Thread: Beginner confused with mass amounts of Soaps and Creams

Cella and Proraso. Two fantastic soaps for two fantastic prices!

I sampled a LOT of soaps from The Shave Den:The Shave Den Store (Powered by CubeCart) I also, like many others, took advantage of the excellent Truefitt and Hill sampler pack. In the process, I learned a lot about different soaps and creams as my tastes evolved, and continue to.

Al Raz has an excellent reputation. I intend to get a sampler of his creams after I use up some of what I already have. Samples rule!

+11 for alraz's bomb (WWW.alsshaving.com, tell him I sent you).

His creams are amazing. I have one of his custom scents, Chillwhip, that smells just like Noxzema and has an amazing amount of menthol. I also have his Bay Vetivier and it smells like an early fall morning on the beach.
I had his clary sage but SWMBO hated it so it went to a friend.
They have amazing cushion and glide, awesome scent, super long lasting scent, my face doesn't dry out using it. I think he even uses all natural ingredients.

Kiss My Face have some SERIOUSLY great shaving creams. There all natural, and lather SOOOO easy. There under $5 and will last you months, I swear. You can find it locally sometimes too.

I tried Art of Shaving Sandlewood shaving cream this morning. It was love at first sight. As an experiment, I did not apply my pre-shave oil just to see how the cream would work and it provided excellent lubrication and cushion. I had a comfortable and close shave; I am one happy shaver.
The wife bought it for me from J.C.Penny's Sephora web site and it's a little pricey (22 USD + shipping), but for me, it was worth every cent she spent on it. I told her that I would like to have the Lavender scented version for Christmas.
There's my couple pennies worth.
Patrick

I've ordered a bunch (5?, 6?, I lost count) of creams the other day from Men's Biz - Men's Skin Care and Shaving Products.. I'm really happy I found an Australian site with HEAPS of cool creams and soaps. I bought T&F Trafalgar Cream + the aftershave, TOBS Eton College Cream, Musgo Real Cream and Speick Cream. I'll now have 8 creams and soaps. I'm on my way to becoming an aficionado. I've been mixing and matching creams, soaps, pre-shave oils glycerin and such; by themselves, in Überlather, with pre-shave oil sprayed on the soap (or not), in mortars, Antique French Coffee Bowls, an Antique Scuttle, and other assorted vessels, with two different brushes. I KNOW MANY of you will have heaps of combinations and many more soaps, creams, brushes, scuttles, bowls, razors, cases, cupboards, strops, etc, etc. BUT, I think maybe now is the time to settle down and scientifically work out preferences in regard to combinations. I think I found that Oscar pre-shave oil (it's just like lots of different oils) though nice, might retard 'bubbling' (I don't know what other word to use) in my soaps and creams. Do you reckon this might be possible? I might be confused with all the experimenting I've been doing. I did the same with organic (I was going to use the word 'analog' then I saw this link http://fringefocus.com/2010/technica...ite-of-digital) vintage German cameras; I tried to (re) learn manual photography using 5 completely different vintage cameras (box, twin lens reflex, folding, 6x6, 6x9, + a Holga) with different films and different film speeds (no, shushhh, I'm not off topic yet; wait)...as I was saying, different cameras and films, and it was confusing. SO, tomorrow, I, with my new razor (I have two now) shall start to use each cream separately, w/o (with out) pre-shaves and Übers; one brush, one bowl, and report back...
Carl

Don't let the order of product application confuse you too much. Hydrate, infuse, shave, and treat.

Well, I can give some advice at least on those I ordered, as I received them today. I haven't actually shaved with any yet, but I did decide to lather them up to see how well they lathered and smelt:

• 1st of the block was Musgo Real. This just EXPLODED when water was added, it seemed I could add and add and add! Nice smell, I liked it.
• 2nd was Speick. Didn't really DO anything as far as lathering goes, just sat there. Interesting smell. Might be a good 'mixer' for Überlather for the smell.
• 3rd was Taylor of Old Bond Street Eton College. Now. Let me say. This. Is. Really. VERY. Nice. EXPLODED in regards to lathering, and the SMELL, I just can't say enough. This is really, very, very cool. This tube simply contains Culture with a capital C. The packet says 'Gentleman's Luxury shaving Cream' and that statement personifies truth in advertising. Think suits, or jackets with leather patches on the sleeves, ivy league campuses, libraries, art galleries, pipes and newspapers, slippers, fine leather goods, train journeys...

4th was Truefitt and Hill Trafalgar. Also an 'exploder'. My wife says it's an 'old man smell' (but what would SHE know). Actually, I think she's right, but I'd say it's a 'fatherly' smell.

All in all, an excellent selection (and if you're in Aust, check out Men's biz online, postage is astonishingly fast and they have EVERYTHING you can't get in shops (hence the predicted demise of 'brick and mortar' shops). I'm not yet convinced about Speick; that one need to work on me more, but for 50 odd bucks, the 4 creams and an aftershave was WELL worth the expense.

You have to get out and BUY more STUFF, Troy, but if you only get ONE get TOBS Eton College, it is really, really nice...
PS, SWMBO thinks I'm 'odd', maybe she's right, but I told her my friends on straightrazorplace would understand...

I've oggled Prorasso before but the price tag put me off a little. I mean it's not the price of gold (or oil :P) but I've used good products for less. The last one I bought was some product from the Shaver Shop here in Aus. Not sure of the brand but it comes in three scents - Sandalwood, Nomad and Sienna. I could google it but meh, lol. They're alright but I'm not real big on all the modern scents so I've been considering switching to a more old timey product. Anyone had experience with col conk?

Crabtree and Evelyn make the soaps you're talking about; the Nomad is very nice, makes a nice Überlather with Body Shop Maca Root and Glycerin. For an old timey scent I'd still recommend the Taylor of Old Bond Street Eton College. I haven't tried Col Conk yet...
I can only buy about 4 soaps/creams at The Shaver Shop, seriously, check out Men's Biz - Men's Skin Care and Shaving Products. I got the stuff I ordered SUPER fast from Melbourne to Adelaide (shipped on Wed received on Fri)...