DR Harris shaving soaps (2025)

With the caveat that I've not had to buy any in the last few years, DR Harris soaps are top-drawer. They tend to get forgotten about in the furore over artisan soaps but they're really good. Being traditional triple-milled soaps they last for ages too.

Arlington is probably my favourite, it's a light citrus-based scent. I also like Marlborough, but that one seems to divide opinion. The scents are lighter than most artisanal soaps which is a bonus IMO as I find a lot of them too strong.

That's it, I'm breaking out the Arlington for my next shave!

I like triple milled soaps very much. After Mitchell’s, DRH and Valobra are my favorite hard pucks. I use three Harris soaps, Arlington, Marlborough and Almond, the latter being my least used. Agreed with @Chris, Harris soaps are pleasantly and mildly scented; definitely not in your face as many other brands tend to present. Fifteen to twenty minutes after shaving there’s no discernible scent remaining. DRH post shave is very, very good. Not equal to Mitchell’s or Valobra/AoS, but very, very good.

Arlington smells like the old school novelty candy, Pez (not my original description, but quite accurate nonetheless). If you’re familiar with 4711 aftershave splash it’s quite similar to that, but more complex with a definite undertone of fougere. Marlborough (to me) is a unique scent. I don’t necessarily get cedar or sandalwood which is the ‘official’ description. To me it smells vaguely woody-smokey but not overly strong. I like it. The Almond soap does not smell like most generically scented almond products (think almond extract). Rather, to my nose it’s more vanilla-y. It’s my least used of the three.

I haven’t tried any other Harris soaps, but I do occasionally enjoy Salter’s hard soap. As @NeilJ points out Cyril Salter‘s base is very similar, if not identical to Harris’ soaps. There are times when Salter‘s lather feels incredibly luxurious! Perhaps more so than Harris’. Fwiw, the Salter puck smells stronger scented than I imagine DRH might be (edited to add; based on my experience with the Harris brand overall). Another soap brand to consider is Captain Fawcett’s. I like their Scapicchio very much; fig, olive and bay rum.

Hoarder alert: Lately I’ve wondered, is Harris going the way of Mitchell’s Wool Fat, Valobra, etc.? Marlborough refill pucks have been out of stock for months at many of the vendors I surf. If I didn’t already have a lifetime supply of my favorites I’d definitely be stocking up. By the time an official announcement is made, it may be too late. Remember the MWF calamity earlier this year?

one more edit; I once bought a puck of Windsor. It wasn’t my cup of tea, so I gladly moved it along.

chazt said:

Hoarder alert: Lately I’ve wondered, is Harris going the way of Mitchell’s Wool Fat, Valobra, etc.? Marlborough refill pucks have been out of stock for months at many of the vendors I surf. If I didn’t already have a lifetime supply of my favorites I’d definitely be stocking up. By the time an official announcement is made, it may be too late. Remember the MWF calamity earlier this year?

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I think you're spot on @chazt , I stocked up about a year ago, probably have 8 or 9 in storage. I doubt I'll ever get to finish them! Sad thought really

Shave to the grave said:

I think you're spot on @chazt , I stocked up about a year ago, probably have 8 or 9 in storage. I doubt I'll ever get to finish them! Sad thought really

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I understand. If memory serves, my “deep storage” stash has a good 30+ hard pucks and approximately 24 soft soaps from a half dozen or so brands. And let’s not forget the 2 dozen soaps that I’m actually working through. I’m sick.

chazt said:

I understand. If memory serves, my “deep storage” stash has a good 30+ hard pucks and approximately 24 soft soaps from a half dozen or so brands. And let’s not forget the 2 dozen soaps that I’m actually working through. I’m sick.

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We all go overboard in the beginning. You'll eventually whittle down your hoard to 3 or 4.

chazt said:

I understand. If memory serves, my “deep storage” stash has a good 30+ hard pucks and approximately 24 soft soaps from a half dozen or so brands. And let’s not forget the 2 dozen soaps that I’m actually working through. I’m sick.

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Don't be so hard on yourself

Count me as another fan of DRH soaps. Before the explosion in the US artisan soap offerings, DRH was considered quite a premium choice and I think deserves to retain that. Arlington is my favourite, like walking through an English garden in May. Marlborough is also a very evocative scent. It puts me in mind of an oak panelled school room of some sort. A lovely scent for September/October.

RE hoarding, I did have an unopened pack of Arlington, which I found had lost all of its scent after around 18 months. Just something to be aware of.

RiverMan said:

RE hoarding, I did have an unopened pack of Arlington, which I found had lost all of its scent after around 18 months. Just something to be aware of.

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Yes, and some shrink in size also.

Bob