Soap/Splash Recommendations Please

Sxot

Sxot

New Member
Artisan Producer
Joined
Feb 1, 2016
Location
Nth QLD
Unfortunately Adagio and Dickens (recently purchased from TSW) are too much Cherry (I think – reminds me of vomit!) so they’re up for sale. That just about exhausts the B&M range for me and yet I still look for more variety in the soap drawer especially now Shaver Heaven is no longer and I am quickly using it up.

So, would you mind recommending me where I should look next form your wonderful range? What am I looking for?

A brother to B&M / Shaver Heaven
Easy lathering producing piles of dense lather. No fickle soaps here please.
Medium to High scent strength. I don’t want to strain to smell the stuff.
Matching splash, preferably with cologne style scent strength. I don’t use balms, so a good post shave formula is preferred. Nothing oily preferably.

I enjoyed Anthony’s bright scents, but prefer the complexity of Wills although he tends to be dark & brooding even in his summer scents. Performance goes without saying.

Not interested in PAA/Crown King. Mystic Waters & Stirling both failed on the lather front, Stirling on the scent strength. Stirling splash was good although weak on scent strength just as a reference point. I'm not in the business of glorifying murderous thieves with a penchant for deprivation of liberty and rape so no pirate themes (black ship grooming).

Having a flick through TSW I see Caties bubbles. Soap comes with great reviews but I hear the toner is oily. The other is Captains Choice. Anyone care to comment on those two?

The other obvious option is to go with APR splashes and match them to soaps that have no matching splash. Might PM @todras and see what he says...
 
Sxot said:
The other obvious option is to go with APR splashes and match them to soaps that have no matching splash. Might PM @todras and see what he says...
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He says yes, if there is a soap you like and the soap maker does not make a matching splash available in Australia I am happy to talk to you about it - I don't want to rub anyone up the wrong way or deliberately create a paired splash that deprives an artisan of income.

APR started in part as I love Mystic Waters soap so much but they do not do Aftershaves, having a paired aftershave for me is so much part of the shaving experience. I am sure we can work something out in regards to formulating something for a soap you love that has no splash, even on a 1 or 2 bottle basis.

We should talk man, you would be surprised what I have got going in my lab kitchen.
 
@todras you have done nothing BUT surprise me thus far! Now if you could take the time to list your splashes and matching soaps that match my exact requirements to pair with them that would be great. (kidding!)

Thing is, this is as much, or more in fact about soaps as splashes. As my Shaver Heaven soaps slowly disappear I need to replace them and not that I have tried the range of B&M I am looking elsewhere. So, I am looking for new soaps, not so much matching the ones I have.

Dr Johns has a reasonable following around here doesn't it? Shame it's in metal tins though.
 
Sxot said:
Dr Johns has a reasonable following around here doesn't it? Shame it's in metal tins though.
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I have all the Dr Jon's, the problem is they are the old formula. They make superb lather, but they are almost like a liquid cream due to the heat - apparently the issue is fixed with the new formula though. They are made with Fragrance oil mostly would be my other observation.

Captains choice does an acceptable Sandalwood aftershave btw, from memory I picked mine up from Con at TSW.

Sxot said:
@todras you have done nothing BUT surprise me thus far! Now if you could take the time to list your splashes and matching soaps that match my exact requirements to pair with them that would be great. (kidding!)
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It is something I was going to do, but pairing can become so contentious and people have different concept of smell and education of fragrances that I thought it would be inviting more trouble that it was worth.
 
todras said:
I have all the Dr Jon's, the problem is they are the old formula. They make superb lather, but they are almost like a liquid cream due to the heat - apparently the issue is fixed with the new formula though. They are made with Fragrance oil mostly would be my other observation.
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Oh, no, not for me then. I had a similar issue with Williams. Too hot here and it can be poured from the tub. Still worked great but I couldn't load it how I like.

Mikes is the other one that seems to get the love around here but no splashes. Oh the first world problems we must endure!
 
RazorPlay said:
Have you tried Wolfpac's unscented soap for an APR upgrade?
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Ive put the soap APR thing on hold, I looked a them but it was $15 for 120 grams of soap + postage so in no way viable.
 
In the same boat as you mate. I've got B&M Cologne Russe and Mickey Lee Soapworks on my hit list. I was also thinking about talking to Con about Caties splashes (not toners). Performance is similar to SH for me (consistency and lathering), however it is a little below it for slickness.
 
Sxot said:
Unfortunately Adagio and Dickens (recently purchased from TSW) are too much Cherry (I think – reminds me of vomit!) so they’re up for sale. That just about exhausts the B&M range for me and yet I still look for more variety in the soap drawer especially now Shaver Heaven is no longer and I am quickly using it up.

So, would you mind recommending me where I should look next form your wonderful range? What am I looking for?

A brother to B&M / Shaver Heaven
Easy lathering producing piles of dense lather. No fickle soaps here please.
Medium to High scent strength. I don’t want to strain to smell the stuff.
Matching splash, preferably with cologne style scent strength. I don’t use balms, so a good post shave formula is preferred. Nothing oily preferably.

I enjoyed Anthony’s bright scents, but prefer the complexity of Wills although he tends to be dark & brooding even in his summer scents. Performance goes without saying.

Not interested in PAA/Crown King. Mystic Waters & Stirling both failed on the lather front, Stirling on the scent strength. Stirling splash was good although weak on scent strength just as a reference point. I'm not in the business of glorifying murderous thieves with a penchant for deprivation of liberty and rape so no pirate themes (black ship grooming).

Having a flick through TSW I see Caties bubbles. Soap comes with great reviews but I hear the toner is oily. The other is Captains Choice. Anyone care to comment on those two?

The other obvious option is to go with APR splashes and match them to soaps that have no matching splash. Might PM @todras and see what he says...
Click to expand...

I have a couple of options for you @Sxot.

Reef Point soaps and aftershaves (very underrated but both soap and aftershave are great performers for me)

K Shave Worx (great soap and matching aftershave - which doesn't include alcohol)

By the way I would really try Black Ship Grooming Company (formerly Beaver Woodright) they make great soaps and matching aftershaves in my opinion (they have some of the best scents in wet shaving).
 
SydBJW said:
By the way I would really try Black Ship Grooming Company (formerly Beaver Woodright) they make great soaps and matching aftershaves in my opinion (they have some of the best scents in wet shaving).
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Second this, the aftershaves are Frag Oil based but they have some superb scents that really last. I have 4 or 5 of their fragrances via @shavetheman who carries a lot of their lines. From everything I read their soaps are excellent too!
 
Korbz said:
In the same boat as you mate. I've got B&M Cologne Russe and Mickey Lee Soapworks on my hit list. I was also thinking about talking to Con about Caties splashes (not toners). Performance is similar to SH for me (consistency and lathering), however it is a little below it for slickness.
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I don't have Cologne Russe, and it's not on the release schedule for this year either. I have seville and it's a hit!
I didn't know Catie's Bubbles did splashes. Given the entire range is on special at the TSW I'm guessing it hasn't sold very well.
 
By the way @Sxot the man behind Black Ship grooming Company ( the pirate theme) actually works as a serving member of his local police force and you will not meet anyone nicer.

@todras you should try his soap one day, i have some I can give you if we ever have the next Sydney meet up.
 
I appreciate the recommendations @todras @SydBJW, and you might think I am strange but I will have nothing to do with anything that glorify's pirates. That puts Black Ship Grooming off the charts. The vendor may well be an upstanding member of society but his products name sake is not. I would suggest he find another muse to sell his products but that is none of my business.
 
Sxot said:
I appreciate the recommendations @todars @SydBJW, and you might think I am strange but I will have nothing to do with anything that glorify's pirates. That puts Black Ship Grooming off the charts.
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Mate I have to respect you decision.
 
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