L&L Grooming - Brushes, Soaps, Aftershaves - Now Available at Maggard Razors!

By the way,  I wonder if Mayflower will be coming back this year? That sounds like a really beautiful scent.

It is an absolutely wonderful scent!

Just had another terrific shave with Santal Auster in the Icarus base. This base really checks all the boxes for me, and performance has been right up there with the other top performers in my Den. I love how much water it can hold, and I’m able to build a great lather even though I have very hard water. I would have bought Fourth and Pine as well as Pure Lavender Soaps if they were made in this base. Fingers crossed that Scott offers the Icarus base again in the future!

Just had another terrific shave with Santal Auster in the Icarus base. This base really checks all the boxes for me, and performance has been right up there with the other top performers in my Den. I love how much water it can hold, and I’m able to build a great lather even though I have very hard water. I would have bought Fourth and Pine as well as Pure Lavender Soaps if they were made in this base. Fingers crossed that Scott offers the Icarus base again in the future!

I also enjoy the Icarus soap in Santal Auster. I've not yet used it enough to decide whether it's better for me than the standard Declaration soaps, of which I own many (as it's my favorite soap). I'll try to focus on the difference in the two bases...

Is it really worth $13 more for the same amount of soap would be my question.

Is it really worth $13 more for the same amount of soap would be my question.

That's a very good question, Jeff, and the one I'm mulling over. Today, I would say no. Only because the old formula is tried and true, and always works for me. I love the Santal Auster scent, also, but there are several other Declaration scents (both CL and native) I like as much.

Is it really worth $13 more for the same amount of soap would be my question.

If I understand correctly, the reason the Santal Auster had such a price increase was because of the specific ingredients used, specifically Mysore Sandalwood. For me personally I love the scent and the performance, and it was worth every penny to me. I’m assuming it’s worth it to other people as well since it’s sold out. I don’t know for sure since I am not Scott, but I would guess that the Icarus base itself could be produced with other scents that would put it more in line with other Top Tier Soaps such as WK, GD etc.. if you want to ask “is it worth it?”, that’s something you’ll have to answer for yourself. If you have a self imposed $20 limit on Shave Soap, I guess not. For me personally it’s a small luxury, and something I truly enjoy each day I shave, and for me it’s worth it.

You could ask “is it really worth it?” for anything shaving related. Is the Paradigm 17-4, Charcoal Goods, or Timeless Razors “worth it” when you can get just as good a shave with a $5 Vintage Razor? Is a Two Band Badger Brush that costs $160 worth it when you can get a perfectly good synthetic shave brush from Maggards for $10? This is something you’ll have to answer for yourself. People have different reasons for getting into wet shaving, that may not be the same reasons you wet shave. Whether something is “worth it” or not is going to be up to the individual.

Is it really worth $13 more for the same amount of soap would be my question.

If I understand correctly, the reason the Santal Auster had such a price increase was because of the specific ingredients used, specifically Mysore Sandalwood. For me personally I love the scent and the performance, and it was worth every penny to me. I’m assuming it’s worth it to other people as well since it’s sold out. I don’t know for sure since I am not Scott, but I would guess that the Icarus base itself could be produced with other scents that would put it more in line with other Top Tier Soaps such as WK, GD etc.. if you want to ask “is it worth it?”, that’s something you’ll have to answer for yourself. If you have a self imposed $20 limit on Shave Soap, I guess not. For me personally it’s a small luxury, and something I truly enjoy each day I shave, and for me it’s worth it.

You could ask “is it really worth it?” for anything shaving related. Is the Paradigm 17-4, Charcoal Goods, or Timeless Razors “worth it” when you can get just as good a shave with a $5 Vintage Razor? Is a Two Band Badger Brush that costs $160 worth it when you can get a perfectly good synthetic shave brush from Maggards for $10? This is something you’ll have to answer for yourself. People have different reasons for getting into wet shaving, that may not be the same reasons you wet shave. Whether something is “worth it” or not is going to be up to the individual.

Very well stated. The cost of the juice in Santal Auster is, indeed, expensive. You can tell immediately, as it's the only sandalwood product I've got (among many) that actually has a wood scent. It's a sublime experience, especially when paired with the Chatillon Lux aftershave or salve.

Is it really worth $13 more for the same amount of soap would be my question.

If I understand correctly, the reason the Santal Auster had such a price increase was because of the specific ingredients used, specifically Mysore Sandalwood. For me personally I love the scent and the performance, and it was worth every penny to me. I’m assuming it’s worth it to other people as well since it’s sold out. I don’t know for sure since I am not Scott, but I would guess that the Icarus base itself could be produced with other scents that would put it more in line with other Top Tier Soaps such as WK, GD etc.. if you want to ask “is it worth it?”, that’s something you’ll have to answer for yourself. If you have a self imposed $20 limit on Shave Soap, I guess not. For me personally it’s a small luxury, and something I truly enjoy each day I shave, and for me it’s worth it.

You could ask “is it really worth it?” for anything shaving related. Is the Paradigm 17-4, Charcoal Goods, or Timeless Razors “worth it” when you can get just as good a shave with a $5 Vintage Razor? Is a Two Band Badger Brush that costs $160 worth it when you can get a perfectly good synthetic shave brush from Maggards for $10? This is something you’ll have to answer for yourself. People have different reasons for getting into wet shaving, that may not be the same reasons you wet shave. Whether something is “worth it” or not is going to be up to the individual.

Very well stated. The cost of the juice in Santal Auster is, indeed, expensive. You can tell immediately, as it's the only sandalwood product I've got (among many) that actually has a wood scent. It's a sublime experience, especially when paired with the Chatillon Lux aftershave or salve.

I felt that the sandlewood scent was one of the better ones out there. But at the end of the day it is a wood scent. Those aren't the scents that breaks the concentration of someone to ask what you are wearing. That scent was the parfum and at $45/ounce it is a tough sell for a wetshaver. There is allot of juice out there for that kind of cash and I'm not sure sandlewood gets you there.

Truffles are expensive. Would you wear an edt of it? Not sure. Anyway, the winner for me was the Parfum. I don't think Icarus base was worth the upcharge against bison, donkey or duck. If he can get that base in circulation for more baseline scents I'd be interested to see the pricing.

The analogy above with brushes and razors. Difference for me is one is a consumable and the other isn't. Something special about giving a Paladin or a made to order Wolf Whiskers to your son over a tub of soap or aftershave.

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Just had another terrific shave with Santal Auster in the Icarus base. This base really checks all the boxes for me, and performance has been right up there with the other top performers in my Den. I love how much water it can hold, and I’m able to build a great lather even though I have very hard water. I would have bought Fourth and Pine as well as Pure Lavender Soaps if they were made in this base. Fingers crossed that Scott offers the Icarus base again in the future!

I also enjoy the Icarus soap in Santal Auster. I've not yet used it enough to decide whether it's better for me than the standard Declaration soaps, of which I own many (as it's my favorite soap). I'll try to focus on the difference in the two bases...

CCity I know you’ve got a big vacation coming up, but when you get the chance would you let me know your thoughts on the differences you notice between the Standard Declaration Grooming base and his Icarus base? I’m second guessing myself on whether or not it was his base that didn’t do it for me or the couple of scents I tried. Thanks!

Just had another terrific shave with Santal Auster in the Icarus base. This base really checks all the boxes for me, and performance has been right up there with the other top performers in my Den. I love how much water it can hold, and I’m able to build a great lather even though I have very hard water. I would have bought Fourth and Pine as well as Pure Lavender Soaps if they were made in this base. Fingers crossed that Scott offers the Icarus base again in the future!

I also enjoy the Icarus soap in Santal Auster. I've not yet used it enough to decide whether it's better for me than the standard Declaration soaps, of which I own many (as it's my favorite soap). I'll try to focus on the difference in the two bases...

CCity I know you’ve got a big vacation coming up, but when you get the chance would you let me know your thoughts on the differences you notice between the Standard Declaration Grooming base and his Icarus base? I’m second guessing myself on whether or not it was his base that didn’t do it for me or the couple of scents I tried. Thanks!

I’ll pull out the Icarus in the morning, Hunter. I’ve only used it a couple of times, as it may already be unobtainium. But I can’t enjoy it if I don’t use it!

On a different note, I’d post a photo of my new Declaration brush, but can’t figure out how...