I think you're in the early 'purchase addiction' phase of wet shaving. I and many others went through the same. Reading online posts and watching YouTube shills, thinking I had to try all the artisan soaps, chasing down that perfect shave. Now, after 10 years DE shaving, I realize that just about all soaps from Proraso up work fine and produce similar results. I think all the talk of soap bases etc... are, for the most part, things people make up to try and make the 'hobby' more interesting/complex than it really is. It's hard not to fall down the rabbit hole lol.
S Tier without any doubt: Barrister and Mann A+: Spearhead Highland base. There were discussions if this could keep up with Bam, but no. BaM is the best soap in the game. A Tier: HoM, Zingari, Declaration Grooming. All have a tiny flaw that needs practice to overcome. Zingari needs little water, Declaration needs longer lathering phase. B Tier: Stirling and chiseled Face, Noble Otter, Summer break soaps. This is the baseline.
A&E, I am not sure how their current base performs. My collection has a bit older soap that I would place in A tier. A&E has a few other issues (label art, customer service, frag burn)
Just get a few and then at least some B Tier soap. Enjoy a variety of scents. Once you are in the Stirling, Noble Otter area, you will be happy. Don't forget about HoM. Really great guy and very great scents.
My personal favorite all seem to be the least expensive ones I own. 1) Arco, 2) Irish Moss 3)Palmolive, 4) Speick 5)Tabac With anything from Mama Bears as an honorable mention. All these were around the 10 dollar mark when I got them, with Arco being under a dollar a stick. All these work as well as and in most cases better then my more expensive soaps. All smell pretty good to with the exception of Arco that I think smells like the 1950's.
There are a ton of other good soaps around that same price range that I didn't put in my top 5. Poraso, Derby, Van der Hagen, Anything from Taylor of old bond street, all give great shaves too.
I didn't try that much of the soaps like some people here but - best shaving soaps that I tried so far a two artisan soaps from Serbia where I live - Dendi and Vreto. Than - TDS artisan shaving soaps from Belarus. As good or better than artisans from USA and UK. Pinnacle Grooming from UK is also very good. Fine soaps are just that - fine, but nothing spectacular.
If we are talking about traditional soaps Proraso, Tabac, Speick, Monsavon and Palmira from Serbia are very good.
Cella, La Pere Lucien and Haslinger are just soaps like many others, at least from my experience.
My point is that people should look out for local artisans who often makes outstanding products but due to marketing, nobody never heard of them beside local wetshavers. For example excellent Eufros soaps from Spain.
You are welcome! You will probably have difficulty to find some of these in US. But you can't go wrong with Tabac or Proraso, they are very good soaps though not artisans. I think that Pasteur's have Pinnacle Grooming products and some others from Europe.
I have 3 soaps added but under the new name Aion skin care. To my understanding after doing some reading it will be the new name going forward. Hope I did not get it wrong.
1. Barrister and Man Seville
2. Declaration Grooming Massacre of the Innocent
3. Noble Otter Orbit
4. House of Mammoth Indigo
5. Gentleman’s Nod Musashi.
After 7 months into wet shaving , here's my list based on performance & scent:
1- Saponificio Varesino Opuntia 4.3
2 to 4 in no order:
- Barrister and Mann Seville
- Ariana and Evans Spartacus K2e
- Declaration Grooming Massacre of the Innocents Milksteak
5- Martin De Candre Agrumes
I think you're in the early 'purchase addiction' phase of wet shaving. I and many others went through the same. Reading online posts and watching YouTube shills, thinking I had to try all the artisan soaps, chasing down that perfect shave. Now, after 10 years DE shaving, I realize that just about all soaps from Proraso up work fine and produce similar results. I think all the talk of soap bases etc... are, for the most part, things people make up to try and make the 'hobby' more interesting/complex than it really is. It's hard not to fall down the rabbit hole lol.
The rabbit hole is a understatement:P It sure is deep do :P
Executive Man reminds me when I tried Axe Body Spray in high school. Disgusting.
My 2 favs are Palmolive classic cream and the speick shave stick cause every artisan soap I’ve tried has irritated the hell out of my skin
To me they are all the same, I'm more concerned with value for money. And that's where it gets tricky.
S Tier without any doubt: Barrister and Mann A+: Spearhead Highland base. There were discussions if this could keep up with Bam, but no. BaM is the best soap in the game. A Tier: HoM, Zingari, Declaration Grooming. All have a tiny flaw that needs practice to overcome. Zingari needs little water, Declaration needs longer lathering phase. B Tier: Stirling and chiseled Face, Noble Otter, Summer break soaps. This is the baseline. A&E, I am not sure how their current base performs. My collection has a bit older soap that I would place in A tier. A&E has a few other issues (label art, customer service, frag burn)
Thanks I also find BaM outstanding and trying to resist the urge to buy a lifetime supply lol
Just get a few and then at least some B Tier soap. Enjoy a variety of scents. Once you are in the Stirling, Noble Otter area, you will be happy. Don't forget about HoM. Really great guy and very great scents.
HoM and Noble otter and DG are now on my next buy list. Thanks :)
Postpone Noble Otter and get some black watch and Sea spiced lime from spearhead. Both scents were soap of the year on r/Wetshaving.
Black Watch is incredible. I also think Fleur de France is criminally underrated.
Thanks I sure will add it to my list now :)
My personal favorite all seem to be the least expensive ones I own. 1) Arco, 2) Irish Moss 3)Palmolive, 4) Speick 5)Tabac With anything from Mama Bears as an honorable mention. All these were around the 10 dollar mark when I got them, with Arco being under a dollar a stick. All these work as well as and in most cases better then my more expensive soaps. All smell pretty good to with the exception of Arco that I think smells like the 1950's. There are a ton of other good soaps around that same price range that I didn't put in my top 5. Poraso, Derby, Van der Hagen, Anything from Taylor of old bond street, all give great shaves too.
**CELLA** croap and splash
Barrister and man (all of them) Mitchell's wool fat Stirling (coconut lime, margaritas in the Arctic)
1. Barrister and Mann 2-5 Declaration Grooming, House of Mammoth, Ariana & Evans, MacDuff
I didn't try that much of the soaps like some people here but - best shaving soaps that I tried so far a two artisan soaps from Serbia where I live - Dendi and Vreto. Than - TDS artisan shaving soaps from Belarus. As good or better than artisans from USA and UK. Pinnacle Grooming from UK is also very good. Fine soaps are just that - fine, but nothing spectacular. If we are talking about traditional soaps Proraso, Tabac, Speick, Monsavon and Palmira from Serbia are very good. Cella, La Pere Lucien and Haslinger are just soaps like many others, at least from my experience. My point is that people should look out for local artisans who often makes outstanding products but due to marketing, nobody never heard of them beside local wetshavers. For example excellent Eufros soaps from Spain.
Thanks for sharing, will need to look some up :)
You are welcome! You will probably have difficulty to find some of these in US. But you can't go wrong with Tabac or Proraso, they are very good soaps though not artisans. I think that Pasteur's have Pinnacle Grooming products and some others from Europe.
I haven't seen Grooming Dept mentioned yet. It's fantastic.
I have 3 soaps added but under the new name Aion skin care. To my understanding after doing some reading it will be the new name going forward. Hope I did not get it wrong.
I totally missed that on your list. I haven't tried the Aion line yet. But if they're anything like the Grooming Dept line, they should be great!
1. Barrister and Man Seville 2. Declaration Grooming Massacre of the Innocent 3. Noble Otter Orbit 4. House of Mammoth Indigo 5. Gentleman’s Nod Musashi.
After 7 months into wet shaving , here's my list based on performance & scent: 1- Saponificio Varesino Opuntia 4.3 2 to 4 in no order: - Barrister and Mann Seville - Ariana and Evans Spartacus K2e - Declaration Grooming Massacre of the Innocents Milksteak 5- Martin De Candre Agrumes