Are there any decent UK soaps any more? What is this 'reformulation' stuff?

**Kevan** · 03-19-2012, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by cvac

Harris is basically leading the pack in my UK soap comparison right now. I think you will like it. Arlington is a safe choice on scent if you like a strong citrus scent. The lavender is very mild, probably an even safer choice. Probably won't try Marlborough any time soon, but I do have a DR Harris shave stick in Almond en route. Reportedly the Almond is a light floral scent, not a marzipan/almond oil scent like you get with the Italian almond scented soaps.

I don't know if I would call the DRH Almond a floral scent. Trumper's Almond definitely is, but DRH is more of a quinine scent. It's very similar to the Erasmic stick.

**cvac** · 03-20-2012, 04:56 AM

Originally Posted by Kevan

I don't know if I would call the DRH Almond a floral scent. Trumper's Almond definitely is, but DRH is more of a quinine scent. It's very similar to the Erasmic stick.

Thanks for clearing that up. Quinine sounds interesting, but an odd choice for a soap that's supposed to be "Almond".

**takeshi** · 03-20-2012, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by JCinPA

Are there any decent UK soaps any more?

DRH is more than decent IMO. It has been my current go-to soap for quote some time now. Keep in mind YMMV.

Originally Posted by JCinPA

Not to sound too braggadocious, but my lather building skills are not in question, I'm a Lather Meister, frankly.

Be careful assuming that. Changing soaps can require changing technique (demonstrated in many threads here). Mastering one soap does not guarantee mastery of another -- particularly if you rely on time or number of swirls to determine when your brush is properly loaded as many seem to.

Originally Posted by JCinPA

I have heard pretty universally good things about D.R. Harris. I'm thinking of trying either the Arlington, Lavender or Almond, I'm not a big sandalwood fan, so I'll pass on the Marlborough.

Marlborough may have some sandalwood notes but it's not the dominant scent IMO. I'd agree that it's more cedar-y.

Originally Posted by bkfist

Marlborough is mighty, ummm... let's call it "Tabac-like", so if you want to stay away from a scent that you're gonna either hate or love, you might want to avoid it.

Definitely consider what scents you like and dislike when looking into a new soap. Arlington's nice but I personally prefer Marlborough despite the seeming popularity of Arlington around here. Haven't actually used Tabac so I can't compare myself.

**Dave_D** · 03-20-2012, 11:55 AM

Another vote for DR Harris and MWF, truly great soaps.

**JCinPA** · 03-20-2012, 12:48 PM

Dang! I cannot wait to get that 1990's D.R. Harris soap now!

I hope my face likes lanolin!

**bkfist** · 03-20-2012, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by JCinPA

Dang! I cannot wait to get that 1990's D.R. Harris soap now!

I hope my face likes lanolin!

If it doesn't, then you aren't going to like the MWF either. :) Note of advice on MWF... If you are getting a sample of it, don't try to lather it on the brush... Samples don't have nearly enough surface area to lather properly... Rub it on your wet face like a shave stick and face-lather it, you'll get wonderful lather that way.

**JCinPA** · 03-28-2012, 08:16 AM

Well, I got a nice D.R. Harris Almond soap in a bowl, old formula now, and I did a test lather last night. Wow! Nice!

Unfortunately, I won't be able to wring this out as I am committed to a two-week heads up between Mystic Water and RazoRock Artisan line. But I am looking forward to trying it out!

**Royall Lyme** · 03-28-2012, 11:03 AM

I just polished off a puck of Cade. I replaced it with another puck of Cade that I got for Christmas.

After the Cade is gone I plan to try the T&H soap. I hear it is pretty good stuff.

**cvac** · 03-28-2012, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Royall Lyme

After the Cade is gone I plan to try the T&H soap. I hear it is pretty good stuff.

The puck of T&H I tried recently was utter garbage. Could not make a stable lather to save my life with that junk. Check the UK Soap comparison thread I made. My puck will likely go in the trash soon.

**Roger Smith** · 03-28-2012, 12:13 PM

Ironically enough, I was researching tallow today and came across something interesting. McDonald's uses animal fat in the process of making their fries and hash browns. The next time you eat at Micky D's, take a second to think about the stuff they put in their food and how it's the same stuff shaving soap is made from. lol

Does anyone know why taylor old bond street and truefitt & hill reformulated their soaps?

**cvac** · 03-28-2012, 12:17 PM

T&H hasn't had tallow for a long time. Not since I've been on here, and I have never seen anyone post about a vintage T&H tallow soap either, my guess is it is quite rare. The most recent reformulation was just to take the paraffin out. Not sure why they did that. Dunno what version I got for sure, but whatever it is, it sucked. According to the vendor it was the no-paraffin version.

TOBS - Recent old formula had Stearate - new one doesn't. Also never seen Tallow TOBS posted about on here, dunno when/if it ever existed. No idea what the reason was for non Stearate reformulation. That said, the newer Palm-based Jermyn soap works fine without tallow and works up a very thick lather.

**oc_in_fw** · 03-28-2012, 04:37 PM

If I could only buy one soap, it would be from DR Harris. I have Arlington, and will be adding the others soon, I hope. Nice, slick lather.

**swcarter** · 03-28-2012, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by galopede

Mitchell's Wool Fat. Need I say more?

Gareth

Nope. Great stuff.

**swcarter** · 03-28-2012, 04:45 PM

I don't have the same problems with Trumper's - very good, have two. I think TOBS is a better price point/value, though.

**jdto** · 03-28-2012, 04:52 PM

DRH Marlborough is an awesome soap. Much more cedar than sandalwood, from my experience. It's probably my top scent line, the soap is an amazing performer and the aftershave is very nice with a touch of menthol cooling while keeping that cedar scent. I find it absolutely nothing like Tabac at all, which I was forced to PIF due to the scent. Arlington is also pretty good, though I have only tried the soap, not the AS or cologne.

**Icebear** · 03-28-2012, 06:02 PM

Reformulation of any product (cosmetic or industrial food) has two main resons:
A) profit and B) marketing advantage

A) cheaper ingredients are used to maximize the profit margin of the manufacturer
B) for whatever reason an ingredient came under scrutiny and gets black marked by bloggers, critics, magazine evaluations. So the ingredient will be excluded from the formulation and marketing can claim now: "reformulated, new even better without XY"

BTW another reason for MWF : Original 1893 formular

.

**Kevan** · 03-28-2012, 06:13 PM

Shaved with Joris soap today....oh my gosh what a THICK lather! I have and enjoy several tallow soaps, but this stuff was just amazing in how quickly it whipped up thick, oily, emollient clotted-cream-like lather with the Vie Long Billgoose Horse LE. Does anyone know who in the UK makes this stuff? I've read that it's the same as Plisson with a different scent (some say sandalwood but that's not true IMO...it's a very "Frenchy cologne" scent with aquatic and amber notes). The lather is as good as any tallow soap I've used. Not as slick as Old Spice or vintage Colgate, but up there with TOBS Jermyn Street for sure. A veggie soap made right.

**barneykiller** · 03-28-2012, 06:18 PM

D.R. Harris
TOBS Jermyn ST
MWF
Havent tried C&S. Thanks for reminding me. *shuffles to order*

**cvac** · 03-28-2012, 06:20 PM

No idea who makes Joris but I was also impressed with the super thick lather I got out of Plisson, which by most reports and ingredient comparisons is the same thing other than the scent. Even the packaging is the same. However, I have to say that the lather wasn't as impressive during the actual shave compared to some other soaps I've tried lately and have been testing out. I may change my opinion later, but that's where I stand right now. I also thought Jermyn St. Soap was better, btw.

**Rengrave** · 03-28-2012, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by jdto

DRH Marlborough is an awesome soap. Much more cedar than sandalwood, from my experience. It's probably my top scent line, the soap is an amazing performer and the aftershave is very nice with a touch of menthol cooling while keeping that cedar scent. I find it absolutely nothing like Tabac at all, which I was forced to PIF due to the scent. Arlington is also pretty good, though I have only tried the soap, not the AS or cologne.

I keep hearing similar to this, but I just don't get it out of my D.R. Harris Marlborough, no cedar at all (I handle fresh aromatic cedar every once in a while at work, maybe it's a different type of cedar?". Either that or perhaps my bowl was on the older side, and the scent had faded? When I first received my bowl, I could hardly detect any scent at all. Gradually, I started to get something, but couldn't really identify it, until I asked my wife her opinion, which I think is pretty accurate now. She said it smells faintly of old pine needles, which have been sitting out long enough to have lost the sharp edged scent.

Other than this scent discrepancy, I have to agree with everyone else, D.R. Harris is a great soap. So far, it's my favorite British hard soap.