Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

What is your opinion on fine shaving creams and hard soaps? Do you like Trumpers, Coates, Taylors, Truefitt & Hill? Post your reviews and opinions here!
95%
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by 95% »

I've just shaved with the Taylor Luxury Lime soap. Gary did not exaggerate the quality of the lather. Trumper really needs to go back to the drawing boards (or back to its older formulas) if it hopes to compete with the likes of this.

Scent-wise the lime is understated, which is exactly what I had hoped. I wasn't quite able to detect the lavender that Gary mentions, but I'll pay close attention to that with my next use. I was reminded of the quinine notes in D.R. Harris' Almond soap, accounting perhaps for that old-timey smell that Gordon speaks of. What a nice shaving experience.
Porter
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by rsp1202 »

My scent-sensitivities have kicked up lately so I've been laying off scented soaps. The Los Angeles Shaving Soap Co. unscented and Wickham Super Smooth unscented have taken over duties, and they lather wonderfully -- but it's like shaving in a sensory deprivation tank. The TOBS LL is first in line to try for the New Year, and I'm also considering Harris Lavender but don't know how it rates on the scent meter.
Ron
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by 95% »

Ron - I'm working on a Harris Lavender refill which I obtained last month from Bullgoose. It's satisfactory in every way. I was a bit apprehensive when I ordered, because my previous cake, which I got in 2011, had not a trace of lavender in the scent. But this one is fine. A stick-on label on the box bears the number 12817, which may be a manufacturing lot number. You could ask Phil to check for that if you order it.

Notwithstanding my good experience with the Taylor Limes, I actually prefer the Harris Lavender not just for its fragrance but for that signature DRH tallowy goodness.
Porter
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by rsp1202 »

Thanks for the reassurance, Porter. I'll put them both on the to-get list. LASS has a Woody Lavender that sounds good, too, so I might go for the trifecta. As long as these things are mild, I can use them semi-regularly. I also prefer to stay away from lanolin, butters and castor oil (maybe I could sneak some shea butter in there, but haven't felt like taking the risk yet), so the soaps mentioned also pass that test.
Ron
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by levente »

Ron,

The Taylor Luxury Lime does contain some shea butter, so you may want to take that into consideration.

Regards,
Basil
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by rsp1202 »

Thanks, Basil. I skipped right over that while glancing at the ingredient list. What the heck, might as well give it a go, price is reasonable.
Ron
bernards66
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by bernards66 »

Ron,
If so than there must not be that much of it as shea butter in concentration usually annoys my skin and I got not a hint of that with the Taylor's Lime. I agree with Porter that the lather is excellent but disagree that the Trumpers is a poor second. To me the soaps are competitive even if I'd give a slight edge to the Taylor's richness of lather.
Regards,
Gordon
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by rsp1202 »

Thanks, Gordon.
Ron
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by EL Alamein »

bernards66 wrote:Ron,
If so than there must not be that much of it as shea butter in concentration usually annoys my skin and I got not a hint of that with the Taylor's Lime. I agree with Porter that the lather is excellent but disagree that the Trumpers is a poor second. To me the soaps are competitive even if I'd give a slight edge to the Taylor's richness of lather.
Regards,
Gordon
Looking at the ingredients for this soap per Amazon Gordon seems to be spot on:

potassium palmate, sodium palmate, potassium palm kernelate, sodium palm kernelate, glycerin, aqua water, parfum fragrance, palm kernel fatty acid, sodium chloride, butyrospermum parkii shea butter, pentasdoium pentetate, tetrasodium etidronate, limonene, linalool, citral, CI 77891 titanium dioxide

Shea butter seems to be trace but perhaps enough to effect a moisturization component? Personally, I don't think it does a thing but complicate the lather and get washed away with the soap with the final rinse but who knows.

Chris
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by rsp1202 »

I used some soap today that had shea butter a lot farther up the ingredient list than the TOBS, without a problem. Everything feels fine hours later, in fact. I'll take that as an all-clear to proceed with the TOBS.
Ron
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by bernards66 »

Ron,
It sounds like that you're good to go then. I used the Taylor's Lime yesterday and, you know, I think that Porter is right; it DOES have a bit of that old timey 'eau de quinine' sort of scent about it. Definitely nice stuff, and white too, which personally I appreciate. I'd not tried a Taylor's hard soap in ages so I'm very glad that I sprang for this one while in London.
Regards,
Gordon
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by rsp1202 »

Gordon, I've been using artisan soaps exclusively for a while and I like several of them, but I do feel the pull of the old traditionals and would like to add a couple more hard soaps to the rotation. I almost sprang for some of the NOS AoS tallow that's currently being offered at reduced prices, never having tried the brand before, but ultimately passed since once it's gone, it's gone, so why get into it? Kind of like the whole injector razor game: a great shave if you can find NOS blades -- but you can't. Along with the TOBS, I'll be cruising the old neighborhood for Harris (maybe the lavender), and I don't know if Boellis Panama 1924 is considered artisan or traditional, but that's a favorite and I hope to restock soon.
Ron
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by bernards66 »

Ron,
I guess that would be a matter of personal opinion but I'd consider Boellis to be a 'traditional' product. Afterall, it's supposedly been around since the 1920s ( in some form or other ) and Boellis is an old barbering concern in Naples. I don't know; when Boellis first became available stateside ( only at Bergdorf Goodman Men, BTW ) I tried it and thought it was about the same as the much less expensive Valobra shave block. Which is perfectly acceptable but was nothing to get excited about, IMO. Eventually I sold the block I had to another SMF member. But, recently Chris Fisher told me he thinks that the current version is different and better. So maybe I should revisit it sometime ( if it wasn't so bloody expensive...sigh ).
Regards,
Gordon
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by rsp1202 »

Gordon, I scored a nice wedge of Boellis that I finished recently and it was excellent. The scent was mild enough that it didn't bother me, and the lathering was first-rate. But I've held off getting more because the full brick is expensive, as you note, and the version that comes in the beautiful coffret is just ridiculously pricey. It's why I've been looking around for something a bit more affordable recently, and I have found some soaps that perform on par with the '24. This TOBS sounds like a good one, too.
Ron
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by TheMonk »

I'm curious to try this soap, I tend to enjoy citrus based scents, as long as they're not overtly flat. Gary, how would you compare this scent to, say, GFT's or CF's lime creams?
David

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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by brothers »

David, each of the three are unique, each with their own personality, while reflecting that delicious lime that we all enjoy so well. Castle Forbes is the closest to pure and simple fresh lime. GFT is a distinctive fragrance oil character that lends an element of sophistication in keeping with our expectations of GFT family ranges. What I like about Taylor's lime is the apparent and successful marriage of two themes. Lime, of course, admittedly subtle, yet readily unmistably lime. This, seamlessly driven by a haunting and addictive TOBS family background shared with the lavender and the sandalwood.
Gary

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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by EL Alamein »

So I finally bought a cake of this and it is superb. My thoughts are preliminary as I've only used it the last three shaves but still I find the lather as good as the old formula Taylor's and the shave just as slick, thick, and protective.

The scent is not pure limes but a gentlemanly sort of thing with notes reminiscent of the old Yardley bowl (they share some slight similarities in notes IMHO despite being different). It's a very clean scent and distinctively limey. Goes excellent with a lime aftershave.

Chris
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by Squire »

Good notes Chris, I like the other Taylor soaps I've used and you make this one sound interesting.
Regards,
Squire
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by brothers »

bernards66 wrote:Gary, So, after we wouldn't bite you yourself caved eh? ( chuckle ) I'm glad that it worked out well for you and thanks for the review. There was a time when I suspected that no commercially offered palm oil based soap would be any good. However, some of the more recent Trumper shave soaps showed me that I was mistaken. While I still don't think that they're quite as good as their tallow based predecessors they are still more than good enough....and it sounds like this Taylor soap is also. Like you I was wondering how they would do the scent but it sounds appealing from what you wrote above. This just might be my next, or next after that, hard shave soap purchase.
Regards,
Gordon
I began my regular rotation today for a few days with the Taylor's Luxury Lime soap. Outstanding! This is a traditional classic that should be on everyone's shelf. I really should plan ahead and lay in a supply of backups.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Re: Review: TOBS Lime Luxury Shaving Soap

Post by EL Alamein »

brothers wrote:
bernards66 wrote:Gary, So, after we wouldn't bite you yourself caved eh? ( chuckle ) I'm glad that it worked out well for you and thanks for the review. There was a time when I suspected that no commercially offered palm oil based soap would be any good. However, some of the more recent Trumper shave soaps showed me that I was mistaken. While I still don't think that they're quite as good as their tallow based predecessors they are still more than good enough....and it sounds like this Taylor soap is also. Like you I was wondering how they would do the scent but it sounds appealing from what you wrote above. This just might be my next, or next after that, hard shave soap purchase.
Regards,
Gordon
I began my regular rotation today for a few days with the Taylor's Luxury Lime soap. Outstanding! This is a traditional classic that should be on everyone's shelf. I really should plan ahead and lay in a supply of backups.
Gary, yeah this one is good, really good. It has a sort of lime sherbert note in it before being lathered. Once lathered it's lime but herbal in a slight sense. The lather is top notch. I've got this on deck for tomorrow or Saturday.

Chris
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