Thread: Moisturising Soap/Cream?

Mornin' folks,

I am currently using Williams soap which I have loved for years, but being new to the straight razor my shaves are taking a while, and having the soap on my face that long is making it feel tight and a little dry afterward. I also tried a sample of the SRD "Opus X" soap, which smells wonderful, but leaves me in more or less the same shape. For reference I am using alcohol based aftershaves, Old Spice and Dominica Bay Rum.

Is there a soap or cream on the market that will help me with this while I learn and get my shave time down? I have heard that Mitchell's Wool Fat with the Lanolin is a great moisturizer, and that Cella the Italian stuff has nice moisturizing qualities. Is there anything else out there you would recommend, or is this just sort of an unavoidable consequence of a long shave? I'm thinking of heading into NYC to Pasteur's Pharmacy/Cambridge Chemists to look for something, and I believe they carry these two soaps among many others. I'm leaning toward the Cella right now as it will be less expensive but I would appreciate any advice/tips you might have.

Bear in mind that part of what is giving your face that tight dry feeling is the fact that you are learning to shave with a straight razor and you are exfoliating your skin more than it is used to-in other words giving yourself a bit of razor burn. Having said that I find most of the soaps and creams with tallow or lanolin to give good results. MWF for sure. I also love Tabac. While you are developing your technique you may want to treat your face to some post shave moisturizing.

Thanks Mitch, I will work on it!

I squirt some Lansinoh breast feeding lotion (100% lanolin) into my scuttle when I whip up my lather. Works across the board with all my soaps. No dryness. No razor burn. I rarely even use aftershave.

I would say the best thing would be to use a moisturizer post shave for awhile before putting on your chosen AS on or use a shave balm for awhile as they are more moisturizing then alcohol based AS. Just be sure to let the moisturizer, if you go that route, is dry before adding the alcohol based AS. If you don't I have found that what moisturizer is not dry will clump up and make it look like your skin is peeling. You can easily wipe the clumps off but you are losing some of the moisturizing effect.

Also I found VDH Deluxe to be more moisturizing then Williams Mug Soap do to the shea butter in VDH Deluxe.

i can't say enough about the french soaps.. pre de provence is loaded with shea butter and most say they don't even apply an aftershave afterward.

just my opinion though.. i seem to react better to shea than i do lanolin.

Originally Posted by TheZ

Mornin' folks,

I am currently using Williams soap which I have loved for years, but being new to the straight razor my shaves are taking a while, and having the soap on my face that long is making it feel tight and a little dry afterward. I also tried a sample of the SRD "Opus X" soap, which smells wonderful, but leaves me in more or less the same shape. For reference I am using alcohol based aftershaves, Old Spice and Dominica Bay Rum.
. . .
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FWIW --

Two suggestions:

1. Quit using alcohol-based aftershaves. Find an 'after-shave balm', or use almond oil, or olive oil, or a "skin moisturizer", or Vaseline "Intensive Care Lotion" instead.

2. Before lathering your face, rub some hair conditioner on it. That may add (or keep in) some of the skin moisture that the soap is removing.

Neither of these is guaranteed to work -- but they're cheap to try.

Charles

I use Vaseline for Men after every shower and every shave. It is very inexpensive and cures any problem with dry skin. I use it several times a day during the winter also since the air is so dry.

Bear in mind that shaving creams or soaps act as a soap: they dissolve the natural fats and oils of your skin into water. When you clean your face they disappear in the sewer. You can modify but not entirely get rid of this soap effect by adding stuff to the lather. Best is to replace the natural fats and oils after shaving with a balm.

I will see about finding some of that pure lanolin or something similar. Is it something they'd have at CVS? I don't really have a traditional supermarket nearby.

I have one moisturizing cream type aftershave, and have tried another a long time ago, but those leave my pores open or something like that which leads to a burning sensation if I sweat within a few hours of shaving - the alcohol ones have always prevented this for me, in fact skipping aftershave altogether has been better than the lotion for me, which has been my normal routine when using cartridge razors in the past.

For now I think the best thing to do is just give my face a break for a day.