soaps & creams

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bodge

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Joined
Apr 1, 2012
I've experimented with the following in the last couple of weeks:
Proraso (green tube) cream
Shave (mennen tube) cream
Tabac soap
MWF soap
P.160 soft
GTF sandalwood
palmolive stick (the coles one)
A couple of different spray foams

The conclusion, it makes no difference in outcomes to me what I use. As long as it doesn't dry out, it works. They do vary slightly in regards to drying, but I just don't let it happen now.

Slickness: not really an issue, unless there is drying going on.

There's not much difference in how they leave my face feeling as I normally shower after shaving anyway. While they are on my face, I would say the mwf feels nicest.

I don't pay much mind about scent, but I do love the p160 when it comes out.

The proraso has the novelty of that cooling feel which is nice some days.

The spray can worked just fine too if used just like the others, i.e. wash face/beard, getting beard as 'wet' as possible first. It just doesn't feel special ritually, but saves a couple of minutes if needed.


This is just my opinion. I do love variety so they all can have a go.
 
I feel similar to an extent. Some soaps have standout features (like the moisturizing properties of Mike's Natural, or the ease of use of Proraso), but everything I've tried so far has been very usable. Getting the consistency of my lather right seems to have made a much bigger difference.

Not finding much difference makes me wonder if I'm still missing something with my lather, perhaps the MUM results suggest that I'm not adjusting well enough between soaps and creams to bring out the best. I just lather until it looks good enough and go.
 
When I was starting out (I started with a DE) I tried using the canned cream I was using with my old razor. It worked. It wasnt pleasant, and I found that the razor did gunk up a bit more, requiring more effor to clear.

I went to coles, and bought the shaving brush they had, and a palmolive stick, and immediately, this was a huge improvement over the can, in as far as cleaning the razor between passes etc.

In a pinch I guess i would use the can, but I would really rather not.
 
Humbug. Next you'll be saying there's no difference in blades, especially the out of production elite, expensive ones that are 40 years old...

I think there's a lot of variables, not least of which is your skin, which is never touched upon. It can react differently from day to day. Sometimes it can respond brilliantly to be shaved, other days it might not be up for it. Lifestyle, sleeping habits (or lack of) work stresses, all that stuff goes into the mix of how your body and face feels, and reacts to stuff.

I've had brilliant shaves from Tabac one day and ok ones the next - all other things equal. I only use 3-4 soaps and creams now, and they're all good, but some days they perform better than others. I've come across maybe 2-3 certifiable dud soaps over the last few years. With tools you get on with you can get a great result with practically any lather. But I think the day to day response of your face to being shaved is underestimated, and we can too easily blame this blade or that lather. Especially if you're changing those tools all the time.
 
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I think Drubbing is 100% correct in saying that ones skin is the variable that often overlooked in all the hunt for the best this/that etc.

In short, I'm adament certain shaving soaps are vastly superior to others. With all due respect I'd put it to you that this is kind of irrefutable as otherwise we'd all be shaving with the cheap, much more conveniently obtained regular bath soaps. But we don't as shaving soaps are specially formulated for shaving right?

Correct, and it stands to reason that some are as a general rule of thumb made to a superior formula etc (personal preferences for scent aside). So there you go.....and when you also add in the variable that we're all a bit different in our techniques/skin and also fragrance preferences that explains why some swear Proraso is brilliant and others don't etc etc.

Biggest variables apart from scent IMHO are.....quality of lather (how thick, cushiony is it), any allergic reaction, how easy it is to lather, staying power of the lather (e.g some dry out/degrade really rapidly), slickness on the skin and finally moisturising qualities of it post-shave (some can be quite drying).

That said I do agree that one can 'get the job done' with almost any shaving soap/cream but the enjoyability & comfort during and after doing said job is definitely heavily influenced (IMHO anyway). :)
 
I agree on the day to day variances of skin. I also think there are day to day variances on the hair itself. Some days seem coarser than others, I've thought perhaps it's a diet thing.

With shave soaps indeed there are differences, but assuming the lather is decent, they have no bearing on the outcome of my shave.
I did try regular bath soap. I used it like a stick in a way. Rubbed on wet face and used my hand to make a little lather. It dried out much quicker than shave soap.

I tried soapless today as an extreme option. Not nice at all. Felt weird and did not shave very well so I gave that up after the not so complete first pass, and went to the lather for the rest. I did get a little bit of irritation on my lip. So soap definitely does something. I was using an astra blade that has a few shave on it though.

I don't understand cushioning at all. What's being cushioned? Surely the edge of the blade has no respect for a soap/water mix?

There are days when you feel your skin/beard before a shave and just know its going to be good or bad even when using a favourite combo of razor and blade.
When it comes to blades, I find huge MF'ing differences.
 
bodge said:
I don't understand cushioning at all. What's being cushioned? Surely the edge of the blade has no respect for a soap/water mix?

There are days when you feel your skin/beard before a shave and just know its going to be good or bad even when using a favourite combo of razor and blade.
When it comes to blades, I find huge MF'ing differences.
Click to expand...

Firstly, I only used it as a 'feature' as its regularly referred to by others.....IMHO Id say it refers to the thickness & density of the lather. You're 100% right at the blade edge the lather will provide minimal resistance regardless but all things being equal I find a thin lather gives a less comfortable stroke/shave than one with good body & density to it. It's not as clearcut as the other characteristics but I think it's still an element of a good lather.

Can't say I've ever had the bad shave even when using my 'A Team' gear.....the only exception to this will be if I do lousy prep e.g shave without soaking face for atleast a min, shave too fast - or perhaps after a day where I've gone TOO far e.g 3 passes with a Feather/Slant & do this again.

You're absolutely right about blades, the good/bad blades are far more profoundly obvious. :)
 
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