Valobra hard soaps

ajc347

ajc347

Messages
1,648
Location
Exeter
I've been looking at the current line up of Valobra hard soaps and am curious as to what people who have used them think of them.

I know they make soaps for Czech and Speak so I would expect them to perform similarly.

I like the sound of the Patchouly and Cologne soaps but am struggling to get a clear sense of how they smell - I'm presuming that the Cologne would smell a bit like D R Harris Windsor and the Patchouly would have more of a citrusy smell?

The other question concerns the un-scented version. Does it really have no scent at all or is it more of an artificial smell like Simpson's shaving cream, for example?

What are your thoughts guys?
 
There is no more personal a thing than scent but as you asked the question......I had a stick of Valobra and a sample of their menthol soft soap. The stick smelled like dog piss on a wet carpet and the soft soap smelled like dog piss on a wet carpet that had been unsuccessfully cleaned using a menthol based cleaner. I struggled through a fair portion of the stick because Valobra is in my view one of the best, if not the best lathering soaps out there. As I've stayed clear of any of their offerings since, I don't know if their current crop is a new formula or just the old one spiced up with scents. I'd say try and get hold of a sample from somewhere before buying a tub full. On the other hand the performance is second to none so it might be worth a try on that basis alone.
 
I have the unscented version, and find it a very good performer. Good lather, slick and no need for me to use a/s or a balm afterwards.

Ian
 
RB73 said:
That seems very odd fella, the soap stick scent is what you would call classic soap smell. Didn't get a duffer did you?
Click to expand...

Yeah I've heard people refer to it as just a soapy smell. Don't think it was a duffer but based on the same scent I detected in the soft soap I'm not willing to buy another one just to find out. It's the only soap I've ever used I wouldn't buy again because of it's scent.
 
Sir_eider said:
I had the Fougere version. Really good performance but strange /poor smell. I sold it finally but probably will get the unscented version in the near future.

Cheers
Click to expand...

That's generally my impression of Valobra soaps. You rarely hear people exult about the scent. It's usually great performance/OK scent or great performance/weird scent (or worse!). It's a pity because I love the lather it produces. But shaving with a clothes peg on your nose is just uncomfortable.
 
I used the Valobra stick last night. Scent to me is just a classic simple soapy smell. Performance, however, was top notch.

I've also started using Valobra's normal soap to wash my face in the shower and as part of my pre-shave routine. It's also very good, qaulity soap.
 
I have Valobra Patchouli and would describe the scent as being a very sweet patchouli scent. I have Tabula Rasa patchouli and this is a classic earthy patchouli scent. When comparing the two scents at first sniff it would be easy to find little similarities between the two, but the eathry mossy scent is there deep in the Valobra scent. The only difference is that there is a very dry sweet top note to the Valobra.

BTW I much prefer the Valobra scent. Many purists would probably say the Tabula Rasa is a truer patchouli scent, but I love the Valobra scent.

The performace is fantastic too, I'm buying this soap again!

Edit - I noticed you guessed that Patchouli has a citrus note, I'd say that that is not the case. Expect the usual mossy earthy basenotes, but with a lighter sweeter top note. If its citrus that you are after I have read previously that the cologne is similar to Arlington, with a hint of citrus.
 
Valobra Fern (stick) is one of the classic traditional shaving scents. It is a mild fougere but very pleasant. The Fougere 100g is a stronger version of the stick scent.

I have also used the Cologne & this is the same as their bath soap. Mild soapy, Gold Medal like scent.
 
Thank you for all of the replies guys. :)

I've had a puck of Cologne arrive from a BST on another forum and must say that the smell is interesting and is starting to grow on me.

I've used it once and the performance is great.

I think it's definitely going to be worth trying out a couple of other pucks as well.

Thanks again guys, your help had been much appreciated. :)
 
Interesting thread. I was curious about the hard soaps in the past, but didn't look to get any samples or to buy any pucks.

Curiosity has got the better of me though and I've now ordered a shaving stick, given how good some of the reviews for this are, I want to know what it is that I'm missing.

I see from the online stores that the ingredients do list 'parfum' as an ingredient - I too would like to know the closest scent to it from the hard soaps range. I'll give my opinion back on here when I've sniffed and shaved with the stick, but can't actually compare it to one of the hard pucks until such time that I get one (if I do).
 
Finally had a shave with the Valobra stick, so just to follow up following my previous post, here are my thoughts.

It seems the DNA 'clay' note in Valobra-branded and Valobra-made notes is here too. I detect that note in C&S No.88 a bit, the original formulation of AoS soaps and to a lesser extent C&S Oxford and Cambridge.

It doesn't bother me at all as the shave stick is very mildly scented with this note, it's clean and soapy and makes a great lather.

These are my first impressions anyway. I hope to try this one out a lot more over the next few days/weeks to get a firmer idea overall.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom