The Obie Memorial First Tier Soaps and Creams Thread.

[Phrank]

Obie.....how is the DR Harris Lavender soap...compared to other lavenders ?

I was excited to try the DR Harris Lavender, as Obie says, it's a great product, but a different Lavender that CF or MdC...I found it much sweeter to the nose. But different yes, which in many ways is nice, change up from the normal Lavender experience.

[nessmuck]

Thanks Obie......I always follow your lead.

[Obie]

You are very welcome, my friend. There is a lot of good stuff out there. Enjoy it.

[ScottGoodman]

Just ordered some Baum.Be shave soap, new to me!

[Dieseld]

I don't think Dr. Seuss would go over too well either......would you shave with green soap in a box with a fox?

Joel, I sure would try it at least once!!
I mean if it's with a fox, why not?

Obie, I tend to agree with you on the Artisan soaps. Not to many are really worth the try or the money.
But do you consider Oleo and Cold River Artisan soaps? I will say, those two do hold a tier one in my book. At least the Glide line from Cold River.

Scott, you will love the Baume.Be it is without a doubt a total tier one soap

[MikeT]

Baum.be... I think I'll try that out.
I haven't tried many, Castle Forbes has been my favorite so far, but again I've not tried many.

[BanjoTom]

Castle Forbes is one of the top of the line soaps. Baum.be is right up there and so is MdC. Recently I have discovered an artisan soap that stands right up with these three. Gentlemen's Quarter, owned by Colleen Hurley, a forum member since 2005, has been making soaps that are now being sold at The Greenbrier. Not even MdC is sold at The Greenbrier.

[evnpar]

I'm not much into classic vs. artisan soap arguments, or vintage vs. artisan razor makers for that matter. Many of the classic, traditional soaps have changed their formulations and are terrible, and there are excellent and terrible artisan products. At least for me, part of the enjoyment of this hobby is trying different products, and without an expectation that they will be a tier 3 soap or a "holy grail" razor. I was late in discovering shaving forums and the world of available products. For nearly 50 years I shaved with the same products daily, including Old Spice or Williams soap, whatever synthetic brushes were in the pharmacy, and a Gillette Slim and a Fat Boy that I purchased new in '62 and '63 when I first started shaving. One day about six years ago I noticed "Leisuregy's Guide to Shaving" when looking for a book on Amazon, and discovered products and forums that I had no idea existed. I've certainly made up for "lost time," and would be somewhat embarrassed to admit how many products I have tried since then. The majority of the soaps that I consider Tier 3 are also found on Obie's list, and several I tried for the first time because of Obie's recommendations. However, I enjoy using many more products than are on my Tier 3 list, including a variety of traditional and artisan products. In the same token, I've enjoyed using both vintage and artisan razors. I'm not interested in limiting my product choices, as i did for so many years. Truth be told, I could pull out one of my vintage pucks of Old Spice, my old Gillette Slim, and one of my inexpensive boar or synthetic brushes and achieve a very nice daily shave. If I had stuck with these products I would have saved a few thousand dollars, but I wouldn't be having nearly as much fun as I've had over the past six years. And even more importantly, I wouldn't have met so many fine gentlemen as I have on this forum. The important part is that we enjoy our shaves and our fellow members.

[Haroldg48]

I've never tried Baum.Be, but the others you list are the ones I use over and over and my face likes them too.

Gentlemen,
...

Eventually, as I finish the crowd of soaps and creams in my shave den, I'll probably settle down with Martin de Candre, Castle Forbes, Baum.Be, D.R. Harris and Mitchell's Wool Fat. My face loves these products. ...

[BanjoTom]

Ah Haroldg48, sure now it would be a shame to leave this orb w/o trying a sample or two from Gentlemen's Quarter. Just saying...