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WEEKLY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW

Hoffman’s Shave & Soap Co. – Super Fly​

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First Look - Suave Gangsta silhouette in shocking pink set on a background of glitter with old school four wheels in the background, this brings to mind a scene out of a Disco era movie with in your face bling added to make it more current. The cover of the Super Fly Tub doesn’t talk but it screams at you with a musical undertone, “Super Fly For The Shaver Guy ?, I think so.” I’m a sucker for edgy artwork and while this one is too loud for my taste, it remains unique in concept.

Side note – Artisan Robert Cipolla had humble beginnings and for his first soap release - 'Burn The Ships' collaborated with Hendrix Classics & Co. using the latter’s base. Soon after, he started the Hoffman’s Shaving & Soap Company out of his small basement office and is now a top player in the quality shaving soap market. A long time warrior battling ADHD, it was the artisan soaps and the feel of a high carbon blade on his skin that gave him much relief and set him on the path to becoming a shaving soap artisan.

First Whiff – The scent profile of this soap is described as campfire and woodsy with lavender, chamomile, citrus, hawthorn and bergamot as the opening notes sitting atop a heart of violet leaf, nutmeg flower, lily of the valley and wood, all propped up by a base of leather, vetiver, musk, amber, patchouli and tonka bean. This is where I trim the fat, first whiff and this is a bang on dupe of Christian Dior’s Fahrenheit. I have tried a few soaps that are a homage to the Dior classic but they can’t hold a candle to this one. It is just Fahrenheit all the way, a little woody but fresh and reviving like the iconic Dior EDC or EDP. I’m a huge fan of the original fragrance and I love the way this soap smells.

First Lather – What makes Hoffman’s soaps stand out is their inclusion of Coconut Milk as the first ingredient unlike many other soaps that include coconut oil in their mix. Potassium Stearate, Water,Glycerin, Potassium Tallowate (Beef Tallow), Potassium Castorate, Fragrance, Sodium Stearate, Slippery elm, Potassium Cocoate, Citric acid, Cellulose Gum, Meadowfoam, Polyhydrostearic acid, Sodium Tallowate, Sodium Castorate, Sodium Cocoate and Microcrystalline Cellulose make up the other ingredients. Super Fly is a very soft croap and bowl lathering seemed the best option for it. Scooping out a teaspoon of soap, it took me a minute to get a thick and pasty lather with my Goodfellas Smile Bad Boy Brush and my Timeless lather bowl. A tablespoon of water and another thirty seconds with the Brush was enough to get a nice luxurious lather, impressive. This isn’t a thirsty soap and needs just a little bit of hydration.

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First Performance – While painting a few strokes on my cheeks with the shaving brush, I did notice that the fragrance had changed a bit, it still smelled great but not like that bold Fahrenheit opening from the tub. My first pass using a 2013 Muhle R41 and Wizamet Super Iridium blade was smooth with the soap providing good cushion and protection. I proceeded with the second pass and a BBS result, the soap really aiding the joy of this shave. I checked my cheeks and neck area for post shave slickness and it was minimal, having said that my skin felt smooth and nourished. The post shave is like when you dab on a silky smooth face talc that doesn’t dry your face. My only crib was that as I progressed through the shave, the fragrance had changed much and turned into a more soapy like after shower scent very much like the old formula of Eau Savage. Then it struck me that the old version of Eau Savage and Fahrenheit shared a few similarities in their base notes with both coming from the house of Dior.

First Opinion – I like this soap and would have loved the strength of the fragrance to last longer during the shave, to be fair the matching After Shave splash would be a perfect finish with the perfume lingering for hours after. I came for the scent but stayed for the performance of this unique offering from Hoffman's. For my money, still the best Fahrenheit homage in a shaving soap.

Cover Art Work – 7 / 10

Lather Quality – 8 / 10

Fragrance – 7 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10

Slickness – 5 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 53 / 70

Availabilty – Sold out currently but otherwise available at The Razor Company, Pasteur Pharmacy and www.hoffmansgrooming.com
 

Hoffman’s Shave & Soap Co. – Super Fly​

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First Look - Suave Gangsta silhouette in shocking pink set on a background of glitter with old school four wheels in the background, this brings to mind a scene out of a Disco era movie with in your face bling added to make it more current. The cover of the Super Fly Tub doesn’t talk but it screams at you with a musical undertone, “Super Fly For The Shaver Guy ?, I think so.” I’m a sucker for edgy artwork and while this one is too loud for my taste, it remains unique in concept.

Side note – Artisan Robert Cipolla had humble beginnings and for his first soap release - 'Burn The Ships' collaborated with Hendrix Classics & Co. using the latter’s base. Soon after, he started the Hoffman’s Shaving & Soap Company out of his small basement office and is now a top player in the quality shaving soap market. A long time warrior battling ADHD, it was the artisan soaps and the feel of a high carbon blade on his skin that gave him much relief and set him on the path to becoming a shaving soap artisan.

First Whiff – The scent profile of this soap is described as campfire and woodsy with lavender, chamomile, citrus, hawthorn and bergamot as the opening notes sitting atop a heart of violet leaf, nutmeg flower, lily of the valley and wood, all propped up by a base of leather, vetiver, musk, amber, patchouli and tonka bean. This is where I trim the fat, first whiff and this is a bang on dupe of Christian Dior’s Fahrenheit. I have tried a few soaps that are a homage to the Dior classic but they can’t hold a candle to this one. It is just Fahrenheit all the way, a little woody but fresh and reviving like the iconic Dior EDC or EDP. I’m a huge fan of the original fragrance and I love the way this soap smells.

First Lather – What makes Hoffman’s soaps stand out is their inclusion of Coconut Milk as the first ingredient unlike many other soaps that include coconut oil in their mix. Potassium Stearate, Water,Glycerin, Potassium Tallowate (Beef Tallow), Potassium Castorate, Fragrance, Sodium Stearate, Slippery elm, Potassium Cocoate, Citric acid, Cellulose Gum, Meadowfoam, Polyhydrostearic acid, Sodium Tallowate, Sodium Castorate, Sodium Cocoate and Microcrystalline Cellulose make up the other ingredients. Super Fly is a very soft croap and bowl lathering seemed the best option for it. Scooping out a teaspoon of soap, it took me a minute to get a thick and pasty lather with my Goodfellas Smile Bad Boy Brush and my Timeless lather bowl. A tablespoon of water and another thirty seconds with the Brush was enough to get a nice luxurious lather, impressive. This isn’t a thirsty soap and needs just a little bit of hydration.

IMG-20241229-180320.jpg
IMG-20241229-180459.jpg


First Performance – While painting a few strokes on my cheeks with the shaving brush, I did notice that the fragrance had changed a bit, it still smelled great but not like that bold Fahrenheit opening from the tub. My first pass using a 2013 Muhle R41 and Wizamet Super Iridium blade was smooth with the soap providing good cushion and protection. I proceeded with the second pass and a BBS result, the soap really aiding the joy of this shave. I checked my cheeks and neck area for post shave slickness and it was minimal, having said that my skin felt smooth and nourished. The post shave is like when you dab on a silky smooth face talc that doesn’t dry your face. My only crib was that as I progressed through the shave, the fragrance had changed much and turned into a more soapy like after shower scent very much like the old formula of Eau Savage. Then it struck me that the old version of Eau Savage and Fahrenheit shared a few similarities in their base notes with both coming from the house of Dior.

First Opinion – I like this soap and would have loved the strength of the fragrance to last longer during the shave, to be fair the matching After Shave splash would be a perfect finish with the perfume lingering for hours after. I came for the scent but stayed for the performance of this unique offering from Hoffman's. For my money, still the best Fahrenheit homage in a shaving soap.

Cover Art Work – 7 / 10

Lather Quality – 8 / 10

Fragrance – 7 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10

Slickness – 5 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 53 / 70

Availabilty – Sold out currently but otherwise available at The Razor Company, Pasteur Pharmacy and www.hoffmansgrooming.com
 

MacDuffs Soap Co. / TRC – American Vintage (Canada)​

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First Look - A Fender Stratocaster resting against an Iconic Fender Twin Reverb with a mic stand at the side, all set on a stage with dim light. This is a scene that’s close to my heart having been part of a live band for over ten years. That picture reminds me of a scene after a gig at a pub / bar or even post a rehearsal. I’m a fan of the Fender Telecaster but the Strat being one of David Gilmour’s, Hank Marvin’s and Eric Clapton’s fav guitars works well for me. An absolute winner not due to my bias but more for what the cover art represents about the tub’s contents.

Side note – MacDuff’s Soap Company is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Owner Sean Armitage and his wife embarked on the business path many moons ago with home cooking and a library card which led to making breads, simple cheeses, gardening, wine making, home brewing and soap making. A few years of experimentation was followed with the soap making company officially launched in 2017 and named after the couple’s beloved Scottish Terrier - Macduff. You can see Macduff on many Soap covers like Prairie Blooms, Market Days, Catalina, Doctor Duff etc.

First Whiff – American Vintage is supposed to be a tribute to classic guitars and late night gigs. Stand out scent notes are highlighted as rosewood - a common guitar fret board material, mahogany used in many guitars, leather reminiscent of guitar straps and tobacco to bring forth the ambience of a late night pub or bar. The complete profile includes Tobacco, Rosewood, Leather, Mahogany, Lemongrass, Citrus, Ho Wood, Cedarwood, Oakmoss and Spice. I am going to refrain from a detailed breakdown of the scent as everything envisioned by the artisan is right there when you open the tub. This is a unique yet subtle tobacco forward scent with pleasing woodsy notes and a touch of leather. The Razor Company collaborations with many artisans has always been top notch and this is a banger of a fragrance, one that will remind you of the time spent with friends, band mates, a girlfriend, your wife or a sibling in a late night bar or pub where blues, country, classic and southern rock filled the air.

First Lather – Macduffs soaps stand apart from other soaps in the way the lather builds up and the end result of the bowl lathering process. I stared with a teaspoon of American Vintage which was extremely soft like a thickened cream. Two cycles of thirty seconds each with my Razorock BC silvertip brush, two tablespoons of water and the Timeless TR bowl earned me a thick pasty lather. I let the soap sit for another thirty seconds before adding one more tablespoon of water and proceeding to swirl the Brush at a fairly high speed. The result wasn’t a foamy kind of lather but a thick and dense one reminiscent of a Gelato mix before being frozen. This soap lathers beautifully.

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First Performance – I was skeptical that the lather might be enough for a two pass shave but there was enough for four. Using a friend’s Karve Overlander with a Bolzano Superinox blade, the first pass was a breeze. The soap provided excellent cushion, protection and slickness. A quick rinse was followed by a smooth second pass, this time around I refrained from rinsing off the soap and did another half pass on my neck area to end with a BBS. Here’s a tip, don’t rinse off the soap after the first pass if you want that slickness to stay consistent through the shave. Wash it off and your face will feel clean and dry but still moisturized. Macduffs is a soap company that focuses on skin nourishment and the TRC collab American Vintage has all those skin benefiting ingredients in it. Unrefined shea butter, goats milk, green tea extract, hydrolyzed oat protein. silk, aloe barbadensis, organic oils of argan, jojoba, pumpkin seed and camellia seed, paraben and phthalate free fragrance oils and Tremella Fuciformis Bark Seed Extract ( has anti inflammatory properties that reduces severity of blemishes while maintaining moisture levels of the skin) are the big players in the soap's formula.

First Opinion – I am a huge fan of every TRC collab with an Artisan Soap maker but American Vintage tops them all. This Macduff’s creation can take you back in time to when life was all about music, beers, laughter, friends and good times. It is a top tier offering capable of rubbing shoulders with the best shaving soaps available in the here and now. My only regret is not having picked up another two tubs of it. My advice, if TRC releases another run of this soap, grab it blindly, it is that good.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 9 / 10

Fragrance – 9 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10

Slickness – 8 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 61 / 70

Availability – This is a TRC exclusive and only available at www.therazorcompany.com but sold out for now.
 
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Great review Bladerunner7
Your description of the pub atmosphere brings memories, floating back of smoky pubs, and hotels of a Bagon era. I don’t miss the next morning, doing the washing and smelling the old tobacco smell on everything.😀
 

DLC YAQI – Velvet Rose Shaving Soap​


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First Look - Roses, Roses and more Roses that adorn the tub cover of Yaqi’s Velvet Rose with the only exception being the soap and the company’s name. Simple yet effective with the font used for the soap’s name adding a touch of elegance to the presentation. I’m not head over heels but I do like the cover art a lot as it is a perfect teaser of what to expect when you take off the lid.

Side note – Yaqi’s collaboration in South Africa with artisan Fernando Saraiva of Master Soap Creations often flies under the radar but it is a venture that struck gold for both companies. It introduced MSC Soaps to a number of shavers worldwide while strengthening Yaqi’s position not just as a shaving brush and razor maker but as a company offering quality hardware as well as software for all shaving needs. My introduction to Master Soap Creations was also through Yaqi shaving soaps.

First Whiff – A homage to Jo Malone’s classic fragrance of the same name, the soap’s top notes are rose and patchouli that hover above a heart of labdunum and musk with amber and a bit more musk at the base. The artisan describes this as a dark damask rose forward scent that is surrounded by oud wood, a touch of clove and a finish of praline. That description is pretty much bang on, when you open the tub the rose and the wood come through. The musk may be present in two layers of the scent profile but rather than overpower the two main notes, it stays in the background lending a gentle projection with that nutty praline finish . This is a classy masculine rose scent where neither the patchouli, clove or woody oud notes make an attempt to outdo the elegant damask rose. I am a mega fan of it and am sure that this soap will be in heavy rotation for my shaves.

First Lather – The Velvet Rose ingredient list features Triple Pressed Stearic Acid, Purified Aqua, Tallow, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Avocado Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Palm Oil, Glycerine, Sodium Lactate , Bentonite Clay, pure Essential Oil, Fragrance Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, D-panthenol and Tussah Silk. Using my newly acquired Yaqi Ocean Synthetic brush and a table spoon of water, I worked a teaspoon of the soap gently in my Timeless TR bowl, a minute later I had a nice pasty lather. I then let the soap sit for a minute before adding two more tablespoons of water and working at it for another minute and a half. There is a healthy dose of tallow in the mix like all other MSC soaps, the end result of bowl lathering was a creamy, rich and luxurious lather.

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First Performance – While painting a few lather strokes on my face, it also struck me that the Yaqi Ocean Brush had an amazingly soft feel on the cheeks with excellent splay. When you have an excellent soap in terms of lather quality and fragrance coupled with a quality synthetic brush, you tend to lather more than actually shave the stubble off. I had to stop at some point of time and focus on the shave. Two passes with a good mate's Alpha Outlaw Evolution and a Feather blade were enough to deliver a smooth as silk BBS. That is where MSC soaps always shine, they are slick as ever while providing excellent cushion and protection with wonderful fragrances. I never use the lather left behind in the bowl on my face like a lot of shavers do post shave but I did it this time around, that’s how much I enjoyed Velvet Rose.

First Opinion – This is a soap for a rose fan which I am, not a feminine or an overly masculine rose fragrance but the gentlemanly kind. The matching after shave with zero alcohol is nourishing for the skin and has good sillage and projection, I have been guilty of carrying the little sample around in my bag to splash on before meetings or important events. Velvet Rose is a top tier offering from Yaqi and MSC and with a generous 6 oz pour, it remains one of the best value for money buys in the shaving soap arena. Highly recommended.

Cover Art Work – 7 / 10

Lather Quality – 9 / 10

Fragrance – 10 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10

Slickness – 8 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 10 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 63 / 70

Availablity – Sold by the Yaqi factory Store on Ali Express - https://www.aliexpress.com/i/1005006190355893.html
 
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