OK here's an update. As usual I went overboard. I found a great site that had Floris refills on clearance for under $10/puck. I posted this in the vendors section if anyone's interested, but the site is 1stperfume.com. I found it when googling for Floris shaving soap. So after I found the site, I got pucks of both the JF and the Elite. The scent of Elite is just OK to me, haven't used it to shave w/yet though so maybe it will change. However I have shaved with the JF already and it is by far the best soap I've ever used. Scented well, not too strong but not too weak, lathered up really really well and got an excellent shave out of it. The only soap I've used that had lather and cushion like a cream, but still was close cutting like a soap. I also got two more hardmill soaps in trade, on puck of Mitchells, and one puck of Harris Lavender. AND I got decants of Italian Floid, Musgo, German Pitralon (I think the official name is Pitralon classic, but I'm double checking w/the guy I got it from), and Swiss Pitralon. I haven't used the MWF or the Arlington soap yet, but I think I'm hooked on top notch triple mill soaps. I'm already scouting for a good place to buy Penhaligons, and am considering picking up some Joris (and possibly Plisson). Of the aftershaves I got, I wasn't keen on the Musgo or the Swiss Pitralon (though the Swiss stuff did make my skin feel great, I just didn't like the scent). But the Italian Floid was great and I really liked the smell of the German Pitralon I received. I'm going to have to get some of that stuff. Has anyone here used both Floris and Penhaligons and Joris? I'd like to know if the Penhaligons and Joris stack up to the quality I've seen from my Floris. Joe, I can get Provence Sante' quite reasonably at a local Central Market ($10 for a refill). I almost got it theis weekend, but wasn't sure if it was a triple mill or not. But even if it isn't a triple mill, does it stack up to Floris?
Provance Sante is one of my favs. At $10 a refill puck, I'd pick that up right away! I have the PS in the ceramic bowl which is very nice but I hear expensive. I was fortunate enough to recieve this one as a gift from a friend. The little bowl is good friends with my Duke 1 brush I'm a big fan of the Trumpers soaps as well. They have a great scent, lather easily, and give me a great shave every time. I have the Lime, Sandalwood, and Rose. Violet will be added soon.
As far as I know/can tell, it is triple-milled. Does it stack up to Floris? I'm sure that's open to interpretation, but the Provence Sante is one of the only shaving soaps I know of with talc.....so its quite different. As Mike said, its good stuff
Quick List of some Triple Milled. Let me know if I goofed. Art of Shaving Crabtree & Evelyn Caswell-Massey Czech & Speake De Vergulde Hand D.R. Harris Floris Geo F Trumpers Gold-Dachs Joris Knize 10 L'Occitane Cade Mitchell's Wool Fat (Kent) Penhaligons Plisson Pre de Provence Provence Sante Tabac Taylor of Old Bond Street Truefitt & Hill Yardley
I didn't know Pre de Provence was a triple mill. I always thought it was just a shea butter infused regular soap. Not a glycerin soap, and not a triple mill. But a soap that falls into the "in-between" category that most non-triple mill, yet not meltable, shave soaps end up being put into. Like Williams, or Ogallala Bay rum soap.
