How do you choose your next soap/cream?

How do you go about finding a new soap?  Do you generally rely on Shaving vid favorites?  Do you focus on “what's new” on the internet vendors sites?  Do you have trusted forum members whose opinions you respect?  Do you focus on forum buzz for a product new or old?  Do you stick with trusted brands and not wander far afield?  Do posted reviews mean much to you?  Do you throw the dice or spin the wheel and take your chances?  Or are you monogamous and stick to a single soap or two?

Well, I bought a tub of D. R. Harris Windsor cream today.

I’ve had the Harris stick, and L&L Trismegistus, but I like the Harris creams and scents. And caught a small sale.

Tend to rely on dfoulk as he has encountered them all whilst having no financial stake in the reviews. His experience and expertise has been amassed over years of coordinating the most comprehensive soap passaround in history.

Above all, I choose soaps sparingly because I’m so over-soaped already. I don’t buy everything I’m persuaded is great. Nor do I rely on one shaver for any shave related buy although, perhaps like DanLaw, I greatly respect and appreciate dfoulk. There was a time when he was one of a few people whose guidance helped me greatly. I do rely on forum buzz a lot. As far as vendors go, there are a few artisans I place great confidence in, but not unbounded confidence.

Dfoulk is a great source.

Dfoulk is a great source.

And his soap pass arounds are a GREAT way to try before you buy

How do you go about finding a new soap?  Do you generally rely on Shaving vid favorites?  Do you focus on “what's new” on the internet vendors sites?  Do you have trusted forum members whose opinions you respect?  Do you focus on forum buzz for a product new or old?  Do you stick with trusted brands and not wander far afield?  Do posted reviews mean much to you?  Do you throw the dice or spin the wheel and take your chances?  Or are you monogamous and stick to a single soap or two?

In the past, I've used each of the methods you describe.  And over the past 4 years, I've also changed my soap-buying habits/methods.  In the beginning, I just wanted to try everything and a lot of my decisions were based on pure excitement and anticipation.

As the amount of soap accumulated and I was able to dial-in how each soap performed, I realized that that there were a few artisan soaps that were used most often.  Over the past year or so, I have made an effort to sell off a large portion of the "collection".  I've discovered the soaps which give me the type of lather I truly enjoy and now I tend to gravitate my purchases towards those few artisans.  And I've discovered the scent-types that I enjoy most so I have sold off "great performing/not fond of the scent" soaps as well.  Granted, there are exceptions but the exceptions are few and far between since about spring/summer of last year.  

I'm sure I will buy more soap in the future, so how will I choose which soap to buy?  I no longer rely on shaving videos or reviews.  One thing I've learned is that everyone's nose is different...you and I pick up a very different scent profile with Black Velvet.  Neither of us is right or wrong on the scent (although I'm probably more right ), it's just different.  When it comes to new soaps, I'm letting the dust settle and asking questions before deciding to purchase.  It seems new soaps get alot of hype and the thing I care about most is the quality of the lather.  There have been a few members post their lathers in the SOTD thread and I do appreciate that as it gives me an idea of whether or not i would like the lather.  A few times now, my excitement about a soap was drained after seeing a pic or two of the lather.  That made an easy decision not to purchase.  For the majority of my future soap purchases, seeing pix of the lather and asking lather-questions of the members is probably the way to go.

HoosierShave, just curious. What is the BV scent profile to you?


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HoosierShave, just curious. What is the BV scent profile to you?


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I pick up primarily black pepper.  To my nose, the vetiver lessens the impact of a straight black pepper scent...in other words, I never feel like i'm gong to sneeze when I take a deep breath of the soap.  And that's what I LOVE about BV...it's a scent that allows you the opportunity to enjoy the aroma of black pepper without the anguish of hurting your sinuses .  It is a masterful blend. But I just don't pick up the vetiver at all...again, to me, that's a good thing with this soap.

HoosierShave, just curious. What is the BV scent profile to you?


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I pick up primarily black pepper.  To my nose, the vetiver lessens the impact of a straight black pepper scent...in other words, I never feel like i'm gong to sneeze when I take a deep breath of the soap.  And that's what I LOVE about BV...it's a scent that allows you the opportunity to enjoy the aroma of black pepper without the anguish of hurting your sinuses .  It is a masterful blend. But I just don't pick up the vetiver at all...again, to me, that's a good thing with this soap.

Thanks for the love.
It was scary playing with the most common irritant around as a major player in a scent. But, through careful attention to the safety limits and experimentation, I am proud of that one. And yes, I pick up vetiver in my nose.


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