What bath soap are you using right now?

bikeguy1 · Post by **bikeguy1** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:06 am

Alternate between Santa Maria Novella "Melograno" (pomegranate)...the large bar lasts a good three months...and Claus Porto "Rivale" (grapefruit-fig) and "Tabaco" (tobacco, obviously!)

Usually purchase when I'm in Europe, but available here: http://www.lafcony.com

So many soaps, so little time!

Happy lathering...

Bob

timc · Post by **timc** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:52 am

I recently started using Goat's Milk soap (http://www.canusgoatsmilk.com/eng/html/maineng.html), and I find that it keeps my skin moisturized. It's a nice, inexpensive, triple-milled tallow-based soap. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now.

If only it worked on my hands. Nothing seems to keep them from getting dry and cracked in the winter.

GregPQ · Post by **GregPQ** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:35 pm

bernards66 wrote:David, The real Claus Porto soaps are very good indeed, especially considering that they are not grossly expensive... The Almond is my personal favourite of all of them; very rich and old fashioned, masculine scent. I prefer the 'smaller' cakes that come in three packs, as they're still the size of normal bath bars. They are harder to find though. Claus Porto is one of the few reasonably available quality bath soaps that are still tallow based.
Regards,
Gordon

I bought a 3-pk of the C-M almond bath soap ("Pres Eisenhower"). Are these made by Claus Porto?

It was great soap, and very long-lasting.

Greg

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:10 am

Right now I'm using Floris Santal bath soap which was a gift from another member. Great scent, great tallow-based soap.

ferbenic · Post by **ferbenic** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:06 pm

I've been using Claus Porto's Musgo Real Soap on a Rope for a while now. No complaints, my skin feels great and the scent, well you know, calssic musgo real. I'm thinking on ordering some G.F. Trumper's goat milk soaps. I know we all have heard good things about goat milk soaps regarding skin care. Could somebody please comment on the scent?. I mean, G.F.T's are 12 Pounds for a single tablet. They oughta smell like paradise.

jakuda · Post by **jakuda** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 9:00 pm

Nancy Boy's Signature Scent body soap

Stauff · Post by **Stauff** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 8:27 am

Tadé Aleppo soap.
This is the real deal, the legendary soap made in Aleppo (Syria) for tens of centuries. Basically just olive oil (65%), laurel oil (35%) and soda. Looks like a small, brown-greenish brick with stamped Arabic lettering on it. These soaps are left to dry for months in ancient cellars. Weird, but they float in my bath...
I love the neutral, really clean scent. The skincare is amazing as well.

Post by **Sam** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:42 am

I got down to the last bit of the Blenheim Bouquet bar, you know when it starts getting paper thin and then the thing breaks in half on you? Today, I had a choice of Floris Santal, Floris 89 and a Castle Forbes. Went with the Castle Forbes. That thing lathered creamy as the Floris Rose Geranium I like. Yet the smell is non-existent when lathered and it is not quite citrusy when you unwrap it. Anyone know what kind of smell it is?

I have an extra Id trade for something if anyone wants to swap and try this. I am tempted to use this as a face soap as well.

Sam

\edit: Used it as a face soap this evening. I love that it makes a creamy lather, and it is on par in that regard with my Floris Rose Geranium. Im not good at scents but when lathered, the scent disappears quickly, which could be a good thing for a face soap. I know that some say Penhaligons is maybe a Floris soap, but my Blenheim never lathered as creamy as the Floris. Well CF does. I usually use the Molton Brown Milk and Oatlmeal but I think I might trade those.

Sam

JAL1639 · Post by **JAL1639** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:15 pm

Irish Spring

Jeremy

bikeguy1 · Post by **bikeguy1** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:29 pm

Using the last bar of Santa Maria Novella Melograno (Pomegranate) that I bought in Florence in November. However, I found it here: http://lafcony.com/Merchant2/merchant.m ... Code=10219

although it costs about 70% more here!

It's great stuff, mild, lasts a couple of months....my favorite, although the Claus Porto soaps are great, too!

Happy Lathering,
Bob

Post by **Sam** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:13 pm

ANy body got a bar of Nancy Boy they want to trade for something? ALso Cusson's seems like I need to try it. Gordon suggest Floris Rose Geranium to me and my daughter stole all of my stash to take to college. I bought a No. 89 and another Floris from SlcSteve, so I am down to that.

kirkawall · Post by **kirkawall** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:33 pm

Sam,

PM me -- I'd be happy to send you a Floris Rose-Geranium on the house or in trade for the CF soap. I'd also recommend the Roger & Gallet soaps which are gentle, lather very well and have some gorgeous scents. I'm partial to Blue Lotus and Imperial Bouquet tho' the Lettuce Extract (sic) is also excellent, particularly in winter.

best,

k

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:16 pm

k, The Roger & Gallet bath soaps drive me to distraction. They are one of the very few really top shelf soaps that I can buy locally, and their Fougere/Fern is just superb, scent-wise. It's almost identical to the Penhaligons English Fern soaps, at a fraction of the price. And, it's a high quality item. So, what's the problem? It's that the R&G soaps vaguely irritate my skin. It gets me nuts! WHY?! I ask myself....and I've tried them repeatedly, not wanting to believe it. But they do....sigh. So, since the Vinolia is now gone, I have finally retreated to those giant cakes of Claus Porto. I'd rather have the more modest sized cakes, but they don't have those, of course. And in Verbena because they don't have my favourites; their Almond and their Lavender. So, I make do...just can't get past my resistance to always having to mail order bath soap ( as well as the expense ). But if I could, I would just order Floris Rose Geranium and the Penhaligon's English Fern soaps by the case, and be done with it....sigh.
Regards,
Gordon

z · Post by z » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:57 pm

I'm currently using this huge 12 oz bar of lemon castile soap from Target. Seems to be Castelbel soap in an unbranded label. They've got a few in the spa section for about six bucks. It's about half the price that they normally cost in more expensive stores, but the selection is smaller.

Previously I was using a bar of Fresh Tobacco Flower. Not a bad soap. I'd use it again, if I found it locally. The smell is pretty unique, but is a tad artificial. Still, smells nice and clean and a bit spicy.

"Bar-none" (har har) I still find Nancy Boy to be one of my favorites for the price. Which reminds me... Here is a secret. I managed to get Eric Roos to tell me about it in an email....

Nancy Boy just started selling their "replenishing" cucumber body wash this month. I prefer vegetable soaps to body washes these days, so I figured I'd see if Nancy Boy had one on the way. I emailed Eric to ask if he'd start selling a soap as well. He said they've tested it and it smells fantastic. So, here's hoping that we'll see a cucumber body bar from Nancy Boy soon. Eric seems to hint that it will be happening.

SimonM · Post by **SimonM** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:11 am

I've been using this Dead Sea mud soap from One With Nature. At first I thought it was good, but nothing too special, but after using it during dry weather for a couple of weeks, I think it's actually done a great job of helping dry skin. It's under $3, and the mud in it is the second ingredient, so when it dries, it looks like cracked adobe or something, but I think it'll actually hold up for quite a long time. Virtually no scent, too.

kirkawall · Post by **kirkawall** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:34 am

bernards66 wrote:k, The Roger & Gallet bath soaps drive me to distraction. They are one of the very few really top shelf soaps that I can buy locally, and their Fougere/Fern is just superb, scent-wise. It's almost identical to the Penhaligons English Fern soaps, at a fraction of the price. And, it's a high quality item. So, what's the problem? It's that the R&G soaps vaguely irritate my skin. It gets me nuts! WHY?! I ask myself....and I've tried them repeatedly, not wanting to believe it. But they do....sigh. So, since the Vinolia is now gone, I have finally retreated to those giant cakes of Claus Porto. I'd rather have the more modest sized cakes, but they don't have those, of course. And in Verbena because they don't have my favourites; their Almond and their Lavender. So, I make do...just can't get past my resistance to always having to mail order bath soap ( as well as the expense ). But if I could, I would just order Floris Rose Geranium and the Penhaligon's English Fern soaps by the case, and be done with it....sigh.
Regards,
Gordon

Hi Gordon,

I'm sorry to hear the the R&G irritate your skin -- I like these soaps so much that I find myself collecting them. Sigh. I had to restrain myself in Paris from pursuing a "one of each" policy on thiese soaps since they make roughly a million varieties. And there's nothing like explaining why you're carrying 14 soaps in bright plastic cases to sceptical Customs folk. Anyway, here's a site that does the Claus Porto lavender in the smaller (5.8 oz) size:

http://www.momentumgrooming.com/qs/category/58/4299/0/0

It's mail order, but they have free shipping on at the mo.

all best,

k

rafikz · Post by **rafikz** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:50 am

JAL1639 wrote:Irish Spring

Jeremy

Me too ; a bit drying but great scents

Post by **Sam** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:05 am

Im tiring of bath gels and have read this thread. I am surprised we have not brought it up more. I did like the creamy lather of the Floris Rose Geranium Gordon suggested I buy and until my daughter stole my stash, was looking forward to it. So in reading, I was wonding on thoughts on these soaps, as far as lather, price, scent, how long they last, etc.

Vinolia - Gordon's Pic?
Nancy Boy - maybe not as long lasting
Claus Porto
L'Occitane soaps
Pre-de-Provence and other Marseille soaps (but not the cube)
Roger & Gallet
Lightfoot
What about that black soap, Magno

I have tried the Asquith soaps at TJ Maxx but they seem to lack something the Floris had.

Sam

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:03 am

Sam, Magno is a nice cheap soap. The scent is rather spicy but nice. You can find it at CVS.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:48 pm

Someone please send me one of the bath soaps mentioned within these threads because I still cannot see how they can/could be less stripping/more moisturizing than shower gels. And for the price of some of these I cannot bring myself to pull the trigger on a purchase. I'm so confused.