Need Recommendations: Highest Performance Soaps with SIMPLE, CLEAN scents?

[Chandu]

Martin de Candre, Stirling citrus scents (clementine, west indies lime, grapefruit), Santa Maria Novella, Acqua di Parma, Pre de Provence Bergamot and Thyme, Klar, Golddachs (if you can find it), D. R. Harris Arlington, lavender, Atkinson’s For Gentlemen lavender cream ….

Generally if you want lighter, simpler scents you’ll have to steer away from the artisan products, though some do make lighter scents like MdC and some Stirling scents.

Truer words were never spoken. If you get European artisans things are better as they have to meet higher standards and generally have better noses it seems.

Many artisans while going through Shaving Soap University took the class on scentology from the adjunct professor from AXE.

My face can't handle the ingredients used to add fragrance to shaving soaps. As I result, I have a small collection of unscented soaps. They all have that light soap scent as very few soaps have zero smell, if any. These all work well for me.

1. Canada Shaving Soap: The standard against which I compare the other soaps.
2. Baume.be Cream... not unscented but with a very light scent. It's excellent. They also make a great pre-shave.
3. PAA Scentsless CK-6. I use the PAA Cube 2.0 and Tube 2.0 pre-shaves most of the time.
4. Captain's Choice Unscented (no longer available at this time but you never know, Scott might add it back into the lineup.)
5. Mystic Water Sensitive Skin
6. Souther Witchcrafts Incorporeal
7. Grooming Department Pura. They also make a very find pre-shave
8. Stirling Unscented with Beeswax. Stirling also makes a very fine pre-shave
9. Mike's Unscented

I've tried all of the above. I do have some Stirling Sheep Unscented but that one I haven't used yet.

If you wanted to add some scent to any of the above, a few drops of the essential oil of your choice might give them a scent you love.

I'm sure I'd like 1. I know I like 2 and 6. The others I have not tried, but I've heard 1 is like MdC or Sampson's (no longer made, but I have some)

I really love Palmolive soap for its simplicity and refreshing scent although it's not the greatest shave soap particularly if you have sensitive skin.

Agreed. Nice peppery scent, but hard on the face.

 

[BrianP]

This whole thread is great.
Gonna add my +1 to CSS. OP is already onto Cella. I saw SMN in the thread but didn't see Santa Maria del Fiore (the Italian Barber SMN adjacent offering). It's not small in scent, but straightforward in a way that works for me in regular rotation.

 

[bartje-p]

Personal favorites:
MdC Nature
Stirling Sheep
Stirling Naked & Smooth

 

[JPO]

Captain Fawcett's Scapicchio.
Klar Seifen.
LEA shave stick or Speck for travelling.

 

[SydneyShaver]

All of the artisans you listed sell unscented versions if you’re sensitive to the scent. It still has a soapy smell which is pleasant. This way you can get the performance but not have to deal with scents you won’t like.

 

[beginish]

Pre de Provence Bergamot & Thyme is the one for you. Now their other scent 63 is so fabulous the B&T gets overlooked, but it's a lovely clean fresh scent & great hard soap. Available at Maggards etc... for the price you ought to try the 63 too (as it is wonderful, but not overly complex... just great).

View attachment 1745324

Big thumbs up for both of these. PdP may be the most underrated of all shave soaps.

 

[njpaddy]

RazoRock Plague Doctor. I bought the soap and aftershave as a lark for the label in 2020. I didn't care for the aftershave (gave it away), but the soap is a great performer with just a mild soapy scent. I've since stocked up on several tubs of the soap.

 

[blade08]

Palmolive or Nivea cream. And if you can find it, Vergulde Hand shaving soap.

 

[Doti B]

I haven’t tried it myself (as it is nearly impossible to get here), but I have read good reviews about Canada Shaving Soap. It is supposed to be unscented so I assume it has a mild soap smell to it. Performance is reportedly top notch.

Other that comes to mind is Mitchell Wool Fat. Faint soap scent that’s it. Performance is excellent.

One I really like but I would need to assist you in getting it is Dutchy Bergamot or VanderLovett Dutch Blue.

Guido

@Guido75 i wouldn’t describe the Dutch Blue as a simple clean scent now that I’ve tried it. A lovely soap nevertheless

 

[Doti B]

It's always refreshing to find I am not the only one who finds most artisan soaps offensively over-fragranced, although I am surprised you don't like the Haslingers....AFAIK they use natural ingredients and most people complain that they are almost scentless. As someone with fragrance allergies, I can rely on Haslinger not to cause me problems.

As you have discovered, most artisan soaps layer it on thick. If you want artisan performance without the cloying, heavy-handed fragrances, most of them have an unscented version.

You may like Signature Soaps. They are made in the UK but available at Pasteurs in NYC. All natural ingredients, simple scent profiles and excellent unscented options.

And the Signature Soaps are quality soaps

 

[mmaggi]

Arko. It's cheap, it's tallow based and very simple, clean, lemon scent.

 

[Guido75]

@Guido75 i wouldn’t describe the Dutch Blue as a simple clean scent now that I’ve tried it. A lovely soap nevertheless

Hi,

Yeah, I might have that one mixed up with Sailor’s Blend or Grey Edition. Dutchy Bergamot is very light scented though.

Others that also come to mind are Florex Schafmilch (similar to MWF but a touch different in scent) and Utrecht, a cotton based soap by Kox Barbershop (they also label Dutchy), and Lavanda (lavender obviously, but a splendid scent).

 

[Doti B]

Hi,

Yeah, I might have that one mixed up with Sailor’s Blend or Grey Edition. Dutchy Bergamot is very light scented though.

Others that also come to mind are Florex Schafmilch (similar to MWF but a touch different in scent) and Utrecht, a cotton based soap by Kox Barbershop (they also label Dutchy), and Lavanda (lavender obviously, but a splendid scent).

Ach Brito Lavanda ?

 

[KW Driver]

Hasslinger Aloe Vera is a stellar performer and the only scent of theirs I can tolerate. Similar to your opinion.

Sterling unscented. Great performance, their scents are universally strongly offensive to me. Beef or mutton based are both great for unscented, and I haven’t tried the beeswax.

Mike’s Natural Soaps. Great performance, And his scents aren’t too strong, almost all are essential oils with some fragrance oils in some soaps. He lists them per soap. I like his coconut, lime, orange/pepper/cedarwood. I’ve stocked them more than… 15 yrs? Pretty sure he does unscented too, but never picked one up. He makes a batch, they sell out when they do. Try some samples, if you like one, sign up for email updates to buy the flavor you want. Or stalk his sales page.

 

[Guido75]

Ach Brito Lavanda ?

Yep that’s the one. I got it over a year ago and it’s my go to when travelling and one gone I will definitely be seeking a replacement.

 

[Doti B]

Yep that’s the one. I got it over a year ago and it’s my go to when travelling and one gone I will definitely be seeking a replacement.

Been to both their factory shops in Lisbon and Porto. The cologne is one of my favourites

 

[Omega48]

Martin De Candre.

 

[Wanderers]

And the Signature Soaps are quality soaps

Thank you
Regards Brian

 

[johnnydee]

Van der Hagen Luxury shave soap. IMO, very under rated. Slick, lathers well with a clean mild scent, inexpensive, & easily available.
This stuff deserves more love!

 

[squank]

The TOBS line might be a step or two beneath the OP's desired 'level," but several of their soaps/croaps seem to fit:

- Eton College
- Jermyn Street
- Saint James

Would also throw Proraso Blue out there as a clean scent and great shave.