That was my first reaction to Bill Neumann(Wm. Neumann&Co.), so what did I do later? Purchased 2 aftershaves to get the free shipping.
I don't own a Ferrari, and don't call me Shirley. My favorite soap sub-type is the expensive ceramic coffret and cheap refills. I've also noticed that the fewer scent options there are, the better those scents are likely to be, depending on what market segment the soapmaker is pursuing. I guess it all boils down to perceived value. Soap is, by and large, cheap stuff, and a consumable. At the end of the day, a puck of soap is about a $5 baseline value. Do the performance enhancing ingredients and scent add enough value to justify a $50 bump in price? I have to admit that yes, sometimes it does. Razors and brushes aren't exactly eternal, but they have lifespans measuring in decades, usually. Soap doesn't. Personally, I'm not a fan of paying for expensive packaging or water. Give me a simple hard puck wrapped in paper and a badass bowl to put it in, and I'm a happy camper.
absolutely,i do get thatsomeone had to say it...most folks only have one razor as well.i have 50+ razors and 25 brushes.if i were to whine about soap prices etc i would be a hypocrit.
I just can't bring myself to pay outrageous prices for soaps/creams. I cringe when paying $20.00 for a soap and would have to think long and hard to go above that.
Good thread I could be convinced about Italy in the number 1 spot. Three soaps with which I’m very familiar are Italian made. None of them are SV btw as I’ve yet to try that brand. My Italian nominations are Valobra Unscented and the uber similar tallow AoS Unscented. I’ve a supply of seven in reserve between them. I also have two tubs of AoS sandalwood in my stash, and courtesy of Joseph via a friendly trade, a puck of AoS lemon. Following up in a distant third place is P-Red. But I also really like English soaps a LOT and have laid in a chazt lifetime supply of Mitchell’s and DRH. MWF (as dissected here and elsewhere) is for me a near perfect soap. If I rate it arbitrarily with a score of 10/10, Harris is a close runner up for me at a solid 9.25. I’m partial to the Arlington, Marlborough and Almond scents. Captain Fawcett’s Scappicchio is a cool weather favorite, too. Mike’s Natural, Mystic Water, Shannon’s and Barrister & Mann are all top tier artisan soap makers. Mike’s and B&M (only certain scents, btw) make me very, very happy. Shannon’s and MW are also outstanding soaps gents. I urge you to try them if you haven’t yet. There’s also the case you can make for vintage Williams.. wow! Italy, USA and UK. In any order you like.
i agree.most of my pricey soaps were a one time buy/treat.or a gift.if a soap is $20 or more i make sure it's more than 4 oz.beyond that i really question what it's benefit o is or why it's so much..
I think we're painting in pretty broad strokes trying to rank on a national scale. Though if I had to rank nationally I'd have to give it to US artisans hands down with no close second. The competitive landscape has consistently pushed experimentation to new levels the past 15 years and the progress is apparent. I've tried approximately 40-something bases and my top ten has been consistently dominated by yank artisans. Other nations produce bangers, for sure, but said bangers seem more exceptions than rules, for lack of better phrasing.
France is a solid suggestion. That said, my experience is limited to Le Pere Lucien, Savonniere du Moulin and Lainess. SDM is my favorite of the three. Each and every shave was better than the preceding. Maybe because I was 3017ing it, idk… I also have a jar of MDC Unscented waiting in the wings, but with so many soaps in the queue it could be years before it gets the call
pre de provence,mdc citrus and lpl for me..i have many years worth of soap and creams ..and all picked based on performance,and scent,well scent mostly.i honestly can't name many favourites as i like them all.luckily even the blind buys turned out well.
Alright, confession time... Despite listing France in second place, I've never used a French shaving soap, despite having a wide selection of soaps and products from around the world.
I generally think I prefer the French soaps I have used more than most of the Italian ones. I am not very particular as to where a soap is from. If it is done correctly, good soap can come from anywhere.
From the guys who use shaving soaps from France, what are 3-4 common names noted for their quality? I need to explore these. Thanks.
My personal favorite of the three that I mentioned above is La Savonniere du Moulin. Caveat, I removed it from the supplied balsa container and did the ol’ grate and press. It was easy to load and lather, took a lot of water and was sufficiently slippery and cushioning for a smooth and comfortable shave. Though it’s labeled Unscented (“Natur” en Francais) it actually had a faint but very present (and pleasant) scent of honey, one of it’s ingredients. It’s a non-tallow soap. Perhaps the best I’ve tried. Doesn’t mean you won’t like something else better though. Know what I mean?
Thanks. Ordered this. Seems like a decent price. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2925888473...dpapYKSkWBbTqk7Otwfcv0lTSA==|tkp:BFBMiIGA5a5i
