What's the best and worst soaps you have used?

[killdawabbit]

It's not a soap that's for sale, nor will it ever likely be.

Silver Fox is a "product line" named after my father who passed away in 2010. He was a lot of things but part of what he was included being an artisan after he retired. So when I create something that gets "named" it gets that name in his honor. It was his nickname long before I started going gray.

I make a batch for myself, and give away a few cans from that batch. I'm happy people have enjoyed it enough to share their experience, and it's just a nice memory of my father. I have a more than full time job so no desire or time to add more "work." As Mike Rowe says: "when your avocation becomes a vocation you get no vacation." Giving a little back here and there to the B&B community however is more than fulfilling.

The only way to get it is for free. There are two cans being given away at the Kansas City Meet-Up.

Perhaps you could share your recipe?

 

[Nexus7]

Best/favorite -- call it Cella Crema Sapone Extra Extra Purissima for now
Worst/left behind in hotel -- John Masters Organics Birch and Cedarwood Shaving Bar (bought in desperation while traveling).

 

[zeppelin55]

Best: B&M Lavanille. All B&M soaps are amazing. I love them all. TOBS Jermyn street also gets a notice. I want to try the TOBS avocado soon.

Worst: TOBS sandalwood (mainly cause I got a massive reaction to it.) Also, I didn't like the scent that much, smelled really strong to me.

Also, I have a puck of Williams. I probably won't use it. J743 practically scared me about using Williams.

Same with me for TOBS. Burns like crazy.

Best: MdC, Synergy CaD

Just below best: LASS (poor scents)

Worst: Williams, tabac, TOBS, ... There are more I can't think of.

 

[LBussy]

Not directed to anyone in particular, I just see it a lot. People rate down soaps which irritate them, or those which they don't care for the smell. It's probably worth noting that these are the more personal of all of the aspects of a soap and the very same soap with a different (or no) fragrance oil may be the "best" anyone has used. In another thread I saw someone rate P.160 as the worst (because of the irritation from the almond FO) and one of the other new RR soaps as the best. Of course those are really the same soap.

I do it too ... Arko is one of my least favorite soaps because of the smell. Unfortunately there are no other choices with Arko that I know of other than to let it breathe or try to cover it up with a different oil.

Soaps seem to be the most polarizing of the software we use. You will not see the sort of threads that we get here discussing a Thiers-Issard vs a Dovo straight razor in the straights forum. Likewise the DE guys take it for granted that not everyone will love their beloved Feather or Iridium. Even Badger vs Boar is civilized (relatively ).

Now the honing forum, that one gets unruly at times.

Just an observation, no way to fix it really. Our sense of smell is deeply rooted in our evolution and it is something that makes or breaks a lot experiences. I guess the best we can hope for is that someone that say tries that P.160 and has a bad experience will go ahead and try a different RR soap (or the same with other brands who use the same base).

 

[SilentTuba]

Good to know. The scent is Captains Choice Bay Rum, which again I have heard is a very good one, although I have never smelled it before. I have some Clubman Bay Rum, and it just reminds me of cloves.

The Captain's Choice Bay Rum is a different soap formula from the XXX or P.160, which use the new (very excellent) tallow formula. The RRCC uses the Argan Oil formula, which is just as excellent as the tallow. It's a great soap, and one of my favorites. the Bay Rum scent is different from the Clubman VIBR...not as sweet smelling.

 

[LBussy]

Perhaps you could share your recipe?

I intend to share quite a bit ... but not yet. I'm getting some help with the way I'll present it.

The Captain's Choice Bay Rum is a different soap formula from the XXX or P.160, which use the new (very excellent) tallow formula. The RRCC uses the Argan Oil formula, which is just as excellent as the tallow. It's a great soap, and one of my favorites. the Bay Rum scent is different from the Clubman VIBR...not as sweet smelling.

Good to know. It "looks like" a lot of the formulas are standardizing but whether that goes for 100% of them or not remains to be seen. It makes sense but it's not my business. I'd like to try the Argan Oil one, it's on the list of things I'd like to try in my own soap. Expensive!

 

[user00]

Best: PannaCrema
Worst: Mon Savon or Pre de Provence. Although, I'm planning to circle back to the PdP to see if I can get it sorted out based on the generally favorable reviews.

 

[BDF]

True, soap and cremes are all over the place for different people. All the way to what is someone's favorite or 'go to' soap is someone else's trash can filler.

As to the honing thing, that is also true but only because some of YOU GUYS won't stop doing it incorrectly! ROFLMAO

Brian

<snip>

Soaps seem to be the most polarizing of the software we use. You will not see the sort of threads that we get here discussing a Thiers-Issard vs a Dovo straight razor in the straights forum. Likewise the DE guys take it for granted that not everyone will love their beloved Feather or Iridium. Even Badger vs Boar is civilized (relatively ).

Now the honing forum, that one gets unruly at times.

<snip>

 

[LBussy]

As to the honing thing, that is also true but only because some of YOU GUYS won't stop doing it incorrectly! ROFLMAO

Hey ... I'm rubbing steel on rocks now!

Um ... with SOAP!

 

[SilentTuba]

I intend to share quite a bit ... but not yet. I'm getting some help with the way I'll present it.


Good to know. It "looks like" a lot of the formulas are standardizing but whether that goes for 100% of them or not remains to be seen. It makes sense but it's not my business. I'd like to try the Argan Oil one, it's on the list of things I'd like to try in my own soap. Expensive!

If they standardized their products down to those two formulas, I could live with that.

 

[ultra]

ATM... best is MdC , worst is Mountain Sky originating from British Columbia.

 

[AZKB53]

Best & Worst is the same for me: MWF...this stuff is amazing when it lathers properly and completely blows chunks when it doesn't. Since it's often a hit and miss I stopped using it. But to be fair I live in the desert and we have extremely hard water.

 

[alden]

Best & Worst is the same for me: MWF...this stuff is amazing when it lathers properly and completely blows chunks when it doesn't. Since it's often a hit and miss I stopped using it. But to be fair I live in the desert and we have extremely hard water.

I live in Florida and have incredibly hard water too. I just shaved with MWF about an hour ago. It took me about two minutes to whip up a good lather, then I continued building on my skin a bit too. It just takes a little more time. Also, I drip some warm water on it and let it sit about 5 minutes and hydrate a bit before I start.

 

[Tyquast]

Mitchell's woof fat

 

[something better]

Best:
Palmolive
edwin jagger shave soap

worst:
Arko

 

[acricketer]

Best: Le Piment de Vie by Catie's Bubbles..what a scent and lathers up nicely

Worst: Crabtree & Evelyn Moroccan Myrrh (was Nomad) It's hand soap.

 

[KipNoxzema]

The best for me comes from a custom order made to StinkyDancerSoaps, on the Bay. VERY similar to TOBS and far less expensive. It's made using the hot press method, which is the best method for handmade soaps. I love the sophisticated, manly scent.

 

[OnlookeR7557]

I have two dozen soaps and creams. I use one brush for hard soaps and another for soft soaps and creams. Most I use a bowl to make lather and a few I face lather. So, I have experimented with several of them and most of them are great. However, Edwin Jagger Limes & Pomegranate soap is by far the worst I own

 

[alden]

Just got a stick of Arko and used it yesterday. My first time using a stick soap, no directions, so I just dipped it in warm water and rubbed it all over my face and neck, then took a damp brush and started building lather in my skin. It actually worked really well. Smells like Ivory but the lather was pretty thick and slick.