to the shaving cream 'base', and whatever scent WAS added was very average. It also wasn't able to disguise the fact that this was a SOAP in cream form, and I smelled that soapy note way too much.
    Having since tried other 'lime' products by HBS, TSD, and QED, I find a pleasant difference, in that those are much more of a true lime scent, IMHO. PLUS, and this is a big deal to me, NONE of em smell like a soap used for shaving. Rather, when these are whipped up or sniffed in the tub, they smell like 'lime' ONLY. Now, I have to say that they all smell a bit different, but no soapy notes in em that I can pick up. Hehe, the only time I'm actually aware of it's true nature is when I accidentaly slurp a bit. Sigh........reminds me of getting my mouth washed out with Dial soap as a kid.
    Here's my question to you and others out there: Why use something that isn't AMAZING! Why have something on your face that you don't LOVE! Why not make the very most of each day's shaving experience? You only get one shot and then it's 'wait till tomorrow'.
    Of course, I'd choose performance over scent if I had to, since being comfortable is the most important part for me. Luckily, we are blessed as 'hobbyists', since there are a number of independant vendors that provide an excellent product. I have found 6-8 soaps made by assorted soapmakers that give me a great shave AND smell incredible! I use those in my regular rotation There's another 5-6 that I also like to use as a change up..........when nothing else will fill that infrequent itch.
    I just can't bring myself to waste even one day of shaving, unless I'm trying something new. To me, the scent is just as important as the performance, and that's because I'm used to that now. A large part of what I enjoy about my shave is the smell from the lather. I want each scent to be perfect for that particular day.
    Jeeez, I've come a long ways from shaving in the shower (in under 2 minutes) with some Gillette Foamy and my M3.
    Please excuse the long winded post. I was flying off at the fingers a bit.
    Martin
     
  15. Scorpio

    Scorpio Big Hitter

    What might be amazing to you might not be amazing to others. For example, I have used HBS and QED. My opinion is that they were average and not that big of a deal. But I tried them because I wanted to see what they were like. I will choose performance over scent every day and twice on Sundays(there are limits mind you). Tabac is not the best scented soap but its performance is fantastic. I could care less if they had no scent if the performace was great. I make M&P shaving soaps. Many times I dont put any scent in because to me it is not important. I am also a big fan of T&H West Indies Limes. The scent did grow on me also. As a matter of fact I have West Indies Lime EO and it smell better than the T&H. Some EO's scent change when mix so this may account for the difference in scent. Also, my preference is for a light scent in a soap. I don't like to get knock out cold by the scent when I open the jar. I like the scent to be notice not to overpower. The scent should become noticeable when lather is made. But that is just my opinion on on how I like soaps.

    Raf
     
  16. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    Umm, I'm going to need a bigger bowl!! WOW!! Used TSD Patchouli soap today with my BK4 and had enough lather for about 4 shaves! Not passes, SHAVES!! Imagine if I'd used my BK8!!!!!!!

    Even better, I got an outstanding shave even with a several day old Feather (4-5 maybe?). This stuff is awesome! Very slick and as I expected, the scent did not dissipate. I'm not a soap guy usually. With any other soap I have tried, I have been unable to make decent lather; you know, the kind that looks like Cool Whip. I've never found it to be any more lubricating than creams anyway so I've been pretty much a cream guy (and a pretty good straight man...:D). Had to try this though and am delighted I did. Will definitely order more flavors!

    JoAnna, you do NICE work!! Not to mention your "Happy Birthday" note (albeit written on the invoice! :rolleyes:). Tomorrow, TSD Bay Rum cream. :drool

    People... BUY some of this stuff. Can't imagine you'll regret it. But if you do (YMMV after all), send it my way!

    Thank You, JoAnna!!

    :happy096
     
  17. fritz

    fritz New Member

    Well, I guess your recap is factually correct, but somehow the tone of it seems more argumentative than I intended my post to be. I certainly didn't intend it to be argumentative, and I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear. You're correct, it doesn't smell like the fruit of the lime, but I happen to like what it does smell like anyway. And I think you left out my most important point in your recap: not only does it work well, and not only do I like the scent, BUT my WIFE likes the way I smell, too! When you've got all three, that's a combination that's hard to beat!:D
     
  18. qhsdoitall

    qhsdoitall Wilbur

    Kind of like C&E Sweet Almond Oil. Smells nothing like "almond" that we are used to but I certainly like it. I'll take performance first and smell second. Too many good soaps and creams out there to settle.
     
  19. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    Wow! Thanks, Michael! :eek:
     
  20. Hi there,
    Reading back, I can see how you might get the idea of me sorta cross examining you, and I'm sorry if you felt at all uncomfortable. That's not something I'd do intentionally. although you have no way of knowing that.
    No, really, I was just trying to get a handle on what influences other members choices of shaving creams and soaps. I explained what's important for me, and it's a YMMV thing as usual. I know in my case that things are often mistaken when typed, and I just wanted to be sure of what you'd meant in your post.
    Raf posted also about his ideas, and I'd like to answer that as well when I get a minute. His thoughts were pretty interesting to me.
    So, please don't take my tone as anything but curious, and you'd see that if we were talking face to face. Hehe.......that third thing you mentioned IS important.
    No hard feelings I hope,
    Martin
     

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