Thread: The Keepers

Gentlemen,

Periodically I adjust my regular shave soap lineup as I discover new ones. I don't do this with creams, since I prefer soaps, and once my current stash of creams runs out, I will replenish only Castle Forbes. Not that soaps are better than creams, no, not at all. Soaps, however, are a continuous search for me, an expedition of sort. I've just about coverd the gamut of soaps from France, England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and a few other countries. It gets expensive, yes, but I enjoy the tour.

I rarely uber-lather, because I believe a good soap should stand on its own — and I use good soaps. To me, for instancing, spiking Martin de Candre, Provence Sante, or Mitchell's Wool Fat, among other fine soaps, is sacrilege. It's like trying to change Ernest Hemingway's writing, or that of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Now, that is sacrilege. Anyway, on the rare occasion that I do spike my soap is because of its low quality, one of the misses in my search, so to speak — until I decide to send it to the happy farm for good.

Also, I tend to buy these with their distinct soap bowls. I might as well. Mitchell's Wool Fat deserves its own bowl; so does Provence Sante; and Martin de Candre. On the other hand, somehow I can't make myself buy the tin can L'Occitane uses for a soap bowl. For heaven's sake, couldn't you do any better for such a fine soap? But what do I know? I just work here.

Recently I have discovered Scottish Fine Soaps (Classic Male Grooming). I knew of this soap for a while, but chose not to go after it, because I was chasing others. Also, a while back SRP had a thread on this soap that somewhere along the way went off topic and, frustrated, I gave up on the thread and moved on to others. I tend to do that with threads that lose their focus. Anyway . . .

This morning I shaved with this soap and was delighted with my discovery. The soap met the four requirements I ask in a good soap: moisture, glide, cushion, and coda. Coda is the musical term I like to use for how the soap leaves the face after the shave. The pleasant fragrance is mild, a blend of powder and plain old natural smelling soap.

I used the 6/8 Red Imp square point, with the silky edge Sham (hi_bud_gl) had put on it, and the Thater 22 mm. stubby brush, which I really like. I usually do two passes, because of my sensitive skin and heavy beard, but I was enjoying myself so much that I went to three passes. I think I could have added a few more passes just to stretch my enjoyment of the trio.

So here I am ready to stamp the keepers in my stash:

Martin de Candre
Provence Sante Verlaine
Institute Karite
L'Occitane
Le Collectioneur Lothantique
Truefitt & Hill
Mitchell's Wood Fat
D.H. Harris lavender
Tabac
Valobra
Scottish Fine Soaps
Klar (a quality German soap, which is another recent discovery)

I am sure I'll make other discoveries, with hits and misses, but the list above has been steady. That does not count Scottish Fine Soaps and Klar, which need more testing.

Gentlemen, have you any keepers in your stash? Thanks.