Thread: Shaving soap...How long should it last??

I did not start using a lathering bowl until finding this forum. Until then, I lathered in the mug that had the puck in it but saved my left over lather in the same manner. Either way works just fine.

I'm new to using a straight but I have been using soaps for years. I have a small bowl that I microwave a new puck in. I heat it just enough to melt it flat in the bowl. I did this for tracking reasons and so the puck wouldn't spin when I make my lather on the soap. I too ring out my left overs in the bowl. I just run the brush in some cool water afterwards and leave some soap in the core of the brush. I shave everyday and a cheap puck will last 2 months. I can't remember what the name is but it has a green box and is about $ 1.50
It's the only kind I have found in my small town. Oh and I float the bowl like a little ship in a sink of hot water while I shower. Makes the lather stay warm a little longer.

Tabac, for instance, is triple milled soap and will lasts me the biggest part of a year with usage Monday-Friday. I use my expensive creams and soaps during the weekends.

Take Care,
Richard

I was hoping to find ways to use soap faster so I have an excuse to buy different brands.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I am the "someone" whose soap lasts for years. I described it in THIS thread, specifically in post 12 and elaboration in post 25.

I only put a little water on my puck to wet it, then dump it into the lathering bowl. I swirl the brush on the wetted puck and then build the lather in a separate lathering bowl. (I used to do it in the same mug and it worked too.) I build my lather, lather my face, and shave. Sometimes I do a second pass, usually I don't. When I am done, I transfer residual lather from my brush back into the lathering bowl by encircling the handle end of the brush with my thumb and forefinger, squeezing lightly, and "milking" the lather down and off the brush. I scrape this lather off of my hand and into the bowl. That lather still in the bowl is left there to be used to build lather the next day. This residue in the lathering bowl means that I only have to swirl my brush on the puck minimally to get enough new soap to transfer to the lathering bowl.

The keys are
1) I don't dump soapy water down the drain. That soapy water is dumped into the lathering bowl.
2) I don't wash out my lathering bowl. What is left after my shave stays in it to be used the next day.
3. The only soap/lather that goes down the drain is that which comes off of my face.

This is the way I've always done it. I didn't think it was weird. I just don't waste things so I did this all along without giving it a thought. All of my soap pucks have lasted 5 to 7 years. That is, until a couple years ago when I found this place. I just had to try several new soaps so I no longer use one puck at a time for 5 years each. I figure the 8 soaps I have now will last longer than I will!

Excellent description of the technique! I used to rinse out my bowl and end up wasting all the extra built up lather thinking somehow that it wasn't as good. The second bowl seems like a good idea I have yet to try.

I'll also 2nd the notion that soaps from TGQ seem to go pretty quick. I don't mind as they're heavenly to use and the faster I use them up the sooner I get to use a different "flavor"

If your puck of soap is only lasting a month something is wrong. Either the puck is thin and extremely soft, or you are using way too much per lathering session. The reason why I say this is because in the 2+ years I've been using soaps I have never even come close to using up a single puck in my collection.

I am pretty liberal with soap, and cream, and rinse everything after. A month is pretty quick however. Perhaps there is water sitting on the soap after you are finished and is softening the soap?

,

I'd like to start doing this but right now I kind of want to use up the products so i can try new ones