I Coloniali Shaving Soap

[Kenno]

This shaving soap is the best for me!

I've tried over 20 soaps/creams and this is awesome, no tallow and a very close and comfortable shave. Skin condition is the best and my skin feels great for days after.

Has the best water retention on the face and this is what wet shaving is all about.

The scent reminds me of a rustic Tuscany with a cool and refreshing hit.

It's become the bully in my den and all my other stuff runs away in fright.

I have MDC coming and that better be one awesome soap to knock this one over.

I love shaving with I Coloniali.

[The Last Chimney]

I checked the reviews and this is a very interesting soap. I like the "smoky mango" description of its scent. I'm about to drop an order for this one!

[superbleu]

who has this in stock?

[The Last Chimney]

who has this in stock?

I can't post the link but if you google the shaving soap, you'll find vendors.

[Kenno]

you won't regret it gents, it's kicked out of my den some of the high end stuff praised, tallow or not.

[joshmpdx]

This stuff is fantastic, it's an excellent soap.

It smells chocolatey to me :smile:

[Sabre]

I bought a refill pack, and it's looks like it about to fall apart. I have yet to try it, but now feel encouraged to give a go now Cade November has finished.

[Sabre]

I bought a refill pack, and it's looks like it about to fall apart. I have yet to try it, but now feel encouraged to give a go now Cade November has finished.

I just tried it, and I am very impressed :thumbup:.

[christian83germany]

Hey Guys!

I feel the same with this soap. Using many high quality (and highly recommended) shaving soaps this one from I Coloniali (it is declared as a shaving cream although it IS A SOAP AND NEVER turns into a cream) is by far the best in my rotation. I do not know why this product is so unknown amongst American wet shavers. Here in Europe and especially in Germany it is discussed on shaving forums every day (for some years now) and is named "Die Göttliche" (The Divine). The soap is so unique both in its texture and scent, has such great shaving qualities (some are the best you will find in shaving soaps) but can be (for beginners) quite frustrating in finding the right handling.
You really - this is VERY IMPORTANT - have to make many swirls onto the soap and get your brush heavily loaded - and find the right ratio in how much water is needed but once you get it...YOU WILL BE REWARDED WITH PURE LUXURY AND AN OVERWHELMING SHAVING EXPERIENCE. I was that disappointed using this soap for the first time (I even thought about junk it) but the more I understood how to treat it, the more I was fascinated about how much better the soap performs in comparison to the other products.

This IS A DIVA/DRAMA QUEEN.

Nevertheless, I will never ever want to miss "her" in my bathroom:-)))

Greetings from Berlin -

Christian.

[Optometrist]

I've only just seen this soap on sale and it looks very interesting, being a BIG fan of Italian soaps/creams.
Marco, your input please.

David

[Marco]

I've only just seen this soap on sale and it looks very interesting, being a BIG fan of Italian soaps/creams.
Marco, your input please.

David

I Coloniali, Crema all'Olio di Mango is a fine shaving soap from Italy. It contains Mango oil and glycerin, no tallow. Latherability is good, scent is "smoky" and unique, shave is clean and comfortable. An overall nice performer. However it's not among my favourite: Cella, Valobra, P.160 and Acca Kappa 1869 are, in my opinion, superior shaving soaps and do represent the very best of the Italian tradition. But again, nothing wrong with this product.

[christian83germany]

Marco:

I Coloniali is just a Diva and one has to know how to treat her. So yes, this might be the only aspect in which other soaps perform better, easier. But slickness, cushion and the after-shaving feeling are much much better than the products that you mention like Cella, Valobra etc. But, as always, this is only MY opinion. Well not really, I know of sooooooooo many that call the I Coloniali one of the best shaving soaps out there.
But: The scent is really unique and either one loves it or hates it. I do not believe there is much space between these two poles.
The tallow aspect is - I do also have much experience in using shaving soaps - overrated. There are excellent performers with and without tallow as an ingredient. It is all about the galenic a product has.

Bye
Christian

[Optometrist]

I Coloniali, Crema all'Olio di Mango is a fine shaving soap from Italy. It contains Mango oil and glycerin, no tallow. Latherability is good, scent is "smoky" and unique, shave is clean and comfortable. An overall nice performer. However it's not among my favourite: Cella, Valobra, P.160 and Acca Kappa 1869 are, in my opinion, superior shaving soaps and do represent the very best of the Italian tradition. But again, nothing wrong with this product.

Thanks Marco,

Another temptation, but maybe some other day then. This rotation is becoming out of control!:a52:

David

[kingfisher]

......It is all about the galenic a product has.

Bye
Christian


what does this mean?

[Marco]

Thanks Marco,

Another temptation, but maybe some other day then. This rotation is becoming out of control!:a52:

David

My pleasure, Sir. :001_smile

[Kenno]

Hey Guys!

I feel the same with this soap. Using many high quality (and highly recommended) shaving soaps this one from I Coloniali (it is declared as a shaving cream although it IS A SOAP AND NEVER turns into a cream) is by far the best in my rotation. I do not know why this product is so unknown amongst American wet shavers. Here in Europe and especially in Germany it is discussed on shaving forums every day (for some years now) and is named "Die Göttliche" (The Divine). The soap is so unique both in its texture and scent, has such great shaving qualities (some are the best you will find in shaving soaps) but can be (for beginners) quite frustrating in finding the right handling.
You really - this is VERY IMPORTANT - have to make many swirls onto the soap and get your brush heavily loaded - and find the right ratio in how much water is needed but once you get it...YOU WILL BE REWARDED WITH PURE LUXURY AND AN OVERWHELMING SHAVING EXPERIENCE. I was that disappointed using this soap for the first time (I even thought about junk it) but the more I understood how to treat it, the more I was fascinated about how much better the soap performs in comparison to the other products.

This IS A DIVA/DRAMA QUEEN.

Nevertheless, I will never ever want to miss "her" in my bathroom:-)))

Greetings from Berlin -

Christian.

+1


Marco:

I Coloniali is just a Diva and one has to know how to treat her. So yes, this might be the only aspect in which other soaps perform better, easier. But slickness, cushion and the after-shaving feeling are much much better than the products that you mention like Cella, Valobra etc. But, as always, this is only MY opinion. Well not really, I know of sooooooooo many that call the I Coloniali one of the best shaving soaps out there.
But: The scent is really unique and either one loves it or hates it. I do not believe there is much space between these two poles.
The tallow aspect is - I do also have much experience in using shaving soaps - overrated. There are excellent performers with and without tallow as an ingredient. It is all about the galenic a product has.

Bye
Christian

I agree with everything you say Christian, this soap for me is numero uno, MDC is not far behind and neither is my beloved p160/Proraso and MWF! I rate p160 just slightly above Cella with Valobra soap not far behind.

Saying all this out of all the 20 or so soaps/creams I've tried all are close with regards to performance, no real bad soap where I couldn't get a comfortable shave but if I had to pick the best overall performer, I Coloniali is it! It is unique in the way it lathers, shaves and skin care it offers plus that slight menthol hit is welcomed especially on the warmer days.

[Evbo]

It is all about the galenic a product has.



what does this mean?

From dictionary.com:

Ga·len·ic   
[gey-len-ik, guh-] Show IPA
–adjective
1.
of or pertaining to Galen, his principles, or his methods.
2.
( usually lowercase ) of or pertaining to galenicals or Galenic pharmacy.

So in this case, I think what he means, roughly, is "it's all about the "healing or medicinal value" a product has. Am I correct, Christian??

[cymric]

Well, what to say. Lather is thick, but not too thick, and retains some mobility (which I like), shave is close and comfortable, scent is really weird, not sure about the menthol.

I Coloniali a diva? I thought that term was reserved for the rather strange offering from Acca Kappa: the original 1869 soap. (Which in my opinion isn't a diva, but merely a spoilt brat covered in layers of crackling foundation, eyeliner, lipstick and rouge. Brushless in a puck is what I call that soap.) And I have to know how to treat her? Well, I shredded her to bits and mashed her into a fine bowl with screw top... A little domination never hurts anyone :devil: I Coloniali göttlich? No, I don't think so either. It is without doubt a quality product, rather on the expensive side at that, but calling I Coloniali göttlich would mean calling at least four or five other products that.

[Confilo]

I agree with most of the opinions expressed in this thread about I Coloniali, great lather and most important, a great shave.
It is the scent that keeps me from using it more often...a bit cloyingly sweet

[Misunderstood]

Gotta give this a try.

[twoods]

got a puck of this stuff last Friday and I still can't describe the smell! it's very unique and very pleasant. As for the way it perform, I would rank it in my top three soaps. It creates a very slick and moisturizing lather. I absolutely loveeeeee it!!!

[tkto13]

How moisturizing is it? Say compared to Cella, MWF, Trumpers (new), and any other widely available reference points.

[twoods]

well I don't really like Cella or MWF so it's hard to compare them. The scent of this thing is really cool. Hard to explain.

[Will P.C.]

I have been lusting this soap for quite some time. Besides reading that it is a nice product, I like the idea of a different scent than the standard offerings most places offer.

The only thing keeping me from buying is anxiety. I have way too many unopened and used 1X products that I need to use. I get anxiety when thinking about adding something else.

[cymric]

How moisturizing is it? Say compared to Cella, MWF, Trumpers (new), and any other widely available reference points.
Like I Coloniali those soaps hardly contain humectants (besides glycerin) so they are not really moisturising. IC adds a little propylene glycol which would give it the edge in the moisturisation comparison. What you probably wanted to know is whether IC is gentle on the skin, doesn't overly irritate it, and leaves it soft and supple. With my skin it does. Additionally the soap contains a rather odd ingredient: PEG-40 sorbitan lanolate which apparently acts as a surfactant, helping the product to produce a more stable foam. But at the same time I wonder if not something of the properties of the parent molecules remain.

Two additional warnings: the product contains boric acid and menthol. The funny thing is that the menthol helps my skin ignore the boric acid, making I Coloniali a rather unusual product for me.

[twoods]

had my third shave with this one last night and I'm still in love! It's a very odd looking and performing soap. The lather is not your typical Tabac lather, but it performs extremely well. I have fairly sensitive skin and my skin is really liking this product a lot.

[Darjeeling Express]

Who is carrying this stuff at reasonable price. Post the link. Unless there is a problem with the vendor, Just do it! It is perfectly appropriate.

[oscar11]

www.bullgooseshaving.net

[TAM340R]

I "found" a soap in my drawer .....
As far as I remember when I squeezed it in my mug it was quite a soft one...for sure after the years it became hard.The color is white.
I got a fantastic shave with it!
I do not remember the brand but my wife told me that it is an I Coloniali she bought me with some creams for her.
My question is ; is the Coloniali a soft soap or if not did they have one in the past ?

Thanks

Tam

[Kenno]

How moisturizing is it? Say compared to Cella, MWF, Trumpers (new), and any other widely available reference points.

beats em all in that regard and shaves better too.

i state my reputation on it and say it's better than the big 3, cella mwf n tabac, and even MDC.

the feel of the lather in one's hand is like nothing else.

how much better does it shave, well it shaves better with a blade thats been used 3 or 4 times with 3 passes than any of the above with a new blade, with a new blade it is just awesome.

[petr]

Dark Vetiver. That's what that funky smell is. Very similar to Tabula Rasa really in scent, although TB vetiver and tangerine is brighter. It has the same obnoxiousness about it. Why don't they just call it what it is in scent? I'm not saying I dislike the scent all together, because the verdict is still out, but it is quite cloying (it really hangs around on your skin). I think the mango oil is a lead into "shea butter like" performance also.

Chocolate? I'll have to rethink that. Smokey? Maybe, but it's a dead ringer for vetiver me thinks. Anyone disagree?

The rhubarb cream is similar in scent base, but more "smokey" or tabacco like. I appreciate it more.

[patcheon]

Seems to be out of stock in lots of places for some time. Had wanted to get one for Christmas but end up getting MWF instead.:001_unsur

[gash]

Looks like BullGoose Shaving has it: http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/icomaoilshso1.html

[andrew98]

It smells like smoked mangoes to me. It does have a little menthol in it, and even though I hate mentholated shaving soaps, I love I Coloniali. Strange, eh? Anyway, it's a good performer for me, and I've left it in my rotation for the past 2 years. I don't know if I'd go so far as saying it's as good as Cella, but I like it a lot.

-Andy

[snip3r]

Anyone has the soap and the cream version to compare?

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-16445739206724_2189_12117069

[daccpa]

OK I think I'm getting a pretty good idea about this soap after reading through this thread, just not sure if I want to order one yet. Let's see it smells like:

Tuscany Cool & Refreshing
Chocolatey
Smokey
Menthol
Wierd
Cloyingly Sweet
Dark Vetiver
Tobacco
Smoked Mangos

Right ?

[Balj86]

This to my nose has a decadent smokey Chocolaty smell. It doesn't smell like mango but they use mango oil to produce this puck. With the smokey chocolate smell is with a little menthol added to it. I really do love this soap but I don't always use it b/c it is a bit expensive and I think you pay more for the bowl then soap which is nice souvenir after your done. But after good amount of loading the soap does go down noticeably. But then again if you have some extra money lying around, I would recommend it fully! Anyone who likes SS's will love this stuff. I especially love it when I make a superlather with it along with TOBS Avocado or Pro Red.

[petr]

Anyone has the soap and the cream version to compare?

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-16445739206724_2189_12117069
I give these both the title of "most interesting soap / cream of the year"

I have both cream and soap. They are slightly different in composition, scent and lather. Both are top notch performers, easily above anything 3T in my book. I give a nod to the soap in efficacy (lack of nicks and skin feeling great post shave). The scent of the cream is better to my nose - not as pungent. The lather of the soap is thick and creamy (stable without air bubbles on a level of a good tallow soap), while the lather of the cream is more what we are accustomed to in a best cream. It's a thick cream like AdP in the tube.

I like the performance of the soap more, but the scent of the cream more. Both are winning purchases are will be different than anything you have tried before.

That funky scent is growing on me - the scent is not for everyone.

[snip3r]

Just wondering if there are any other EU vendors carrying the soap?

[Loner16]

I've been using this soap for a few months.. Just used it today. One poster said "very unique," and I believe that's the best description, because i've never used anything else quite like it. It presents as a hard soap, but doesn't exactly lather like one. It lathers into a dense, creamy lather, not an airy mountain of lather like many hard soaps. J&E Atkinson's calls it a cream, and I'm inclined to agree..
Whatever it is, it has superior glide for a razor, and my face feels very smooth and comfy after, not to mention a unique and different scent... All in all, a fantastic product!

[gash]

I think it smells like Comet (http://cometcleanser.com) cleaner.

[brothers]

I loved the soap when I found it. Actually, the I Coloniali soap was the first product I used completely up. Then I heard from Connaught Shaving that the Rhubarb cream in the tube was really nice, so I got a couple of tubes. Wonderful stuff. Right now, I don't have the soap, just the cream. It is conceivably one of the best, and that is saying a lot. Good stuff, no doubt. Oh, I get a strong hint of a sweet and smooth vetiver from the fragrance. A beautiful vetiver!

[Paul12644]

The only soap I couldn't stomach. I used it once, and the smell is really, really bad, to my nose anyway.

[snip3r]

Anyone??


I give these both the title of "most interesting soap / cream of the year"

I have both cream and soap. They are slightly different in composition, scent and lather. Both are top notch performers, easily above anything 3T in my book. I give a nod to the soap in efficacy (lack of nicks and skin feeling great post shave). The scent of the cream is better to my nose - not as pungent. The lather of the soap is thick and creamy (stable without air bubbles on a level of a good tallow soap), while the lather of the cream is more what we are accustomed to in a best cream. It's a thick cream like AdP in the tube.

I like the performance of the soap more, but the scent of the cream more. Both are winning purchases are will be different than anything you have tried before.

That funky scent is growing on me - the scent is not for everyone.

[UngerWoo]

I just bought this and tried it this morning. It instantly moved up the ranks of my soaps. Very nice lather and slick, too. I really like the shave I got. The scent is unusual and awesome. I'm wondering if there is a cologne as I'd love to smell this all day long. Anybody know?

[Arcadies]

I just bought this and tried it this morning. It instantly moved up the ranks of my soaps. Very nice lather and slick, too. I really like the shave I got. The scent is unusual and awesome. I'm wondering if there is a cologne as I'd love to smell this all day long. Anybody know?

The guys at Italian Barber have a wide assortment of I Coloniali products, including lotions and aftershave, I'm not totally sure if they have the same scent as the shave soap though. Drop them a message through their site and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to answer any questions.

[Sabre]

This is the website with all the available ranges .... http://www.icoloniali.it

[Geezy]

I live in Sicily and I saw this in a shop today but didnt pick it up. After reading this I think I will head back to the shop tomorrow! Do you guys think Alt Innsbruck would be a good A/S combo with the IC soap? From what I have been reading both have a tobacco scent. Sounds to sweet to resist...

[sandbagger]

Love the scent of this soap. It truly is hard to explain but it is very intoxicating and lasts on the skin for quite some time. I don't use it as much because I'm afraid I will get addicted and won't use any other soap; i have a small fortune invested in soap. Defiantly my favorite even over cella, etc. but thats mostly because I not a big fan of the almond scent of the traditional italian soaps.
And the terra cotta bowl is very cool.

[sandbagger]

Geezy pick some up for me eh?

[Geezy]

Geezy pick some up for me eh?
Sandbagger the jar I saw was the last one! They had plenty of the Aftershave balm if you are interested in that. I will ask if they have any more soap in the back for you. BTW I didnt look at the price...

[sandbagger]

Im sure shipping would make it cost prohibitive. Geez if I were you I would jump all over this soap. Here in the states it does not last long when it is in stock, refills are a little easer to find. Good luck I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[BrookR1]

I ordered a sample of the cream and then I purchased a puck of the soap off flea bay. After I sampled the cream, I was a little hesitant. I caught a whiff of that ajax cleaner smell from the cream. About half the time I could smell it, the other half was just sort of a dark, sweet smell. When my puck soap arrived, I was relieved. It had all of the goodness the cream had without the ajax smell. Never caught a whiff of the ajax once. I lathered up and tried it out and it was wonderful. Plenty slick, very easy to whip into a lather, and left my skin feeling tight and finished.

[EdwinJ]

I received mine yesterday, after all the raving in the German forums -- as stated here before, many times referred to as "the divine" there. I was excited.

I Coloniali -- you have to experience it. Words can't explain how... disappointing this stuff is to me. Gluey, sticky, thin lather, remarkably small amounts of it too; a rather unpleasant smell; and the legendary four glue marks on the overpriced container.

Evidently it will produce usable lather in applying certain techniques (such as soaking it, applying the right brush, ...). But I have tried around 20 soaps (and probably the same amount in creams) where every single one performs grand without any hassle or rituals. Why bother and end up with a smell I do not care for?

Seriously, for the price I paid I could have purchased 30 Palmolive sticks! ;o)

When there is a little time, I will put it on the B/S/T, given it has so many fans. But be warned, when the time comes, if you should buy it -- don't say I did not tell you :o)

[hedonist222]

I love mine.

Can't really comment about its qualities but its slick.

doesn't smell of mango. smells of mango oil.

also has a faint Vetiver & Tonka medley.

Try Fat Electrician by Etat Libre d'Orange or Vetiver Tonka by Hermes if like the soap's scent. But without the menthol note.

[mistercitizen]

Love it too. Very slick lather for me with the cushion being a little less than most other soaps and creams. The scent is incredible IMO.

Ben

[jmsodpc]

I might have to get a puck of this stuff too.

[brooks_bro]

sniffed that at Merz Apothecary - I really wish I would have pulled the trigger but my den is so deep at the present time.....

[arglist]

This is one of my all time favourites. Love the scent, love its slickness, love the very subtle menthol buzz.

Yumm.

[VT_Hokie]

I'm about half way done with my first puck. I love this stuff

[mistercitizen]

I have so much soap, so I've barely put a dent in this one, but I love it. I need to get refills of this and Tabac..... already got a couple MWF refills. Next time I place an order with Connaught, a refill puck of this will be in there.

Ben