Speick Soap Stick

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!
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brothers
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Speick Soap Stick

Post by brothers »

Tallow of course. This one never ceases to please. The lather's great and so's the shave. I happen to enjoy the fragrance very much. Face-lathered of course, with the EJ STS brush. Cheap and good.
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
nav
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by nav »

I'm wondering how a thread about Speick stick doesn't get any responses?

Out of the 70 soaps I have in my rotation, Speick is in my top 3, along with MWF and LEA classic puck.

Everything about Speick is awesome! It loads up really fast, it lathers up so rich and creamy, provides an awesome shave without fail and smells amazing! I can't get enough of Speick's herbal, slightly sweet, slightly peppery scent!

Artisan soaps have basically taken over the market as well as most forum discussions. In my experience, none have compared to my top 3, which are all commercial brands!!

It's sad that the original and the best are being hidden in the world of shaving soaps. I hope they don't disappear due to the surge in artisan shaving soaps.
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TRBeck
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by TRBeck »

nav, I agree. This is an outstanding soap, and along with Palmolive, Valobra, and Tabac, ranks in the top tier IMO.

Artisan soaps: many are wonderful, most are at least as good as the old British soaps if not better, and the scent variety is dazzling. I think the last point - and the novelty of new producers coming online daily - is the primary reason for the buzz about them on the forums. I use many artisan soaps and enjoy them, but try as I might, I have neither found nor made a soap that outperforms the Speick stick (which in its current formulation is nearly identical to Tabac), the Palmolive stick, or the Valobra stick.
Regards,
Tim

Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
CMur12
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by CMur12 »

nav, I think what limits the appeal of Speick soap is that it comes in one form/one fragrance. Tabac is the same thing: If you like the fragrance, it's a great soap. If you don't, it's not.

In my own case, I am very sensitive to most fragrances and Speick launches quite the assault on my olfactory, so I don't use it.

Most, if not all, of the current commercial soaps are fragranced (with FO/fragrance oil). The Valobra Shave Stick is fragranced mildly enough that I can use it and it is my favorite commercial soap. Artisan soapmakers are the only ones to offer a variety of scents from EO/essential oils and they combine this feature with outstanding soap. As such, I use Valobra hard soap and several excellent artisan soaps scented with EO.

- Murray
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TRBeck
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by TRBeck »

Very true, Murray. My nose doesn't do well with Speick sometimes, and I don't really have a particularly sensitive olfactory.

Also, yes, did not mean to downplay the performance of the artisan soaps. Many of them are world class. I am proud of the soap I made. And yet, when I lather Valobra or Palmolive, there is a true wow factor.
Regards,
Tim

Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
CMur12
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by CMur12 »

Tim, I didn't think you downplayed the performance of artisan soaps, at all; in fact, I thought you defended them very effectively. Additionally, you have good reason to be proud of your soaps. You offered wonderful natural scents and fragrances, and the soaps were outstanding performers. Perhaps some day, when you have fewer rods in the fire (i.e. When your kids are grown and gone, and when you are retired and bored), you will have the time to get back into the business of soapmaking.

- Murray
smoothshaver
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by smoothshaver »

Came across an old Speick shave stick today, and as its scent had toned down considerably, I gave it a go. Got loads of terrific lather and a fine shave. Couldn't tolerate the (to me) overwhelming scent when it was new, but quite happy with it now. Perhaps I should get another one to let "age" 'till I need it. :)
I might not have used it if not for this thread resurfacing!

Also, +1 on Murray's comments on Tim's soaps.
-Ed
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Squire
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by Squire »

Same here, Speick/Tabac offer good performance but the scent isn't up my alley.
Regards,
Squire
gregkw1
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by gregkw1 »

I don't like it either. I just traded a stick of it and matching Aftershave for Gingers garden Maharani soap & AS and there's no comparison.
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StGeorge
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by StGeorge »

I guess Speick is a love it or hate product, I absolutely love the smell and the shaving stick, it's my favourite shaving stick bar none.
Tony

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nav
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by nav »

Whilst i agree that nearly every scent is love it or hate it and that's why the huge variety in artisan soaps means there's literally something for everyone.

However, the funny thing is that I've only had a skin reaction from 3 or 4 commercial hard soaps whereas my skin reaction rate from artisan soaps is about 20%!! For me, this is a very big consideration when i consider any soap purchase.

I also don't find any artisan soaps any better than the hard milled commercial soaps... Neither in the shave nor the post shave.

I do have a bunch of artisan soaps (including the lovely Tim's Roots) which i enjoy but now I'm basically purchasing hard milled soaps. I like their scents, scent strength, longevity in terms of use and preservation (have had issues with soft soaps changing scents, smelling weird etc).

I'll probably still buy artisan soaps but aim to have no more than a handful in rotation at any given time.

Speick stick OTOH... i already have 5 sticks in reserve :D
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BPman
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Re: Speick Soap Stick

Post by BPman »

FWIW, a perfect match scent wise for the Speick stick in an AS/Edt is this:


https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Alf ... -1652.html
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