Lol I think I have some in every base, though I'm about to give the black label lavender to a friend.
The Shaving Cadre
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Barrister & Mann soaps.......still my all around favorite brand!
- Thread starter ShavePastor
- Start date
Dang it, Tim. I'll text you on Friday to figure out which samples to send you.
Dang it, Tim. I'll text you on Friday to figure out which samples to send you.
Nice!!
Tim, just be sure to use a generous amount in a bowl if your using the sample. I have found for some reason the samples seem to need a little more product to get it right. Some have had a hard time figuring how to lather this soap & prematurely wrote it off.
Not sure how you do, but I simply smoosh a good bit into the ridges of my shave bowl (no blooming of the soap!); wet the synthetic brush & then squeeze out almost all water so it is mostly dry; then build lather slowly by adding a few drops of water as necessary till you get it where you want it.
The soap will go through stages in the process: first it will be dry & tacky & you'll know it needs more water; then it'll go through the gooey/stringy stage & you'll think there's something wrong with it (there isn't, just keep building & adding a few more drops); then after a bit it will transform into lather goodness!
Shavin’ Yeti
Sr. Shave Member
I only have one soap and splash pair from B&M, Diamond. I absolutely love the complex scent. It really does smell like most of the great aromas of a baseball park.
MilkCrate
"I am a Milk Crate with Dreams"
I haven’t bowl lathered in awhile, but that sounds easy enough.
HMan
Doften Savant
Ha, just saw this tread being brought back. I just had a convo with a local shave pal about soaps. We've both tried a number and after having had enough time with them found only a few that really made the cut, B&M being one of them. I've got all three formulas and honestly like them all equally well. Great stuff IMO.
It did take me quite a while to actually get around to trying them though, not sure why, maybe it's something about the image they project. They were always on my want to try list, but just about every other artisan beat them out when it came time to make a buy.
It did take me quite a while to actually get around to trying them though, not sure why, maybe it's something about the image they project. They were always on my want to try list, but just about every other artisan beat them out when it came time to make a buy.
Good news Cadre! B&M has tweaked & updated the Excelsior soap base to improve upon the lather consistency so as to make it more Elmer's Glue-like (which is why I like the Reserve base so much) and produce the type of lather many shavers are looking for. Of course slickness, post shave, & all the other characteristics people look for will be elite!!
Who would've thought that shave soaps could get any better than they did from a couple years ago, but they did! We've probably all said before that soaps have reached their pinnacle of performance & wouldn't have thought it would get much better, but they have. Maybe we haven't even seen the pinnacle yet! I appreciate visionary artisans like Will at B&M who continue to improve & set the bar higher. I'm excited for 2020 will bring to the wetshaving world
Who would've thought that shave soaps could get any better than they did from a couple years ago, but they did! We've probably all said before that soaps have reached their pinnacle of performance & wouldn't have thought it would get much better, but they have. Maybe we haven't even seen the pinnacle yet! I appreciate visionary artisans like Will at B&M who continue to improve & set the bar higher. I'm excited for 2020 will bring to the wetshaving world
Nice! Reserve Fern was one I initially didn't like & sold it, then later developed an appreciation for that scent. Need to get some!
Aaron
0
That's true. I probably only like about ½-⅔ of his scents that I've tried. But the ones I like, I really like.I think B&M make some of the best shaving soap extant, BUT (and it's a big but) Will's scent directions sometimes are way out of my taste range. I recommend getting a sample from Maggard before buying any of their soaps as the scents can be controversial.
I think B&M make some of the best shaving soap extant, BUT (and it's a big but) Will's scent directions sometimes are way out of my taste range. I recommend getting a sample from Maggard before buying any of their soaps as the scents can be controversial.
Yes scents are always subjective to each nose. The Reserve line again are all pretty amazing to my sniffer. Barrister and Mann Reserve line scents are intended to preserve discontinued aftershave scents of bygone years. Here is what they are based on:
Reserve Classic= Gillette Sun Up aftershave from the 1960's
Reserve Spice= Shulton Old Spice aftershave
Reserve Lavender= Caldey Island Lavender
Reserve Cool= Floid Blue aftershave
Reserve Waves= Gillette Wild Rain aftershave from the 1990's
Reserve Fern= Fougere Royal
Outside of Reserve, I also really like Seville!
A quarter of my frequently grabbed drawer is B&M. I don't even remember buying that much stuff. There's a bit of overflow under my sink too.
There's a bit of overflow under my sink too.Nice! So a frequently used draw & another draw for less frequently used soaps?A quarter of my frequently grabbed drawer is B&M. I don't even remember buying that much stuff.
Drawer each for razors/brushes, frequented soaps, and most of my splashes/blades/samples. The overflow goes under my sink and generally doesn't see too much use because I go to the drawer first. I really need to 3017 some stuff.
Bogeyman
Shave Member
I have a Seville in Excelsior base that is the bee's knees. Previously I had it in Glissant. A friend gifted me an almost entire tub of Reserve Fern and the scent is not for me. It's bitterly metallic to my nose. His best smelling was the limited run of Citricuya as it's unlike any other citrus known. Simply beautiful.
Nice, never smelled that citrus one before but sounds great! What are your plans for the Reserve Fern?I have a Seville in Excelsior base that is the bee's knees. Previously I had it in Glissant. A friend gifted me an almost entire tub of Reserve Fern and the scent is not for me. It's bitterly metallic to my nose. His best smelling was the limited run of Citricuya as it's unlike any other citrus known. Simply beautiful.
Thanks for the heads up. The only B&M Reserve I have is Seville which I haven't used for a while now--I'll have to pull it out and use it. Those are nice pictures of Reserve lather @ShavePastor .
Of the three B&M bases that I have tried, I really like the Excelsior base the best--in that base I have Beaudelaire and Clusterfig which are really nice scents. One of the best B&M scents I have is in the Glissant base, the base which I like the least--the seasonal Nocturne with its smoky apple cider scent, perfect for the cold months.
Of the three B&M bases that I have tried, I really like the Excelsior base the best--in that base I have Beaudelaire and Clusterfig which are really nice scents. One of the best B&M scents I have is in the Glissant base, the base which I like the least--the seasonal Nocturne with its smoky apple cider scent, perfect for the cold months.
Bogeyman
Shave Member
I'd sell it in a heartbeat. Other soaps as well. I am "heavy" on software". ☹
Patelliott
"I NEED NurseDave's Energy"
B&M is on my list to try in the near future. I have to cool it on acquiring anymore soaps for a little while...the mrs. is starting to keep track. Based on those pictures though they seem really good. Also from the pictures the closest comp from what I have tried would probably be Stirling which I really enjoy.