The Strop’s Shoppe Teak Wood is a perfect example of a soapmaker knowing the difference between a light scent and a weak scent. When you lather it up, bam, it’s there. Not really what I would call strongly, but it’s there. None of the straining to detect it that I often find with other soaps that try to pull off a “light” scent. It’s there, unmistakably so, and lasts throughout the entire shave without any fading that I noticed. Anyways, I suppose I might have liked it a fraction stronger, but this is definitely one of the few soaps that I’ve seen try for a “light” scent that doesn’t just fall flat IMHO.

It also helps that the aroma is quite pleasant. A bit hard to describe, it’s sort of a sweet woodsy scent. I can’t pinpoint the woody portion, but I think the sweetness could be vanilla? Hard to say. Heck, maybe it’s just the actual scent of the shea and/or cocoa butter used. I’m not sure. Anyways, I rather enjoy it.

And the lather. This is the first of the Strop Shoppe’s Special Edition soaps that I’ve tried, and wow, I can see why people seem to be raving so much about it. It lathers up extremely easily; a lot of volume, not too much water needed, as I find is often the case for soft soaps. It’s luxuriously thick and slick. And it left the face feeling just great, likely due to the extra Shea and Cocoa butter used.

9/10 Scent Pleasantness

9/10 Scent Strength

10/10 Lather Quality

Overall, a rather strong 9/10. The Strop Shoppe’s products started out rather strong when they first started out last year, and they certainly seem to be improving upon that as they go. Now only if we could convince them to offer samples! Anyways, I’d say this is easily within my top 5 favourite soaps / creams.

Cost: The ~8.0 oz tub pictured (and no, I’m not sure why it’s mislabelled as 2.0 oz, it’s definitely far more than that) ran me $17.99, and is also available in a non-tallow version. Edit: If you want to avoid their website (as there are semi-frequently significant delays in shipping / customer service issues I’ve heard reported), 6 oz and 3 oz tubs are available in Canada from Men Essentials for $19.50 and $9.50 respectively.

Gear used:

Ingredients: Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Butter, Fragrance.