Thread: I Coloniali Shave Soap

Gentlemen:

I plan to write a review of the delightful I Coloniali in the coming weeks, after I finish the one on La Toja.

I Coloniali is a hard soap. I have it in the pottery bowl. Yes, the fitting of the soap in the bowl is not glove-tight, but I don't find problem with that. On the way to the shower I heat the bowl in the sink and cover the soap with about a tablespoon of hot tap water. After the shower I empty the little water on the soap into my Schwarzweisskeramik scuttle, load the brush with I Coloniali and start making lather. I don't recall the soap wobbling in the bowl.

I Coloniali's lather texture is similar to that of Mitchell's Wool Fat. You have to load the brush long, at least 30 second, and play with the water ratio in your lather bowl. Do not expect big lather from I Coloniali. Do expect, however, quality moisture, glide and cushion. I get all three for a good shave. The fragrance is intoxicating, I might add.

No, I Coloniali is not up to the level of Martin de Candre or Provence Sante. At least I don't think so. Mitchell's Wool Fat and Tabac I rate slightly higher in overall shave quality, as well as some of the other English soaps. Still, I find I Coloniali delightful and worth the shave. I think I'll always keep it around. Without getting too precise, I would give I Coloniali an overall 8 on the scale — for now. That might change in either direction after I test it for a review.

Regards,

Obie

Nice!

I really like La Toja, it gives great lather and the scent is really deep. it actually surprised me how much I like it.

I'm going to have to try Provence Sante and Martin de Candre, I keep reading all these great posts about them and I feel like I'm missing out.

I look forward to reading your reviews Obie!

It's a very good soap. I prefer it to a couple of soaps you mentioned but everyone's different.

Grated mine up today into it's ceramic bowl and it seems a lot happier this way then it did as a solid puck. Looking forward to giving it another shot.

I really love the smell and great shaves I get off the mango cream but have to say I expected it was a cream and not a soap when I bought it. I think it should be re-labeled a soap so as to prevent confusion. At least mine was hard like soap, maybe I got a dry batch.

As well the post shave balm is the best I have ever used. It is my favorite, really has a great chemistry for my face. It is the balm I use if the rest of the shave feels like I have irritated something as it seems to calm my face from even a touchy shave.

I haven't tried La Toja yet, It's on my list.

Oh no you don't. You ain't gonna cajole me into buying more soaps. I don't care what our resident soap enabler says. He probably has a vault stocked with these soaps and err...umm...where you say you bought this stuff?

I just got a puck of this, in the terra cota bowl. its got a smokey, almost sweet scent to it. very slick, velvety lather, but not very airy. skin feels great afterwards too, nice and.....moist.

'Makes me wonder what I got. On Obie's recommendation, I bought a refill puck. It was pliable, like Prorazo. Scent (I don't care about scent much) was in the baby powder/talcum powder area. Easy to lather, makes lofty suds. Moisture wasn't good for me (I have very hard water). A follow up stroke more than a few seconds after the first stroke met dry skin.

I mentioned I don't care about scent. Then there's the lovely bride. She smelled before the shave and didn't care for it, After the shave, this turned to active loathing. 'I'll buy you the soap or cream of your choice if you'll throw that one away!' Sigh. If the moisture were better, I might have kept using it anyway, but it didn't work that well for me. I was a bit surprised. Obie's tastes, I trust without question, and I'll keep trying those he likes. I'll be forever grateful for his recommendation of Provence Sante. 'Still the best lather I've had without mixing, augmenting. 'Just outstanding stuff.

Originally Posted by Stubear

Nice!

I really like La Toja, it gives great lather and the scent is really deep. it actually surprised me how much I like it.

I'm going to have to try Provence Sante and Martin de Candre, I keep reading all these great posts about them and I feel like I'm missing out.

I look forward to reading your reviews Obie!

Provence Sante is a good soap. I have the Verlain scent and grated it makes a great stick.