Is there really a difference?

[stax]

Hi guys,

The only criteria i had when i bought my soap was... the scent...
At the moment i'm using 'Vienna' from 'Crabtree & Evelyn'. It is also the only one i have.
Ever since i bought a straight razor (and safety razor) i never used 'Gilette Gel'.
I threw all the gilette stuff away. Planning on never supporting that company again.

I'm just wondering if there truly is a difference between soaps and creams.
What IS a good cream or soap?
Do you guys notice if a razor is shaving better with a different cream?

Thx

[igga]

I've found that some soaps or creams are easier to lather than others. Beyond that, I am too inexperienced to tell much of a difference.

[Birnando]

Oh yes, there are lots more to a good soap or cream than lathering easy and smelling good

There are cushion, glide and conditioning of skin.

Some are slicker than others, which will provide for a smoother glide of the razor across the skin.
Then there are the soaps or creams that will provide great cushion, in the sense that it provides a barrier between the skin and the blade itself.

In addition to those, there's also the ability to soften the whiskers of course.
Getting water to penetrate and soften the whiskers in other words.

Some soaps will provide all those things in various degrees.

Martin de Candre, Xpec, Castle Forbes and Mitchell's wool fat seems to be some of the better one's out there, IMHO.

[Gammaray]

I use a wide variety of both soaps and creams just to experiment and to have fun. However, if I were forced to choose then I would favor a cream because the overall consistency of glide, cushion, conditioning, holding of moisture, and beard softening just seems to surpass most soaps that I have used. Nevertheless, I still like trying them and for travel I continue to prefer a soap stick. Enjoy.

[Maxi]

I completely agree with Birnando. To experience these sorts of things first hand, an experiment comes in handy.

You could purchase a second soap (of any value you wish - but keep in mind that Arko @ 99cents a stick is pretty darn good!). Lather each side of your face with a different soap, and as you shave, compare the cushion and glide. Then after the shave and throughout the day, compare how your skin feels. This may help to give you an idea of what B is talking about.

For example. I enjoy the Proraso for regular, every day shaves. On the weekend I tend towards MWF, and that soap is just lovely. My skin and MWF are a perfect combination.

[Johnus]

Also find that some soaps are perfectly good with a DE but not with a straight razor. Experimentation! Isn't it wonderful ??

[justalex]

I will just add that I've found hard pucks prefer a brush with a bit of backbone, opposed to what I've found with soft pucks and creams liking softer brushes with less backbone.

A soft brush might not be hard enough to load up on a rock solid puck and then lather less, pretty much

[stax]

I will just add that I've found hard pucks prefer a brush with a bit of backbone, opposed to what I've found with soft pucks and creams liking softer brushes with less backbone.

A soft brush might not be hard enough to load up on a rock solid puck and then lather less, pretty much

Boar brushes instead of Badger you mean?

[stax]

Oh yes, there are lots more to a good soap or cream than lathering easy and smelling good

There are cushion, glide and conditioning of skin.

Some are slicker than others, which will provide for a smoother glide of the razor across the skin.
Then there are the soaps or creams that will provide great cushion, in the sense that it provides a barrier between the skin and the blade itself.

In addition to those, there's also the ability to soften the whiskers of course.
Getting water to penetrate and soften the whiskers in other words.

Some soaps will provide all those things in various degrees.

Martin de Candre, Xpec, Castle Forbes and Mitchell's wool fat seems to be some of the better one's out there, IMHO.

Thanks...
I'm going to test some of those out!

[ryanjewell]

Boar brushes instead of Badger you mean?

not necessarily...I'll use 2-band badger (sometimes even horse) with a lot of my hard soaps and works well. truth be told, i only have one boar and use it when face lathering exclusively...