Thread: Compare Shave soap to Shave Cream?

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?

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.

Originally Posted by Alraz

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 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.

Actually, my Grandpa shaves with nothing other than a bic disposable and lather from the bar of soap at the sink. He's been doing this as long as I can remember, as I can never recall him using gel or creams from a can (or anything else for that matter). He says using those products is a waste of money when you can use a good bar of soap.

Don't get me wrong, it's not for me. I enjoy my lathering products too much to go to Ivory hand soap. But if it provided a nasty shave he probably would have given it up decades ago. Part of this I could possibly atribute to his skin condition after years and years of shaving; the face is able to tolerate more abrasion.

Originally Posted by zib

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....

I will second the feedback of soaps, I just tried my first which was some MWF, that another member(ty glenn) sent as a swap, my favorite cream(caraceni) for his mixture of soap and cream(uberlather). He sent enough that I figured I would try just the soap first. It made lather very easily, although I could probably do better with more practice. It didnt seem as cushiony as cream, but it did seem to really get the whiskers crisp enough to pop with really good feedback. Next I am going to try the uberlather to see how it goes, i imagine it will be wonderfull, the plusses of both cream and soap all in one.