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Hi group,
Surprised to see there is not thread here on the new DR Harris Windsor soap. I have seen many pics of it in the shave of the day boards, so I wondered if we could start a thread for it and write our thought on it here.
That should make it easier for people to find information on this soap in future. I haven't purchased one yet, but will probably do eventually.
So, over to you. What are your thought on this soap? Both positive and ..... not so positive!
I acquired my Windsor back in July, being a huge fan of the D.R. Harris soaps. Thankfully, Harris has refrained from reformulation that has been the demise of so many other UK soaps. Until the launch of this soap in July, Arlington has always been my number one soap, both in terms of scent(citrus/fern) and performance. Enter in to the equation the Windsor soap, and a new number one is here. Harris soaps, still containing tallow, lather incredibly easily, provide excellent cushion and glide, and the post shave feel is sublime. I have read mixed comments on the scent but for me, it beats Arlington. Negative comments? I'll let you know if I find one. It's that good!!!
Thanks, David. A glowing report from you then :)
I'm definitely after one, when I can get down to their London store I want to have a sniff of the soap itself rather than the cologne. I had the Arlington and sold it. Couldn't take some of the notes... but it was a fantastic performer!!
What post shave would you use to pair with this soap? Anything you think works better than others?
The scent of the soap is identical to the EdT, which is pretty much the same as Terre d'Hermes. I have the soap and the EdT but held off the aftershave. My favourite aftershaves with this are the Italian Floid Blue and "The Genuine".
I'm thinking this would be good to pair with TdH as a scent. It's my 'signature scent' and that's what attracted me to it. I suppose the after shave balm of TdH might be good to pair with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Optometrist
With a scent so close, I don't see why not.Quote:
Originally Posted by rum
Don't be so sure. I believe that it has been reformulated in recent years. Unless of course you meant it that the reforumlation hasn't been detrimental to its overall quality?Quote:
Originally Posted by Optometrist
+1. I was under the impression that they reformulated with the non tallow a few years ago. I haven't messed with it since so I don't know what the story is now. Same with Trumpers IIRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan82
I told my wife i was picking some stocking stuffers for her to give to me at christmas and she said sure.:y
So i ordered a bunch of soap/cream I wanted to try. I ordered Tabac refill soap, 12 scent TOBS sampler, and a travel tube of D.R. Harris windsor. Out of all of them, I cant wait to try the windsor!! Now I know its not the soap like the thread says but I had to try it and the travel tube seemed like a good start. The only bad thing, I have to wait until Christmas to try it.:td
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan82
Trumper and Penhaligon's reformulated from tallow to vegetable soaps some years ago. The Pen's soaps have always been diabolical since then, Trumper did a pretty fine job of it until 2 years ago, when I believe the manufacturer was changed. Harris soaps, with the exception of the Naturals(which is veggie appalling too), still contain tallow as the 2nd ingredient, and it is these 5 soaps that perform excellently as Arlington, Marlborough, Windsor, Lavender and Almond. MWF is the only other tallow UK soap I know of, all others deciding to go down the veggie route.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
I recall reading on this forum (??) a long time ago that Harris was reformulated but tallow remained in there as a major ingredient (hence first or second on the list). Someone even suggested the tallow was not of an "animal sourced product" but I'm not sure how true that is. The Arlington that I owned a year ago seemed to perform very well, just like any other top-quality soap.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
The cream can't be far off from the soap at least in terms of scent... so that's a good place to start IMHO. Not that I've tried the cream though...Quote:
Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY
The Trumper's soaps was the first that I tried when I first started this 'hobby' back in 2005. I still have the original bowl. The soap quality back then was superb. I hadn't noticed the ingredients as I had thrown the box away shortly after purchase. I remember comparing my face after using the canned goo and a female relative describing my face as a "pepperoni supreme" pizza... After using the Trumper's soap for just a few months, the same people were saying how clear and "handsome" my face looked!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Optometrist
There has been a definite decline in the quality of the Trumper's soap, although it seems to lather up about the same as before. I use the Rose in the summer but it's not a regular one in my rotation. I've gone off it quite a bit recently. Obviously I've used and tried other soaps since 2005 (too many to list!) so my comparison is probably slightly biased.
"Someone even suggested the tallow was not of an "animal sourced product" but I'm not sure how true that is. "
Last I checked, tallow was, by definition, an animal sourced product.
I believe that DR Harris did reformulate a few years ago, and even went through a short period where some of the new formula soaps were pretty poor, but they fixed it some time ago, and their current soaps are excellent.
I know this thread is old but I started it :)
Just wondered if people's opinions about D R Harris soaps have changed in the last few years. Do people see them as being of the same top quality as before? Are other brands better out there?
I've used a lot of different soaps, but DR Harris hard soaps are my favourites. The Almond particularly (which has no almond scent, but rather the scent they're anachronistically calling Twenty Nine (rose geranium, cinnamon, clove - no almond/marzipan at all) ).
I stopped by in their shop and bought a soap.. Long story short : I gave it to my brother, not impressed.Quote:
Originally Posted by rum
I asked to see the straight razors, the guy started to show me DE's?
He said they were straights and what I was talking about are called cut throat razors.
Umm ok :/
Don't you just love it when the SA's know better than their customers? I was also in their Piccadilly store last week. Didn't buy anything as the wife was with me, but I was tempted. I think nice looking bowls is not an excuse to jump in on a new soap.Quote:
Originally Posted by JOB15
Thanks for that. Is 29 available as a soap?Quote:
Originally Posted by benhunt
I'm new to using shave soaps and SR'ing (25yr DE'er and always used hair conditioner). Being new to SR'ing, I did order a few different soaps to try. DR Harris sandalwood and almond were 2 I ordered. Personally, I don't care for the almond (just something about the scent). I do however, really like the sandalwood. It seems to lather very well, as compared to the 3 others I ordered (Van Der Hagen, which I did not care for at all. And Mama Bear, which lathers nicely, but the sandalwood has a 'different', underlying scent that I'm not sure if I like).
While I don't know how the 'old' version of DR Harris soaps performed, I really do like the 'current.'
The Windsor has been my favorite for years - easily in my top 5, Harris, along with Penhaligons hard soaps are among the best you can get IMO.
And of all the Harrs soaps - the Windsor blew me away from the first use - I've posted about it many times...epic soap IMO- going to order the Harris Lavevder to try soon.
My sole DR Harris soap, Arlington, is at least 3 years old. For me it has a nice enough scent and the performance is fine but for some reason I am not particularly bowled over by it. I wish I could put my finger on why that is exactly.
Bob
Know what you mean - for me, it just smells to sweet, an almost like candy smell that is just enough to be slightly off putting....Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH
No, I am not put off by the scent. It is something else that I just can't put my finger on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phrank
Bob
Just tried the Arlington for my mid day shave. Still feel kinda blah towards it even though it did a fine job. Who knows?
Bob
Technically speaking, this thread is about Windsor per se, but then again I did ask a general follow-up question on D R Harris soaps in general.
When I owned one, I do recall thinking to myself the lather was a bit thin compared to the likes of Tabac or Martin de Candre. Any thoughts on this?
Not sure what it is with anything almond that my fellow Brits come up with, I just think only the Italians do almond well when it comes to soap.Quote:
Originally Posted by AcesandEights
Thanks for posting this. I tried it's sister scent (Terre d' Hermes) only yesterday after a year without it. I ended up getting a small amount of the Pure Parfum as it brought back some very good memories. I wonder if I will get this from the Windsor. Going to try it I think in the Harris store.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phrank
I guess it could be a little thin at times. I found I had to load it hard and long and then add water, quite a bit really, to get it to a nice state. I think it is a thirsty soap that can take some messing with to work right. Something like MWF.Quote:
Originally Posted by rum
Bob
I have the Windsor puck I bought last year and a 2 year old Arlington shave stick. I find it easier to get a nice lather using the stick. The puck takes more effort to get the lather thick which I chalk up to way the soap is applied, not a difference in the formula. I like the scent of both the Windsor and the Arlington, but the females I have asked prefer the Arlington. The same applies to the respective aftershave lotions.
Shaving with marzipan... <shiver>Quote:
Originally Posted by rum
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH
Many thanks to you both for your input. Both your posts are interesting. Recently I have only been using the Palmolive Shave Stick and my pot of new formula XPEC scented. I get gobs of lather from the XPEC as you would expect from a pot-loaded cream, but the Palmolive stick is really a surprise. I guess it's easier to load more my rubbing the stick directly on the face when compared with puck-loading. The Palmolive really excels in this area, so long as you don't have a full beard that is. And it's easier to travel with.Quote:
Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings
I suppose I should just get a small 10 or 15ml tube of the cream or a shave stick of Windsor (or Arlington) and see hoe it goes. The sticks are more expensive given the weight of the soap you get for the same sort of money as a new refill puck. Still, my curiosity has been stimulated now.
I seem to always get nice, thick, yoghourty lather out of DR Harris, Martin de Candre, Tabac, and Mitchell Wool Fat. I would generally put these all together as representing top class soaps. I still think the DR Harris Almond is the best performing of the DR Harris line (and the scent really is great - very pleasant and mild).Quote:
Originally Posted by rum