Boellis Panama 1924

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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pausted
Posts: 2535
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 5:07 pm
Location: Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Boellis Panama 1924

Post by pausted »

I have had my eye on this soap for a long time. The price has always deterred me from trying it. Well, the combination of boredom from sitting at home and a 15% sale from one of the vendors finally led me to order it. It worked out to be about $40 plus shipping. I have had two shaves with it now so here are my initial thoughts.

A major part of the price is due to presentation. Very nice box and inner flap and wrapping on the brick of soap. Surely the fanciest packaging I have seen on a shave soap. The quality of the product shows in the presentation. I immediately cut the bar of soap and transferred it two two glass containers with screw on lids to avoid the soap from drying out.

The soap will almost lather itself. A few swirls of a brush to load and then it produces a large volume of slick and protective lather. I have no complaints at all about the performance of this soap. If one would compare it to other Italian soft soaps I suppose one could include Valobra. Cella, 3P, and others of that type. I have used all three of the ones mentioned and I think the Panama is a cut above the others. It along with Cella has tallow while the other two do not. Perhaps that accounts for something. I don't know.

The scent is a sweet almond. Not at all cloying but very pleasant, if you like almond. :) It doesn't have the heavy cherry scent like Cella. I get only the pleasing almond scent.

So all in all, despite it being the most expensive soap in my den, I'm glad I bought it and will enjoy using it for some time to come.
Best regards,

Basil
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TRBeck
Soapgeek
Posts: 5358
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 1:59 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Re: Boellis Panama 1924

Post by TRBeck »

Terrific review, Basil. Although I've not used this soap, the category of Italian soft soaps is one I find very appealing. Unfortunately, the benzaldehyde used for the almond scent does not agree with my skin. I was able to use ABCBA, which is not strongly scented, and it sounds like this soap is not particularly heavily scented, either.

The simplicity of these Italian soft soap formulations has always appealed to me. They don't load up on butters and label appeal fat sources (duck fat! ass milk!). Just stearate and cocoate and consistent performance.

Anyway, thank you for the detailed review. I think this would be one I might try on the chance that the amount of fragrance added would be minimal enough to avoid skin irritation, and you have captured a good sense of the performance, packaging, and overall perception this soap creates.
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
pausted
Posts: 2535
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 5:07 pm
Location: Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Re: Boellis Panama 1924

Post by pausted »

Thank you, Tim.

For you and any others who may be interested, here is the ingredient list:

Acqua, Stearic Acid, Palmetic Acid, Tallow, Cocos Nucifera, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Carbonate, Tetrasodium ADTA, Parfum

Please don't get the idea that the scent is weak. It's not, but I get only the almond without the other cherry smell like Cella.
Best regards,

Basil
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