Officina Artigiana Milano - 5 Wellness Oils Original Shaving Soap

When your shaving soap comes from the same area as one of your favorite football (soccer) teams you know the universe is leaning in your favor.
The relationship between Barbieri Uniti S.r.l. and Atalanta BC is best understood through their shared geographical roots in Bergamo, Italy. Barbieri Uniti, the company behind Officina Artigiana Milano and The Goodfellas' Smile, operates from the Bergamo area, with warehouse infrastructure in nearby Scanzorosciate. Its international shaving-products business provides one example of the region's commercial reach, while Atalanta BC represents Bergamo on the national and international football stage.
Officina Artigiana occupies a more artisanal, premium position within Barbieri’s wider commercial operation, combining specialist product presentation with the logistical advantages of an established distributor. My adopting Oli del Benessere (OdB - Original, Wellness Oils) happened practically through availability.
To my blade, while it is fully adequate in slip for any razor, it can be less protective than some soaps especially when effectively paired with optimized partner pre-shaves. OdB optimal lather is slightly more bare to emphasize the skin treatment oils, which can be a positive depending on skill and equipment. To clarify - it lathers excellently and in my feeling it is best to limit pushing puff to intentionally work the product towards its strong suit. I SCOOP & PRESS IN BOWL TO KEEP JAR MOISTURE-FREE. Lather cling in application is tops. Post-shave skin feel is great. 1 pass with touch-ups.
To my nose there is an essential similarity, not in scent, but in simple integration of scent between Terre d'Hermès men's fragrance and Oli del Benessere. Terre blends citrus, flint, and wood into a singular accord often described as "dirty orange." Similarly, Officina Artigiana OdB merges heavy notes like whisky, tobacco, and birch into a smooth mostly unified gentle manly vibe. Both have a positive understated quality - no need to show off, look at the score - I already won.
Neither fragrance forces you to hunt for individual notes as they dry down. Instead, their intricate recipes work in unison, delivering a clear pleasant message. On paper, Officina Artigiana OdB reads like an aggressive "powerhouse" scent. Notes like birch tar, smoky Havana tobacco, and sharp black pepper usually signal something loud. However, in reality, OAM achieves a masterclass in Italian restraint. The scent is remarkably gentle, smooth, and intimately pleasant rather than aggressive or cloying.
Following the commercial success of The Goodfellas’ Smile, it is likely parent company Barbieri Uniti Srl utilized those resources for OAM line. By choosing an English name and utilizing stylized mobster imagery, the creators lean into Hollywood’s romanticized, cinematic version of the Italian-American mafia rather than the grim reality of domestic organized crime, creating a lifestyle aesthetic designed to appeal to global wet shaving enthusiasts. Personally, I vote no and don’t use TGS.
Four stars is a very strong rating. To gain the fifth Officina would need to decrease some fanciness, dance less with Tom Ford, absolve a chunk of mob violence aggrandizing karma, and let more Italian sunlight with sprays of mediterranean simplicity back in. Barbieri Uniti has this division mostly right but is overdoing it, forcing more elegance, more gentlemen’s club connection than the DNA requires. Like a race car, better to linger in the pocket where maximizing capacities happens than to push too hard for speed or to secure a questionable endorsement. There is space to be more the true self of Officina Artigiana where authentic, traditional Italian craft brings modern cosmetic science to serve old-world workshop dedication.

smells great lathers okay. zero slipperiness. Friend sald the same thing. Two stars

When I had first received my package I was astonished by how large the jar was. I thought that would make a great lather building up platform! The scent truly reminded me walking into a cathedral. The scent of incense and spices reminded me of that feeling. I really loved it. The quality however is probably one of the best you can buy. The lather is smooth, sticky, and the glide is amazing! However the after feel of the soap leaves my face feeling fantastic. I usually do 2-3 passes and this felt like I only did 1 pass. It doesn’t irritate or cause any sort of problems post shave! And I have very sensitive skin… like it’s bad. Pick you up some!! You won’t be disappointed!

I bought this on a whim as I was not familiar with this brand. I have been pleased. It lathers very nicely and my razor glides nicely through it. The glass jar it is packaged in is large enough to thoroughly load the brush, but not too tall for the top drawer of my bathroom cabinet.