Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere Shaving Cream

I picked up a sample of Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere Shaving Cream via Maggard the other day. It came in yesterday. I can't stop sniffing it!! I walk past the den, I walk in and take a sniff.

Attachment 294199

The sample cost me about 9 bucks - this stuff isn't cheap! I might get two shaves out of it I figure being its a cream, but yeah wow, talk about fresh smelling. I mean it smells like mere soap, there's no funky or interesting scent per say, just clean, clean, soap. I'm already planning on adding it to the rotation though... even if it is $80, sigh. It's just so refreshing. Its been a while since I've continually opened a soap to just sniff.

It'll be a while before I get to try it on. Sunday/Monday maybe. But I can't wait!! Until that time, I'd love it if you guys would either talk me into it - or out of it.

I need to know what's going on with the balm as well. I layer as often as I can. Is it worth the $80 its retailing for? $160 for the two - man, that's not free is it. Let me know.

I have a couple of very expensive soaps from EU. I have to say they are very good. Are they four times as good as other soaps from EU? I doubt that I will buy more tubs of soap, but I might buy small sample for every once in a while. Right now I’m not in a soap acquisition era so it’s easy to say no.

Id say no. Its soap man! I see no reason to pay that much. It cant be that much better than MDC and the fact its a cream, its not going to last anywhere near as long. Unless your wallet is much, much larger than mine. Who knows. But if it was me, id say forget it. JMO.

I totally get what you both are saying - totally. I am "in a soap acquisition era" though RezDog. It's a problem lol. It just hit out of nowhere.

I'm hoping those who have been loving on it pipe up - particularly anyone with experience using the balm.

If cost per shave were the only issue in a soaps' worth, we'd all be shaving with Arko. If someone enjoys shaving with fine Italian soaps, aftershaves, and fragrances, whether Acqua Di Parma, Santa Maria Novella, Antica Barbieria Cola, or Boellis Panama 1924, it's worth it to him. The previous formulation of Acqua Di Parma shave cream had a Colonia scent that most people enjoyed, and they were angered when the new formulation came out that is essentially scentless. However, the new formulation is a marked improvement in the quality of the lather. I enjoy using all of the above products, and don't find ADP to perform any better than the others, and not necessarily better than many other fine shaving soaps and creams that are available today. I would consider it just one of many luxury Italian soaps that might be fun to use, but many people are just as happy using Cella or Proraso.

I thought you had a new different cream sample, doh.
The shaving cream is the best you can buy ime. It has menthol smell/feel to it.

The balm is kinda crap.
I have the Colonia Intensa , purchased in my search for the best.
To be fair is ok but its a bit milky where as I prefer the cream type balms..

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Originally Posted by earcutter

I picked up a sample of Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere Shaving Cream via Maggard the other day. It came in yesterday. I can't stop sniffing it!! I walk past the den, I walk in and take a sniff.

[snip!]

I need to know what's going on with the balm as well. I layer as often as I can. Is it worth the $80 its retailing for? $160 for the two - man, that's not free is it. Let me know.

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Another trifecta! Yes, the SC/ASB/EDT trio are certainly worth their cost. I own them, use them (3-4 times a year), and have never once regretted the purchases.

The ASB is incredibly soothing and moisturizing, and carries the aroma of the shaving cream. Likewise, the EDT. All three together? A little bit 'o Heaven... right here on Earth.

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Originally Posted by JBHoren

Another trifecta! Yes, the SC/ASB/EDT trio are certainly worth their cost. I own them, use them (3-4 times a year), and have never once regretted the purchases.

The ASB is incredibly soothing and moisturizing, and carries the aroma of the shaving cream. Likewise, the EDT. All three together? A little bit 'o Heaven... right here on Earth.

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I hate to be that guy but... what do all those acronyms mean?

Shave cream, aftershave balm, eat de toilet

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Originally Posted by RezDog

Shave cream, aftershave balm, eat de toilet

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Not MY toilet!!! :p

I love AdP, beautiful soap, always reminded me of what an upscale version of Tabac would smell like....

Remember thinking, it's got that subtle Tabac fresh, clean scent to it, but without that something that many have commented as "off putting", not that I don't think Tabac is a Tier 1 soap, it's a classic.

Thanks Richard, did not know that they changed the forumation, think I have the old version...I'll have to check, if not, outrage may follow.... :-)

Two fantastic Italian soaps that I love are:

FARMACIA SANTISSIMA ANNUNZIATA TAKIS SHAVING SOAP

FARMACIA SANTISSIMA ANNUNZIATA ISOS SHAVING SOAP

Attachment 294229

Beautifully packaged, sublime amazing scent, and always a pleasure to use....not cheap, but if you like soaps, this is a winner in my opinion as well.

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Originally Posted by Phrank

I love AdP, beautiful soap, always reminded me of what an upscale version of Tabac would smell like....

Remember thinking, it's got that subtle Tabac fresh, clean scent to it, but without that something that many have commented as "off putting", not that I don't think Tabac is a Tier 1 soap, it's a classic.

Thanks Richard, did not know that they changed the forumation, think I have the old version...I'll have to check, if not, outrage may follow.... :-)

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It’s funny, like I said, the scent is awesome! Clean! I can’t wait to try it but... it does not smell like anything close to Tabac in my opinion. Thank goodness! Because I don’t like Tabac. Maybe you do have the older version.

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Originally Posted by Phrank

Two fantastic Italian soaps that I love are:

FARMACIA SANTISSIMA ANNUNZIATA TAKIS SHAVING SOAP

FARMACIA SANTISSIMA ANNUNZIATA ISOS SHAVING SOAP

Attachment 294229

Beautifully packaged, sublime amazing scent, and always a pleasure to use....not cheap, but if you like soaps, this is a winner in my opinion as well.

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Oh no! I can only find it for sale via the eu though. Know anyone local?

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Oh no! I can only find it for sale via the eu though. Know anyone local?

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Try Fendrihan.ca

The US site should have it...just saw it on the Canadian side.

Another AdP fan here, so +1.

I have some complexion ruddiness that AdP and the better Italian products (including face creams and AS balms) noticeably help - the only reason I can figure is maybe better quality humectants? If this and the really nice light, clean scent doesn't matter to your particular circumstances, then there are many products that perform as well in-shave for less.

I'll add that in general, the higher end creams seem to be more concentrated so you can use less product and the cost of use is not as much as you might think based on the price. Castle Forbes is an excellent example. It takes 1.5 grams of many cheaper creams to shave with, about 0.5 grams of Castle Forbes. MdC is another

Cheers, Steve

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Originally Posted by Phrank

Two fantastic Italian soaps that I love are:

FARMACIA SANTISSIMA ANNUNZIATA TAKIS SHAVING SOAP

FARMACIA SANTISSIMA ANNUNZIATA ISOS SHAVING SOAP

Attachment 294229

Beautifully packaged, sublime amazing scent, and always a pleasure to use....not cheap, but if you like soaps, this is a winner in my opinion as well.

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Since you like high end Italian soaps, Phrank, you might like this one: Carthusia, a fantastic performer and with a scent that's out of this world. It's available at C.O. Bigelow.

Attachment 294261

Holy. Cow. I was not expecting what I got. This might actually be worth the money!

I started out using creams. AoS Sandalwood was a mainstay for a while - I’ve been through two tubs. It’s only in the last couple 5 years really that I’ve moved to more soaps than creams, so I have an idea as to what I’m saying. That lather balm was impressive!!

Lather: I used as much cream as I normally would had it been my AoS cream. It was two times more than I needed! Wow. I made enough lather for five, maybe six passes.

The lather is thick and luxurious. After putting on my first layer, I squeezed out my brush into my bowl and added a little more water to the brush to hydrate the soap on my face a bit more. This stuff just... blossoms. I was a little taken back.

Viscosity: I kept feeling the suds on my face to feel for glide and to see how fast it could dry out. There was an awesome, very “glycerin(ie)” glide, even after leaving the soap on my face for a bit of time. You’re going to get close with this soap.

Scent: It smells like soap to me! Clean. A beautiful, proud clean. It’s simple and timeless, but if scent and scent alone floats your boat, look away. It really is lovely, but unfortunately, it dissipates quickly.


I love the scent. It’s simple but “inspiring.” The lather and glide were exceptional. I think I just gave myself the closest shave I’ve given myself in a while. I was not worried about irritation with this between me and the blade.

I eventually put a little bit of pre de provence 63 balm on afterward. It’s the closest thing I have scent wise. My face feels insane. What a great shave! I’m well pleased. But was it worth the money?

Was it worth the money indeed? Without a doubt, this stuff does everything marginally better. But four times better? That’s about where I figure it is retail. For me it’s going to be. I want to know what it’s like to shave with this for a couple weeks straight. Then it’ll be a nice treat for when I travel, as I’ll be getting it in the tube vs the glass jar.


That was fun!

It’s everything that you describe. The scent is great but understated, so if you have an insensitive nose or just like strongly scented soaps, this fragrance may come up short for you. I like it because I never get tired of it no matter how often I use it.

It’s more concentrated that T&H, and one definition of luxury is loading up a big, soft cream brush like a big Rooney 3-band Heritage or a Simpsons 59. When that thing hits your face your pillow will seem hard!

Now, the cream in the tube is a little thinner than the cream in the tub - makes sense, you have to squeeze it out and cream in a tube will stiffen up a bit as you use it. My 2 cents is get the stuff in the tub and transplant some to a small cosmetic jar for traveling. I always worried about tubes getting squashed in transit.

Cheers, Steve

Great heads up Steve. Thanks!

Here's an image for the AdP fans, a Rooney 3/2 3-band Heritage with a nuclear bloom that was loaded up with more AdP than I really needed - that knot when bloomed is about the size of the jar lid - Pure decadence!

Cheers, Steve

I just wanted to close this thread by saying that I finished my sample, and each shave was about as good as the first. My new tub is on route from Spain via the Netherlands where tracking says it’s been hold up for the last couple of days. I can’t wait to get it in. My den isn’t going to believe it lol!

Maybe more importantly, now that the novelty has dissipated, I can still say that I believe the cost is worth it. Time to get a sample of MdC! Is there a thing?

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Maybe more importantly, now that the novelty has dissipated, I can still say that I believe the cost is worth it. Time to get a sample of MdC! Is there a thing?

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With that in mind, let me offer an alternative scenario: You save-up for the matching AdP Colonia ASB and EDT. Pricey? Yup. Worth it? "Booking(dot)YEAH"

PS: The ASB and EDT are, like the SC, are "a little goes a long way" products. Ya gets ya money's worth.

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Originally Posted by JBHoren

With that in mind, let me offer an alternative scenario: You save-up for the matching AdP Colonia ASB and EDT. Pricey? Yup. Worth it? "Booking(dot)YEAH"

PS: The ASB and EDT are, like the SC, are "a little goes a long way" products. Ya gets ya money's worth.

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Sir, everything has changed for me. In my humblest of opinions, a 60 dollar soap that lasts a year, and is of great quality, is good value.

I’ve unfortunately or not (we’ll see) gotten in a few soaps that I need to use up first but, here’s what’s on my want list:

• Pannacrema Shaving Soap Nuàvia Blu
  Antica Barbieria Colla Almond Oil Shaving Soap Cream
  MdC FOUGÈRE
  SAPONIFICIO VARESINO SHAVING SOAP, 70TH ANNIVERSARY BETA 4.1
  NOBLE OTTER SHAVING SOAP, THÉ NOIR ET VANILLE
  
  Santa Maria Novella cream

But I got a lot of stuff to finish first.

Add Santa Maria Novella cream to that list. One of the slickest soaps there is. Odd scent, mostly eucalyptus and camphor in-shave, but I do get some tobacco toscano afterwards.

Cheers, Steve

As they say, put your money where your mouth is.

Attachment 294917

I just finished my first tub and ordered another. I think there are restrictions naming venders but go to Google, put it in and you can get a lot of venders for less then buying direct. This is the Rolls Royce of creams. I haven't found anything better with a straight razor.

so you had to say the scent was close to Pre de Provence 63 balm, and here I am pondering how I just found a great soap in my bathroom (hidden under others) and had plenty....:aargh:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Holy. Cow. I was not expecting what I got. This might actually be worth the money!

I started out using creams. AoS Sandalwood was a mainstay for a while - I’ve been through two tubs. It’s only in the last couple 5 years really that I’ve moved to more soaps than creams, so I have an idea as to what I’m saying. That lather balm was impressive!!

Lather: I used as much cream as I normally would had it been my AoS cream. It was two times more than I needed! Wow. I made enough lather for five, maybe six passes.

The lather is thick and luxurious. After putting on my first layer, I squeezed out my brush into my bowl and added a little more water to the brush to hydrate the soap on my face a bit more. This stuff just... blossoms. I was a little taken back.

Viscosity: I kept feeling the suds on my face to feel for glide and to see how fast it could dry out. There was an awesome, very “glycerin(ie)” glide, even after leaving the soap on my face for a bit of time. You’re going to get close with this soap.

Scent: It smells like soap to me! Clean. A beautiful, proud clean. It’s simple and timeless, but if scent and scent alone floats your boat, look away. It really is lovely, but unfortunately, it dissipates quickly.


I love the scent. It’s simple but “inspiring.” The lather and glide were exceptional. I think I just gave myself the closest shave I’ve given myself in a while. I was not worried about irritation with this between me and the blade.

I eventually put a little bit of pre de provence 63 balm on afterward. It’s the closest thing I have scent wise. My face feels insane. What a great shave! I’m well pleased. But was it worth the money?

Was it worth the money indeed? Without a doubt, this stuff does everything marginally better. But four times better? That’s about where I figure it is retail. For me it’s going to be. I want to know what it’s like to shave with this for a couple weeks straight. Then it’ll be a nice treat for when I travel, as I’ll be getting it in the tube vs the glass jar.


That was fun!

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Originally Posted by earcutter

As they say, put your money where your mouth is.

Attachment 294917

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As much as I like AdP, message boards in France are discussing new formulations and packaging. I'd be OK with adding the old scent to their current formulations, although I like the nearly scentless soap as it allows me to use a variety of aftershaves and colognes. I still have a couple of sealed and unopened jars of the old version, although I haven't used them as the current formulation is much better in performance.

This image reportedly from their Facebork page: