Thread: should i move to fancier creams/soaps?

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Dither, dather,
You need good lather.
You know your goal,
Get a brush and bowl.

Sorry about that, couldn't help myself.

That was actually pretty good,that should be a Burma Shave sign !

Yet still your only hope,
Is with some proper soap.

It can be frustrating
don't give it up
your lather is waiting
just whip it up!

+++1 on the previous advice. You can purchase a Van der Hagen Premium Shaving Set that includes a boar brush, ceramic bowl and a puck of soap for about 12 bucks.

BTW...The can of shaving cream you are buying is only about 50% shaving cream. The rest of what you are paying for is the propellant to get the product out of the can.

I might add that pucks like Mitchell's Wool Fat, which comes highly recommended and quite cheap, can last you a year. You might even save some money.

You will definitely get a better shave with a brush and shaving soap or cream. However, there can be a learning curve making your own lather. And I would agree with some of the other posts get a Van Der Hagen set, inexpensive and Walgreens usually carries them. I wouldn't move on to more expensive soaps until you can make really good lather with the inexpensive soaps. Below is a link to Shaving 101 and face lathering with Mitchells wool fat soap, which is another great soap but can be a nightmare for some to lather. I hated it first, but grew to love it after I learned to lather it properly.

Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap

$12 escali badger brush and $10 tub of proraso. $13 shavette and 100 blades for $7. All on Amazon. I think most are on Prime.

Welcome to the dark side!

Originally Posted by Laurens

I might add that pucks like Mitchell's Wool Fat, which comes highly recommended and quite cheap, can last you a year. You might even save some money.

Hoi Laurens, I wouldn't recommend this soap for a beginner, as not everyone is as succesful to convert this soap into a good lather. For a beginner it seems to me it's better to start with a decent cream, as it's easier to whip up lather. And a badger brush.

As to the original question: I'll echo what everyone says: yes, it makes a huge difference in quality of the shave. Also, think of all the garbage you're avoiding by not buying the cans. The same goes for a decent aftershave balm, makes a lot of difference to me ...

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I switched to a brush & soap back in my cartridge razor days, and I remember a definitely improvement in my shave even with the dreaded cartridge. So yes, making the switch would be a wise choice that you will not regret.

Same here about 1975.

I, for the heck of it, tried a cart for two days about a year ago. I had so many bumps on my chin it looked like teen acne. Never, never again!

Oh I'm sorry I just threw up a little bit. You didn't just say pressurized can did you?