Overly complex shave soap scents?

For the last two days I have shaved with Barrister and Mann's Ferox shave soap. I love Barrister and Mann soaps; they make an amazing lather and I always get a great shave with them. And I like the scent of Ferox, too; but it got me to thinking.......

Do you think that sometimes soapmakers make their soap scents too complex? Colognes have top notes, middle notes, and basenotes, but colognes are meant to be worn on the skin for a long time, and they generally change over time. Having a bunch of scent notes is, therefore, generally a plus.

But is that necessary for a shave soap? As much as I like the scent of Ferox, I'm wondering if it would be even BETTER if all scents except grapefruit and vetiver were dropped. I remember that Benton Clay used to make a shave soap scent called Vetiver Paradisi which was the combination of grapefruit and vetiver, heavy on the grapefruit. It was an amazing scent.

Ferox adds thyme, rosemary, tea tree, and I think at least one other herbal scent, and, although it's still a great scent, I think it would be improved by omitting the herbs.


What do you think? Do you enjoy a complex scent? Or are you generally more satisfied with a simple one-, two-, or three-note scent?

I personally like the simple direct fragrances while I shave but don't seek them out exclusively. The shave isn't long enough to enjoy the complex scents while they mature and change. Also while busy shaving I am not admiring the scent the whole time so some complexity gets lost.

I prefer simple scents myself but I wouldn't want all soaps to have such scents. Variety is the spice of life and people have differing preferences. If you don't want complex scents in your shave soap there are certainly options out there.

There's a few caveats to a complex scent (utilizing EOs) that make it unique. Each new batch may vary slightly due to the volatility of an EO. Likewise, they will age and transform. They also tend to smell different in the jar vs. lathered.

There's nothing wrong with a simple scent. I do think the minor inconsistencies from something complex keeps it interesting every time you shave, though.

i'm only guessing, making shave soaps is a little like making spaghetti sauce.
you have some general idea of where you're heading, then add a little of this, a little of that, until it tastes (or smells) ok.
some makers have to compensate for the specific mix of oils or fats that they are using.
and then, to differentiate themselves from other competitors.
or, to match a specific cologne that they already market.
in my mind, whether complex or straight, matters not too much.
rather, whether the smell is nice and the performance is great.

There are many members here who enjoy and collect various scented shaving soaps from artisan soap makers. I am not one of them. Right now I use Cella. If I want fragrance, I use an EDT/EDP.. Also, performance trumps scent any day.
Obviously, though, as with everything here it's personal preference. However, I am totally onboard with your Vetiver-Grapefruit suggestion!

LASS Bespoke#1 is the one complex scent I find sublime.

Generally, I shoot for linear or unscented in my soaps and creams.

I'm completely with you. I haven't found a single B&M scent that I love. They are all needlessly complex and disjointed to me. Many of his scents are also extremely divisive, either you love them or hate them. I guess that appeals to some people, but not to me, especially given how often the scent offerings change. There's no way I'm going to buy, or even sample, half a dozen new scents every season just to find the one that I can tolerate.

With respect to Ferox, once again, I agree completely with you. I find the herbal components overpowering and disjointed--I don't quite understand this particular combination.

But in the end, I guess it's good that soap makers like B&M exist for the people who enjoy strange scents since that gives us more options to find the style that we enjoy most. However, I think I've come to the conclusion that B&M soaps aren't for me.

I never thought about it, but I realize after thinking about it that every soap or cream that I've actually rebought are all 'simple' scents. So I guess I gravitate towards them also.

I agree completely. I generally prefer scents that can be found in nature.

I got the B&M sampler for Christmas and while I loved the performance, the complex "cologne" nature of scents didn't do much for me. The one did like was Lime/Lavender/Cedarwood. I don't mind Cheshire, either. There's certainly nothing wrong with B&M's lather though. It's really as good as anything I've tried.

I'm mostly using Mike's these days, which are for the most part straightforward scents.

I have been thinking about soap scents a lot lately as I try some samples. While it is hard for me to describe accurately, I am wishing more of the new artisan soaps had clear, distinct, linear scents. I think the best example of what I would like is something akin to D.R. Harris lavender. Not that it would have to be lavender, but D.R. Harris lavender has a clear, distinct, linear smell to it. A sweetness that I like, clearly and distinctly lavender, and without any nuances. Hope that makes sense!

Re DR Harris, while they have a few single scented soaps like the lavender, almond and sandalwood, their signature soaps are more complicated scents, eg Arlington, Marlborough and Windsor.

I am one of the Arko fans. It smells like soap. Old-time soap. Its makers do not go to any great lengths to make it smell like something else. It lathers. It is cheap. Whatever the smell of the soap, it is just going to get washed off in the shower anyway. I get more enjoyment from the feeling of BBS while re-washing the face.

I find one note scents to be boring. I like smelling different notes from the time I open the jar, then lather, then shave, and then after the shave. The beauty is that there is something for everybody out there to choose what they like.

skleice said:

I find one note scents to be boring. I like smelling different notes from the time I open the jar, then lather, then shave, and then after the shave. The beauty is that there is something for everybody out there to choose what they like.

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I hear you; but I am talking about, for example, having 3 notes instead of 8. Or 2 notes instead of 7.

I used the Ferox again this morning, but I added a dollop of TOBS Grapefruit cream to beef up the grapefruit a little. I think it made the scent even nicer.

But I still think that a 2-note scent of grapefruit rounded off by a little non-smoky vetiver (a green or earthy vetiver) would be absolute heaven. And also that adding thyme, rosemary, tea tree, etc., etc. to those two notes actually made the scent worse. (I still like the scent and the soap; I'm just saying that sometimes less is more, while not necessarily advocating for single-note scents.)

I'm not disputing that everyone has the right to enjoy their soap, simple or complex. But what you just described is akin to taking a well made Cabernet Sauvignon and topping it off with Sprite.

sarimento1 said:

i'm only guessing, making shave soaps is a little like making spaghetti sauce.
you have some general idea of where you're heading, then add a little of this, a little of that, until it tastes (or smells) ok.
some makers have to compensate for the specific mix of oils or fats that they are using.
and then, to differentiate themselves from other competitors.
or, to match a specific cologne that they already market.
in my mind, whether complex or straight, matters not too much.
rather, whether the smell is nice and the performance is great.


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Well written, as long the the end product preforms, and has a scent you enjoy; that is what matters.

I like simple. Citrus, or flowery, earthy, or a soapy scent. No layered complex scents for me.

For me, it's the overall effect that counts. I have both complex and simple scented soaps that I love. My two current favorites are Catie's Bubbles Le Piment de la Vie (complex) and Maggard's Limes and Bergamot (simple.)

I read somewhere that Will is a perfumer that just happens to like making soap. I am in total agreement. The thing about the B&M soaps is that love 'em or hate 'em, Will pretty much hits the mark he's aiming for.
I like the both the simple and complex fragrances. That's one of the cool things about this hobby. There is something for everyone.