Thread: Soaps or Creams? What's the difference?

Hi all,

So onto my newest topic of research... soaps vs. creams.

I am looking for advice and opinions on the differences between the two. I am noticing price wise that creams are quite a bit more pricey then soaps. However, does a cream last longer then a soap or is the cream simply more expensive because it offers a better lather and helps the razor glide easier over the face?

I'm sure it's another one of those "personal preference things" but I am still interested in YOUR preferences and why you have them. Also if you could post some links to some sites that offer creams and soaps you enjoy and the scents and or brands that would be great.

I have heard great recommendations for the creams and soaps Colleen (think that is it) makes, could someone post up a link to her site as it seems I have misplaced it.

Thanks as always,

Josh

TJ,

For my face, I think the only difference is speed and convenience. With a tube of cream I can dispense a measured amount of the shaver enabler. Swishing a brush around in a tub of cream yields either too much or too little lathering agent for me and many of the cheap hard soaps, and even a couple of expensive brands, have proved better at resisting my attempts at creating suds than I have been able to marshall my suds raising efforts. So, cream in a tube gets my vote.

the lazy shaver,

-- to my ear that sounds much better than signing off as the incompetent latherer --

I prefer cream, personally. I have very sensitive skin, so I find that soap can be a little drying to my face. So my vote goes with cream too.

A triple milled soap (Tabac, AOS, DR Harris...) will last an extremely long time.


Creams can be easier to dispense and lather, as you get to see how much "stuff" you are adding to the mix, instead of loading up a brush by swirling it on top of a puck of soap (an inexact science!). But creams will definitely not last as long.

You pick your poison-easy to lather, and not as long lasting, or a little harder to lather (in some opinions, anyhow), but long lasting....

Cream gets' my vote. It lathers up nicely & doesn't dry out. Here is my rotation,
Tom's of maine Mint, Proraso Reg., c.o. Bigelow, Crabtree & Evelyn nomad.
I prefer the tube on all.

Soap gets my vote! It just lasts a whole lot longer! As for the drying out issue, I use some added mineral oil (5 drops) on the soap, but actually my favorite soap I use, Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood, doesn't seem to need it. I use the mineral oil mainly with the other soaps I use Like TGQ. Not that it's a bad soap by far, I think it's just my personal preference.

i'm lazier than bruce, so i do soaps and lather on my face. i've given up on the exactness of my lather the moment i introduced my input into making it - no matter what, you can't make it as consistent as the stuff in the can is. i'm perfectly fine with that.

colleen's website is Shaving, Bath and Body, Skincare, Home Fragrance, Brushes, Creams, Soaps

Try one of both of them. Just make sure you pick a quality soap and cream so you are making decisions with good stuff. It really gets down to personal choice.

I actually use both on a canstant basic. I would recommend trying both to see what you like. These are my soaps of choice:

Tabac
T&H luxury soap
Col Conk bay rum

These are my creams of choice:
Taylor of old bond street Rose and Almond
Trumpers Rose, sandelwood, and Violet.

Soaps and creams are very different. Soaps do last a very long time. I have no issues with soap drying out on my face. You just need to work on using enough water in the lather, but not too much.

I think that soaps give a better lather, it seems richer and more dense. If you face lather you shouldn't have any of the problems stated. Theres no need to go from a puck, to a bowl, to your face. That just complicates things, in my opinion

As far as smell goes, I haven't really liked anything except T&H 1805. The rest I've tolerated, been mostly ambivalent towards, or resold.

As long as you get good quality you really can't go wrong with either, though.