Shannon's Soaps Balkan Blend shaving soap

[Doc Dan]

I tested a sample of Shannon's soaps Balkan Blend, a tobacco scented shaving soap. This soap has the Chupacabra base so I was expecting good things and I was not disappointed. First, the scent. I normally don't like tobacco scents since I quit using any tobacco 40 years ago. I do like the smell of tobacco hanging in a barn to cure, but not processed tobacco. I have only found one tobacco soap that I like (love) and it has that smell, plus leather and other good things. I was surprised by this soap, completely. Lathering really brought forth some wonderful notes, such as cherry, vanilla, spice, and maybe a little orange or something that offsets the sweetness. It is hard to describe. It smells like a good quality pipe tobacco and it makes me want to wear it. I read that it has Virginian, Oriental, and Latakia tobacco scents in it. It sure smells good, no matter what. It is very manly. I like it.

The Chupacabra base is among the best available and this was no exception. The picture above is after hand lathering to check the consistency and then face lathering. In other words, this soap made lots of good, creamy lather. I did add water a time or two as I found that the Chupacabra is sometimes a little thirsty, but not as bad as some. I used a brush made from a Maggard's handle and a tuxedo knot that I also got from Maggards and glued together myself. It is actually a very good performer and soft, too.

Let me add that I never use a pre-shave of any kind. I bathe and shave after I step out of the shower (sorry, I know that will be hard to get out of your heads). I want soaps to perform on their own merits.

Taking my prized Thiers Issard Medaille D'Or Alger blonde horn straight razor in hand. I started on the tender area under my bottom lip. As soon as I made the first stroke I knew I was in for a great shave. I made three passes: WTG, ATG, and XTG. Going ATG and XTG I was able to make strokes that would have been dangerous or impossible with many other soaps. This soap is as slick as a Vaselined door knob. The residual slickness was so good I didn't even bother to re-lather on touch ups.

I didn't add any aftershave or balm as I wanted to see how my face felt after the shave. This is a tallow + lanolin soap, two of my favorite ingredients. It also has goat's milk and other good things. It has a lot of butters but my face didn't feel like I had been using a butter bomb.

Ingredients: Tallow, kokum butter, avocado oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, stearic acid, glycerin, lanolin, coconut oil, Goat Milk, Mallow extract, Buckthorn extract, Meadowfoam seed oil, Vitamin E, Fragrance.

Slickness: 10/10
Cushion: 10/10
Scent: 10/10 (I couldn't help it. I had to score this a 10. It deserves it.)
Post shave face feel: 9.8/10
Closeness: 10/10 (near BBS and I wasn't trying)
Skipping/Dragging: 10/10 (Nada, none, zilch)
Price: 10/10 (At $16 for 4 oz. this is a real value)
Total score: 9.97/10

I have to say that these Chupacabra base soaps are better than soaps costing several times the price. At the price they do cost there is no comparison. I am no fan boy. Anyone reading my posts knows I will criticize a poor or average performer. I use a straight razor because I think if it is good with a straight razor the soap will be good with other types. I want to soap to speak for itself. In this case, I believe this is a real winner.

(Now, if I can figure out a way to get some of that aftershave...)

 

[swellcat]

You make a compelling case, @Doc Dan. Cool weather (if there is to be any more) might make the tobacco more palatable to me . . . though if I already had the soap, I'd sure try it.

Regarding the Shannon's website, how does one register? There is a log-in option, but I'm not finding a registration link.

 

[Doc Dan]

I don’t know. I contacted them directly or bought from The Razor Company.

 

[Doc Dan]

Another shave done with the Balkan Blend and it was just as satisfying as the others.

 

[Doc Dan]

You make a compelling case, @Doc Dan. Cool weather (if there is to be any more) might make the tobacco more palatable to me . . . though if I already had the soap, I'd sure try it.

Regarding the Shannon's website, how does one register? There is a log-in option, but I'm not finding a registration link.

The Razor Company, Maggard's, and Pasteur Shaving carry Shannon's Soaps. It's the Chupacabra base I have familiarity with.

 

[BigJ]

Excellent review!! And great kit!!

 

[Doc Dan]

Excellent review!! And great kit!!

Thanks! That Thiers Issard is a marvelous razor. I put a small piece of the Balkan Blend in my medicine/shaving cabinet so that the scent fills my nose when I open it. Man, this is about as good as Full Measure of a Man.

 

[Doc Dan]

I got a new tub of Shannon's Soaps Balkan Blend from Maggards. I really love this scent. It smells like a good, expensive pipe tobacco. One can smell tobacco, cherry, and spice. This stuff smells fantastic! The performance is what you'd expect from Shannon's Chupacabra Base, that is to say, excellent. My straight razor simply glided over my face. I had no irritation, no cuts, no weepers. I will say that it is easy to get this soap too dry, but a little experimenting will get the lather just right. I always start out with a slightly drier brush and add more water as needed. This scent is the perfect gentleman's scent.

 

[Doc Dan]

The soap is dark brown and has a sheen to it. The soap has a tan lather but has never stained my brushes.

 

[Eben Stone]

Let me add that I never use a pre-shave of any kind. I bathe and shave after I step out of the shower (sorry, I know that will be hard to get out of your heads). I want soaps to perform on their own merits.

I use preshave because I don't shower before I shave. But I don't use preshave as a slickness booster. I use it soften my whiskers. I rinse it off thoroughly before lathering. But now you have me wondering how much it contributes to the lather if there is any residue left on my skin.

I was able to make strokes that would have been dangerous or impossible with many other soaps.

Ok, you now have my full attention.

The residual slickness was so good I didn't even bother to re-lather on touch up

Sometimes I use the inability to do skin stretching (after a pass) as a measure of residual slickness. But a straight razor touch up without relathering is a better, more realistic, measuring stick.

Skipping/Dragging: 10/10 (Nada, none, zilch)

I would assume this is the same category as slickness, but it's nice to see it mentioned separately, even if it's just for clarity.

I use a straight razor because I think if it is good with a straight razor the soap will be good with other types.

^^ somebody gets it.

 

[Doc Dan]

I use preshave because I don't shower before I shave. But I don't use preshave as a slickness booster. I use it soften my whiskers. I rinse it off thoroughly before lathering. But now you have me wondering how much it contributes to the lather if there is any residue left on my skin.


Ok, you now have my full attention.


Sometimes I use the inability to do skin stretchimg (after a pass) as a measure of residual slickness. But a straight razor touch up without relathering is a better, more realistic, measuring stick.


I would assume this is the same category as slickness, but it's nice to see it mentioned separately, even if it's just for clarity.

^^ somebody gets it.

Sometimes a slick soap with a DE razor will cause skipping and dragging of a straight razor. This can be the soap itself, or it can be that the water content isn't right, either too much or too little. That is my experience and I probably say it badly, however I did want to make it clear.

I don't keep soaps that under perform for me. They might be good for someone else, so I'm not saying such soaps are bad, just not good for me. Shannon's Chupacabra base soaps are consistently good. I've tried four scents, I think, maybe five, and all have been great. I can't comment on her non Chupacabra base soaps. The Balkan Blend, being a Chupacabra base soap, is a stellar performer.

 

[Cleanface]

The soap is dark brown and has a sheen to it. The soap has a tan lather but has never stained my brushes.

Looks like fig jam. But it’s worth a try.

 

[Doc Dan]

Looks like fig jam. But it’s worth a try.

You'll love it. She also has other scents, such as Coconut Lime (Awesome!) and Rebrab (more of a cologne type). Rebrab is a more sophisticated and modern barbershop. Top notes of black pepper, bitter orange, and basil combine with middle notes of rosemary, geranium, and lavender. This is held together by base notes of musk, tobacco, oakmoss.

 

[Cleanface]

They offer an option to include menthol. Did you go with that? I'm thinking not.
Never mind. That's for the AS

 

[Eben Stone]

Sometimes a slick soap with a DE razor will cause skipping and dragging of a straight razor. This can be the soap itself, or it can be that the water content isn't right, either too much or too little. That is my experience and I probably say it badly, however I did want to make it clear.

I don't keep soaps that under perform for me. They might be good for someone else, so I'm not saying such soaps are bad, just not good for me. Shannon's Chupacabra base soaps are consistently good. I've tried four scents, I think, maybe five, and all have been great. I can't comment on her non Chupacabra base soaps. The Balkan Blend, being a Chupacabra base soap, is a stellar performer.

Thanks Doc. I just got samples of all the chupacabra based scents. I tried the Indigo Oud two nights ago. Fantastic. But that was with a DE. I'll should have my balsa strops redone in the next few days so I can try with a straight...

 

[Doc Dan]

Thanks Doc. I just got samples of all the chupacabra based scents. I tried the Indigo Oud two nights ago. Fantastic. But that was with a DE. I'll should have my balsa strops redone in the next few days so I can try with a straight...

The Coconut Lime is pretty good, too. The smell is really nice for hot days.

 

[GR5233]

Looks like fig jam. But it’s worth a try.

It does remind me of figs in that picture but it’s an excellent soap. I don’t get much of a tobacco scent from it though

 

[Doc Dan]

It does remind me of figs in that picture but it’s an excellent soap. I don’t get much of a tobacco scent from it though

Pipe tobacco, not raw or cigars.

 

[Sethology]

Strange to me to imagine a Balkan blend in soap form. Ketchupy and grassy in soap?

 

[Southsider]

Hmm. Just tried Balkan Blend and it is not a bad scent; I did enjoy my shave. I was a pipe smoker for years and perhaps my favorite pipe tobacco was Balkan Sobranie which Balkan Blend appears to be based on. Unfortunately, Balkan Blend shaving soap and aftershave does not bring back memories of Balkan Sobranie tobacco for me. All in all, I would rate it acceptable as a scent. OTOH, Indigo Oud is stellar in my opinion and happens to be Shannon's personal favorite soap. I would choose that over Balkan Blend (her second favorite) hands down.

FWIW, other good tobacco scent based soaps are Los Jabones de Joserra Rodrigo de Jerez, WSP Tobacco and Eufros Tobacco. Another good one but not currently seasonally available is Ethos Mandarino Fumo. Of all the products mentioned the Ethos product most closely smells like real tobacco which stand to reason since Frank uses real tobacco in his preparation.