Barbershop shave soaps

I finished a tub of Oleo, Windy City, Barbershop shave soap (Scent notes: Amber, Musk, Bay Rum, Pink Pepper, Steel & Gunpowder) and I Realy did enjoy it a lot. Now I'm interested in trying another. I'm sure I had tried Sterlings but I can't swear to it. And if this is correct then I must not have enjoyed it much.

I'm talking about scents here so this is all up to the individual person if it's good or bad.
I had found a company that used to give 7 different barbershop scented soaps in a sample pack but this is no longer available. Bummer. As that would have been nice to try.
So to all of you who have found a great Barbershop Scented soap, which one do you enjoy?

Help me to pick a new one.

I like Noble Otter Bar Bar. I guess that that is a barbershop scent.

I've heard of Arko being described as a barbershop scent. I guess if you're in a Turkish barbershop, that would be true.

Another vote here for Noble Otter ~ Barr Barr

Pete <:-}

I don’t remember a scent from my barbershop soap, I do remember the lilac tonic. And the Pinaud aftershave

I do admit Arko being a nice clean scent. Good soap scent to me. But a barbershop scent?

Don't recall a barber shop scent connected to shave soap but rather to the aftershave they used. Up here that would be something like Aqua Velva Ice Blue.

I agree with bluesman that Arko would be a barber shop scent in Turkey.

Bob

Mystic Water Barbershop is quite nice.

I looked up BarrBarr and this is the scents involved...
Lemon, Rosemary, Basil, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Patchouli

much different than the Oleo. It could be worth checking out.

Anyone else have any other names?

Gentlemen,

I have used a number of shave soaps and creams with what we might call barbershop scents. Unfortunately, I am having too many senior moments these days and can’t remember all the names.

I agree on Arko having a barbershop scent. Not far behind is Arlington by D.R. Harris. Actually, I find Arlington to be a milder version of Arko. Take a sniff and you’ll see what I mean.

I think Provence Sante Verlain can pass for a barbershop scent: floral, clean, soapy. Tabac, for me, sits next to Arko and Arlington as a genuine barbershop scent. I have never tried Pinaud soap, but if the fragrance is anywhere near that of the aftershave splash, I’ll put in the barbershop category. Eaton College Collection and Jermin Street Collection from Taylor of Old Bond Street can pass for barbershop scents.

Artisan shave soaps and creamS, I’m sure, offer some examples of the barbershop scent; however, I’m not up on them.

I use Maggard’s London Barbershop. I cannot speak to the authenticity of a fragrance (having been in London curry shops but never barbershops) but would describe it as clean and powdery. The scent is strong during lathering and shaving but does not linger after the rinse. And rinse it does. This soap leaves the skin squeaky clean with the downside it does not have the slickness of, say, Stirling’s products.

Lather is easy- almost too easy. You’ll need to think about baseball while loading. The first loading swirls will start to bloom and fool you into thinking it’s ready to go. But swirl a little more unless you’re only doing a single pass. Otherwise, this soap does not seem to care about quantity or temperature of water.

So, Powdery smell. Easy lather. Could be slicker. Easy rinse.

I could send you a sample of Barr Barr Jerry.

The only thing I think my old barber shop from the early/mid 70s smelled like was Old Spice! And I think that was the tonic he would put in my hair as a kid after I got a cut.

So the powdery smells are what I think of when I think "barber shop".

Yes l. I agree about the powdery scent being a big part of it. Id still be willing to pick up another puck or two so Im still enterested in what others say.
And Vic, i couldnt wait. I didnt have any Otter in my cabinet so i ordered it already. I did enjoy the Otter sample I got from you earlier. I found it to be a good quality of soap. So I figure I cant lose.

Who knows what a babershop scent smells like, but I Barr Barr as it's the closest to the scent of the barber shop I grew up going to in the 50's. I also like Mike's Natural Soaps in the barbershop scent.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gasman

Yes l. I agree about the powdery scent being a big part of it. Id still be willing to pick up another puck or two so Im still enterested in what others say.
And Vic, i couldnt wait. I didnt have any Otter in my cabinet so i ordered it already. I did enjoy the Otter sample I got from you earlier. I found it to be a good quality of soap. So I figure I cant lose.

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You won't be disappointed.

This November I'm going to start a Noble Otter November thread... N.O.vember.

sounds good. I will be watching for the thread.

Richard, I will check into that one. Thanks.

Mikes Natural:
Barber Shop (FO) - A complex, potent, manly scent consisting of bergamot, basil, oakmoss, and patchouli. $10.50br>OUT OF STOCK

Barbershop scent? Har har.

Unless you grew up in the 1800s or around WWl barbershops used the old Campbell lather king which produced a very light garbage lather with a very light scent to it. Health regs would not allow them to use a soap in a mug with a common brush unless you could bring your own (some did). Also the lather king lather was applied by hand with no brush. Of course by the 1950s increasingly fewer got shaves in barber shops so it was used for trimming after a haircut.

Always thought it amusing about the "Barbershop" scented soap just about every artisan company makes.. None have ever come really even close in scent to each other :)
Though I have no clue myself if Maggards/Through the Fire is truly a Barbershop scent my vote goes to them.. Really enjoy that stuff.. Actually Jerry I kind of forgot I want to send you those razors I had PM'd you about a few weeks ago. I'll send those out to you Monday and throw in
A sample of Maggards Barbershop soap for you.. PM Monday afternoon when done sending that out..
Scott

Sounds good Scott. A sample would be nice to check the scent. I have tried those soaps before. I dont remember much about it. It would be nice to try again. Thanks.

Im finding the "barbershop scent is different from maker to maker but 2 or 3 scents are usually in it.

I'm kind of mixed on barbershop scents, not being a fan of stuff that's too powdery or more in the vanilla, tobacco, leather, musky scent range. Not as clean smelling as I would like. I tried a sample of Stirling Barbershop but I couldn't bring it in the house for all the vanilla scent (not a fan of that).

After sharing a sense of what I like here are my takes:
Barrister & Mann's Seville is worth a go. I'm close to finishing up a tub of that.
Fine American Blend - fresh and clean, but barbershoppy to me.
Proraso Green - depending where your barbershop is ;)

I think this is subjective. When I got my first tub of ToBS Sandalwood, I thought "Barbershop!"

Couple of other guys have said the same when I let them check it out.

Others (including my wonderful wife) can't stand it.

I liked Zingari Man Wanderer , practically the same fragrance than Mike's Barbershop and very good performance as the latter.

Zingari Man Wanderer: Bergamot, Citrus, Oakmoss, Basil, Patchouli.
Almost the same scents as Mikes Naturals. Again, out of stock. Still, thanks as I had never heard of Zingari Man.

I got the Otter yesterday and gave it a serious try. Lathers up nice and the after the shave feel of my face was good. Not pinched and not extremely greased. Some of these new soaps get a little carried away with the kinds of butter and you come away a bit on the greasy side. This wasn't like that at all.

The scent of the BarrBarr was a good choice as I felt it had a lot of what I was looking for in a Barbershop scent. So thanks to Vic for pointing me in that direction. I still have a few more I'm looking to order to add to my growing collection of soaps but at least this one worked out well for me. I hope to be satisfied with my soap collection before I get to 10 years' worth of soap. But it's getting closer all the time. And I mean the 10 years' worth.

So, if you haven't tried Noble Otter Soaps give them a try. Made in Texas, I think it was worth the 20 bucks shipped price tag.

I’d have to say Alvarez Gomez Barberia. It shaves very nicely and my Wife loves to scent.

I'll second Barrister and Mann's Seville. One of my top scents, and lady friend approved as well.

Anything by Geo F Trumper, Taylor of Old Bond Street, D.R. Harris, Truefitt and Hill...