Thread: New soap needed

In the market for trying new soaps. Just done with a bowl of D.R. Harris Marlborough. Absolutely loved it and looking for a new adventure. I seem a bit overwhelmed with all the options and don't have alot of time to research due to current work schedule. Willing to take blind recommendations.

I know there are a 101 threads of this soap or that soap, I am curious on personal favorites for lather & scent. Not too concerned about cost just looking for that next great shave.

Any suggestions and/or recommendations from the forum?

Thanks in advance!!

I've got a couple soaps and a little more creams. I could describe some of the scents for you if you'd like because some I can't stand and bought based on others tastes (Castle Forbes Lime, CF Cederwood/Sandlewood, Crabtree and Evelyn Sandlewood, Esbjerg Grapefruit, Esbjerg Verbena, TOBS Sandlewood, GFT Coconut Oil, GFT Sandlewood, MWF, Body Shop's Maca Root, Proraso Sensitive, Proraso Green, Proraso Red...and a bunch of samples). I really like Castle Forbes Lime for the latherability first and the refreshing scent, next would be Esbjerg Grapefruit. I love the smell of MWF and GFT Coconut, and Esbjerg Grapefruit.

My current favorite is Penhaligons Endymion. I recently picked this up on vacation and absolutely love it. Plus, I was told, this was the shaving cream Ian Fleming wrote that James Bond used. I have yet to look that up, and it may have been a sales tatic but I could imagine Bond using this.

Originally Posted by CastSteel

My current favorite is Penhaligons Endymion. I recently picked this up on vacation and absolutely love it. Plus, I was told, this was the shaving cream Ian Fleming wrote that James Bond used. I have yet to look that up, and it may have been a sales tatic but I could imagine Bond using this.

+1. Although I haven't used the Penhaligon soaps or searched for reviews on them, their creams are top notch from everyone who's used them. I've been using the Endymion cologne for the last 10 years and love the scent. I also have the D.R. Harris Marlborough shave stick and would be pretty safe in saying if you like the Marborough scent, you most probably will like the Endymion scent. Hopefully there's a place near you that sells the cologne so you could check out the scent before you spend that much money on a soap/cream.

Just gotta add my two cents, since everybody is welcomed to respond. Started with Williams (lousy), went to local hand made goats milk shaving soap (reasonable), then Van Der Hagen Glycerin (sensitive skin me, decent. Will use in rotation with next). Finally Mitchells Wool Fat Soap (best lather and shave and less effect on sensitive skin). When finances improve will try some really high end soaps to see what the hoo-ha is about.

Good luck in choosing and trying.

Here's two that seem to get a lot of forum time Mitchell's wool fat, and Martin de Candre - haven't tried either just saying they seem to get a lot of attention more so than other soaps, creams

Personally - I like L'Occitane CADE & Mike's Natural Soap's Cedar and Pine or is that Pine and Cedar?, They get the most face time out of all the others I have.

I have Martin de Candre and love it, as most do when it comes up here. I don't have a lot to compare it to though, as I just happened to have a friend going to France so I had him pick some up. Seems like a no brainer for availability and positive reviews is MWF.

mikes natural, mwf, mdc, and harris arlington are all awesome. thats what i have narrowed my soaps down to.

i've only tried mikes, VDH and proraso red cream and i have to say that proraso is my favorite of them all. i save it for my Sunday-go to meeting soap. it seems to lather like crazy. i feel guilty when i rinse my brush out after the 3rd pass because there's at least two more passes left in it.

I have a tube of Proraso for travel that I love. I've also been using TOBS sandalwood. It lathers beautifully but I think I prefer the scent on the Proraso more.