Barrister & Mann Shaving Soap. The aroma changed for the worse

I have a number of Will's older soaps, and all of his recent releases. To my nose, they all smell basically the same. There are minute differences in the couple which have been transitioned from the White label to the Glissant base, but they are just that - minute.

The one I noticed the biggest change in was Seville. However, I generally believe that this is due to the slight dissipation of the scent over time, because when I originally purchased that soap, I was letting it sit open for long periods of time, and the scent probably faded a little. Since I've started storing them more tightly and in a cool place, I've not noticed any change.

As Will says - what would he gain by changing the formula of some of his best sellers?

Man, its shaving soap. Its a natural product that will change and/or degrade over time and depending on the storage conditions - temperature, humidity, UV light, oxidation and so forth. This stuff was never intended to be some sort of archival museum treasure strictly adhering to a person's idea of what it is supposed to be. Maybe soapers need to plaster a great big legal disclaimer on their soaps saying that they are prepared in accordance with industry soap making standards according to existing formulas and soaper isn't responsible for what you perceive it to smell like. In my experience soap smell will change over time and its very difficult to compare a new soap to a years old soap. Lets compare it to wine. I don't hear anybody complaining that their fresh bottle of wine doesn't smell/taste anything like an aged vintage of the same wine. Lets consider your old Lavanille a vintage soap and we'll see if, after cellaring for an appropriate length of time, your current Lavanille doesn't approach the smell of the vintage.

I get this question a lot, and I'm not really sure why (and it's not limited to Lavanille). No, I have not changed Lavanille. The only alteration ever made to the fragrance was the movement from vanilla fragrance oil (essentially vanillin in propylene glycol) to just straight vanillin, which is easier to regulate and to measure. OP and I discussed this in private, during which time he insisted that I was lying to him, but I have not made any changes at all to Leviathan or Dickens, and the only change made to Lavanille is imperceptible (admittedly, I did not mention this change to OP at the time, largely because I forgot).

The differences in Leviathan and Dickens might be due to differences in the base, since we changed over from White Label to Glissant, but, other than that, no change. What kind of idiot changes the formulation for some of his most popular fragrances for no reason? What would I gain from that? If I make any changes, I'm quite up-front about them, and, on the rare occasion that I DO change something, it's almost always a matter of merely increasing the strength.

My guess is that something happened to the soaps in transit, but I cannot be sure. It's possible that the difference is purely psychological, or that it was caused by storage conditions (OP has only one purchased from us directly, and it was not any of the soaps mentioned). In any case, any variation is not of my making.

Hi, Will.
The author of the topic and the person from the correspondence are different people. I corresponded with you. This only confirms that I have not noticed a significant difference in aromas, no matter how much you would like it.
For those who are interested, I can post our correspondence. Now I will briefly describe my situation.
In 2016 I bought soap Lavanille, the fragrance was delicious. I do not like the smell of vanilla, but I can really call that flavor a masterpiece. This year I decided to buy 2 Lavanille  cans, because After shaving tonic is enough for two and a half cans of soap (from the experience with your other soaps). I was very unpleasantly surprised at the smell of these soaps, about which I wrote you a letter, I quote:
"I have 2 soaps" Lavanille ": one bought in 2016, another in 2017. These are the different flavors of ... How do I fade in the trash? Did you manage to spoil this wonderful smell? I'm very sad. "
You replied that there had been no change. And now you write that one change still happened. Not good.
I also wrote that more people noted the difference in fragrances, they are written in the first message of this topic. You answered in a boorish manner, I quote:
"Well over 100 people believe that the Earth is flat, but that does not make it true." Opinion does not change fact. "
I'm not interested, flat land or not, this example is incorrect. I replied that I was holding an old soap in one hand, another in a new one. Also I feel the big difference in aroma. Great. AND THIS IS A FACT. If I was the only one who wrote about this, I could be called a charlatan or a refined perfumer (or smelling fragrances, the essence is clear).
Your position I understood, nothing has changed. I could send you a piece of old soap and you'd compare it to what you're releasing now. But you're not interested. You are not interested in understanding the situation. Let it be on your conscience.

Huh. Well, OP, my apologies for my mistake.

That said, XIII, I'd be happy to clarify this occurrence. You insisted that I had changed Lavanille. I said that no, it has not changed. You called me a liar, and told me that there were a hundred people who were certain of the same. In fact, since we seem to be quoting a private conversation (when did this become a common and acceptable occurrence?), these were your words:

"Maybe the formula is the same, but the smells are still different. And you do not need to be an expert to notice this. I can not believe that you do not notice the difference in smell. It is not true. And more than a hundred people think the same way.
Now I understand your position. Even if the smell is different, you will say that it is the same. I do not have any more questions for you. Obviously, you are not honest in your answers. I wish you all the best."

I did respond as you say. I did not take kindly to being called a liar and having my integrity called into question. You did not offer to send me a sample of the soap, and I did not ask. You're in Russia; the expense would have been quite considerable. You wanted your money back. I recommended that you refer to Maggard, since you had purchased the soap from them, not us, and they could better attest to the conditions under which it had been stored and shipped. If you have not spoken with them, then I am afraid that is on you. For all I know, you caused the damage yourself and are now demanding compensation or some explanation for something over which I have absolutely no control.

While I may have been boorish, I would hope that I can be forgiven for a bit of irritation for having someone who has never made Lavanille in his life and has no idea how it's actually made calling me a liar when I tell him that I have not changed its formula. Considering that I make it on a pretty regular basis, I would think that perhaps that would count for something. I explained it very clearly. Just because you did not believe me does not make me wrong, nor does it make me a liar.

It occurs to me that these complaints are coming primarily from my Russian customers. Perhaps there is something going on in Russian customs? No one else has emailed me with such (misplaced) conviction that I have changed my formulas.

The OP has posted this same "topic" on multiple forums. Hmmm. Curious.  

Yes, I made this message in three forums.
To more people learned.
And what can you say on the topic?

I have not noticed any changes in Barrister & Mann scents.


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I suspect B&M didn't make any changes other than what he said. I also suspect the that person or persons who think the scent has changed are being truthful.

There could be issues as suggested in the change of the base formula or something during shipping. It could also be that the customers sense of smell is changing, which can happen for many reasons. I notice that my sense of smell changes at times, especially during pollen season.

I suspect B&M didn't make any changes other than what he said.  I also suspect the that person or persons who think the scent has changed are being truthful.

There could be issues as suggested in the change of the base formula or something during shipping.  It could also be that the customers sense of smell is changing, which can happen for many reasons.   I notice that my sense of smell changes at times, especially during pollen season.

Also a good thought!

Especially for "carefully reading" , I repeat: I used to like Soap soap from Will. I still have 8 cans of his soap, but the old version of White Label and I enjoy using them.
But the new version of "Dickens" and "Leviathan" differ in flavor from the previous ones. Not much, but different. And I noticed it was not I alone.

Специально для    "внимательно читающих" , я повторю: раньше  мне нравились мыла от Уилла. У меня и сейчас есть 8 банок его мыла, но старой версии White Label и я с удовольствием ими пользуюсь.
Но новая версия "Дикенса"  и "Левиафана" отличаются по аромату от предыдущих. Не сильно, но отличаются. И это заметил не я один.

I contacted the maggardrazors.com . In the conversation process, I cited a link to this topic. And Jerry of the store replied that "I looked at the forum posts, for me it solidifies that this is a likely a manufacturing issue."
Checkmate.