Thread: Too Much Soap?u

The Castle Forbes 1445 keeps calling me as well, JB! Look forward to your take on the scent given we know full well what to expect regarding the performance and post-shave feel of CF creams.

I started into my second Lime container this spring. Stellar stuff!

After nearly 50 years of shaving with essentially the same soap, Old Spice, I discovered the shaving forums and have thoroughly enjoyed trying at least a couple hundred different soaps over the past five years. I have few other vices that I waste my money on--I don't smoke, rarely drink, and purchased my car in 1996--I'm still having too much fun trying different soaps to consider stopping. I do shave with the same favorites five days a week, but enjoy trying newer soaps at least twice a week. There isn't a right way or a wrong way to enjoy this hobby. Whatever someone is happy with is the right way for them.

Originally Posted by evnpar

After nearly 50 years of shaving with essentially the same soap, Old Spice, I discovered the shaving forums and have thoroughly enjoyed trying at least a couple hundred different soaps over the past five years. I have few other vices that I waste my money on--I don't smoke, rarely drink, and purchased my car in 1996--I'm still having too much fun trying different soaps to consider stopping. I do shave with the same favorites five days a week, but enjoy trying newer soaps at least twice a week. There isn't a right way or a wrong way to enjoy this hobby. Whatever someone is happy with is the right way for them.

Truer words evnpar, truer words. I just didn't want any of my soaps going bad... it seems I might have been overthinking that.

PS - I wish I was your neighbor lol!!

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I have purged myself of any soaps that don't measure up. I am not persuaded by new soaps. My preference is mainly for a single brand and I stick to it. Venturing beyond into the sea of suds is no longer rewarding. I have found that if they are sealed in a covered container they seem to keep a long time. If the soap is exposed it seems work just fine but the scent may evaporate.

You did not mention which single brand is your preference, but if you are using soaps that are several years old or more, you are missing out on a treat. Even established artisans like Barrister and Mann have upped their game in the past year or two. Competition between various artisans (Barrister and Mann, Cold River Soap Works, Declaration Grooming, Grooming Department, Noble Otter, Oleo Soapworks, Wholly Kaw, and others) has led to some fantastic improvements in soap performance and, in some cases, scents. Some soaps and creams that I once thought to be pretty good (DR Harris, Proraso, TOBS, GF Trumper, Pre de Provence, etc.) no longer make it into my top 10 soap bases.

Some of these new soap bases feature exotic ingredients like donkey milk, duck fat, goat milk, bison tallow, along with nourishing ingredients like jojoba oil, shea butter, avocado oil, etc. If these ingredients were simply a marketing ploy, that would be one thing, but these new soap bases are incredibly slick, highly protective, and leave you face feeling years younger.

I shave with one of the older soaps and creams every now and then to remind me how things used to be in the "good old days". It just makes me appreciate the newer artisans that much more.

Originally Posted by earcutter

Truer words evnpar, truer words. I just didn't want any of my soaps going bad... it seems I might have been overthinking that.

PS - I wish I was your neighbor lol!!

I wish i lived on the other side of him. Ha.

Well... I just bought 4 more soap/cream and aftershave combos. got some samples... I'm feeding the AD, I'm feeding the AD.

More than anything, I'm going to have to figure out where to put them all lol.