Thread: I gotta ask, what is it about Tabac?

Originally Posted by Alraz

With all due respect and as much I like Tabac, I must completely disagree with this statement. This comparison is simply unfair, even if differences in performance between soaps and creams is taken into account. Tabac is an excellent soap from the performance standpoint but it is a mass produced product that provides little to no benefits for the skin. It is also made with a fragrance oils. Castle Forbes (CF) on the other hand, belongs to a unique class of products that excels in performance in all areas. It is also made with essential oils and other botanicals that not only help the shave but also the skin. Unlike Tabac, CF is a high end product. There are a few examples of soaps that could be included in the same category as CF but Tabac is, unfortunately, not one of them.

Al raz.

I don't think we disagree that much. Your statement in red, is exactly the opposite of what I was trying to say. I don't think they can be compared either. And indeed, doing so would be unfair. My post tried to get that point across:
Tabac is a very good soap.
Castle Forbes is a very good cream.

I believe what I marked in blue, is key. Not being much of an expert, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears to me that creams can be formulated with a much wider choice of ingredients than soaps. Which, by that logic would put creams in another category. (I am aware that there are product on the market that are some kind of hybrid between creams and soaps. "Cella Crema da Sapone" comes to mind.)

Kind regards,
Bart.

I just want to clarify my opinion to lay this to rest. The reason why I disagree with your statements is because when I read your posts, particularly the first, I get the impression that taking into account the intrinsic differences between soaps and creams, both products belong in the same category, and in my opinion, they do not:

Post 1:

Originally Posted by Bart

In my experience,

snip (differences between soaps and creams)

Tabac may be the Castle Forbes of the soaps, meaning one of the very best.

Post 2:

Originally Posted by Bart

My post tried to get that point across:
Tabac is a very good soap.
Castle Forbes is a very good cream.

For me Tabac is is like the Proraso of soaps, very good mas produced product with outstanding shaving performance, "generic" scent and excellent value but there is where it ends. Castle Forbes is in a different class, which includes only a handful of products that in addition to an outstanding performance, provide excellent skin conditioning (very often neglected) and luxurious scent. Castle Forbes can be regarded simply as the BEST! cream on the web, that is until Robin discovered Domenico Caraceni, which I have not tried yet ;-). Because in my opinion, shaving goes beyond the pure act of removing whiskers and these differences enhance the shaving experience, I have to make the distinction between these two products.

Originally Posted by Bart

Not being much of an expert, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears to me that creams can be formulated with a much wider choice of ingredients than soaps. Which, by that logic would put creams in another category. (I am aware that there are product on the market that are some kind of hybrid between creams and soaps. "Cella Crema da Sapone" comes to mind.)

I find the ingredients in soaps and creams to be similar in both but because creams do not have to be solid, there is a bit more flexibility in the formulation. On the other hand, because creams have to be stable, this freedom is not infinite ;-).

I hope that I was able to explain why I like to keep Tabac and Castle Forbes separated.

Al raz.

Good Afternoon Gentlemen,

A few weeks ago i logged on here out of curiosity for the Tabac, because I've heard so many Gents say they were fond of it, and was surprised at the obvious split. It's either a love or hate kinda thing....lol.

Chris was kind enough to send me a sample of Tabac so I could experience a fine whiff of the coveted Tabac so as to see what all the fuss was about.

( Thank you Chris )

We've been a bit busy with the sale, so my apologies for my late response, and I haven't had a chance to whip up a bowl of cream yet.....HOWEVER......for the scent of TABAC......... (and after looking thru the emoticons.....don't see one that accurately conveys my opinion ...lol )

I do not like Tabac ! "ewwwwwwwww" cough, cough......

It was interesting though.....my first sniff, "I liked it" and I could sense the tobacco.......so i sniffed again ......and then i didnt like it quite as much, because there's some weird sick sweet smell.......so i waited a bit.....sniffed again.....and thats when I decided i don't like Tabac. It also burns the back of my throat which is an indication of fragrance oils. Yea, I'm a little weird

The bottom note is good, and I'll do a little research to find out what that is.....but the heart and top note I don't like. But for me, this is the fun part of formulating; taking what works and then adding my own twist to it.

Thats my final answer.....

Soapmistress

I've been wondering what your opinion was going to be and I'm glad to hear you got the sample. We both have Singlewedge to thank since he gave me that sample originally.

I did find that the scent was stronger and more offensive to me when I sniffed it right out of the container but after doing a partial shave with it, the scent on my actual face was in the realm of being acceptable.

Chris L

Originally Posted by churley

Good Afternoon Gentlemen,

A few weeks ago i logged on here out of curiosity for the Tabac, because I've heard so many Gents say they were fond of it, and was surprised at the obvious split. It's either a love or hate kinda thing....lol.

Chris was kind enough to send me a sample of Tabac so I could experience a fine whiff of the coveted Tabac so as to see what all the fuss was about.

( Thank you Chris )

We've been a bit busy with the sale, so my apologies for my late response, and I haven't had a chance to whip up a bowl of cream yet.....HOWEVER......for the scent of TABAC......... (and after looking thru the emoticons.....don't see one that accurately conveys my opinion ...lol )

I do not like Tabac ! "ewwwwwwwww" cough, cough......

It was interesting though.....my first sniff, "I liked it" and I could sense the tobacco.......so i sniffed again ......and then i didnt like it quite as much, because there's some weird sick sweet smell.......so i waited a bit.....sniffed again.....and thats when I decided i don't like Tabac. It also burns the back of my throat which is an indication of fragrance oils. Yea, I'm a little weird

The bottom note is good, and I'll do a little research to find out what that is.....but the heart and top note I don't like. But for me, this is the fun part of formulating; taking what works and then adding my own twist to it.

Thats my final answer.....

Soapmistress

Of course the Soapmistress would advise against Tabac! She sells soap!!!!



I'm just teasing you Colleen..

I haven't been able to find it. Where can I get it?

I'm not a cream guy, most likely because I've never tried CF creams (this will be remedied soon). However, if CF is an elite performing cream, comparing it to Tabac would be terribly unfair. Tabac is a good soap, not a very good soap, and certainly no where near an elite soap IMO. In my rotation, Tabac is a sideline observer that hasn't gotten in the game for months. He's like the the 4th string quarterback that gets to say he played on a national championship football team...

Bottom line, if a product isn't at least as good as Tabac, I'm not interested in the least.

I need to get me some CF to try...

I find it odd that Tabac has the same scent as Alt Innsbruck.

Alt Innsbruck is said to be a single note fragrance.

After smelling Tabac and Innsbruck I can say that I do not believe this to be the case. If you find out what they are let me know.

Perhaps Lily of the valley?

Tabac is a great shaver, and the smell is OK. When I bought it for the first time I remember reading these threads here saying how it smells worse than any other soap on this planet. The soap I had and still didn't finish were Proraso & palmolive and the creams were one from the Body shop and one TOBS. I thought the TOBS was the best at that time, but after using and comparing all the above for many many shaves now, TABAC is still the best shaver? I did not test any other brands yet as I find it hard to justify having more soaps and creams in the bathroom than my girlfriend.. The smell by the way, does smell like my grandma did, and like her house and everything, pretty funny!

However, my girlfriend noticed that I did not stop talking about shaving for a number of weeks and got me the aftershave and deodorant stick of TABAC as well, lol. The deodorant is OK and has nothing to do with the smell of TABAC soap, but the aftershave is exactly that smell! Of course, I'm nice and put it on, and have started to like it. I do want to add that the smell gets better and even nice throughout the day. I prefer this a thousand times over the same old axe/wilkinson smell that everything else seems to have these days.

Originally Posted by Oglethorpe

Of course the Soapmistress would advise against Tabac! She sells soap!!!!



I'm just teasing you Colleen..

OMG.......hush now! Im trying to be covert

Soapmistress