Shaving Cream/Soap Samples – Lessons Learned, A Ton of Empty Jars and Process Results

I have lots of soaps and am a bit obsessed but there's no scents I would attach to one brand

Irish tweed is a common scent it might not be named the same but many makers have a soap with its or very similar scent. I thought cella was the brand

I know nothing of who makes tabac. I don't get this concept 0.o

Irish tweed is a common scent it might not be named the same but many makers have a soap with its or very similar scent.  I thought cella was the brand
I don't get this concept 0.o

That's OK, if you don't understand it, maybe I didn't explain it well enough.

Irish Tweed is not a common scent. Its the name of a very specific soap Creed Irish Tweed https://www.creedboutique.com/creed-shav...-bowl.html What you are seeing is imitations/clones/tributes or others trying to make something similar to the original. Usually they tell you this upfront. Creed Irish Tweed cost $115. Imitations might cost $15? Fine Accoutrements Platinum is inspired by Creed Aventus http://www.fineaccoutrements.com/Fine-Cl...-p/cas.htm One cost $395, the other cost $15.

The idea that no one, or probably very few, know there isn't a company called Cella, exactly makes my point.

In any case onwards ... this was a suggestion for soap makers. Create your own signature scent.

Starting to wrap it up here now

DID I reach my goal of “finding the top 5 or so soaps or creams I would be willing to use forever.”?

I conclude that any of the products offered in what I call the Elite or First Class brands, day in, day out provide a superior shave. Each day, with consistency, it’s a very close shave with little effort. I cannot say the same thing about the ones I pass on.

And what about the difference in price? As time goes on I will collect more data but my current estimates are at the absolute worst we are talking 50 cents/shave difference, but in reality, probably closer to a quarter, depending upon the product chosen any particular day. Is it worth it to spend maybe a quarter a day more to me? Absolutely without question.

I know I will waste a quarter a day on something and not even I realized I wasted it. Maybe for someone else it will be those $5 Starbuck coffees or sitting in traffic burning up a dollar in gas or buying something extra in grocery shopping or wherever one spends money. I’m not trying to be insensitive in any way but for a quarter a day, if this is a hobby and not a means to save money, I’ll take it. You would be surprised how much money the average person might waste per day without even realizing it. Something as simple as having the AC running to long or the heat to high in the winter adds up.  

The time taken from my life each day to shave, changes from a mundane, tedious, boring task to a pleasant journey. And for a quarter?  I’ll take that any day of the week. Life is to short NOT to shave with whatever products work best for you, regardless of cost. This isn’t liquid gold, its soap.

I found two soaps a cut above the rest, the best of the elite tier, in my mind one a summer scent and the other a winter scent. These two soaps I will try to always own. Earlier I said: “The perfect shaving cream/soap would have a scent I liked, the scent strength would be reasonable and the scent not dissipate while my face fully lathered. The glide or slickness would be superlative. Residual slickness would allow me to re-shave parts of my face several times without re-lathering. The cushion would be sufficient to make cutting oneself or razor burn rare. The soap would not be drying but moisturizing. After shave feel would be soft for a minimum 12 hours and the lather feel thick and luxurious.”

Each of these two, holistically, met these requirements. But they are not perfect.  I am talking nits and a single point difference between them, out of 100. And that one point difference is only based upon scent.  My final question is which soaps/creams would I spend my money on? Although I am willing to pay a little extra for a soap, I am not willing to pay twice as much for something of equal performance. There are four elite soaps I would want to buy (include the two at the top of the pyramid). On a level below, are Two First Class, and one Very Good product.  

In terms of commercial products vs artisan products, I’m still not 100% sure of where the line is drawn but of the seven products, three are Artisan and the other four probably considered commercially produced.

The line between what is considered a soap vs croap vs cream is a blur in my mind. Some things are called creams when they sure look like soaps to me. In any case, of this seven I am willing to buy, I consider two to be traditional shaving creams and five shaving soaps, although some of those soaps are called creams.




I also have a couple of  “honorable mentions” I’m considering picking up.

As others have requested, next I will go over what I consider to be the Elite brands.

Requested Names

I have a lot of requests to name what I consider to be the elite brands. I was very reluctant to do so. These were what I found suitable for myself, not for anyone else. I am sure some people will not agree with what I like. I also know that some people choose traditional wet shaving to save money. But if this is your hobby, then by definition, disposable income is spent on the hobby, not money meant for daily living. I’m not trying to save money although I will try to be frugal. What matters to me is cost/shave, not cost of a container. At worst, the difference between the most expensive soaps I tested and the average cost might be a half dollar, more likely a quarter, per shave. Realistically over the course of a year, that’s about $100. If I can be happy for a year for $100, then it’s worth every penny. I know that over the course of a year, I’ll throw away $100 on frivolous things and not even realize it. Its better I actually enjoy it.

I think there might be an aversion from some to buying “expensive” soaps but I also think much of it is perception. I’ve gone over before that marketing has a lot to do with perceptions.  There is the “ice cream thing”. Instead of selling ½ gallon of ice cream, now ice cream is packaged as 3 pints and costs more than the past. A smaller package is not necessarily a better value. Then, there is the “cost per shave” thing. Besides the fact that some of the more expensive products get you a LOT more soap they also last a very long time. There is also they human variability “thing”. How dense a brush and what size do you use? Do you make enough lather just for one shave or do you wash another shave’s worth down the drain? Finally there is the “container” thing. Are you buying a fancy container that holds the consumable product or just the product? If money matters, then why are you buying a fancy container?

I’m sorry if your favorite is not my favorite, but here is my conclusion – for me.

Elite – Santa Maria Novella Crema da Barba


I consider SMN the elite of the elite by a very thin margin over the next soap. SMN, to me, is a summer soap. Lathering is trivial. SMN explodes in lather. For scent I got a bit of menthol and a bit of tobacco immediately with a fair amount of eucalyptus. The citrus and Jasmine scent was slightly present and as the shave continues, the rest of the other scents, supposedly vanilla and amber came out a tiny bit. The overall scent lasted most of the shave and every re-lather brought a fresh wave of scent.  Every note in this product is a scent I like from tobacco, eucalyptus, jasmine, vanilla, amber, to malt, although it predominately comes across as eucalyptus, the rest of the scents are simply sublime and sublime is the appropriate word.

Scent strength was reasonably strong, one of the strongest scented soaps around. Lack of scent dissipation was excellent and every re-lather resulted in a fresh wave of scent. As to slickness, the only soap possibly slicker might be ABC. Cushion was excellent, and lather feel was super luxurious. If it had any weakness, it would be residual glide and aftershave feel. But at this level, these are nits. BTW, 7.4 fluid ounces of this "shaving cream" is a LOT of soap, no matter how you look at it.



Elite – PannaCrema Nuavia

The new kid on the block, I consider both scents to be late Fall or Winter scents. Nuavia’s aftershave feel has no peers.  It felt just as good 24 hours later as immediately afterwards.  Technically I consider it the peer of SMN. Where it fell down for me is scent and we all know scent is a personal thing. I tend to like simple scents and if anything, Blu is too sophisticated for me.  Rossa seems like a simpler and milder scent, maybe a late Fall scent or early Spring scent, but still complex. So in the end, it’s SMN for the summer, and Nuavia for the colder days.

The difference between these soaps is very tiny. Minor things pushes one above the other.  Further, the difference in price between these two soaps, including shipping, is about the same. That makes them very hard to separate. Hence, I consider them just about twins at the top of the pyramid, one suitable for the Summer and the other for the Winter.

Elite – Aqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere

A notch (i.e., 1/100%) below PC Nuavia comes ADP.  Similar to SMN, the touch of menthol was about perfect for the Summer. Again, the lather explodes and was the luxury type similar to SMN with just the right face feel. You knew you were dealing in luxury. Performance was stellar – excellent slickness and cushion. Residual slickness could have been better but at this level, these are tiny graduations. ADP seems to have the best “face feel” of luxury of all.  The resultant shave was one of the best. If anything could be improved, after shave feel could have been better. PC Nuavia has upped the bar on after shave feel by a substantial margin.

Some think there is no scent in this product but there is. It is just very faint, a very light basil/lemon. The ingredients lists Citrus Limon (Lemon) peel oil and basil. Anyone who cooks can tell you the main scent of lemon is not from the juice but from the peel.  If the scent was stronger, it would be the peer to SMN. The very weak lemon scent is the only reason I rate it a tiny bit below Nuavia. Other than that, I consider ADP surely a premium product, refreshing, and a luxury. If the scent was stronger, it would the peer of SMN at the tip of the Pyramid.

Elite – Antica Colla Barbiera  Saponetta da Barba all’Olio di Mandorla and Sapone da Barba in Crema all’Olio di Mandorla

Otherwise known as ABC Soap and Cream, ABC doesn’t get much discussion in the virtual space compared to others and I suspect it’s the price of entry that scares consumers. In any case I prefer the Sapponetta.  Sapone da Barba in Crema, the cream, is about the most expensive game in town.  In fact, I have no idea why they sell the cream. The cream is way out of line in price with the rest of this group and I don’t understand why.  ABC soap is about the slickest soap that exists and I think the cream was not as slick. As to the Almond scent, almond is not a favorite, a reason for why I downgrade this brand a bit. In fact, I really did not like so much any almond scent of any brand compared to other scents. Almond paste scent belongs in pastries, not in shaving soap, but that’s just my thought.

One product I did not try, nor care to, is Boellis Panama 1924. I refused to pay $115 for a “coffret” when the refill is $48 and the refill seems always out of stock. It doesn’t matter because I just don’t like food scents in soap and whether of not Boellis Panama 1924 would join this group wouldn’t matter because knowing what I know now, I probably wouldn’t buy it anyway.

Elite – Martin de Candre

MdC should be no surprise to anyone. MdC has been reviewed a thousand times in a thousand places and seems a bit mundane and ordinary in this crowd. It might sound a bit funny but it seems to be the pedestrian product in this group as well as the product I rated the lowest. Meanwhile other soap companies try to emulate it and I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It’s density and the frugalness of use (i.e., it lasts a LONG time) fits in this pseudo pedestrian place among the elite, considering a single container might last a lifetime! I’m not going to try to review MdC. It’s been done over and over again and there is nothing that needs to be said that hasn't already been said. It’s an excellent product IMO worth every penny of its cost.

First Class

I consider the following three brands a small, but noticeable, step down from the crowd above. All are excellent in their own ways but not quite elite.

First Class – Klar Seifen

I find this quintuple milled soap to be excellent. Its cushion is second to none, it might be the best of the best in that I always get the closest shave. I consider the classic scent exactly what it says – a classic. The lather is luxurious and hydrating.  Any weakness was probably residual glide.  They now sell Lemongrass and Almond but they are not available in the US at the moment.

As a quintuple milled soap, although less than in size than MdC, I expect Klar to last a very long time and every time I used it, I always get a very close and comfortable shave.  I expect Klar to be one of the more frugal soaps at this level. I truly enjoy using Klar Seifen and considering it a Winter soap in the classic scent.

First Class – Czech & Speake

Up front, I am NOT a fan of either scent. I find them both complex and barely tolerable. Some scents I like, some I find reasonably pleasant, some a bit unpleasant, and some obnoxious. I think C&S scents are a bit unpleasant. These are not mellow scents. In fact, I  found 88 a bit strange. If it were not for the excellent technical attributes of these soaps, I would never rank them so high. But it is those technical attributes, rather than the scent profiles, that pull this soap up from the masses while the scents hold them back. I believe the aftershave feel of these soaps to be near on par with Nuavia. I was very impressed with them, but these scents are not for me.

First Class – Tube Only GFT Creams

This one might be a surprise to some but I just love the scent of GFT Eucris, and give a slight nod to Spanish Leather.  Technically, IMO, these shaving creams, only available in tubes, are not as good as everything else mentioned here. Sure all Trumpers creams explode in lather and are excellent in their own right, but I have found no scent to me better than Eucris, 100% a home run, the best scent ranking better than SMN. I consider the Eucris scent to be completely classic and exactly what shaving is supposed smell like. I know some consider it old, or an old man scent, and it is a very old scent from 1912. But it has also withstood the test of time. The fact that it is mentioned in a James Bond novel (or supposed to be) adds a bit to its mystique. For an interesting look at its place in James Bond, see https://sentsmemory.wordpress.com/2013/0...f-trumper/.

So scent pulls this “tube only” GFT shaving cream up above the other Trumpers and I find it probably not a coincidence that Spanish Leather and Eucris, two very old scents, are the only ones found in tube only. I like Spanish Leather, but just not as much as Eucris. I also know that both Eucris and Spanish Leather are complex scents with many components. Spanish Leather might have ten components. While I don’t usually like complex scents, these two are the exception. I suspect the increased cost of these tube only versions might be due to the complexity of the scents and the cost of the components. I also conclude that GFT scents generally are sublime. They know what they are doing and it shows.



To round this out, the one brand I think Very Good that I would also consider as part of a regular rotation, noted previously, would be Mystic Waters. Although I have no real issue creating lather and can do it easily, and my water is soft, it does take more work than others. At the level of some of these other soaps, that is a detriment. You just look at some of these other products like Trumpers, ADP, SMN and lather explodes. However, I think Mystic excellent otherwise.

So that's all I got, my opinion of what the best soaps are for me. I'm sorry if your favorite was not listed. I guess we are all different.  I had started out focusing on process and I hope that helps someone out.

+1 on the scent of Geo. F. Trumper Eucris. (I have the EdT, only.)  As you note, grim, scent is very subjective but from the moment I smelled it from a sample I received, I knew I was going to get a full bottle and did, the very next day.  It is one I come back to again and again yet I can understand why some might not like it.  It is, to my nose, a very complex scent but it just works, in my opionion.

Fantastic reviews grim! I would concur with all of your soap/cream classifications, excepting perhaps Czech & Speake (which I'd place as elite) though I understand that you don't care for the scents and removed marks accordingly. You've mentioned some of the very best in the elite category.

Grim this is an outstanding post. Thank you for your time & detail for what has to be one of the most scientific approaches to a predominantly subjective topic.

There is a reason why elite soaps are elite....they are highly regarded by virtually everyone; i.e. MDC, SMN, ADP and ABC. My elites include many of yours. And you have inspired me to try Eucris!

Thanks again.

Fantastic reviews grim! I would concur with all of your soap/cream classifications, excepting perhaps Czech & Speake (which I'd place as elite) though I understand that you don't care for the scents and removed marks accordingly. You've mentioned some of the very best in the elite category.

Thanks NeoXerxes, C&S is excellent. I just don't like the scents. Refills are easily obtainable so this has nothing to do with price, it has to do with the holistic experience and that is where C&S fails for me.

Grim this is an outstanding post. Thank you for your time & detail for what has to be one of the most scientific approaches to a predominantly subjective topic.

Thank you Batman. Yeah, I believe Eucris rocks. I know some think it an old man scent. Younger people tend to gravitate to T&H 1805 or something similar, but I could use Eucris every day and never get bored. I've also found T&H Grafton to be somewhat similar.

Good job Grim. Very interesting process. I think your "elite" soaps match well with the top-tier picks of soap aficionados everywhere. I presume there's a really good reason for that. My tastes are more somewhat more eclectic. However, I think that all of the soaps on your list, that I have tried, belong on the top shelf and I'm willing to take your word on the others and may give them a go at some point.

A note about cost/shave.

I wish I had the sense to track hundreds of shaves and figure out the cost/shave across many soaps but when I started, I just didn't think about it. I've been doing it lately but it will take a long, long time to really get a lot of them locked in.

In any case, the last several days I've been using up ABC which I have in one of the those sample jars. I've used a 22mm Savile Row, a tiny little brush. Now I know when I have a soap in one of those wide jars, I automatically get out my Chubby 2 and tear into it.  I've read over and over again about "load the brush". Whenever there are discussions about the cost/shave, I've read comments like "I don't care about it because the soap is so cheap (and they were talking about things cost $10 - $16 a tube or tub).

So as I've used this small container, I'd put a little bit on the Saville Row, dribble some water in the bowl, and it just explodes in lather. There is no other way to describe it. Three twirls in a bowls and bam. 10 twirls and its done. And so using it, I'm about to clean out the bowl and see I didn't use half of the actual bit of soap I pulled out and I still had enough lather in the bowl, and the brush, to easily shave twice more. In other words, I made way too much lather with a tiny bit of this stuff.

The point being, if you want to be frugal and use the more expensive stuff, use a tiny bush and use very little product. You will still have plenty of lather. I suspect sometimes people make Way Way too much lather and flush money down the drain. I plucked out the tiny bits of soap and shoved them back in my sample jar to use tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. And I don't even like Almond.