Thread: How long do your soap cakes last?

Greetings all, pardon if this is a naive question, but how long should a soap cake last? I shave daily using the following method: hot water in mug with soap cake (classic shaving brand) in the bottom and brush resting in the mug for about 5 minutes. Then I drain the water and whip up lather. The soap lasted slightly over a month. Is that normal?
Thanks all,
Mark

There are two types of soaps: hard (such as Williams) and soft (like ClassicShaving).

I use the same method with soap myself. Soft soaps don't tolerate this very well. Mine lasted about a month as well. A cake of Williams lasts a whole lot longer.

What you might try is use a second mug for hot water only. Soak the brush while showering, then drain the brush and whip up later. I believe, although I have not confirmed, you should get better life out of your soap. I haven't tried this, as I bought some Vulfix cream at the same time, and it makes nice lather, smells good, and lasts forever.

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

There are two types of soaps: hard (such as Williams) and soft (like ClassicShaving).

I use the same method with soap myself. Soft soaps don't tolerate this very well. Mine lasted about a month as well. A cake of Williams lasts a whole lot longer.

What you might try is use a second mug for hot water only. Soak the brush while showering, then drain the brush and whip up later. I believe, although I have not confirmed, you should get better life out of your soap. I haven't tried this, as I bought some Vulfix cream at the same time, and it makes nice lather, smells good, and lasts forever.

I see, that helps a lot. A further question for you, then: when you buy a tub of shave cream, in your view, is it cost effective compared to soap cakes (I have in mind those which cost 4-5 dollars/ cake, e.g. classicshaving, or col. conk). And I guess, another question (if you don't mind): what are the directions for using shave cream from a tub?
Thanks,
Mark

Originally Posted by marciaga

When you buy a tub of shave cream, in your view, is it cost effective compared to soap cakes (I have in mind those which cost 4-5 dollars/ cake, e.g. classicshaving, or col. conk). And I guess, another question (if you don't mind): what are the directions for using shave cream from a tub?

In my mind, yes it is cost effective. Besides, half the fun of shaving now is trying different products.

What I do is take a cup and fill it with hot water, let the brush soak while I shower. Turn the brush upside down and set it on the edge of the sink to drain, open the tub of cream, then make about 5 trips around the cream. Then proceed to build the lather on your face, not in the mug. This method will often make enough lather for two passes. You might have to add a little water to the brush before the second lather, as it might dry out a little. A little goes a long way with this stuff, at least with the Vulfix I got at ClassicShaving.

Yes the softer soap cakes don't last too long if you soak them in water. I've used the classic shaving soaps and just use a hot wet brush on the dry cake and work up a lather. The bars last for many months that way. I've also used the Vilfux creams and they don't last as long but they are still economical and last a couple months.

With creams, I like to whip the lather in a secondary container then work it onto my face. Never been very good at building the lather on my face, especially shaving every day. For this very reason, I prefer tubes to tubs. I know it sounds cheesy, but I like to drop a little cream into a small gladware plastic bowl, then whip the hell out of it with a wet brush. It looks like I sprayed a can of Barbisol into it, and with little more cream than the normal amount of toothpaste one might put on a toothbrush, I can do 3 passes easily, sometimes with a little to spare. If there's any left that got brushed into the corners of the bowl, I pop the lid on it and have a head start the next day. Plus my lathering bowl is portable. With soaps, I never let hot water sit on them, as long as the brush is hot and wet, it'll be plenty. Maybe just take a few more swirls to get where you want. As to shortening the life of a soap, I'm sure it would have some effect................................Jeff

My soaps are going to last for at least two years...rotating with about 20 creams and soaps total! Jeff, I also prefer a secondary container for "whipping" up the lather. I use a small stainless still mixing bowl, howver, I prefer tubs. I just use a butter knife to dip out the cream and then go to work.

RT

RT, with tubs I end up scooping a bit out with my finger, then knocking if off into the bowl with my brush. Then I have to rinse my finger, and it takes some doing to get straight cream to rinse off HAHA. Anyway, that's why I prefer tubes. Other cool things for me are I can take any or several on the road with me and when at home they all take up less space on the counter and look sort of cool standing there like beer bottles :-)

...when at home they all take up less space on the counter and look sort of cool standing there like beer bottles :-)

Yeah, but beer bottles look more cool!

Or, you can use hair tonic bottles:



These aren't mine, but belong to Richard at SMF.

Randy

Wow I bet when the sunlight's just right, it's like a stained glass window!

Jeff

Originally Posted by rtaylor61

Or, you can use hair tonic bottles:

These aren't mine, but belong to Richard at SMF.

Randy