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So I've just bought two vintage Boker's today and am now looking for some soap/cream. After reading through the forum, i've gotten all confused and dazed with the amount of info. I'm currently using Taylor of Old Bond right now, but would like to venture out and try a different one. I've read on hear that Mama Bear is really good, any other suggestions will be welcomed. Thanks
Troy
A great suds maker and a fantastic summertime soap is Proraso. Short money too,and it will wake up your face!!!! The Proraso pre/aftershave balm rocks too!!!!!
So whats the order that you follow? Shower, pre shave balm, apply soap, shave, warm rinse, alum, cool rinse, then aftershave balm? I've read about guys using all sorts of different product at certain times throughout their shave. I'm a little confused on what's needed and when it's needed.
You got it !! Shower, apply lather, shave,apply lather again for 2nd pass with razor and a 3rd time if you want, warm rinse, wet alum block with cold water and rub all over face,let it stay on face for a minute and rinse off with cold water. Pat face dry with towel and apply some type of BALM,let balm dry into skin and then the good smelly stuff.
There is plenty of options for creams and soaps, for different budgets and tastes.
I would suggest you do search for reviews on the forum and read what people say.
Thanks for all the info guys
Hey, don't be confused by them, just buy them or add them to your wish list. This is my ever-growing list of shaving related items to buy showing the creams, soaps, etc!
Attachment 74321
Trumpers are excellent, better than TOBS IMHO, and their scents are really fresh and clean.
If you want creams Penhaligons are right up there. Their creams are just superb.
Tabac is also an excellent soap with a lovely fresh scent and superb lather.
Mama Bear is also a great make. I have half a dozen of her soaps and they're all amazing.
Mitchells wool fat is great too. The scent is a real blend of things but as you work it you can smell the different elements coming out. It can be a bit tricky to lather sometimes and the proportions of water need to be just right, but again a truly excellent soap.
If you want a course in top line soaps just drop my friend Obie a PM...! :) He's a veritable gold mine of awesome soaps and creams.
This is one of the places in this hobby you can really play about as there's just so much choice.
Good luck and enjoy! :)
Just wanted to clarify: Very little of this is needed. All you need really is a boar brush, some water and a soap. The rest is just for extra luxury.Quote:
Originally Posted by TMBartley
I often just use a standard basic progression: First wet my face with water, then make my lather. Add more water to face, then apply suds. Strop my knife, replenish suds, then shave. Rinse face after, apply my splash. Done. This is a quick, simple and sufficient method. Feel free to add more luxury in there for even better shaves :)
Best of luck.
Thanks for all the info guys. My razor's are in the mail, as well as my strop, mama bears soap, some witchhazel, and Pinaud clubman.
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:
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.
- 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...
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)...
That's the one! I picked up the Sandalwood because the feller recommended it but in hindsight I did quite like the Nomad too. And I've ordered from mensbiz before, I get my strop paste from them :)
I also have the Crabtree & Evelyn Nomad in my rotation. The Proraso is my fold standby. Lathers well, wakes up my face and makes me smell like an old Italian guy ! It's one of my faves.
I have the Mama Bear Canadian Spruce (or something, can't be arsed to go to the bathroom and check), and it's really very nice. I'm going to try out another Mama Bear once my first round of tryouts is done.
Every now and again I'll use the Cromwell and Cruther's shave oil for a change of pace. It's pretty nice to my skin, but doesn't have the pageantry of lathering up a bowl of sin, the way some of the more luxo soaps and creams do. Still a nice shave, though. And it takes a tiny amount for a good shave.
I also bought a tube of L'Occitane's shave cream. It was good, but not $28 good. I won't be buying it again. The lather doesn't come easy enough and it doesn't treat me any better than any of my other creams, so I'll just use up this one tube and drop L'Occitane from the list.
So many still to try, so little money...
From Stubear: If you want a course in top line soaps just drop my friend Obie a PM...! He's a veritable gold mine of awesome soaps and creams.
+1. Obie is the 'go to' guy for suds. His recommendation of Provence Sante remains my fav., and its not very expensive. Cushion/glide/moisture is the best I've had from any soap.
I just shaved with T&H Trafalgar, one of my faves for lather and scent!Quote:
Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider
