REQ: The Slickest Soap...

Greetings,

I would like to request information on what the users here believe is the slipperiest/oiliest/slickest shaving soap available. I have come to the conclusion that my scalp prefers a LOT of lube when my DE razor is scraping across it cutting off the hairs. I currently use "Van der hagen" Luxury soap that I got from walmart and it is not slick at all.
I've had to flick a fingering of coconut oil into the lathering bowl to get a usable lather that doesn't dry up and blow away a minute after being applied to my head.

I went to Sally Beauty Supply tonight after work and picked up a $3.00 puck of some generic smelling "Shave Soap" but it had the same low quality lather as the Van der hagen soap. Tried lathering it...it sucked...decided to use it as body soap.

I am going to eventually have to order a soap online as there are no stores that seem to sell shaving equipment/supplies in my town. Though I've heard tale told that "Bath and Body Works" sells shaving soap...I don't know if it's true or not...haven't been there in years.

Oh...here's a pic of that soap I bought tonight.
Attachment 246571

Thank you in advance,
Dm

Bath and Body works sells C. O. Bigelow cream in a tube that's made by Proraso. Another couple of brands commonly found at malls are The Body Shop's Maca Root shaving cream and L'Occitane's Cade. The first two should be in the ten dollar range.

If you order online there is a great number of creams and soaps to choose from. Some of my favorites in the reasonable price range are Tabac and Arko.

All online retailers of wet shaving supplies have a good selection of quality soaps. You're not going to find good soap at Wally World, at least not in the ones I've been in. Tabac is a great beginners soap, as it lathers easily.

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Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

Bath and Body works sells C. O. Bigelow cream in a tube that's made by Proraso. Another couple of brands commonly found at malls are The Body Shop's Maca Root shaving cream and L'Occitane's Cade. The first two should be in the ten dollar range.

If you order online there is a great number of creams and soaps to choose from. Some of my favorites in the reasonable price range are Tabac and Arko.

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Awesome!! So the rumors are true!!
I'l be stopping by Bath and Body Works and The Body Shop at lunch tomorrow!
Then I can shave my head tomorrow night!
Thank you so much!

I want to explore local options before I order anything online.

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

All online retailers of wet shaving supplies have a good selection of quality soaps. You're not going to find good soap at Wally World, at least not in the ones I've been in. Tabac is a great beginners soap, as it lathers easily.

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I believe you. That wally world soap was not good.
Smelled good...but did not work good.

I'll exhaust local options and then order some Tabac online from Amazon.com.
Thanks!!

Well, the trip to Bath & Body Works was successful!
I picked up a small tube of "C&O Bigelow Premium Shave Cream".
After reading the reviews online, I'm looking forward to shaving my head with this tonight. It has a great minty scent that I think will also smell good afterwards.
Attachment 246617

If it doesn't work out, the next one will be this "Henry Cavendish" if I can order it in time. It's at a reduced price of 15 dollars for the next 2 days. If I miss it...I'll go with Tabac and then some Proraso soap pucks.
Attachment 246618

The Bigelow cream has a cooling effect on the skin. I think it's the eucalyptus.

I'm seeing a problem that might need fixing:

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when my DE razor is scraping across

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If you're DE razor is "scraping", you need to adjust the angle, not improve the lube.

Some DE razors allow this, such as my Merkur HD and if I drop the handle too much, it starts to scrape which is great for getting close shaves, but hard on the skin.

This may or may not be your problem, but it's something to keep in mind. To find the right angle, place the cap of the razor against your cheek and lower the handle until it *JUST* starts to shave.... Use 0 pressure, just the weight of the razor is enough. Any more pressure or a more acute angle and you'll start scraping skin off your face.

Like straights, there is some leeway as some areas on your face may require a more aggressive stance, but if you do it *everywhere*, your face WILL pay the price, no matter what soap or cream you use.


Regards

Christian

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Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

I'm seeing a problem that might need fixing:



If you're DE razor is "scraping", you need to adjust the angle, not improve the lube.

Some DE razors allow this, such as my Merkur HD and if I drop the handle too much, it starts to scrape which is great for getting close shaves, but hard on the skin.

This may or may not be your problem, but it's something to keep in mind. To find the right angle, place the cap of the razor against your cheek and lower the handle until it *JUST* starts to shave.... Use 0 pressure, just the weight of the razor is enough. Any more pressure or a more acute angle and you'll start scraping skin off your face.

Like straights, there is some leeway as some areas on your face may require a more aggressive stance, but if you do it *everywhere*, your face WILL pay the price, no matter what soap or cream you use.


Regards

Christian

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Thank you! That is sage advice.
I'm still new to this and figuring things out. The problem that I run into is that when shaving my head with the DE razor, the angle changes based on the curve of my head so I always wind up going too sharp on the rear and horns of my head...while the front and sides are done evenly.

I will focus on my technique and slow it down if need be tonight.

Thank you!

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Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

The Bigelow cream has a cooling effect on the skin. I think it's the eucalyptus.

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Awesome!! I can't wait to experience it tonight!
I've been watching "Lathering with C&O BIGELOW Shave Cream" videos on youtube this afternoon to prepare for tonight.

:D

As for your original question:

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the slipperiest/oiliest/slickest shaving soap available

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Soaps tend to be closer cutting than creams. As per your question, I would have to say I have never found anything that could beat Cremo Cream as far as thick, slick and oily. I personally don't like it, but to each his own.

Several places offer it, but if you cannot find anywhere, the company does have a web presence. Just google Cremo Cream.

Regards

Christian

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Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

As for your original question:



Soaps tend to be closer cutting than creams. As per your question, I would have to say I have never found anything that could beat Cremo Cream as far as thick, slick and oily. I personally don't like it, but to each his own.

Several places offer it, but if you cannot find anywhere, the company does have a web presence. Just google Cremo Cream.

Regards

Christian

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Eugh...Cremo...
That was the first thing I ever tried shaving my head with...it was a disaster.
I got about 2 strokes in before I washed that stuff off my head and used the coconut concoction that my barber sold me.
The tube is sitting in the closet and I've told the wife she's welcome to it any time...I won't be back for it.

Well...I am pleasantly surprised and satisfied!
The C&O Shaving Creme that I picked up from B&BW was GREAT!!!
It lathered up surprisingly fast and THICK!! And I only put a pinky-tip sized dollop onto the brush!
I gave it the slick-test and it was actually slippery between my fingers without adding any coconut oil to the lather!!
I spread some of the lather on my arm while I whipped up more in the bowl and to my surprise....it stayed!! It didn't dry up!!
So I prepped my head and spread it on with my brush and it went on smooth and thick and slick!

This was indeed the nicest shave I've had with anything other than the coconut concoction my barber sold me.
I rinsed off and soaked my head with a cold towel, then ran my alum block over my entire head before rinsing it off again and drying...then moisturizing.
I'll be watching to see if there's any irritation in the morning, but right now everything feels better than fine.
And the smell is VERY menthol and minty!

If this is what the better soaps are like...I CAN'T WAIT to get my Sandalwood Tabac and Henry Cavendish soaps in!!
:rock:

There are many great soaps that are very slick and you can make almost any soap slick by hydrating it sufficiently.
Having said this, my preference is Mystic Water for an abundance of reasons. :)

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Originally Posted by celestino

There are many great soaps that are very slick and you can make almost any soap slick by hydrating it sufficiently.
Having said this, my preference is Mystic Water for an abundance of reasons. :)

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Hmmmm....I've never heard of that one. I'll have to look up Mystic Water.
Thanks for the info!
I'll try soaking my soap in water before loading the brush next time I use the hard soap.

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Originally Posted by Detman101

Hmmmm....I've never heard of that one. I'll have to look up Mystic Water.
Thanks for the info!
I'll try soaking my soap in water before loading the brush next time I use the hard soap.

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You do not have to soak the puck. Put a few water drops on the puck and swirl them around so the top of the puck is wet. Let it be for a few minutes and you are good to go.

You only use about a gram of soap per shave. Soaking the puck will probably shorten the life of the product.

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Originally Posted by rolodave

You do not have to soak the puck. Put a few water drops on the puck and swirl them around so the top of the puck is wet. Let it be for a few minutes and you are good to go.

You only use about a gram of soap per shave. Soaking the puck will probably shorten the life of the product.

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Ooooh...okay! That's what I had been doing the first times I used the soap pucks.
My thinking was that if I put some water on the brush, the soap puck could use some as well.
Glad to see I wasn't off in my thinking...Thanks!

I decided to use that puck of Sally Beauty Supply soap in the shower last night.
Wow...if it wasn't Dove soap I wouldn't have known the difference!
Now, I've only used my wifes Dove soap once before...but using the shaving soap for body soap felt EXACTLY the same and yielded the same results!

Interesting results and I will definitely continue to put the reject pucks into body service!
:idea:

My all time favorite shower soap is Williams Mug Soap, with it's yummy lemon verbena scent. As a shave soap, it works fine IF you hand lather.... add a brush and it just whips up into dry foam for me. Rub on face like bar soap with lots of water (OK, I admit.... it's messy) and it seems to work fine.

A bar soap that I have used WITH a brush and that seems to work fine for me, is Pears Glycerin soap. The scent is "meh", but shaving wise, it's pretty good and will do in a pinch.

It sounds like Cremo cream was met with the same reaction I had. Another inexpensive cream that I DO have good success with is the regular J. M. Fraser's Shaving Cream. It's a Canadian product, perhaps hard to find South of the border (not available in brick and mortar stores in my town), but it works well, if a bit touchy on the water addition. Too much water and it thins out to nothing, not enough water and it's like trying to shave with scented lard. Still, it comes in a huge plastic tub and is one of my goto creams when DE shaving.


Regards

Christian

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Originally Posted by Detman101

Hmmmm....I've never heard of that one. I'll have to look up Mystic Water.
Thanks for the info!
I'll try soaking my soap in water before loading the brush next time I use the hard soap.

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What I was referring to in my post, above, by hydrating, was to add enough water to the soap while generating the lather. :)

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Originally Posted by celestino

What I was referring to in my post, above, by hydrating, was to add enough water to the soap while generating the lather. :)

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Copy that! I always put some water on the top of the puck before swirling the brush.
I was concerned that soaking the puck would make it go away faster. But considering the low price of the soaps I currently have
- Williams Mug soap = $0.99
- C&O Bigelow Shave Soap = $5.00
- Henry Cavendish - Himalaya = $14.95
I wasn't too concerned about wasting them away.

I believe I've found my favorite shaving soap of all time.

Henry Cavendish - "Himalaya"!!!

Now...I know I've only tried three others but this...This is the perfect soap for me.
Not only because of the most preciously perfect scent EVER!!...

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I went to vegas for a work conference about 6 years ago and stayed at the NEW YORK NEW YORK Hotel. They had this lotion, soap and cologne set that came with the room and it smelled EXACTLY like Henry Cavendish - Himalaya. I'd asked them how much for a set of the items but they wouldn't sell them to me. I considered grabbing a bunch from housekeeping but thought better of it considering I was on government time. So I wound up using what I could get from my co-worker that traveled with me but I only had one tube of the lotion left over years after the event...longing for that scent and fearing using it all up. NOW I HAVE IT BACK!!!!
MWAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAAA!!!!

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...But because of the lubricative qualities the soap has and the absolute smoothness and longevity of the lather.
It's just perfect...I don't think I'll be trying or ordering anything else.
Slickest, sexiest smelling, smoothest, sustaining-est soap EVER!
Attachment 247379

(I've been sniffing the box it came in like an addict...)

Hmmm...I wonder if I can synthesize a body lotion from this soap....

If like like the smell and it works for you then don't get anything else. On the other hand f you don't ever do that you,ll never know what a really good soap is. Tc

so... any of you actually mix your soap with anything else like any kind of oil or anything else?

Not since I Found soaps that don't need help. If the soap is right it needs nothing but water and a brush. Tc

Before I discovered "Henry Cavendish - Himalaya", I had to put a few drops of coconut oil into my lather bowl with every shave.
That was when I was using "C&O Bigelow" and "Williams Mug Soap" to shave with.

But those days are over...Thankfully.
There's no substitute for quality.

Attachment 247657

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Originally Posted by Detman101

Copy that! I always put some water on the top of the puck before swirling the brush.
I was concerned that soaking the puck would make it go away faster. But considering the low price of the soaps I currently have
- Williams Mug soap = $0.99
- C&O Bigelow Shave Soap = $5.00
- Henry Cavendish - Himalaya = $14.95
I wasn't too concerned about wasting them away.

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Good to hear. :)