What U.K. soaps or creams do you own

Hi all. I have 2 U.S.A. soaps in my small collection. I just wanted to know if any of you have a U.K. Soap or cream in your collection & what you think about them.

I have a couple of OSP soaps and I find them to be excellent performers, only knock is that the batches I have (sandalwood/bay rum) are a bit lightly scented for my taste. also have several TOBS, GFT, D.R. Harris, Cyril Salter, wyckham soaps and creams and I like all of them although I think the Salters win on scent and they lather like mad.

I've got some German soaps, Tabula Rasa, Meisner Tremonia, some Italian soaps, TFS and RR, a French soap Le Pere Lucien, lots of American soaps B&M, Mike's, CB, MW, MLSW, CRSW, HTGAM/PAA, some Aussie soaps, Shaver Heaven and even a couple of Canadian soaps. There are a few continents unrepresented in my soap stable but so far I've not found any South American, Asian or African soaps to round out my collection. If you know of any let me know. I'd also be interested in soaps made in places close to either poles!
Marko

Cool, you have quite a collection. Nice to see you have other soaps from around the world as well.

From the UK, my absolute favorite product (so far) is Castle Forbes Lavender. It's a fantastic cream that performs far better than the traditional Trumper's/Truefitt/etc creams, in my opinion.

I've also heard that XPEC is a UK product (or at least, that it is the product of a UK designer). If so its right up there with Castle Forbes.

I have a couple of OSP soaps and I find them to be excellent performers, only knock is that the batches I have (sandalwood/bay rum) are a bit lightly scented for my taste.  also have several TOBS, GFT, D.R. Harris, Cyril Salter, wyckham soaps and creams and I like all of them although I think the Salters win on scent and they lather like mad.

I've got some German soaps, Tabula Rasa, Meisner Tremonia, some Italian soaps, TFS and RR, a French soap Le Pere Lucien, lots of American soaps B&M, Mike's, CB, MW, MLSW, CRSW, HTGAM/PAA, some Aussie soaps, Shaver Heaven and even a couple of Canadian soaps.  There are a few continents unrepresented in my soap stable but so far I've not found any South American, Asian or African soaps to round out my collection.  If you know of any let me know. I'd also be interested in soaps made in places close to either poles!
Marko

India is in Asia and they have godrej soap and creams. I'm trying to get soaps from as many nations as possible. Well budget soaps.


I only have one uk soap/cream. Tobs almond cream. It performs really good.

Up until recently the UK artisan market was quite poor. But OSP has changed that for me, they are very good performers. It's nice to see Wickhams back which gives us a boost as well, I love their Club Cola.

Nannys Silly Soap isn't to bad either and there is a new soap out from a company called Phoenix & Beau which is getting very good reviews although I haven't tried it.

In the mass produced market (TOBS, Truffitt, Trumper, Harris and Castle Forbes) the creams are good but not amazing and personally I do not think their soaps are worth buying as the quality and performance from the artisans overshadows them by a long shot.

I agree with WindsorCitrus on the quality of the soaps - for the most part, based only on what I've tried, I think France and Italy does those better. Creams are the UK's strong point, but I also agree that they perform solidly but not exceptionally (with the exception of Castle Forbes and XPEC for me).

Incidentally, is Castle Forbes mass produced in the same way that the Trumper's/Truefitt/TOBS trio is? I used both kinds for a good while and to me Forbes was a marked improvement over the others.

Forbes I don't think is as mass produced as the others but I don't think it is created by an artisan rather a machine but I could be very wrong.

I'd also bet that it's not artisan in the way that we might understand it, and I'm sure that it shares many of the processes with the other brands. I was just wondering if it was also Creighton's (or another similar brand) or mass produced to that same extent. It seems not to me, since the texture and overall style of the cream is noticeably different than the others.

Taylor of Old Bond St., DR Harris, Penhaligon, George F. Trumper, Truefit & Hill. Penhaligon English Fern and DR Harris Arlington are all time favorites for scent. All are top notch soaps for me. A bit pricey however.