Thread: Shaving Soaps and AS

Hey everyone,

So I had my first SR shave today, and it was amazing! Though it was with a disposable SR, can't wait to use a real one.

I was just wondering what everyone's favorite shave soap and AS are.
I used Williams shave soap and Nivea after shave balm, and they were pretty good. Thoughts welcomed.

Personally I like the Ogallala BayRum shave soaps and aftershaves. http://www.ogallalabayrum.com/

You can also check out the CO Bigelow shave soap at the Bath and Body Works it is made by Paraso it's good stuff too. Their Men's stuff is decent.
Premium Shave Cream with Eucalyptus Oil - C.O. Bigelow - Bath & Body Works

i have tried a few soaps and a few creams...the creams work better where i am due to the hard water i like the taylor of bond street sandalwood with thier brand bay rum aftershave i also like thier sandalwood aftershave its more sutle than the bay rum but you still know its there

Congrats on the shave...now close your eyes and imagine that you don't have to throw anything away when you're done

For soaps, try Mama Bear: Handmade Shaving Soaps, Mama Bears Soaps

Aftershave is Ogallala Bay Rum...or any other bay rum for that matter. Classic Shaving has a bunch of them. Check your local Walgreens for the Pinaud Bay Rum too.

make my own goats milk shaving soap for personal use..
use mostly pinaud/clubman aftershaves, reminds me of old barbershops.

I would take a look at the reviews section (sorted by author rating in this case): Shaving Soaps/Shaving Creams Reviews - Straight Razor Place Forums. If money is not an option, Domenico Caraceni, Castle Forbes, Tayler of Old Bond Street, in this order.

Thanks everyone! I've gotten great responses. I really want to try the Cast Forbes Shaving Cream, it looks really nice. Do any normal retail stores carry it? I can only find it on Amazon. As for the Dominico Caraceni, looks like its sold out everywhere.

Question: Is the method for creating a lather much different when you are using shaving cream rather than a soap bar?

Oh and how about "taban" and "proraso" seem to be popular, any feedback? Has anyone tried the stuff from "The Art of Shaving"-- I ask because they are the only shop I know of to care to wet shavers in the area, other than drugstores ect.

as for creams la toja is the way to go
la toja la toja la toja la toja
well worth a wack

I buy my soaps exclusively from Colleen (TGQ): The Gentlemen's Quarter - Shaving, Bath and Body, Skincare, Home Fragrance, Brushes, Creams, Soaps Although, Mama Bear has a large following and an excellent reputation here. I use a variety of AS's, Caswell-Massey, TOBS, Brummel (from Leon) and Ogalalla Bay Rum. My recommendation would be to get some soap from a few different sources. Don't worry too much about the scent at first. Instead, focus on the performance. Afterall, scent doesn't shave you close with no razor burn. Find out what works best for you then go for it...

First of all, notice that there are many opinions on this subject. After having tried a fair number of the products mentioned here, I must tell you that you are setting yourself up for some disappointment. The reason being that usually people like soap A because they hate soap B and vice versa. This is not always true but it happens a lot. Instead, I am going to tell you as a user and a soapmaker what I look for in a shaving soap/cream. A good soap/cream:1) contributes to beard and skin preparation by softening whiskers and lubricating the skin; 2) provides a well hydrated lather that does not dry out; 3)allows sufficient cushion and glide during the shave; 4) conditions your skin after the shave; 5) is economic; and 6) and has a pleasant scent. Needless to say, the products that excel in all of these areas can probably counted with the fingers of your hand. These products are typically expensive but well worth their price. Once you try these, you would probably not shave again with most of the cheap ones. Do not take me wrong, there are some inexpensive soap/creams that are very good, even if the scent or the conditioning is not the best.

One thing to be particularly aware of is the economy of the product. The price of the product only tells you half of the story. If you buy a soap that cost twice as much as another but gives you twice as many shaves or more, you are no saving by buying the inexpensive one..., it is that simple. I am not big into scents so unless the soap smells like rotten fish, turpentine, hippie, etc., I am usually happy. I prefer soaps that do not have a pronounced scent. Because I have sensitive skin, for me, what often tilts the scale is conditioning. If you do not have special requirements in that front, you will find more products that fit the bill and your budget.

So here is my list:

Creams: Castle Forbes, without a doubt, the best that you can buy at a store; Truefitt & Hill, close but no cigar. If you are looking for value: Proraso, C. O Bigelow and Taylor of Old Bond Street, no essential oils and sub par conditioning when compared to the best but not bad by any means.

In soaps, I would go with Mitchell's Wool Fat and Truefitt & Hill. If you are going for budget, Tabac is almost unbeatable. There are also many others that would fit the bill in that price range. I have not found the first glycerin-based soap that I have been happy with so I would suggest to stay away from them.

My suggestion would be to try Castle Forbes or a good milled soap (basically a high end product) first and then decide where you go next, rather than merely going though a wishlist.

After Shaves are even more complicated: alcohol based vs balms, scented high or low, more balmy or oily, etc. I like bay rum, alcohol based after shaves mainly, but enjoy a good balm from time to time. The problem with balms is that sometimes they can leave your skin feeling pretty "sticky", which I do not like. I like Truefitt & Hill and The Art of Shaving but I am sure that you will get a full list. I discovered that a good soap/cream and good lathering skills, reduce the need for aftershave; mine are used mostly as a cologne these days.

Al raz.

Originally Posted by Huizar6

Hey everyone,

So I had my first SR shave today, and it was amazing! Though it was with a disposable SR, can't wait to use a real one.

I was just wondering what everyone's favorite shave soap and AS are.
I used Williams shave soap and Nivea after shave balm, and they were pretty good. Thoughts welcomed.