Ok being that I’m rather new at this, which is better to use shaving cream or shaving soap? Why?
Shaving cream vs shaving soap
- Thread starter Walleyeb
- Start date
lasta
Blade Biter
Both, neither.
All soaps/creams are capable of assisting you with a good shave as long as enough is used and with the right amount of water.
Whichever offer you the scent you like.
All soaps/creams are capable of assisting you with a good shave as long as enough is used and with the right amount of water.
Whichever offer you the scent you like.
What are you currently using and how?
For bowl lathering I would start with a cream as you can easily control the amount of product and can only mess up the water part.
If you face lather than loading from a (hard) puck with a damp brush and adding water to the tips as needed might be easier.
Naturally you can bowl lather by loading from a puck and face lather with cream as well it’s just a bit more complicated when starting out…
For bowl lathering I would start with a cream as you can easily control the amount of product and can only mess up the water part.
If you face lather than loading from a (hard) puck with a damp brush and adding water to the tips as needed might be easier.
Naturally you can bowl lather by loading from a puck and face lather with cream as well it’s just a bit more complicated when starting out…
You've got some good advice from the gents above, really either will do. I would probably recommend a cream because i find they are slightly easier to lather.
You can use wetted shaving stick directly to your face.
It's all a matter of personal preference. I prefer soap because I find it slicker. However, when I first started shaving when I was a teenager, I preferred cream because I found it easier to make lather.
So what have your tried so far and what do you like?
- Thread starter
- #8
Currently going back and forth between Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood shaving cream and Proraso (green) like them. Using a badger brush and bowl to create lather.
It really depends upon your expectations and preferences. I started off using some common creams: Taylor of Old Bond Street, GF Trumper, Truefit & Hill, Cremo, etc. I also tried croaps like Proraso. Once I started evaluating soaps, I quit using creams except for a tube of Cremo I take with me when I travel.
There are some creams that are to be used brushless such as Jack Black and Alba Botanica. I guess they work OK if you are shaving with a cartridge razor, but I do not like them. Cremo is designed to be used without a brush, but it gets quite slick when you add water, so I do lather it with a brush.
I have now evaluated well over 100 soap and cream formulations. Most of the creams I have evaluated rank near the bottom the list. However, had the better soap formulations not become available over the past few years, I would still be using the products I used at the beginning.
There are some creams that are to be used brushless such as Jack Black and Alba Botanica. I guess they work OK if you are shaving with a cartridge razor, but I do not like them. Cremo is designed to be used without a brush, but it gets quite slick when you add water, so I do lather it with a brush.
I have now evaluated well over 100 soap and cream formulations. Most of the creams I have evaluated rank near the bottom the list. However, had the better soap formulations not become available over the past few years, I would still be using the products I used at the beginning.
There are a lot of really slick cushiony soaps. There are less creams at that level. That said I have a tub of Castle Forbes Lime and I would put that head to head with anything.
If you want to try some soaps, Cella is a soft soap with quite good slickness, great density, easy to lather and a nice amaretto scent. About ten bucks. Mitchell's is considered the gold standard of many soap users, is a bit harder to lather but best of the best density and slickness and is about twelve bucks. I use it like a shave stick and just rub the puck on my face.
Best, JM
If you want to try some soaps, Cella is a soft soap with quite good slickness, great density, easy to lather and a nice amaretto scent. About ten bucks. Mitchell's is considered the gold standard of many soap users, is a bit harder to lather but best of the best density and slickness and is about twelve bucks. I use it like a shave stick and just rub the puck on my face.
Best, JM
Both have their uses. Creams contain more water, that makes them somewhat easier to lather for people that are new. Some creams can be applied by hand without needing a brush. That can make them convenient for travel, also.
Good soaps can give superior performance once a person has learned how to work with them. Soaps are generally more economical since the product is concentrated and goes further.
Good soaps can give superior performance once a person has learned how to work with them. Soaps are generally more economical since the product is concentrated and goes further.
JCinPA
The Lather Maestro
Neither is better, but I agree with some of the earlier posters, creams are somewhat easier to get good lather from for newer shavers than soaps. Exceptions, and YMMV of course, but creams are very easy to lather. Taylor's creams are very good values for the money.
Stick with them for a while, and after 30-60 shaves, start branching out to other products and you'll love experiencing the variety that is out there for you.
Stick with them for a while, and after 30-60 shaves, start branching out to other products and you'll love experiencing the variety that is out there for you.
JCinPA
The Lather Maestro
And ... you're up to your over ten posts so you can PM folks! 
Got it. For mind expansion you need try face lathering with a hard soap. Interested? PM me.
There are great examples of both and all will vary depending on what you prefer. You'll also find that many artisans are now making "croaps" or something that is between a cream and a soap, essentially a soft soap. These are still mostly marketed as soaps because they are more solid than liquid but they seem to be a bit easier to lather than something like a triple-milled hard soap.
Others have provided good advice above. I'd say soaps are slicker and can load the amount of product you like; creams are easier to lather.
Up to you really and your preference. Try some of both and see what you like.
Up to you really and your preference. Try some of both and see what you like.
I prefer creams.
There are pros and cons to each and plenty of strong performers in each camp. They are pretty much the same thing with just a different water content and consistency. I started out only using hard soaps because they seemed more traditional and old school. I’ve now swing (almost) completely the other way with a strong preference for creams. It all comes down to how you like to shave.
As a committed bowl latherer, creams are more convenient for me. I just scoop some cream into my bowl and lather up. It’s one less thing hanging around the shaving sink. The cream lathers up instantly. After I scoop the cream I can seal the tub right back up. I don’t need to worry about cleaning or drying the puck. It’s fast, efficient and works well for me.
The ‘almost’ in my case is MdC. This is a hard soap but I use it the same as my creams. I scrape some into my lather bowl and boom it while I’m in the shower. By the time I get out it’s pretty much completely dissolved. It lathers fast and completely. Really good stuff. I didn’t appreciate it at first but I’ve seen the light.
I still like a hard soap from time to time but it’s more hassle to bowl lather. I will generally just build the lather on the puck.
There are pros and cons to each and plenty of strong performers in each camp. They are pretty much the same thing with just a different water content and consistency. I started out only using hard soaps because they seemed more traditional and old school. I’ve now swing (almost) completely the other way with a strong preference for creams. It all comes down to how you like to shave.
As a committed bowl latherer, creams are more convenient for me. I just scoop some cream into my bowl and lather up. It’s one less thing hanging around the shaving sink. The cream lathers up instantly. After I scoop the cream I can seal the tub right back up. I don’t need to worry about cleaning or drying the puck. It’s fast, efficient and works well for me.
The ‘almost’ in my case is MdC. This is a hard soap but I use it the same as my creams. I scrape some into my lather bowl and boom it while I’m in the shower. By the time I get out it’s pretty much completely dissolved. It lathers fast and completely. Really good stuff. I didn’t appreciate it at first but I’ve seen the light.
I still like a hard soap from time to time but it’s more hassle to bowl lather. I will generally just build the lather on the puck.
One is really not better than the other …you can get excellent lathers from both
I use both because some of the creams I use you can't get in soap. I use the BS Macca root and aloe a lot as for me its really good for my skin. Then there's MWF which is a hard soap which is really good and not forgetting Tabac soap to.
It doesn't really matter. Creams might be slightly easier to control if you don't have much experience.
