Thread: When testing a new soap...

what do you look for?

As a user and a soapmaker I look for in a shaving soap/cream. A good soap/cream: 1) contributes to beard and skin preparation by softening whiskers and lubricating the skin; 2) provides a well hydrated lather that does not dry out; 3)allows sufficient cushion and glide during the shave; 4) conditions your skin after the shave; 5) is economic; and 6) and has a pleasant scent. Needless to say, the products that excel in all of these areas can probably counted with the fingers of your hand. These products are typically expensive but well worth their price. Once you try these, you would probably not shave again with most of the cheap ones. Do not take me wrong, there are some inexpensive soap/creams that are very good, even if the scent or the conditioning is not the best.

One thing to be particularly aware of is the economy of the product. The price of the product only tells you half of the story. If you buy a soap that cost twice as much as another but gives you twice as many shaves or more, you are no saving by buying the inexpensive one..., it is that simple. I am not big into scents so unless the soap smells like rotten fish, turpentine, hippie, etc., I am usually happy. I prefer soaps that do not have a pronounced scent. Because I have sensitive skin, for me, what often tilts the scale is conditioning. If you do not have special requirements in that front, you will find more products that fit the bill and your budget.

Al raz.

A huge +1 for what Al said. Especially the part about economics. I have always tried to put price into perspective, especially in the case of Caraceni and Castle Forbes. While they seem rather expensive, they really are not.

Here is an example of a cream that really explodes - I was using a pea sized amount of it (click to enlarge picture, there are a few more of the lather building process in the gallery):

+2 to Al and German with the nice sink

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

A huge +1 for what Al said. Especially the part about economics. I have always tried to put price into perspective, especially in the case of Caraceni and Castle Forbes. While they seem rather expensive, they really are not.

Here is an example of a cream that really explodes - I was using a pea sized amount of it (click to enlarge picture, there are a few more of the lather building process in the gallery):