Initial RR La Famiglia thoughts...

[Bshell]

Interesting, but neroli doesn't smell like oranges. Not at all. It's from an orange BLOSSOM, not from the fruit.

I stand by my original statement that Cumba Cheech doesn't smell like oranges, but people say it does because it has the word "orange" on the label.

I agree. IMO, it smells like a watered down XXX.

[jwilock]

Interesting, but neroli doesn't smell like oranges. Not at all. It's from an orange BLOSSOM, not from the fruit.

I stand by my original statement that Cumba Cheech doesn't smell like oranges, but people say it does because it has the word "orange" on the label.

Ah yes, to be clear - orange blossoms, not oranges.

[jdrum3]

I received my stash and love Zi Peppino and it lathers just like the rest of RR line for me...Awesome! I already sold the Nono Michelino, just not my scent. I like Tabac, Knize, Safari, AOS Sandalwood, but did not like this take on sandalwood, especially not the balm. I will probably not buy the balms again as I like my other AS products. The next time I order RR I will probably stay with artisan line like Boston Tea Party, Chianti Lavender, King Louis.

[global_dev]

I can't understand why guys keep comparing these to the TFS soaps as if they were something different, or a copy. Joe has stated clearly and without confusion that the La Famiglia soaps ARE the TFS soaps in a different container and labeled Razorock. There should be no comparison as to which is better, or some personal analysis that attempts to decide if they are the same soap. They are the same soap.

I think alot of it has to do with a snobbish attitude towards the TFS packaged stuff, either bought personally or in the big group buy, that is keeping some from accepting that they paid 10X as much for the same soap they can now get from RR. Its an attempt to make themselves feel better by bringing the La Famiglia down a notch. Accept it fellas, thats the way it is. Or, you can keep calling Joe a liar or a shyster.

why wouldn't we compare? they are vastly different price points for the same product. I merely mentioned they LOOKED different. and they do.. When i recieved my TFS B-N it was a very white and "sputtered" into the tub. The RR Marco B-N was "soft serve swirled" and a bit more light light yellow transluscent. whatever the reason, be it transport heat, manufacturing nozzle changes, it was not the same color, nor apparent texture...

today they appear similar color, maybe it's the cool down from the weekend heat in my metal mailbox or perhaps something else like age in regards to hydration, etc..

please stop calling people names... I am really not into paying more for the exact same thing and Barbiere Figaro has pretty much confirmed the same thing as Joe. No one is calling anyone a liar or shyster... it's mere comparison...

I still don't believe XXX is the same as AdP, but if it is.. my bad... and i'll own up to whatever it the manufacturers are found to use the same ingredients, recipe, etc.

here is a used TFS B-N and a RR Marco. I don't have time to post the initial sputter look of the TFS, but i think people can find it...

perhaps TFS, RR, and BF would care to explain the ridiculous price points... it would only make sense...

[GreekGuy]

Well said Jon

[7 O Menthol]

If you gents haven't seen it yet, Joe responded to Jon's exact question over in his May vendor thread.

[global_dev]

If you gents haven't seen it yet, Joe responded to Jon's exact question over in his May vendor thread.

i have seen that before and i do believe it.. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...y-update/page4

my only thought was they looked different.. initial appearance... not smell, not performance, just initial appearance...

so in the future, should i enjoy both B-Ns (considering them the same) and being in N. America, it would only make prudent sense to order TFS products via Razorock.

and to be completely honestly, TFS at BF retail is ~$21, Don Marco at retail price is ~$7, that's ~3x, not 10x... add similar shipping to both and it's still only ~3x

yeah it sucks that BF couldn't give a better deal, but as the great Kurtis Blow said ... that's the breaks!!

[5savages]

but as the great Kurtis Blow said ... that's the breaks!!

I sure wasn't expecting a Kurtis Blow reference here. Well done!

[rxonmymind]

Jon,
I know you don't have an axe to grind in this as you originally put together the group buy on BN. This is the way the world changes so quickly due to technology, economy of scale, innovation, trickle down effect etc. Yes, originally this was a premium to own and I for one have no qualms having paid the original price and am now cheering on Joseph to continue to bring quality shaving products to the masses at affordable price points. It's a win win for all.

[kingfisher]

Earlier I posted that I got a nice lather but it wasn't as protective as I'd like it to be. I also posted that when I superlathered it with just the tiniest bit of KMF unscented it was improved by quite a bit. I posutlated at that time, by looking at the soap's ingredient list and how much it improved with a bit of KMF, that what the soap lacked was a bit of glycerin.

Well, this morning I tested that hypothesis. I pulled out the Cumba Cheech soap and my oldest brush, an Omega boar that sheds like a Sheltie in Florida. After my shower I loaded the brush with the soap and then added just 4 drops of glycerin to the lather bowl, then lathered as usual.

Oh. My. Hypothesis confirmed. Those 4 little drops of glycerin made a world of difference. Now I had a beautiful, yogurty lather that was rich, smooth, slick, AND protective. Pretty much as good as any lather could be. Oh by the way it smells AWESOME. I was a huge fan of Penhaligon's Castile shaving cream (sadly discontinued); Cumba Cheech shares a lot of those scent notes, with neroli being front-and-center. It's not EXACTLY like Castile, and I still think Castile smells a bit better, but to my nose the Cumba Cheech is really a nice fragrance.

Bonus is that I have a small sample of Saint Charles Shave neroli aftershave splash. When I finished my shave I took a tiny bit of TwinLuxe face soothing balm and added a splash of the St. Charles Shave neroli, mixed it together and applied it. Heavenly. When I kissed my wife goodbye this morning she said, "You smell so good." Win-win.

The Cumba Cheech is now moving to front and center in my rotation.

So if you have any reservations about the lather you're getting from these soaps, try adding just a little bit of glycerin. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[cvac]

I purchased both the Don Marco and Zi Peppino soaps. So far, I've had one shave with DM, and here are my impressions: the lather is fine, but didn't whip up quite as thick as most of my Italian soft soaps. I'm going to attribute this to the small container, which doesn't leave as much room for lather building as I'd like. I may transfer the soap to a larger container or just select one of my smaller brushes and load a bit longer next time. The lather for the shave was fine, no issues with stability or anything, and plenty of glide. Since the lather was not as thick, it was not as protective, but again, I think that would probably be remedied by a container change to help more product get the on the brush. I have no problems with the scent, but out of the container it smells a bit like artificially flavored orange candy. It may be off-putting to some that prefer pure EO type scents. Post-shave feel was fine, and I had none of the dryness/astringent affect that some have commented on with these soaps. Looking forward to using this more and trying the Peppino soap as well.

Question: what aftershaves are people pairing with the Peppino? I was thinking of using Pitralon Classic with it tomorrow.

[kingfisher]

I purchased both the Don Marco and Zi Peppino soaps. So far, I've had one shave with DM, and here are my impressions: the lather is fine, but didn't whip up quite as thick as most of my Italian soft soaps. I'm going to attribute this to the small container, which doesn't leave as much room for lather building as I'd like. I may transfer the soap to a larger container or just select one of my smaller brushes and load a bit longer next time. The lather for the shave was fine, no issues with stability or anything, and plenty of glide. Since the lather was not as thick, it was not as protective, but again, I think that would probably be remedied by a container change to help more product get the on the brush. I have no problems with the scent, but out of the container it smells a bit like artificially flavored orange candy. It may be off-putting to some that prefer pure EO type scents. Post-shave feel was fine, and I had none of the dryness/astringent affect that some have commented on with these soaps. Looking forward to using this more and trying the Peppino soap as well.

Question: what aftershaves are people pairing with the Peppino? I was thinking of using Pitralon Classic with it tomorrow.

I immediately transferred the soap to a larger container so I could load the brush better. This, however, did not solve the problem of not enough protection/cushion for me. The addition of a small amount of glycerin transformed the lather into top-notch lather with great glide and great cushion. YMMV, but if loading better with a smaller brush or by moving it to a bigger container doesn't work, I'd suggest the addition of a small amount of glycerin. I literally added only four small drops and the difference was pretty remarkable.

[petr]

why wouldn't we compare? they are vastly different price points for the same product. I merely mentioned they LOOKED different. and they do.. When i recieved my TFS B-N it was a very white and "sputtered" into the tub. The RR Marco B-N was "soft serve swirled" and a bit more light light yellow transluscent. whatever the reason, be it transport heat, manufacturing nozzle changes, it was not the same color, nor apparent texture...

today they appear similar color, maybe it's the cool down from the weekend heat in my metal mailbox or perhaps something else like age in regards to hydration, etc..

please stop calling people names... I am really not into paying more for the exact same thing and Barbiere Figaro has pretty much confirmed the same thing as Joe. No one is calling anyone a liar or shyster... it's mere comparison...

I still don't believe XXX is the same as AdP, but if it is.. my bad... and i'll own up to whatever it the manufacturers are found to use the same ingredients, recipe, etc.

here is a used TFS B-N and a RR Marco. I don't have time to post the initial sputter look of the TFS, but i think people can find it...

perhaps TFS, RR, and BF would care to explain the ridiculous price points... it would only make sense...

My BF TFS neroli does not smell the same as Marco. The BF is much sharper and more bitter. I don't get the creamsicle impression with the BF tub that I do with Marco. Similar, yes. Different artisan batches? Maybe. Both perform the same.

[ltjaw]

why wouldn't we compare? they are vastly different price points for the same product. I merely mentioned they LOOKED different. and they do.. When i recieved my TFS B-N it was a very white and "sputtered" into the tub. The RR Marco B-N was "soft serve swirled" and a bit more light light yellow transluscent. whatever the reason, be it transport heat, manufacturing nozzle changes, it was not the same color, nor apparent texture...
I still don't believe XXX is the same as AdP, but if it is.. my bad... and i'll own up to whatever it the manufacturers are found to use the same ingredients, recipe, etc.

here is a used TFS B-N and a RR Marco. I don't have time to post the initial sputter look of the TFS, but i think people can find it...

perhaps TFS, RR, and BF would care to explain the ridiculous price points... it would only make sense...

Somewhere else I posted a similar side by side photo of my AdP and XXX, showing the AdP is a little darker.



I am convinced now that this is related to shelf life, with the AdP likely having been on the shelf much longer than the XXX. In a similar vein, I recently purchased a brick of Valobra Menthol soft soap from a local brick & mortar shop, where I know it had been sitting on the shelf for at least several years. The soap is beige colored now. I have seen pictures of the same product posted on the forums showing a white soap, not beige.

With regard to AdP and XXX having the same or different formulas, I used to think they were different. I am 100% convinced now that they are the same product, and differences I note are related to their age and freshness. What differences have I noted? Only color and scent (very subtle), both of which I would expect to change with the products' age. For me, performance is the same, and both cause the mildest skin irritation. I do know that I, personally, am quite biased by a product's packaging and price. I won't speak for anyone else on this, but the differences in price and packaging of AdP and XXX made it very, very difficult for me to realize that they are, indeed, the same product.

[Vlad]

Somewhere else I posted a similar side by side photo of my AdP and XXX, showing the AdP is a little darker.


I am convinced now that this is related to shelf life, with the AdP likely having been on the shelf much longer than the XXX. In a similar vein, I recently purchased a brick of Valobra Menthol soft soap from a local brick & mortar shop, where I know it had been sitting on the shelf for at least several years. The soap is beige colored now. I have seen pictures of the same product posted on the forums showing a white soap, not beige.

With regard to AdP and XXX having the same or different formulas, I used to think they were different. I am 100% convinced now that they are the same product, and differences I note are related to their age and freshness. What differences have I noted? Only color and scent (very subtle), both of which I would expect to change with the products' age. For me, performance is the same, and both cause the mildest skin irritation. I do know that I, personally, am quite biased by a product's packaging and price. I won't speak for anyone else on this, but the differences in price and packaging of AdP and XXX made it very, very difficult for me to realize that they are, indeed, the same product.

Nice post.

[lt114]

The ingredients in ADP and XXX cannot be 100% the same. I have a bad skin reaction to XXX every time I use it.
I don't have any irritation with ADP. Just my two cents.

[ltjaw]

I noticed the same thing when I first purchased my XXX - it irritated my skin more. Or maybe I had spent so much on the AdP, I didn't want to feel it irritate my skin. But months of sitting on the shelf has lessened the irritation I feel with the XXX. I chalk this up to the irritation being caused by fragrance elements that have "toned down" with some time on the shelf.

[awsmith4]

Maybe I'm confused but I thought I saw where Joe said XXX was the same as Figaro?

[Marco]

Maybe I'm confused but I thought I saw where Joe said XXX was the same as Figaro?

Yep, a bit confused... Figaro is exactly the same as RR classic.

[petr]

This would make a fascinating MBA level marketing study.