The very best luxury soaps/creams, money no object

Great review of a truly great soap, NeoXerxes! Can't even add anything, except indeed, after reading so many accolades on various forums, I wasn't at all disappointed when I got mine and put it to the test. I got the Blu, my friend got the Rossa, and we were both so impressed with them (and envious of the fragrance we hadn't gotten) that we placed a second order so we could each have the full set. As someone else said, it's hard sometimes not just to use Nuàvia every day.

This is why I meant it as high praise that B&M's new Glissant base creates a lather that reminds me of Nuàvia (though they're not the same in other respects, and B&M is way up there for me, too).

The US store that I've heard carries it is Pasteur's in New York.

I have the Blu only and also quite a number of B&M and a couple of these are the new Glissant base. I agree with your assessment! I find them both excellent. I have found a soap that outperforms both and that is the Select V2 from CRSW. The three of these soaps are the pinnacle of shaving soap and you can't go wrong with any of them. The one soap that shines above all of these, and again this is my opinion only, is Oliva from CRSW. In my humble opinion, the very best shave soap on the market today.

Boingo I don't know if I will review CRSW, but after trying all 3 formulas, I find their offerings to be massively overrated (and oddly, V1 seems to perform better than V2 for me). Especially in the area of fragrance, the scents are nowhere near the quality of B&M. Oliva is probably the best of the bunch, and in my opinion it is inferior to Glissant in performance, at least with my skin and technique. YMMV of course.

Like onethinline wrote, I also see some similarities in the lather qualities of Glissant and Nuavia, which is a high compliment IMO.

Boingo I don't know if I will review CRSW, but after trying all 3 formulas, I find their offerings to be massively overrated (and oddly, V1 seems to perform better than V2 for me). Especially in the area of fragrance, the scents are nowhere near the quality of B&M. Oliva is probably the best of the bunch, and in my opinion it is inferior to Glissant in performance, at least with my skin and technique. YMMV of course.

Like onethinline wrote, I also see some similarities in the lather qualities of Glissant and Nuavia, which is a high compliment IMO.

Not surprising, not surprising at all!

Boingo which part?

NeoXerxes, I believe your status on one forum just went from banned to ne plus ultra-banned. Freedom of expression - ain't it great?

Tom Slick I know, right? Drag me out behind the shed and put me down, but I'm not a fan of a soap that we are all ordered to love lest we be exiled by Big Brother. Actually, given the high praise by many in the community, I was honestly expecting to be blown away by Oliva in particular. Nope.

They're decent - even good - but nowhere near the level that the reputation might suggest. Others seem to love them, which is just fine, though for me they're middle market products.

NeoXerxes, I am really enjoying your shaving soap reviews. I find them well written and to the point. Thanks for doing them.

Thanks much Freddy ! I appreciate the compliment, but I think they aren't as well written as they could be because I'm trying to put a few out quickly so I can get to the overall ranking and summary, which I have mostly completed. That, I think, is what would be the most helpful to members, especially when read alongside the individual product reviews.

Thanks much Freddy ! I appreciate the compliment, but I think they aren't as well written as they could be because I'm trying to put a few out quickly so I can get to the overall ranking and summary, which I have mostly completed. That, I think, is what would be the most helpful to members, especially when read alongside the individual product reviews.

So you mean it's only going to get better?!

Freddy lol! Maybe not better, but hopefully more useful since I plan to have a roundup with comparative "awards" for being the best in a category or having unique qualities.

Clearly these reviews are subjective, but sometimes it's interesting and helpful for people to see products ranked in a comparative fashion.

Stay tuned !