Ariana & Evans

Ruds started using his shave score system several years ago when soaps were not nearly as good as they are today. It took a few years to even achieve a score of 95. Anything at that level includes everything that most people might "need" in a soap. Everything above that is just luxury. 

Ruds has never published the criteria he uses in evaluating soaps, but three that show up in his videos are: primary slickness, residual slickness, and post shave feel. 

The problem is that once you score a soap 100, what do you do if you now get an even better soap? Do you go back and knock off five points from all the previous scores to provide room for even better soaps. That would make the soapmakers furious. Ruds chose to open up the top end. 

When I first tried Grooming Department Nai (Aion scent), it was so good that I predicted Ruds would give it a score of 100. When he evaluated the soap, that is exactly how he scored it. When Mohammad told me he knew how to make Nai even better, I was skeptical formula; I was wrong. Mo has made changes to the Nai formula that have made it even better than the original. Since the original Nai got a score of 100, how should the new, improved version be scored? We will have to see.

There was a time when in track and field, breaking running a mile in under 4 minutes was considered impossible. Since Roger Bannister ran a mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds, this unbreakable barrier has been broken multiple times. I predict that there will be several 100+ soaps in the coming year.  However, producing 100+ quality soaps often requires the use of premium ingredients that are more costly.  A few years ago, the typical price for soaps was about $4 per ounce. Now, some soaps like Nai are selling for $8 per ounce. Will shavers will willing to pay even more for just a little more luxury?

...I predict that there will be several 100+ soaps in the coming year.  However, producing 100+ quality soaps often requires the use of premium ingredients that are more costly.  A few years ago, the typical price for soaps was about $4 per ounce. Now, some soaps like Nai are selling for $8 per ounce. Will shavers will willing to pay even more for just a little more luxury?

But somehow A&E and B&M have rarely broken the $22 "barrier". Personally, I refuse to pay $30 for any soap unless there is a money back guarantee that the scent will attract hordes of Super Models.    

. . .  I don't consider myself a shaving "Luddite" zealot out to convert the World. I am only concerned about my dashingly handsome face.

. . .  But somehow A&E and B&M have rarely broken the $22 "barrier". Personally, I refuse to pay $30 for any soap unless there is a money back guarantee that the scent will attract hordes of Super Models.    

Who could blame you BP?  With a dashingly handsome face like yours, who needs soap anyway?  Right?   


Some guys have all the luck! 

Ruds has never published the criteria he uses in evaluating soaps, but three that show up in his videos are: primary slickness, residual slickness, and post shave feel.

Thanks a lot.

Will shavers will willing to pay even more for just a little more luxury?

Normally, they'd NOT.
But fora are drug dealers.

I personally consider soap a very special tool.
For those who have trouble-free skin, good technique and a good razor are sufficient to easily achieve maximum results with any cheap soap (if well formulated).
I am in Italy (which in terms of resources in wetshaving is very rich), and with a minimal expense I can buy a good soap in the supermarket, as most normal people do.
Many of whom have no other needs.
Another scenario is when people have real skin problems (like me who have a very aggressive seborrheic dermatitis).
For us it becomes economical to use a series of hygiene products that keep the situation under control without drugs and specialist checks.
In my experience (20+ years of wetshaving, 20+ years of pharmacist profession), there are three categories of products such as soaps and aftershaves:
1. old conception ... with novelties (old dog, new tricks), most of artisanal products
2. new concept ... a good supporting base, and many variable components that characterize the single model as a specific tool (Saponificio Varesino)
3. future concept ... the use of the knowledge of pharmaceutical chemistry applied to clinical dermatology, where the substances and production techniques go beyond the mechanical detail and begin to work in depth in the dermis to support, raise and even partially correct the skin health (Grooming Dept Formula Nai)

... the scent will attract hordes of Super Models.    

After this, the economic problem will not be soap ...
  

Here's my problem with that concept:  soap makers are not (usually) organic chemists and as such I only trust professionals for my skin care regimen of cleansers & acid toners.

... I only trust professionals for my skin care regimen of cleansers & acid toners.

"Every expert began as an amateur". (Cit. Jeffrey Fry, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/amateur)

I read the INCI, before of the "infos" labeled.
Mostly of us (doctors, pharmacists, etc) are drug dealers.
Mostly, big industries do not choose formulation for the best quality.
Mostly products IMHO have less value that price.
The more are specialistic, the more is big that difference.

I had skin disease for the first 25 years of my life.
My father, pharmacist before me (I'm 7th gen), asked to lots of dermatologists.
Tons of drugs and products ... aswell as money ... was a waste of time.
In the last twetny years things are different.
With a specific diet, specific products, lot of studying and research and luck, now I can control my skin.
Not totally, but my quality of life is strongly increased about this.

Just my two cents.

I haven't tried any A&E soaps yet. But I have enormous respect for Peter Charkalis. A few years ago, Peter was learning to shave with a straight razor. He was a total devotee of wet shaving and soon began expertly reviewing soaps, balms, etc. When he jumped in and started making soap, he did so with complete enthusiasm and dedication. The results, by all accounts, have been spectacular. Props to Peter. 

I agree in full, word by word, with don'tfeartheweeper

Has anyone tried their Cannabliss Santal?

Artisan made soaps have much better and healthier ingredients than drug store variety which are designed by chemists and are packed full of harsh surfactants and preservatives. Artisan soaps are worth the price for their ingredients alone I think, let alone the wonderful scents.