Posted by Evan on February 17, 2008, 1:07 am
Alright. First of all, I want to say right off the bat that Giovanni's service is OUTSTANDING. I ordered this cream on a Thursday and it was in my hot little hands by the following Monday. Instant gratification!...and let me just say that the shave didn't disappoint. Rich, thick, lubricating, cushiony lather. Lots of it. And that wonderful rose fragrance ... oh my ....
I'm a newcomer to DE wetshaving and after experimenting with many different creams I find that more & more I return to rose scents. I have a tub of Taylor's rose (smells great!) and a tub of Salter's wild rose (nice smell but too weak for my taste). Tryphon's rose, however, trumps them both. To my nose, the smell is more of a "true" rose fragrance than Taylor's. I also find the lather to hold water better than Taylor's -- thicker & richer -- but this could simply be due to the fact that as a noob I didn't have the best lather-making technique when using the Taylor's.
No matter. I shaved again today with Tryphon's rose. This shave was even better than the first! A fresh Gillette Swedish Blue in my 38C + Tryphon's rose + plenty of time & attention yielded a wonderful, BBS shave with hardly any nicks. (An amazing accomplishment for me, especially given the sharpness of the Swedes and my still-developing technique.)
Thanks, Giovanni. I'll be ordering more when my tub runs out!
Evan
Posted by Shawn on February 14, 2008, 11:28 pm
Tryphon Sandalwood
Posted by sergio on February 14, 2008, 10:53 am
Tryphon Sandalwood ( olio di sandalo)THis is the best shaving soap i have ever tried ( i own the whole line of trumpers, taylors and art of shaving plus some more, creams included).
It is glycerin based.
It is so slick that i stoped using preshaving oils, very gentle on the skin...
There are two things that make this soap exceptional in my opinion.
1- The scent: it is the real sandalwood, this is what sandalwood smells like, and its so adictive i can not help but to open to sniff it every time i am in the bathroom, at the same time is not overpowering so you can layer it with other products and also people is not offended by manly smells ( you will be surprised by how many people in california hate scents...)
2- Lathering capability....: this is THE most versatile lather making machine in the world....depending the amount of water and brush play , you can create from the most thick slick lather to the opossite, there is sooo much room to play with ...its crazy.
Also leaves my skin so nicely nurised that i dont even know if to put aftershave or not....i think i am starting to hate this soap....rutine killer.
THe container ...it comes with its own soap dish that seals perfectly...i take it to the gym..throw it in the drawer, never the soaps leaks or gets damaged .
It can be purchased for as little as $10 bucks with free shipping if you get one of the packages that are being offered in the web site.
The web site is WWW.RAZORANDBRUSH.COM , then you log into shaving store...
The products in this web site are so adictive...its a danger, i thought i was done buying shave gear until i came across this place, very adictive.
And the service is the best i have ever gotten anywhere, super fast shipping and great personal attention.
Finally a great product that is well priced, well packaged and performs great.
Good job razor and brush
I give you my word you wont be disapointed with this product ..very well worth a try.
Be well.
Posted by Tim W on February 7, 2008, 9:40 pm
Hi all, a big thanks to Matt R (is this the right Matt R?) to introducing me to this place.Giovanni I have say I tried Permafrost for the first time this morning and it is a killer cream.. I love it so decided to share my thoughts as well as introduce myself.
Permafrost;
Is thicker than any other cream I have tried I mean it is like solid white goodness... such a nice thick lather I have found nowhere else (Easily 3x thicker than my Taylor's Avocado)
Whhhewww is it chilly! My cold water rinse was like dunking my face into a bucket of ice water, great stuff!
While it was plenty slick it was not as slick as I would like... I think this is do more to my inexperance with it though... Tomorrow I will add more water, if I can get it a tad slicker I think it will bump Proraso from my main cream spot.
Oh one more thing I dont like, the printing on the label isn't waterproof but then again thats just splitting hairs, I really love this stuff!
Anyways thanks for making such a great product and thanks to Matt for tradeing me some, I would have never tried Tryphon's creams if you hadn’t... I am ashamed to say it but sometimes I judge a book by its cover...
Posted by Tim W on February 8, 2008, 10:51 am, in reply to "Hello Everyone... and WOWZA!"
Hello Everyone... and WOWZA!
Posted by Tim W on February 8, 2008, 10:51 am, in reply to "Hello Everyone... and WOWZA!"
Update...
After
using a bit more water in it today I achieved the slickness I had
wanted. If the new batch lathers up even better and is even more slick
I gotta try to get through mine asap!
I really love this cream, the lather is just so thick. I think I could sculpt with it!
Posted by styptic screams on November 28, 2007, 3:31 am, in reply to "Poll: scent for new shaving cream"
I also voted for Aqua Velva just because of the sheer innovativeness to formulate this nifty classic scent in a shaving cream! And well, it would be yet another sweet-smelling menthol product to hoard!Oh, and speaking of menthol -- I used the new Permafrost (shave stick) today for the first time. I'm lousy at "reviewing" but frankly, it was the nicest shaving experience I've ever had! (And believe me, I'm long of tooth and have surely put the Gillette to the epidermis many, many times!)
I actually re-lathered five times just to keep experiencing the "icy cold blast"
sensation that kept increasing each time in intensity?! For a fleeting
second -- I thought: "To heck with shaving -- I'm just gonna leave this
stuff on 'til it dries?!" 
It is truly unique! Thanks Giovanni, for the great concepts in your Tryphon product line.
Re: Florida Water
Posted by coffeguy76 on May 8, 2007, 11:35 am, in reply to "Re: Florida Water"
Just used your Florida Water. Absolutely intriguing. Excellent lather and a very agreeable remaining scent. Another excellent product! Folks, if you haven't tried Florida Water, give it a shot. . . it is truly unique and promises to become one of Gio's best sellers.Tuscan pinewood with proraso pre-post....
Posted by Sergio on January 27, 2008, 2:28 am
A match made in heaven, one of the best shaves of my life, what an elegant refreshing shave that was.They just work great together, this soap was very slick, moisturizing , and even though the scent is not very strong i find it somewhat more sofisticated and complex than proraso green tube.
I think proraso finally found a contender....
Alpino Extra Menthol
Posted by prism on April 12, 2007, 8:15 pm
IF you really love menthol, then this is the soap for you!! I have'nt enjoyed a shaving soap(or cream) like this in over 20 years! The lather was fantastic, both in ease of lathering and in quality of lather! As for the menthol - gentlemen, this is some serious menthol!!! I have'nt felt menthol like this since Caswell-Massey's(short-lived) whipped menthol cream. This is better! The menthol kicked in big time when I re-lathered! Christ, it was like rubbing an ice cube on my face, and I loved it! This is now my soap of choice! Truly a superior product, and, IMHO, an incredible value!! Giovanni, I salute you!Re: Alpino Extra Menthol
Posted by Ilija on April 21, 2007, 11:59 am, in reply to "Alpino Extra Menthol"
I have to say that this is an amazing soap and that I look forward to every time it gets its turn in the rotation. The minty blast rocks.Dorco blades, a neophyte's review
Posted by SteveW on March 31, 2007, 11:32 pm
I'm five shaves into a Dorco blade, so I thought it was time for me to write up a review.First, let's get this out of the way, as homonyms go the name is a bit unfortunate. As if we didn't already have a reputation as "shaving dorks". 8)
Okay, some background. I've been using a DE for a couple of months now. So far I've tried American Personna, Wilkinson, late 60s Schick and Super Max Platinums.
Given Gio's statement that these were very mild blades I decided to use the more aggressive of my two DEs, a vintage Merkur open-comb (the other razor being a '67 superspeed).
The first morning I worked too much water in my Taylor's cream and didn't really have good lubrication. Despite this I didn't get any nicks even though I could feel the blade pulling. I gave it another try, this time getting the soap right.
Sure enough it was a nice smooth shave. The blade is quite mild, but with patience, enough passes, and some atg work I ended up with a BBS shave.
The same held true for the next three shaves. The fifth shave was not _quite_ BBS, but I can't say whether it was the blade or the operator that is getting dull. 8)
The New Sandalwood Shaving Soap--and The Dorco Blades
Posted by Bill Wright on March 31, 2007, 2:44 pm
Just a quick note to the group..Quickly, now..get out your credit cards, go to Giovanni's store and buy the new Sandalwood shaving soap and the Dorco Blades. Both are the best of show.
I am a sandalwood lover and the soap is both bang on for aroma AND for deep rich lather that stands even my stubble up to get cut down to size...
And the blade to do the cutting is the DORCO. Both more aggressive AND more gentle than the Merkur, the DORCO balances all the things DE shaving folks want. Plus the packaging seems to be more...er...earth friendly...it is all recycled/recyclable..if you are cognizant of those things.
Four thumbs up..two each for two great products..
Bill
Re: Test shaves
Posted by Ilija Milicevic on March 24, 2007, 11:10 am, in reply to "Test shaves"
Well, I tried the new mentholated Alpino. The first whiff was like taking the first whiff of freshly-distilled moonshine -- intense. It made my face tingle even before I started shaving. The cold water rinse and the subsequent outing were invigorating.
The addition of a huge amount of menthol EO did not affect the performance.. The lather is still tops, while the hydration and the glide are more than adequate. Like with the rest of Tryphon products, the lather did not evaporate prematurely. It stayed moist throughout the pass.
I like this new formula.
......................
Tryphon soap evaluations
Posted by Steve on March 12, 2007, 10:15 pm
This is a copy of my evaluation I posted on the StraightRazorPlace. I wanted to post it here for those who might not see it elsewhere.-------------------------------------------------
I just received 2 samples of soap from Giovanni (thank you Gio!), Rosa and Clorafillo(sp?). Both soaps have a great scent. The Rosa is a very subtle rose scent which remained throughout the whole shave. It caused a bit of nostalgia for me as I seem to remember a very similiar scent growing up around my grandmother and great-grandmother. The clorafillo smells very refreshing with a good amount of minty fragrence. It reminded me of mint candy and my 5 year old daughter confiscated it because she loves the smell so much.
I shaved tonight with the Rosa.
Here are my observations:
1. Quickly lathered into a rich, velvety lather. Quite plentiful as it lasted enough for about 5 passes (I only needed 3 with a little touchup but there was still plenty left in the bowl).
2. Very slick and provided excellent glide for the razor.
3. Very good moistrue retention. By this I mean that it never dried out on my face while shaving or in the bowl while in between applications
As an aside, Giovanni has been very prompt in his communications with me. I never had to wait long at all for a response to any email I sent to him.
All in all, this is a great soap and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to add another soap to their rotation. My thanks to Giovanni for providing the samples.
Re: Tryphon testers just arrived
Posted by Ilija Milicevic on March 6, 2007, 9:22 pm, in reply to "Re: Tryphon testers just arrived"
This post will appear on 2 more forums as it's my official shave-test of the Alpino soap... I owe it to Giovanni for generously providing the testers and to you gentlemen, FYI.After my nap, I stropped up the freshly honed Taylor's Eye Witness, let the soap and brush soak in some hot water, took a shower and was finally ready to lather up and and wipe those 36 hours of stubble off my face. Here are my impressions..
1) The packaging was a bit plain but I liked the extra space for lathering. Some soap manufacturers fill their containers all the way up, which leads to a mess in the bathroom when you start lathering up. I don't mind the plain look, but that may impact the gift potential, depending on the recipient.
2) The scent is subtle and refreshing. Even though I personally prefer more powerful scents, especially in the winter, I can see myself using this soap a lot more in the summer. It doesn't linger too long, but it makes the shaving experience more pleasant.
3) I got a thick, rich lather right off the bat. It loaded enough into my brush for 3-4 passes, even though I only did two. This is the part that impressed me the most. It took close to zero effort to make me look like Santa Claus. The lather stayed moist throughout the pass, without the need to re-apply. No other product I've tried (and I've tried quite a few) produced a lather of this quality.
4) It moisturized the hair very well and gave me an adequate glide. No complaints in the performance department.
5) It left my skin as moisturized as any other quality shaving product, without drying. There was no chemical irritation on my face.
6) It rinsed off my blade very easily and with no residue, so it won't clog up your DE or disposable in case you use one.
Conclusions:
Overall, we have a winner. It performed as well as any other truly high quality product. Unlike what's out there on the market in North America (mostly of English origin), it has a refreshing and unique scent that's truly Mediterranean. Every top quality product has to distinguish itself in [i]some[/i] department and in this case it's the lather. It's something you [i]have to[/i] see/feel for yourself. Therefore, yes, I would recommend buying this product with no reservations.
Additional note: Adding a good dose of peppermint EO to the formula would make the feel truly refreshing but I am not sure how it would affect the lathering ability and it would not be good for strongly sensitive skin. Still, having one product with that refreshing "splash" feeling, with a proper caveat would not be a bad idea and this would be the best candidate in the lineup.
Report on a new Tryphon Shaving Soap
Posted by Bill Wright on March 4, 2007, 6:33 pm
Got a chance to beta a new Sandalwood scented shaving soap...and thought I would do a full report on the Tryphon Shaving soap.First, let's get the equipment and beard thing out of the way. For the first two shaves, I let my beard grow for two and three full days. I have a very coarse grey and black beard with the consisance and feel of a grade 4 steel wool. I use a Merkur three-piece razor and the blade I used had some mileage on it...like about 6 shaves. So it was not the newest blade.
Next, all comparisons are to a Caswell and Massey Sandalwood soap.
First, feel. The two soaps take different approaches. The C and M is more along the lines of a French-milled soap, very hard and dry. The Tryphon soap is softer, probably because of more glycerin.
Second, lathering. I use a C and M badger brush. The Tryphon is the winner here, no question. The lather literally bursts from the brush in a tight wave.
Third, lasting power. The C and M lather dried out rather quickly, both on the face and the brush. Not so with the the Tryphon.
Fourth, glide. Using the "gravity-glide" method it was Tryphon again. With the six shave old blade against the three day beard, the C and M lather was not pleasant and I had to pull the blade through the stubble to get a shave.
Fifth, residuals in the "tight spots". For me, I have to go back under the nose and under my lower lip. The Tryphon soap left a residual "slick" that allowed me to redo the area without re-lathering.
Sixth, residual lather. The C and M soap had to be reworked into a lather for a second go at my tough spots...chin and neck. Not so with the Tryphon. There was plenty of residual foam to swirl on and complete the job.
And on the third trial, I did a "normal" one day growth with a fresh blade (Merkur). Absolutely no problems...close, comfortable, razor gliding like a Zamboni between periods at a Jersey Devils game.
I like a little more sandalwood scent but not everyone does. This stuff is about a close to perfection as I have found in nearly 50 years of shaving.
Bill Wright...on the Jersey Shore...
(I get tickled at the posts here with all these "discoveries". I have used nearly everyone of the shavers you all are talking about. You want first hand...write me and I will tell you the REAL story of how the razor felt...)Posted by xChris on February 8, 2007, 9:07 am
|
This review is for a glycerin-based shaving soap sold by Tryphon
Enterprises. The scent that I am reviewing is Alpino. Here is Tryphon's
description of the soap and scent:
"Formulated in Italy and made in the USA, this luxury shaving soap offers the cooling effect of menthol and eucalyptus, blended with other alpine herbs. This soap uses exclusively Essential Oils for its distinctive scent. The scent is reminiscent of an Alpine forest, with natural, balsamic herbs, pine and evergreen undertones. This signature scent is minty fresh, without having the sweet perfume of a candy cane or the medicinal smell of a skin cream; it is subtle, refined and understated." The scent for me is a nice fresh, minty scent; it is neither cloying nor medicinal in scent (ala Proraso shaving soap or Listerine). The “alpine” notes are a little too mild for me, but are evident nonetheless. Note that I am not a “nose” when it comes to scent identification or description. The soap provides a gentle tingling and cooling sensation when applied. The scent is not overpowering, allowing it to be used for layering of scents (I did so with Penhaligon's English Fern, and liked the combination). The container is a simple plastic tub with a decal label. It is consistent with the current market's packaging. The use of Italian & English language with simple graphics is attractive without being overdone or gawdy. The soap is poured into the container, and the bowl is tall and wide enough to allow a brush to work the soap inside it. The soap feels a little harder (pushing my thumb into the soap) than similar glycerin soaps. I lathered up with it several times, and got very good results. I used various brushes, building lather in a bowl, and building lather directly on my face. The lather has an atypical texture/appearance, but still provides a close and clean shave. It may look airy, but maintains a good level of cushion and slickness; it can also be quite creamy feeling in texture (even when appearing to be dried out). It maintains its volume when applied, and rinses away easily without leaving a residue. I found I could lather the soap into a “dry” lather, or make a wet/hydrated lather, and still maintain shave quality. Overall, I like this soap. It provides a great shave with minimal workup. I think it is a nice addition to my rotation. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone looking for something new. |
Tryphon Enterprise Clorofilla Shave Stick
Posted by xChris on February 7, 2007, 11:25 am
I used this soap for the first time today, and got a great shave. The shave stick uses a pushup-type container to dispense the soap from. You simply wipe the soap that's sticking out of the container around your face (against the beard growth is best), then hit it with a lightly-wet shaving brush to devlop the lather. The stick soap can also be used without lathering it up, and works well that way for "touch & cut" shaving.The scent started out quite strong with the spearmint, but then changed to reveal the alpine/herb notes. I matched it up with some Pitralon aftershave, then followed that with some Creed Bois de Portugal EdT. A nice mix I think, and one that I'll use again. The shave was very close with a W&B "Diamond Edge" 5/8 wedge, and the excellent lather of the Clorofilla.