Thread: Compare Shave soap to Shave Cream?

What about regular soap versus soap made for lather? Is there a big difference?

Originally Posted by thrustae

What about regular soap versus soap made for lather? Is there a big difference?

I would wonder about that as well. I have a chunk of handmade soap and was wondering how it would be to shave with... Guess I will find out some day.

Bath and shaving soaps are very different. They are obtained using different combinations of fatty acids. The main function of bath soap is cleansing not lathering. Short chain fatty acids, which are often used in making bath soaps, are good cleansers but poor latherers. I do not see how this could be changed with technique, elbow grease or luck.

Al raz.

Originally Posted by thrustae

What about regular soap versus soap made for lather? Is there a big difference?

Soaps vs creams which is best? How long is a piece of string?

What I have found is if it makes a thick creamy lather it will give a good shave.
Soaps take a little longer than creams to make a lather but this is not always the case depending on what products you use.

High end creams like trumpers will produce a lather very quickly with a tiny blob of cream on a badger brush that has been soaked in hot water but try that with say palmolive cream and it will not work because for me to get the same lather with palmolive I need to use more of it and whisk it up for a longer time. Proraso cream needs a little less than palmolive but more than Trumpers but will take the same time to whisk up as the Trumpers. These are the only differances I have found they will all give good shaves.

I say find 2 products you like the smell of and can make a thick creamy lather out of.
But which 2 for me its a cheap one for everyday use and a high end one for going out or when I feel the need.

The funs in finding them

i find that soaps are much nicer for me.. creams seem to be kinda messy and soaps are easier to keep a thick consistency.. my artist club is a very sharp tool.. i feel safer using soaps than i do creams..

You know, I've always fancied myself a shave cream user, but some soaps are off the hook and provide lather just as thick and rich as any cream. I have shave soap labeled as such, but is a cream, triple milled..I've only seen this consistency in Xpec.
Soaps are generally thinner, and provide more feedback. Shave Creams are usually thicker, and provide more cushion, Generally speaking...Of course there are exceptions to every rule....

IMHO any bar of bath soap could be used for shaving--if one were desperate for a shave and had no genuine shaving soap product on hand to to so.

I don't think that it would be an enjoyable shave, however.

Originally Posted by jhenry

IMHO any bar of bath soap could be used for shaving--if one were desperate for a shave and had no genuine shaving soap product on hand to to so.

I don't think that it would be an enjoyable shave, however.

i'm of the idea that anything can be used as a shave product.. anything from water up.. people have used peanut butter, cold cream, bar soap.. basically all you need is something to lubricate the razor..

but is that really the way you want to live?

Originally Posted by vthomlinson

i'm of the idea that anything can be used as a shave product.. anything from water up.. people have used peanut butter, cold cream, bar soap.. basically all you need is something to lubricate the razor..

but is that really the way you want to live?

Nope but with the current economic climate we may have no choice

stock up on that williams while you can then.