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The title says it all. Disregarding cost and scent, which soaps are your best performers? By performance, I mean to consider pre-shave prep qualities, glide, cushion, residual slickness (for buffing, etc.), skin care qualities, lather that won't likely dry out during shave, ease of lathering and post shave feel. Please try to keep your top soaps to under five choices, with possible honorable mentions if you feel bad about leaving any out. Feel free to also post your disappointments at the end.
My favorites in order:
1. PannaCrema Nuavia - best pre-shave qualities prepping the whiskers like no other soap, residual slickness, glide, and cushion are above average, soap acts like an aftershave like none other so that a splash may not even be required. Post shave feel is tops. Ease of lathering is average. My favorite soap.
2. La Savonniere du Moulin - Very close second, almost a tie for my favorite soap. The very best slickness and glide, and skin care qualities are second to none. Matched in post shave feel with Nuavia, but a completely different kind of feel, more moisturizing and nourishing. Feel on skin during the shave just feels the most gentle, creamy, healthy and nourishing.
(These top two soaps are so good, I could drop all the rest and never use another soap again (not doing that quite yet though
), but for completely different reasons and qualities.)
3. Barrister & Mann - Best 'looking' lather, and stays hydrated in bowl better than any other soap. Top marks in residual slickness and glide. Ease of lathering is second only to MdC. Cushion and post shave is average. All around strong top performer in nearly every category.
4. Czech & Speake - Best cushion, and most protective of all my soaps. Residual slickness is below average, glide is average, but cushion makes up for this. Excellent post shave feel!
5. Martin de Candre - Ease of lather is a the very top of all other soaps here. Skin care qualities are also top of the line, but may not do well for those with dry skin, as it cleans as it shaves. Nothing cleans while shaving like MdC. Stays well hydrated in the bowl. Cushion is average. Glide is above average, while residual slickness is below average. Love the post shave clean feel.
Honorable mentions go to Esbjerg as my favorite cream (and may break into my top 5)... and Mystic Water...
My greatest disappointments are AdP, LPL, and Soap Commander, for various reasons.
Still looking to eventually try MWF, Tabac, SMN, Meißner Tremonia, CRSW, and Haslinger.
My favorites in order:
1. PannaCrema Nuavia - best pre-shave qualities prepping the whiskers like no other soap, residual slickness, glide, and cushion are above average, soap acts like an aftershave like none other so that a splash may not even be required. Post shave feel is tops. Ease of lathering is average. My favorite soap.
2. La Savonniere du Moulin - Very close second, almost a tie for my favorite soap. The very best slickness and glide, and skin care qualities are second to none. Matched in post shave feel with Nuavia, but a completely different kind of feel, more moisturizing and nourishing. Feel on skin during the shave just feels the most gentle, creamy, healthy and nourishing.
(These top two soaps are so good, I could drop all the rest and never use another soap again (not doing that quite yet though
), but for completely different reasons and qualities.)3. Barrister & Mann - Best 'looking' lather, and stays hydrated in bowl better than any other soap. Top marks in residual slickness and glide. Ease of lathering is second only to MdC. Cushion and post shave is average. All around strong top performer in nearly every category.
4. Czech & Speake - Best cushion, and most protective of all my soaps. Residual slickness is below average, glide is average, but cushion makes up for this. Excellent post shave feel!
5. Martin de Candre - Ease of lather is a the very top of all other soaps here. Skin care qualities are also top of the line, but may not do well for those with dry skin, as it cleans as it shaves. Nothing cleans while shaving like MdC. Stays well hydrated in the bowl. Cushion is average. Glide is above average, while residual slickness is below average. Love the post shave clean feel.
Honorable mentions go to Esbjerg as my favorite cream (and may break into my top 5)... and Mystic Water...
My greatest disappointments are AdP, LPL, and Soap Commander, for various reasons.
Still looking to eventually try MWF, Tabac, SMN, Meißner Tremonia, CRSW, and Haslinger.
