My Top Drawer

[Coler]

Yesterday I shaved with TOBS (grapefruit) cream and the results were not quite as good as has recently been the case. Actually that's consistent with my experience last time I used TOBS cream five years ago. Love the scents, results good but not terrific.

I'm contemplating what to pack in my Dopp kit for my annual family holiday to France. 3 weeks, in August.

One razor, obviously. Feather blades, like always.

Then maybe a travel jar or two of MdC (original rose). A puck of Noble Otter Orbit (menthol is nice in the heat). Some Saponificio Varesino (too good to stay at home). A tube of cream as I won't have a scuttle (GFT Rose, Proraso).

Geez this is hard. And that's before I work out the post-shave.

 

[Teutonblade]

Yesterday I shaved with TOBS (grapefruit) cream and the results were not quite as good as has recently been the case. Actually that's consistent with my experience last time I used TOBS cream five years ago. Love the scents, results good but not terrific.

I'm contemplating what to pack in my Dopp kit for my annual family holiday to France. 3 weeks, in August.

One razor, obviously. Feather blades, like always.

Then maybe a travel jar or two of MdC (original rose). A puck of Noble Otter Orbit (menthol is nice in the heat). Some Saponificio Varesino (too good to stay at home). A tube of cream as I won't have a scuttle (GFT Rose, Proraso).

Geez this is hard. And that's before I work out the post-shave.

I'm heading to Europe for 2 weeks in August and face the same dilemma, what to pack?!? Interestingly, the biggest challenge for me is the soap. I like to rotate every day and I'll be gone for 18 days. I'm trying to think which 2 or 3 soaps would I like to wear every day. Tough choice.

I'm curious, what are your thoughts on MdC Soaps?

 

[Coler]

I'm heading to Europe for 2 weeks in
I'm curious, what are your thoughts on MdC Soaps?

MdC is my favourite soap, although I recently tried SV and it is amazing too and may draw level.

I like the Original scent the most and it's not even close but they are all nice.

My current brain bowl is Rose. I also have a large jar or two of Original and a small jar of everything else.

 

[Coler]

An afternoon shave just now. I used my ASD2 with a Feather on shave 2 and lathered up Noble Otter Orbit. After a dinner out with friends last night I needed that menthol kick. I also used the Orbit aftershave to double down on it. I also used Cella Bio balm on top.

Noble Otter is very impressive. A classic American made tallow shaving soap and Orbit is the perfect menthol lather for me. I have three or four more flavours of Noble Otter in my den and I look forward to trying them. I used to love Mike's Natural and had been buying it from when he was shipping from NYC but he doesn't ship internationally any more. Noble Otter seems like a worthy replacement. It lathers beautifully, feels great when shaving and the post shave feel is soft and moisturised.

Glad to report results are back to where they were previously. Perhaps my suggestion that my choice of lather product is now immaterial was premature and incorrect.

With some regret as I love the scent I have therefore retired the TOBS Grapefruit from my rotation for now. I have too many amazing options to persist with it at this point in time.

Remaining creams are GFT Rose, DR Harris 29, T&H 1805 and West African Limes, and Proraso (all the flavours). Remaiming soaps/croaps include MdC, SV, Aqua di Parma, Noble Otter, Razorock (Santa Maria del Fiore).

 

[Coler]

Perhaps my suggestion that my choice of lather product is now immaterial was premature and incorrect.

Well, further proof that my choice lather product may be more important than I had speculated.

I just had a fantastic shave with this, Saponificio Varesino and it is *superb*. The Zenith boar brush, unsurprisingly, complements the soap perfectly. The lather is easy to build, slick & protectice, the scent is amazing - complex and pronounced and the post shave feel is outstanding.

Honestly, I can't fault this soap. It sits at the top of my pile.

Tomorrow I will use MdC Original - my favourite to date - and compare...

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I haven't tried too many soaps but SV is definitely at the top of my list for performance. I eventually tired of the scent (Tundra Artica) though. And in general I've been leaning toward lightly scented or unscented soaps these days.

 

[Coler]

I haven't tried too many soaps but SV is definitely at the top of my list for performance. I eventually tired of the scent (Tundra Artica) though. And in general I've been leaning toward lightly scented or unscented soaps these days.

I have been using Felce Aromatica and Cubebe. I find their scents excellent and part of the reasons I enjoy them. They are complex, but undeniably pronounced, and the scent lasts well into the day (I shave in the morning typically) so you do have to think about your aftershave/cologne if using one.

I am waiting for some Manna di Sicilian to arrive. It was available locally for a decent price so I decided I would not pass it up.

I am now trying to rank or grade what I have with a view to refining my drawer of soap and cream.

Martin de Candre and Saponificio Varesino are my two gold standard lathers. I love variety of scent so much, I prefer to keep about 12 - 15 pucks or tubs in the rotation. I have MdC original (large jar) and a rose brain bowl, and I have the Felce Aromatica and Cubebe, with Manna di Sicilia to come, so I would be happy to keep 8 to 10 more.

So far, TOBS Grapefruit cream has bit the bullet provisionally. It’s rather a pity. I love the scent, it is such a nice curve ball citrus. But it is just not performing to an acceptable standard, relative to other options, for me.

I will try it one or two more times before donating/PIFing the tub.

Still to rank (these are all products that have made the first cut to get into the drawer in the first place:

- Aqua di Parma Colonia cream (it’s really a croap). Provisionally very happy with this one. I expect to keep it.

- Razorock Santa Maria di Fiore (similarly a croap). Likewise, very positive about this so far.

- T&H West African Limes cream. I love a citrus cream. This is a very nice one. It came down to a choice to keep this or the TOBS Grapefruit. I preferred the Grapefruit scent but this is a better performing option for me. I think I am probably open to experimenting with other citrus creams but this stays so far.

- T&H 1805 cream. I like this a lot. I think I have 3 shaves with it. I’ll definitely have a few more.

- GFT Rose cream. My favourite Rose scent, and I really do like a good rose scent. Hard to see myself parting company with this one.

- DR Harris 29 cream. A really nice floral (Rose/Germanium). It’s lighter than GFT Rose by far. I think I must ask myself the question, which of the two will I keep?

- Proraso Red, Green and grey creams. These are all super, and so handy for travel. I can’t imagine not having a tube of Proraso in the drawer. In terms of fragrance, only the Red one really does it for me though. But, I like a good blast of menthol regularly. I think I will keep Red & Green, gift the other one to a friend.

- Noble Otter Orbit soap. I love this. It makes the grade and keeps its place in the top drawer. A great tallow soap, my favourite mentholated lather.

- Noble Otter The et Noir soap. Not tried yet.

- Noble Otter Northern Elixir soap. Not tried yet.

- Noble Otter Monoi di Tahiti soap. Not tried yet.

Having made the list I am not too far off what I regard as a reasonable rotation - given I am ok with a large selection in my rotation.

A big question though…if push comes to shove why should I chose anything at all over a Martin de Candre or Saponificio Varesino option? I should really measure them against those gold standards and only keep the stuff that stands up to comparison...

 

[Darth Scandalous]

A big question though…if push comes to shove why should I chose anything at all over a Martin de Candre or Saponificio Varesino option? I should really measure them against those gold standards and only keep the stuff that stands up to comparison...

I can't argue with either of those choices, as they're both excellent in my opinion. But, if you like Proraso, you should at least try the Blue. I think it's a better performer than the other colors, although I don't love the scent, but it's not bad either. It's also lightly mentholated. Speaking of Proraso... I've been a little disappointed in the scent on the last tube and tub of Red that I bought. Performance hasn't changed, though.

 

[Coler]

Thanks - I will definitely pick up a tube. My barber stocks the Proraso range which is great.

Aside from the creams the Eucalyptus & Menthol splash is a real favourite, and I love the grey/white balm - a perfect neutral aftershave balm.

 

[Coler]

Well, further proof that my choice lather product may be more important than I had speculated.

I just had a fantastic shave with this, Saponificio Varesino and it is *superb*. The Zenith boar brush, unsurprisingly, complements the soap perfectly. The lather is easy to build, slick & protectice, the scent is amazing - complex and pronounced and the post shave feel is outstanding.

Honestly, I can't fault this soap. It sits at the top of my pile.

Tomorrow I will use MdC Original - my favourite to date - and compare...

View attachment 1881065

Well I didn't actually shave yesterday for a few reasons so attempting to compare SV v MdC only happened just now.

Man, these are truly great soaps. Both lather effortlessly. I think in each case better to load a brush I have soaked while I shower, then gently squeezed or flicked out.

I load heavier with the SV than the MdC. Then I go to my scuttle and whisk. Then I go to my face. I scrub, splay & paint.

At this stage what goes on will be thick and pasty. I leave that sit - part of the pre shave and add drops of water to the scuttle. Quite a lot actually. I will measure how much next time but both of these soaps will take a good load of water to perform best.

I think it's quite a large window. If you over do it go back to the puck.

Then back to my face. Now it's thick and slick. More scrubbing, painting.

So, done like this, I can't separate the lathers. Both fantastic.

Scent - I love MdC original. Rose and Agrumes nice but not quite so much. Fougere and Vetiver also fine. Performance the same.

I have SV Felce Aromatica and Cubebe. I love them. Complex and pronounced. They last longer than MdC - could be good/bad thing - and you have to think about your cologne more if using.

MdC Original is my absolute favourite scent but it's totally subjective. I can't separate them on scent.

Performance...both are superlative. I've been shaving with MdC about 10 years. I've gone through a lot of it. I did not think I would ever find a true competitor. SV is a match for it in each and every way.

MdC does not dry my face the way some describe, in fact the opposite but I think SV *maybe* has a little more moisturising post-shave effect. I need to do a control with the same balms to work this out

Anyway I can't separate them on performance.

For reference I shave daily with a Feather blade in a mild razor, WTG, ATG, XTG and touch ups on the neck. I have a thick, coarse, fast growing beard. This post is the result of me shaving my face.

 

[Coler]

Well, Aqua di Parma cream was up today, and was superb. A beautiful light fragrance with a hint of menthol. A flawless shave and a nice neutral post-shave feeling - neither dry nor "buttered".

I have no hesitation in saying it's a match for my benchmarks, MdC and SV.

There has been some thread or two about how much cream people use, what is almond size. This is what I lathered in my bowl and on my face. Soaked Chubby 2 for reference.

The perspective is distorting it - really it's not much. That was enough anyway to whip up ample thick, slick lather for three passes and a fourth on my neck, with a little to spare.

Anyway, Aqua di Parma, as expected, stays in my top drawer.

 

[Coler]

I am a sucker for shaving accessories, novelty items etc...these arrived today.

I mainly wanted some Manna di Sicilia - the main event.

And the vendor had this smart wooden bowl (made from Alder, treated to be water resistant). I liked the look of it so...

The puck fits well. Like in the metal tins it will fit to the edges after a couple of lathers.

Scent is great as always with SV.

Actually it fits the tin if you wish - perhaps you want to keep the option to take the soap travelling in a Dopp kit. The box lid closes over on top just fine.

It's a nice thing anyway. I believe I will just let this puck live in it on my counter top. I have a couple of other SV flavours still in tins that will remain portable.

 

[Flanders]

I wonder if your brain bowl would fit in the SV wooden bowl?
(having it open to the air has always kept me from buying one)

 

[Coler]

I wonder if your brain bowl would fit in the SV wooden bowl?
(having it open to the air has always kept me from buying one)

Nope not a hope.

Although you could simply scoop/carve out the contents and pack them in the SV bowl. It wouldnt all fit.

Then again why not just get the glass jar of MdC.

I put my brainbowl in a drawer when I don't want it out. If I remember.

 

[Coler]

GFT Rose cream on the block this morning. I love a good rose scent and this is simple and pronounced. Lovely lather. Neutral post shave. Perhaps somewhat dry.

Performance, today at least, was not quite as good as Aqua di Parma yesterday *but still very, very good*.

Now, I did a decent workout this morning and did not cool down properly before showering and shaving, so I was still actively sweating as I shaved. I believe that will have had an effect.

Even at that the shave was still great so GFT Rose stays in the drawer *for now* and I will do a direct comparo vs the bench marks next week.

 

[Coler]

Well, it was back to one of my benchmarks today. Saponificio Varesino, Manna di Sicilia.

The shave was immaculate. There's good, there's great and there's this.

So I have to set the GFT Rose cream from yestetday on the chopping block. It was nowhere near where it needs to be to stay, being "merely" very good.

Extenuating circumstances mean I will give it another chance before finalising its status

Have a great day fellas.

 

[Coler]

OK so, what’s up, well, I have a Rex Ambassador incoming.

Why do you have a Rex Ambassador incoming Coler, they asked.

I’ll tell you why.

It was my ineluctable destiny.

Foretold by the prophets, set in stone by the oaths of my forefathers, and whispered on the wind by the soothsayers.

Against the alignment of the atoms of the universe, laid out in predetermined patters by the first explosions of matter, before which there was…nothing, how was I to resist?

That’s why.

There really was nothing I could do to stop it and it wouldn’t have been wise to try.

 

[thombrogan]

Hope you like it. They look amazing

 

[tehnothing]

OK so, what’s up, well, I have a Rex Ambassador incoming.

Why do you have a Rex Ambassador incoming Coler, they asked.

I’ll tell you why.

It was my ineluctable destiny.

Foretold by the prophets, set in stone by the oaths of my forefathers, and whispered on the wind by the soothsayers.

Against the alignment of the atoms of the universe, laid out in predetermined patters by the first explosions of matter, before which there was…nothing, how was I to resist?

That’s why.

There really was nothing I could do to stop it and it wouldn’t have been wise to try.

I have an Envoy which has been spoken of as an Ambassador on 3. If they were still available I would rather have a Denali, or, the current Oli Works. My Ambassador I moved on quite some time ago. It was simply too heavy as some what of a Light Handle Fanboy. I picked it up when it was halfoff in their scratch and dent sale for $75 when they were at the time priced at $150 which I found more than fair. Their current prices I could walk past with out a tinge of regret.

 

[Eric_75]

I used my Envoy this morning. It did pair well with a fresh Perma-Sharp.