Monsta_AU
...can I interest you in some vintage blades?
Staff member
Forum Administrator
Grand Society
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2011
- Location
- Guildford.nsw.au
My first review of my purchases in the recent Barrister & Mann Group Buy organised by @alfredus. My thanks to him and of course Will for stumping up the discounts.
This review is of the special release 'Lavanille' scent. And it is a stormer!
Initial thoughts
After previously acquiring a tub of the Christmas-themed scent 'Dickens' via @eggbert, the product sizing and packaging are same. A white hard plastic jar of around 4 inches diameter and a bit over an inch high. It's quite short in comparison to the Soap Commander tubs but the plastic feels quite premium.
One thing to note is that the lid is missing the normal Barrister & Mann branding, however the stickers are very well made and won't be coming off any time soon.
Opening up the soap we have a BROWN hot-filled concoction that immediately smells of Leather, Lavender and Chocolate. Will's scent notes say that he is trying to bring a new interpretation of Pour un Homme de Caron which I can understand but the cocoa note is completely new gourmand twist.
I like this. I like this very much.
Coming deeper into the scent I get chocolate note splitting into the vanilla which is helping with the sweetness, and a slightly drier cocoa. The leather is still there and the Lavender is joined by Cedar which ties the two together. A few drops of hot water on top do not change the scent too much, so I added my normal amount of bloom water on top and swirled it around a bit. Only made the water brown!
Initial Shave
Tools: Fatboy, Vintage Wilkinson Sword Blade (6/7), Plisson L'occitane Synthetic.
Normal preparation - shower with face scrub followed by L'Oreal Hydra Sensitive Cleanser. Added a few drops of hot water on top of the soap prior to shower.
Wet though the Plissitane and shook it out firmly. No issue with lathering at all, tilted the jar so the water was on the side, and slowly worked into the soap to get the crema into the knot and then slowly worked the water in. The lather is rich brown too - the colour of Cadbury Dairy Milk! This is a first for me.
Pasting it around my face and working it in was an experience. The colour was quite wrong and kind of blended with my skin - I could not see where I was working it in! After a while the colour got somewhat lighter but still a definite brown. First WTG pass very uneventful, the razor head just glided over my face and the Spoiler mowed down my 2-day stubble with ease. Second semi-XTG pass was the same, although had to add some water to the brush which slicked up the lather even more and it was a bit too youghurt. This did lighten the lather and it was not so weird.
Performance of this soap is the best I have ever had. Slick, cushioning, moisturising.... simply no better soap has ever come to my attention. If you have never had the pleasure of using a B&M soap, or like me you prefer creams over soaps.... Will's products will absolutely change your mind on using creams. You owe it to yourself to try one.
Washdown and the chocolate is still there but the astringent notes are more prominent. I like this even more now.
Conclusion
Seriously good. Worth every cent. Cannot wait to have the fougere arrive.
Everybody should have a jar of B&M, and a Plissitane brush. I don't think you need anything else.
This review is of the special release 'Lavanille' scent. And it is a stormer!
Initial thoughts
After previously acquiring a tub of the Christmas-themed scent 'Dickens' via @eggbert, the product sizing and packaging are same. A white hard plastic jar of around 4 inches diameter and a bit over an inch high. It's quite short in comparison to the Soap Commander tubs but the plastic feels quite premium.
One thing to note is that the lid is missing the normal Barrister & Mann branding, however the stickers are very well made and won't be coming off any time soon.
Opening up the soap we have a BROWN hot-filled concoction that immediately smells of Leather, Lavender and Chocolate. Will's scent notes say that he is trying to bring a new interpretation of Pour un Homme de Caron which I can understand but the cocoa note is completely new gourmand twist.
I like this. I like this very much.
Coming deeper into the scent I get chocolate note splitting into the vanilla which is helping with the sweetness, and a slightly drier cocoa. The leather is still there and the Lavender is joined by Cedar which ties the two together. A few drops of hot water on top do not change the scent too much, so I added my normal amount of bloom water on top and swirled it around a bit. Only made the water brown!
Initial Shave
Tools: Fatboy, Vintage Wilkinson Sword Blade (6/7), Plisson L'occitane Synthetic.
Normal preparation - shower with face scrub followed by L'Oreal Hydra Sensitive Cleanser. Added a few drops of hot water on top of the soap prior to shower.
Wet though the Plissitane and shook it out firmly. No issue with lathering at all, tilted the jar so the water was on the side, and slowly worked into the soap to get the crema into the knot and then slowly worked the water in. The lather is rich brown too - the colour of Cadbury Dairy Milk! This is a first for me.
Pasting it around my face and working it in was an experience. The colour was quite wrong and kind of blended with my skin - I could not see where I was working it in! After a while the colour got somewhat lighter but still a definite brown. First WTG pass very uneventful, the razor head just glided over my face and the Spoiler mowed down my 2-day stubble with ease. Second semi-XTG pass was the same, although had to add some water to the brush which slicked up the lather even more and it was a bit too youghurt. This did lighten the lather and it was not so weird.
Performance of this soap is the best I have ever had. Slick, cushioning, moisturising.... simply no better soap has ever come to my attention. If you have never had the pleasure of using a B&M soap, or like me you prefer creams over soaps.... Will's products will absolutely change your mind on using creams. You owe it to yourself to try one.
Washdown and the chocolate is still there but the astringent notes are more prominent. I like this even more now.
Conclusion
Seriously good. Worth every cent. Cannot wait to have the fougere arrive.
Everybody should have a jar of B&M, and a Plissitane brush. I don't think you need anything else.
