Thread: Shaving cream or shaving soap

I prefer soap with a little eucalyptus oil in it, provides a refreshing cool sensation I enjoy even in the winter.

In principle I prefer soaps. I think it's the classic way to shave. However in the end it's the way they perform that matters the most. My favorites are MDC and C&S and CF and Xpec to name a few.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

In principle I prefer soaps. I think it's the classic way to shave. However in the end it's the way they perform that matters the most.

Just about my view too and you can add shave sticks in with soaps. Scent is so personal you just use what you like. I look for a slick rich fairly thick lather and soaps that are tallow based seem to do for me more times than not. Personal likes are Palmolive shave stick, Tabac puck and shave stick and Arko shave stick. There are so many good soaps and creams it is hard to go wrong but it can be done.

Bob

Gentlemen,

My benchmarks for the top creams are Xpec, Castle Forbes and Santa Maria Novella; for the top soaps, Martin de Candre, Czech & Speake and Le Pere Lucien. I don't prefer one over the other; rather, take each for what it is — each delicious in its own way.

So it is with the other creams and soaps in my humble shave den: I like both equally.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

My benchmarks for the top creams are Xpec, Castle Forbes and Santa Maria Novella; for the top soaps, Martin de Candre, Czech & Speake and Le Pere Lucien. I don't prefer one over the other; rather, take each for what it is — each delicious in its own way.

So it is with the other creams and soaps in my humble shave den: I like both equally.

Gee whiz, Obie, it's.evident why you're a mentor and I'm a novice. I have never heard of some of those products you mentioned.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

Gee whiz, Obie, it's.evident why you're a mentor and I'm a novice. I have never heard of some of those products you mentioned.

You, a novice? My dear friend, you make me blush.

Originally Posted by JTmke

I just picked up some CO Bigelow, I am looking forward to trying it. I have had some good shaves with SRD soaps. I love the India Bay scent.

SWMBO seems to like the organic stuff from etsy and local soap merchants, I on the other hand think most of these people seem to spend very little time trying to develop real lather that stays. Their soap smells nice but is basically soap packaged for shaving with no thought given to how long the lather should last

I know of at least one shave soap on Etsy that works...... look up BumbleandCo. Been shaving with it for a couple of weeks, took a couple tries to figure it out...but it does work

And just so I'm not Off topic.........I like my shave soaps

I prefer soap over cream. I used to use cream until I discovered soap & I've used it exclusively ever since. I really took a liking to Klar and Proraso, because of their lather ability, and you don't need a cubic metre of water to keep them from drying on your face before your shave is done. Also, I like to load the brush right out of the tub, which I enjoy better than taking a dollup of soap out of a cream tub. Actually, I'll probably never get another tub of cream again.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

Many of the very best only come in one form or the other so I use both. But I do love the ease of using creams. That being said, I use soaps more often than creams.

My rotation is very similar except I use seven creams and five soaps.

The issue with "soap" or "cream" is the definition of a "cream". If the item is not a hard puck then it is called a cream. This definition is carried through all of the vendors I frequent.

Of the seven creams I use I would, IMHO, only call three of them creams. These are TOBS, C. Forbes and Baum.Be.

The other four creams, Cella, 2 MdC and Proraso White Tub, I would call pastes.

JMO
Dave

I have heard the word "croap" applied to those inbetweeners.

Bob