John Lewis Shaving Soap.(Refill Puck)

**English** · 08-18-2009, 01:21 AM

I don't know how familiar aliens will be with the English Departmental chain of Shops owned by the John Lewis Partnership. The shop has a reputation for being an up market shop selling high quality at a "price promise". They also sell some own brand products.

One unlabelled product is a 100 gram puck of shaving soap. It is wrapped in a white oil paper and it cost me £2.10p.

It has very light soapy/lavender scent that doesn't stay on the skin. The lather is as rich as the very best and it lasts, doesn't dry, provides top protection and gluide to the razors edge.

The pucks of soap I have in use at present are:

AOS Sandalwood 100 gm £19.00p
Trumpers Rose 80 gm £9.50p
Trumpers Limes 80 gm £9.50p
Harris Lavender 100 gm £8.50p
John Lewis Lavender 100 gm £2.10p

I find the Harris product to provide the weakest lather but I am happy to use any of these soaps. Each product provides a lather that facilitate an excellent shave with a straight.

Incidentally, if I want something a little bit special, I buy Floris. I think it is the best soap on the market.

Now if you want to discuss value for money, John Lewis is selling the bargain of the century.

**galopede** · 08-18-2009, 06:42 AM

Never seen that one in my local Waitrose/John Lewis. Will have to have another look soon.

Gareth

**English** · 08-18-2009, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by galopede

Never seen that one in my local Waitrose/John Lewis. Will have to have another look soon.

Gareth

You won't find in the Waitrose supermarkets. Only in the John Lewis stores in amongst their cosmetics.

**MikeLip** · 08-18-2009, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by English

I don't know how familiar aliens will be with the English Departmental chain of Shops owned by the John Lewis Partnership.

Wait - aliens SHAVE? I would have thought they would be way more advanced than that. ET didn't have a mug and brush as far as I know...

**English** · 08-18-2009, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by MikeLip

Wait - aliens SHAVE? I would have thought they would be way more advanced than that. ET didn't have a mug and brush as far as I know...

I prefer the word foriegner but when in Rome..............

**Doc4** · 08-18-2009, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by English

reputation for being an up market shop selling high quality at a "price promise".

One unlabelled product is a 100 gram puck of shaving soap.

Incidentally, if I want something a little bit special, I buy Floris. I think it is the best soap on the market.

What do you mean by "price promise"? Probably an English term that didn't make it across the Atlantic.

If the product is unlabelled, how do you know it is shaving soap?

Is your preference for Floris based on the old formula or the new reformulated version? I have heard that the old one was indeed superb, but the new one much less so, and would love to hear your opinion.

**varanid** · 08-18-2009, 03:45 PM

John Lewis Soap is the same soap as those sold by Trumper's with their scuttles. There has also been some conjecture that the John Lewis soap is Mitchell's so their might have been a recent swap over, my John Lewis soap is over a year old and is a dead match for the Trumper's Scuttle Soap and apart from the faint, slightly Lavender scent is unlike MWF.

Regards,
Stew

**galopede** · 08-18-2009, 05:32 PM

I've never seen a John Lewis shop that wasn't in a Waitrose supermarket! Must be up in that London.

Gareth

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**SepticTank** · 08-19-2009, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by galopede

I've never seen a John Lewis shop that wasn't in a Waitrose supermarket! Must be up in that London.

Gareth

London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Newcastle, all over the shop really. Conversely until quite recently I'd never seen a Waitrose, but shopped regularly at JLP

**English** · 08-19-2009, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by varanid

John Lewis Soap is the same soap as those sold by Trumper's with their scuttles. There has also been some conjecture that the John Lewis soap is Mitchell's so their might have been a recent swap over, my John Lewis soap is over a year old and is a dead match for the Trumper's Scuttle Soap and apart from the faint, slightly Lavender scent is unlike MWF.

Regards,
Stew

They sell two sizes. One for scuttles and one that I put into a Trufitt & Hill wooden bowl and it was a perfect fit.

It is not MWF. I could be Trumpers. It's as good a soap, but not as good a scent.

Incidentally they also sell Kent soap bowls and refills and that is MWF soap.

You can see the how the confusion arises.

**English** · 08-19-2009, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by Doc4

What do you mean by "price promise"? Probably an English term that didn't make it across the Atlantic.

If the product is unlabelled, how do you know it is shaving soap?

Is your preference for Floris based on the old formula or the new reformulated version? I have heard that the old one was indeed superb, but the new one much less so, and would love to hear your opinion.

A price promise means that if you can find the product available for sale cheaper, they will match that price.

If you open the packaging and eat a little of the product, you get bubbles coming out of your mouth.

The argument about the old formulas doesn't wash with me.

Yes I have used the old formula No.89 Floris soap and I have used the new formula soaps.

Similarly, I have used the old formula Trumpers soaps with animal fat and today I use the new formula with vegetable oils.

I agree that when they made the switch, the vegetable oil soaps were not great. But that has now changed and the new formulations have settled and produce just as rich a lather as they ever did with tallow.

The Floris soap seems to have something extra in the soap that leaves your face feeling pampered. In all other respects, it is maybe slightly richer a lather, but the package works for me and I like the JF and the no 89 scents. It's relatively expensive but If I had Floris, Trumpers and AOS offererd to me as a present, I would take the Floris every time. I don't think any other shaving soaps come close to these three for quality. The AOS still uses animal fats and it produces a great lather but of the three I mention, I think it is the thinnest. This proves to me the new vegetable fat formulations are working well.

I understand that there are many shaving soaps that offer great value for money. T&H, DR Harris, TOBS, Tobac, to name a few and there are glycerin soaps that offer less lather but some lovely scent.

However, I find myself always gravitating back to Trumpers and Floris. I think AOS is of the same quality but it is overpriced in the UK at least and Penhaligans is also a great soap but I think it's made for them by Floris and its more expensively priced for the same thing. I am happy with the Floris scents so see no need to pay the Penhaligans premium price.

The lather from the John Lewis soap is certainly the equal of Trumpers soaps and if you like a thin soapy lavender scent, it really is inexpensive. I will use mine all up and buy some more no doubt.

**galopede** · 08-19-2009, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by SepticTank

London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Newcastle, all over the shop really. Conversely until quite recently I'd never seen a Waitrose, but shopped regularly at JLP

Just looked them up. My nearest is at the Cribbs Causeway outlet place in Bristol. Think I'll give it a miss, it's hell down there!

**Rincin** · 08-20-2009, 07:05 AM

I'm spending the weekend in Liverpool. I will have to keep my eyes open for a John Lewis store. For a couple of quid, this soap is worth a go.

**Doc4** · 08-20-2009, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by English

If you open the packaging and eat a little of the product, you get bubbles coming out of your mouth.

In response to what will undoubtedly be your next suggestion: no, we will not be modifying the "soap review" section to include a 1-10 ranking for "taste".

I am glad to hear of your improved experiences with the new Floris & Trumpers soaps.

**holiday** · 08-20-2009, 03:11 PM

I was in John Lewis in Edinburgh yesterday, looking at the shaving section for ages while my girlfriend was buying stuff much less interesting than shave gear. I was surprised by how much they had. I looked at the very soap you mentioned in the OP and thought only £2! But I really don't need any more soaps. In fact I had a terrible inner conflict not buying anything, its not often I get to see decent stuff in the flesh. The little Vulfix travel brush was crying out to be bought! For about two hours afterwards I was thinking, damn I should have picked up that french AS balm. Now I'm thinking, damn should have picked up a couple of those cheap soaps.....maybe next time.

**FLTiger** · 08-20-2009, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by holiday

I was in John Lewis in Edinburgh yesterday, looking at the shaving section for ages while my girlfriend was buying stuff much less interesting than shave gear. I was surprised by how much they had. I looked at the very soap you mentioned in the OP and thought only £2! But I really don't need any more soaps. In fact I had a terrible inner conflict not buying anything, its not often I get to see decent stuff in the flesh. The little Vulfix travel brush was crying out to be bought! For about two hours afterwards I was thinking, damn I should have picked up that french AS balm. Now I'm thinking, damn should have picked up a couple of those cheap soaps.....maybe next time.

Having to get everything shipped helps keep my buying (somewhat) in check. I'm not sure I could have shown your restraint!

**SepticTank** · 08-21-2009, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by Rincin

I'm spending the weekend in Liverpool. I will have to keep my eyes open for a John Lewis store. For a couple of quid, this soap is worth a go.

There isn't a John Lewis in Liverpool (yet - it's "coming soon")

**EL Alamein** · 08-23-2009, 10:50 AM

If I am correct the John Lewis soap is nothing more than the T&H Luxury soap rebranded, which is the same as the Vulfix soap, which is the same as the house brand at Vintage Blades, which is the same as the Officers and Gentlmen soap from Trumpers. It's all the same soap from what I've read, except for some slight nuances in the fragrances. The soap is very good and among the very best. It's good for the UK guys to know they can get the same good quality at a cheaper price.

I'd personally put Trumpers above it and Harris above Trumpers. But we're splitting hairs at this level as they're all quite excellent and acceptable. For me, the jury is still out on the Floris soaps after their debacle with the No 89 soap. It was/is clearly defective from all the reports. When they get the reformulated version out the door and on the shelves and I feel comfortable that I'll get that new version I'll plunk down the money to give it a try. Until then though they'll remain off the radar.

Chris

**Etalex** · 08-23-2009, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by EL Alamein

If I am correct the John Lewis soap is nothing more than the T&H Luxury soap rebranded, which is the same as the Vulfix soap, which is the same as the house brand at Vintage Blades, which is the same as the Officers and Gentlmen soap from Trumpers. It's all the same soap from what I've read, except for some slight nuances in the fragrances. The soap is very good and among the very best. It's good for the UK guys to know they can get the same good quality at a cheaper price.

Chris

And this soap is rumoured to be identical to the Culmak soap. There is a little oblong indentation on the underside of the soap, which helps to identify it.

Alex