What Is The Most Popular (By Sales) Shave Soap?

I’ve been looking at the most popular wet shaving (by sales vs. “best”) products lately.  Here’s my research into what is the most popular shave soap by popularity and sales.

Lists, Artisans, And “House Brands”

It’s tougher to determine generally popular shave soaps because of the proliferation of artisans and “house brands.” As anyone reading Sharpologist for any length of time knows, the artisan shave soap scene has exploded over the past few years, with many one-or-two man shops churning out lots of truly excellent shave soaps.  Some of these artisans also blend shave soaps to be sold as the “house brand” of a vendor.  So of course these “house brands” often rise to the top of the list of that vendor.

For the purpose of this article I’ve removed “house brands” from vendor lists to get a better over-all picture of the scene.

Note: Amazon, Grooming Lounge, Smallflower, and West Coast Shaving links are affiliate.

Amazon

I begin again with the 800 pound gorilla of online merchandise, Amazon.  Their list as I write this:

1. Van Der Hagen, Scented
2. Proraso Refresh
3. Lather & Wood, Barbershop
4. Viking Revolution shave soap 4 pack
5. Williams
6. Henry Cavendish Himalaya
7. Proraso Shaving Soap, Moisturizing and Nourishing
8. Col. Ichabod Conk Glycerin Soap – Almond
9. Proraso Shaving Soap in a Bowl, Sensitive
10. Sir Hare Premium Shaving Soap – Barbershop

West Coast Shaving

West Coast Shaving is a popular wet shaving vendor.  Here is their list:

1. Ogallala Bay Rum
2. Stirling Barbershop
3. Conk Bay Rum
4. Barrister And Mann, Hallows
5. Seaforth Heather
6. Barrister And Mann, Seville
7. Seaforth Spiced
8. Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood
9. Mitchell’s Wool Fat
10. Wholly Kaw Vor V

Maggard Razors

Maggard Razors is another very popular vendor among wet shavers.  Their list:

1. Barrister And Mann, Seville
2. Arko
3. Stirling Executive Man
4. Barrister And Mann, Cheshire
5. Barrister And Mann, Lavanille
6. Proraso Green Tea & Oatmeal
7. Barrister And Mann, Fougere Gothique
8. Proraso Refreshing
9. Proraso Sandalwood
10. Chiseled Face Ghost Town Barber

Smallflower

Smallflower’s list:

1. Haslinger Sheep Milk Shave Soap (Vegetable Base)
2. Mitchell’s Wool Fat
3. Green Mountain Soap Unscented
4. DR Harris Almond
5. DR Harris Arlington
6. Proraso Refreshing
7. Speick shave stick
8. Tabac shave stick
9. Stirling Arkadia
10. Green Mountain Soap Balsam Spice

Bullgoose

1. Saponificio Varesino 70th Anniversary Shaving Soap
2. La Savonniere du Moulin Donkey Milk Shaving Soap
3. Boellis Panama 1924 Shave Soap
4. Saponificio Varesino “Cosmo ” Shaving Soap
5. Cella Crema Da Barba Almond
6. Saponificio Varesino Opuntia (Prickly Pear) Shaving Soap
7. Mitchell’s Wool Fat
8. Saponificio Varesino Stella Alpina
9. Pre de Provence No. 63
10. Saponificio Varesino Manna di Sicilia

Fendrihan

1. Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood
2. Ogallala Bay Rum
3. Mitchell’s Wool Fat
4. Saponificio Varesino
5. Trumper
6. Col. Conk Bay Rum
7. Proraso Refreshing
8. DR Harris Sandalwood
9. Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood
10. Floris

Italian Barber

1. Mitchell’s Wool Fat
2. Tabac
3. Fine Santal Absolut
4. Arko
5. Fine American Blend

Grooming Lounge

Another more mainstream vendor is Grooming Lounge.  Here’s their list:

1. Truefitt And Hill, Luxury
2. Proraso Refresh
3. Trumper Lime
4. Taylor Of Old Bond Street, Sandalwood
5. Proraso Nourish

Conclusion – The Most Popular?

As I mentioned earlier, it’s tougher to determine the most popular shave soaps (vs. shave creams) because of the proliferation of Artisan brands.  But, looking at all the lists, I think some general observations can be made.

Proraso “Refresh” (Menthol & Eucalyptus with the green label) and Mitchell’s Wool Fat (“MWF”) appear on many lists.  And Col. Conk shave soaps (particularly Bay Rum) are also “on the radar.”

Beyond that the results get fuzzier.  Generally it’s probably OK to suggest that Barrister And Mann and Stirling, as artisan brands, are pretty popular–though a particular scent doesn’t really stand out.