Cold River Soap Works has a very nice Sandalwood scent, and the quality of the soap is outstanding.
Sandalwood Shaving Soap
- Thread starter chkiaar
- Start date
TOBS Sandalwood. very nice scent, and it lingers nicely in the room. Great lather also.
There is no better sandlewood than this. The original AOS tallow sandlewood and at ($22.95) delivered to your door it's a no brainer. I bought two and it's legit.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-TALLOW-...t=US_Shaving_Hair_Removal&hash=item3f37db7e11
This one is great too, outstanding soap in fact ($10.95). http://phoenixartisanaccoutrements....artisan-accoutrements-shaving-soap-sandalwood
I've heard this is a great soap as well and that their sandlewood falls somewhere in between the two above which are both excellent. Performance is supposed to be top notch as well though I haven't tried it myself ($25). I do own and really enjoy the two above.
http://www.coldriversoapworks.com/store/p37/Select_Shaving_Soap.html
Other sandlewood soaps haven't impressed me at all.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-TALLOW-...t=US_Shaving_Hair_Removal&hash=item3f37db7e11
This one is great too, outstanding soap in fact ($10.95). http://phoenixartisanaccoutrements....artisan-accoutrements-shaving-soap-sandalwood
I've heard this is a great soap as well and that their sandlewood falls somewhere in between the two above which are both excellent. Performance is supposed to be top notch as well though I haven't tried it myself ($25). I do own and really enjoy the two above.
http://www.coldriversoapworks.com/store/p37/Select_Shaving_Soap.html
Other sandlewood soaps haven't impressed me at all.
Indian sandalwood is Santalum alba, now endangered in India, Nepal and Pakistan due to over-forestation and poaching. There are now plantations of Indian sandalwood in Australia, and that may bring the price down somewhat...eventually. There are two native Australian species of sandalwood, but they have less of the important chemical constituent. Santalum paniculatum is a kind of native Hawaiian sandalwood, and there's a relatvely inexpensive oil called "West Indian Sandalwood" that is not sandalwood at all: it's another plant entirely (Amyris balsamifera).
Because of the expense of real sandalwood essential oil, it's unlikely that most soapmakers are using it in soap because you'd need so much of it: I priced it once for that purpose and it would have pushed the price of a single puck up to $50 or $60 or so...and that was several years ago. Fragrance oil interpretations of sandalwood are wildly variable, both in strength and scent. Some of them don't smell like real sandalwood at all, to my nose. So, YMMV, big-time.
Because of the expense of real sandalwood essential oil, it's unlikely that most soapmakers are using it in soap because you'd need so much of it: I priced it once for that purpose and it would have pushed the price of a single puck up to $50 or $60 or so...and that was several years ago. Fragrance oil interpretations of sandalwood are wildly variable, both in strength and scent. Some of them don't smell like real sandalwood at all, to my nose. So, YMMV, big-time.
Agreed. I like them both a lot, they are quite strong, and they do not smell the least bit similar to each other. Go figure. One or both must be a 'fakey' sandalwood scent but Proraso is the one that contains actual sandalwood oil.
IMO, the TOBS is the much better performer of the two though.
Brian
IMO, the TOBS is the much better performer of the two though.
Brian
IMightBeWrong
Loves a smelly brush
I'd grab some Cold River Select Sandalwood and then order a bottle of Captain's Choice Sandalwood Aftershave to finish with. 
Michelle gave you some good information. Sandlewood scents can be completely all over the place. I have a puck of Truefitt & Hill Sandlewood soap that smells nothing like Sandlewood at all. It smells more like fabric softener dryer sheets. I like it but it's not Sandlewood as far as I'm concerned. Same deal with the Edwin Jagger Sandlewood soap. It smells clean and fresh but nothing like Sandlewood to me at all.
I've smelled Indian Sandlewood oil and it's quite complex. The complexity is somewhat lost on the shaving soaps because the cost to use enough of the oil to capture it would be too high. The Art of Shaving one is about the best one I've found as it does capture some really nice sandlewood notes. You would know that it's Sandlewood by smelling it. You can smell in the AOS store in the mall, but do buy the no longer available tallow version from Ebay that I recommended in my post above if you decide you like it. The other two I recommended would be good choices as well.
I've smelled Indian Sandlewood oil and it's quite complex. The complexity is somewhat lost on the shaving soaps because the cost to use enough of the oil to capture it would be too high. The Art of Shaving one is about the best one I've found as it does capture some really nice sandlewood notes. You would know that it's Sandlewood by smelling it. You can smell in the AOS store in the mall, but do buy the no longer available tallow version from Ebay that I recommended in my post above if you decide you like it. The other two I recommended would be good choices as well.
Some don't seem to be aiming for a pure sandalwood scent.
I've tried 3 kinds: Proraso Red, TOBS and recently, D R Harris.
Now, I've never (knowingly) been near any kind of sandalwood in any natural form, so please take my thoughts with a pinch of salt...
Proraso: To me, it opens with an acrid note - something like dampness or light burning; and then is softened with a barbershop/powdery base. Some people say it's close to authentic, and it actually does remind me of a sort of dry shrubbery smell that I've come across in hot countries, on holiday. Be that as it may, I'm not a big fan of the scent!
TOBS: I ran out of this about a year ago, so I can't be specific about the it, but it's more like a cologne than a straight woody scent. It's complex, sweet and a bit spicy. I remember thinking it smelled Christmassy. My girlfriend loved it, but really didnt like the Proraso.
D R Harris: I love this one. It's much closer to TOBS than Proraso on the sandalwood spectrum i.e. more like a cologne/'gourmand' scent than like wood. It's also quite sweet, with a light, toasty note to it. It also performs better than the other 2, if you want my opinion!
Now, I've never (knowingly) been near any kind of sandalwood in any natural form, so please take my thoughts with a pinch of salt...
Proraso: To me, it opens with an acrid note - something like dampness or light burning; and then is softened with a barbershop/powdery base. Some people say it's close to authentic, and it actually does remind me of a sort of dry shrubbery smell that I've come across in hot countries, on holiday. Be that as it may, I'm not a big fan of the scent!
TOBS: I ran out of this about a year ago, so I can't be specific about the it, but it's more like a cologne than a straight woody scent. It's complex, sweet and a bit spicy. I remember thinking it smelled Christmassy. My girlfriend loved it, but really didnt like the Proraso.
D R Harris: I love this one. It's much closer to TOBS than Proraso on the sandalwood spectrum i.e. more like a cologne/'gourmand' scent than like wood. It's also quite sweet, with a light, toasty note to it. It also performs better than the other 2, if you want my opinion!
AOS Sandalwood. Hands down, the best. No matter whether AOS tallow or veggie.
No matter whether soap or cream.
Just my opinion!
No matter whether soap or cream.
Just my opinion!
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This is the second time I have come across one of your posts linking to this ebay option. I was able to resist the first time (clicked link and read, but "walked" away) but when I clicked the second time (a few hours later) I found myself clicking the "buy it now" button.
Didn't really need this, but I did want it. Oh well.
Never tried any AOS (tallow or otherwise) and I have only recently tried anything with sandalwood (captain's choice AS) and now I want more.
Thanks!
TAYLOR OF OLD BOND STREET. HANDS DOWN HAHA I love this scent. its the best sandalwood ever.
For "strong" sandalwood, I'd say Proraso. It fills the room when I bowl lather it. It's one of my favorites, way more than TOBS.
Yeah, that's not even my auction either, I swear. I am surprised that he still has any left though. I think you'll really enjoy it. I already have one in my rotation and bought two as spares.
Best Sandalwood scent is AoS, worst is Castle Forbes which smells more like a smoky cedar shack than Sandalwood (Great soap however)
Proraso Red cream is definitely quite strongly scented. It's not really my favorite sandalwood scent but it is potent. My favorite sandalwood is, without a doubt, TOBS. I use the soap so it isn't quite as strong but the scent is just amazing.
As I recall their's smells a bit like AoS.
I have the SCS Sandalwood; it performs well but smells to me like coconut!
+1 (or would that be a +2?)
