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Any shaving soap suggestions?

T

The*Cincinnati*Kid

Well-Known Member
I'm currently using williams as it is the only shaving soap that krogers offers here in Cincinnati. I have looked at so many options on the internet, and I thought it would be better to ask for advice instead of just blindly picking a soap. Any suggestions?:sleep:


Thanks.
Louis
 
Louis,

You are correct, there are a lot of options. It really depends on what you want to spend, and what you are are looking for. If you just want a really nice soap, Palmolive is an underrated, good quality soap. If you want something really special, Czech & Speake's Oxford & Cambridge is easily my favorite current production soap.

For something a little bit cheaper, I like the D.R. Harris line of soaps (cheaper because you get a little wooden bowl- their refill is about half the price of the one with a bowl).

Personally, I really dislike Tabac (don't get me started), but it gets high praise by most. I believe that Bart uses it in conjunction with Palmolive or Speick (also a nice no frills soap) or something like that.

There are some really nice quality creams that you may want to look into as well. This page has the Castle Forbes and Penhaligon's Blenheim bouquet creams, and they are both outstanding. Recently, Robin reviewed St. Jame's Cedarwood & Clarysage and gave it the highest of praise....

I guarantee you that if you try any of these, you'll be thrilled. Considering you're only using Williams now, you'll be blown away by the difference. :thumbup:
 
Hi Louis,

I don't get very involved with soaps, but I have tried a few. I use Mitchell's Wool fat, very smooth and gentle. But more often Speick shave stick. Wet face, rub stick and face lather. I think the stick gives a mechanical advantage and Speick products are well made, with a fresh scent.

Arko shave stick is also very effective, but smalls a little tutti-fruity...:huh: Stay away from Arko cream, damn near burnt my face off...

regards,
Torolf
 
Soap or cream? I usually shun soaps, simply because they are more work. Here is a random list of creams I like.

  • [li]Domenico Caraceni 1913: I consider this the perfect cream, but the predominant scent is rose and black pepper - manly, but not for everyone. The relatively high price is well justified.[/li]
    [li]Castle Forbes, preferably including pre- and aftershave. A lot has been written about their products, and they are indeed as good as they say. Lavender is my favourite, but the lime scent is also best in class.[/li]
    [li]St James of London is a little known line of products, and I only have the cedar sandalwood. The cream is a brushless one (and works well when used this way), but almost explodes when used with a brush.[/li]
    [li]I reviewed quite a few products, but this compilation might be helpful Robin's fight against boring old English scents. An ongoing series.. It contains a number of unusual scents and products. If you really want a soap, Xpec is a killer - both in terms of performance, and price :)[/li]
The usual caveat applies: Reviews of skin products are highly subjective, and what works for me need not work for anyone else. And then there is always the issue of scent...

Happy shopping,
Robin

P.S. I just used Ingram Shaving Cream, and it created one of these WTF moments. A pea sized amount of cream, a few swirls (20-30), and the lather was there, and it refused to get away, and I spent a lot of time getting the excess lather out of the brush. Mentholated, which certainly is not for everyone, but dirt cheap, and very good. I like these WTF moments :)
 
I have tried several soap and the ones I will buy again are:

- Kent (=Mitchell's Wool fat)
- Tabac ( but I don't like the scent)
and maybe Mamma Bear's (but it comes from overseas ...)

but for my next purchase;) I was thinking also of Golddaschs, Speick (because I like their cream), Martin de Candre, Fitjar...
 
A few suggestions:

Lea - great and affordable
La Toja - Lovely,nice scent.
Lanolizado - gives a smooooooooth shave.
Palmolive Classic - It`s higly underestimated! One of my favorites and the one I use most often.
Taylors - The Avocado creme is almost eatable ;-) yummy


Torbs
 
My top 3:
Tabac-easy thick lather, some don't like the smell, I love it.
Mitchell's wool fat - creamy lather, great smell, lanolin for your skin, very nice stuff.
Cella - from italy, an almond scented silly putty looking soap you can mold by hand into a container. Its cheap and wonderful.
 
TM280 said:
Hi Louis,
Stay away from Arko cream, damn near burnt my face off...
Torolf
Click to expand...

WHAT ?!?!? I love that stuff! It gets a superfluffy lather in no time, cools and moistens my skin, provides a good glide and is cheap as nothing!
Torolf, we have to talk, SERIOUSLY ;) ;)

... and .. Louis... I think it is a bit risky to try a shaving product just based on someone elses suggestion. Especially if it is an expensive product.
First, you may not like the scent. I bought some expensive s..t just because it was so highly recommended. Well, the product is great, but there's no way for me to stand the smell!
And then, even worse, different people react very differntly to the same product. See ARKO cream above!
So, my advise, if you go blind, stay with affordable stuff. There are so many wonderful products at very little money.

Look for:
Cella (almond)
Proraso (menthol for the classic green, and kinda soapy for the white one)
Tabac (well, tabac)
Palmolive (soapy)
Arko (different scents)

Cheers
BlueDun

EDIT: Oh, and Nivea shaving cream is not bad either. Dunno if you can get that stuff over there ..
 
Well put. I would reserve heavy investments for products of which you can obtain samples. One brand I forgot, and which actually offers samples, is Mühle/Edwin Jagger. Mid price range, and you probably cannot go wrong with the very mildly scented aloe vera. Sea buckthorn is nice, but - again - certainly not for everybody.

Arko - pardon my French - stinks, but you can boil it and add your own EOs. Given its utterly ridiculous price, it really is a very nice soap. ;)

Regards,
Robin
 
Unless you're more specific I'll just suggest to avoid products based on SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate).
 
I see what you're doing, Rico. You want me to try that demon cream again! Your attempt at disrupting my shaving harmony will not succeed...:D

regards,
Torolf
 
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