The Obie Memorial First Tier Soaps and Creams Thread.

[ultrasoundguy2003]

I may be a simpleton, MDC is tops SV and the 70th annivasary makes my top tier. B&M tallows do when I get matching soap and aftershave, but only for certain scents. You all may have never heard of it because so many great soaps exist. Mickey Lees Grand Havana smells like a sweet cigar and the glide and lather are tops for me. Oh and since I am a Soap and aftershave matcher that plays into my tiers.
A soap can have a great lather,glide and face feel afterwards... but if the scent doesnt smell good to me, it gets donated.
Obie thanks for sharing and now I have to find a new hiding spot for my next box of soap.
Plus as a trusted source I will give some of your top tiers a try.

[Steve56]

Obie,

Great thread, thanks sir!

But Valobra is in second tier while C&S is in first tier. Fragrance notwithstanding, they are the same soap!

Now to be sure, it is not clear whether you meant Valobra soft soap or hard soap.

Cheers, Steve

[Phrank]

The C&S #88 was a little underwhelming, all the right qualities, but the fragrance didn't really jump out. More tries are needed.

The C&S Oxford and Cambridge smells like it will be a clear winner, and it's interesting that it's $3 bucks more? Hmmm..

And agree with entropy, the T&H are all Tier #1 as far as I'm concerned, have quite a few of them, the latest being the hard puck of Luxury Shaving Soap which is beautiful.....

[Obie]

Obie,

Great thread, thanks sir!

But Valobra is in second tier while C&S is in first tier. Fragrance notwithstanding, they are the same soap!

Now to be sure, it is not clear whether you meant Valobra soft soap or hard soap.

Cheers, Steve

Thanks for your thoughts, Steve. I do like Valobra quite a bit. That's why I like the Art of Shaving (old formula) soap, because, as I understand, Valobra produced it. I have one puck left.
Why I have Czech & Speake in the first tier is because of the Oxford and Cambridge scent. I find it intoxicating. Of course, I like all its other elements, too.

[Obie]

The C&S #88 was a little underwhelming, all the right qualities, but the fragrance didn't really jump out. More tries are needed.

The C&S Oxford and Cambridge smells like it will be a clear winner, and it's interesting that it's $3 bucks more? Hmmm..

And agree with entropy, the T&H are all Tier #1 as far as I'm concerned, have quite a few of them, the latest being the hard puck of Luxury Shaving Soap which is beautiful.....

Phrank,

Right you are about Oxford and Cambridge. The fragrance is intoxicating.

Also, I agree that Truefitt & Hill creams are of top quality. To my knowledge Creighton produces the Trumper and Truefitt & Hill creams, and a few other brands, to distinct specifications. At least, that what I have heard. So there will be some similarities in these creams. Yet, something in Truefitt & Hill does not click for me, perhaps the weak moisture, but I'm not sure.

For instance, everything clicks with Castle Forbes, and Baum.Be, and Esbjerg, and Xpec, and so on. I can say the same thing about Martin de Candre, Le Pere Lucien, Antica Barbieria Cola (although the mild bitter almond fragrance is inconsistent in different pucks, but the the other elements make up for the soap).

[Steve56]

Thanks for your thoughts, Steve. I do like Valobra quite a bit. That's why I like the Art of Shaving (old formula) soap, because, as I understand, Valobra produced it. I have one puck left.
Why I have Czech & Speake in the first tier is because of the Oxford and Cambridge scent. I find it intoxicating. Of course, I like all its other elements, too.

Bravo Sir!

Cheers, Steve

[OCDshaver]

My top pick is Barrister and Mann. I just finished another disappointing shave with Baume.be. Everything seems great about it until the shave is over and that Bay Rum lights me up nicely. Ive used almost all of it so I'll let it sit until I forget how unpleasant it was and use the rest of it. There are several soaps in this threat that are highly respected that I really would never buy again. MDC is another one. It lather like no other but when the shave is over, my face is very dried out and irritated. Call it a lack of CUSHION (for those of you still debating that) or slickness, take you pick. They seemed like such luxurious soaps that I wanted to like them. But to be honest, I'll take Arko over them any day. Castle and Forbes? Yes, I like that one. But my top soap is B&M. Second place goes to Castle and Forbes, Xpec, Penhaligons, and Vitos.

[ultrasoundguy2003]

You are Correct on B&M. I hunted down 3 Rhapsody,& 3 Fourgere Aromatique, 1 Hallows.
I am donating 3 jars of B&M to the monthly give away , I hope others get to try the tallow side and hydration .

[OCDshaver]

You are Correct on B&M. I hunted down 3 Rhapsody,& 3 Fourgere Aromatique, 1 Hallows.
I am donating 3 jars of B&M to the monthly give away , I hope others get to try the tallow side and hydration .

I love the way B&M performs. I'm a little less enthusiastic about the scents though. Some of them are on the quirky side. And they seem to always retire their best scents IMHO. I was a fan of Roam (thank you Phrank). Discontinued. Cologne Russe - Discontinued. Vetiver Santal - Discontinued. A couple others too. The good news is that there is always something new. But as for performance, I find it to have no equal. A bold statement for sure. But I've come around to it after a lot of shaves and it is what it is. YMMV.

[ultrasoundguy2003]

I love the way B&M performs. I'm a little less enthusiastic about the scents though. Some of them are on the quirky side. And they seem to always retire their best scents IMHO. I was a fan of Roam (thank you Phrank). Discontinued. Cologne Russe - Discontinued. Vetiver Santal - Discontinued. A couple others too. The good news is that there is always something new. But as for performance, I find it to have no equal. A bold statement for sure. But I've come around to it after a lot of shaves and it is what it is. YMMV.

So well stated. I find a scent, I hoard it. Vetiver Santal you either love it or hate it. Will said no more Fourgere. I went on a mission and got 4 jars that should last me. Then I will just go for MDC fourgere. We sound like old guys. They had it right, and now they quit making it.