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Should Traditional Wet Shavers Use Barbasol? What Say You? (Philosophical Debate)

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
Hello everyone!

Prior to becoming a traditional wet shaver, I was using Gillette cart razors, and a Panasonic Arc4 electric shaver. Back when I as a kid, I was using Barbasol canned foam cause thats what my dad had. The product comes out of the can extremely fluffy, there is not much water to it at all, and thus, it doesn't seem to provide much slickness. But that is what I used for a few years, and I honestly believe it contributed to redness on my face. Then I switched to using Gillette & Edge shaving gel's, which are also found in a can. They seemed to provide more slickness, but I still never got quality shaves with either cart or electric.

Flash forward to modern day... So, I've been a traditional wet shaver for about 7-months now. And ever since experiencing the pure awesomeness, of creating a slick moisturizing yogurt lather with artisan shave soaps, I couldn't imagine now days going back to a can of Barbasol! I have some video's to share from GeoFatBoy, that you may find enlightening on the subject...

In this video, GeoFatBoy uses straight Barbasol from the can, you will notice a few things here. First of which, the product comes out super airy and foamy, due to lack of water in it. Additionally, there is no real quality scent that comes from the product, its a very basic fresh scent. Then, as he begins shaving, we hear a ton of audio feedback from the razor, perhaps the loudest feedback I've ever heard, and I have course whiskers just like him! Then notice how the razor begins dragging on his skin due to lack of slickness? Its clear that Barbasol is not providing the ideal consistency of lather, that one requires to get a quality shave.
Now after the shave was over, he did his usual routine of running the alum stick over his face. According to his report, he was getting a ton of stinging feedback, which he normally never gets after a traditional wet shave. Its just another key factor that demonstrates, that Barbasol lacks the miniaturization and slickness that a wet shave requires, and his face was left irritated afterwords.

A viewer gave GeoFatBoy an interesting tip. They suggested that he put some Barbasol in a shaving bowl, then add some water. Then begin using a shaving brush as you normally would, to work up a lather to the proper consistency. Geo noticed right away, as he began doing this, he was able to change the consistency of the foam, into a more proper moisturized and slick cream, which is ideally what you want. After applying to his face with the brush, he noticed that it was a far better lather from the get go. As he began shaving, he could tell right away, that the Barbasol was far slicker.
As you can see in this video, he achieved a far better shave, the razor was no longer dragging against his skin. After he finished, he ran the alum stick over his face and neck, and guess what? No stinging!

There is a good reason why most of us traditional wet shavers use proper shave soaps, and work up a proper lather to a nice slick consistency, that has plenty of moisture. I know what my opinion is, I prefer traditional shaving soaps, and perhaps creams that don't burn my skin from some weird ingredient in them. I also prefer soaps that have excellent scents, which is why artisan soaps, like those from Stirling, are so appealing to me. But what say you, mighty fine wet shavers out there on B&B, what is your philosophy? And additionally, has your opinions changed at all on canned Barbasol, after watching those video's?
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
Barbasol was first developed in 1919 with the aerosol cans introduced in the 1950s - sound pretty traditional to me. I like Barbasol - I like the smell and I get just as good a shave with it as I do with anything else. It lathers well with a brush as does Proraso from a can. DE/SR/AC shaving has taught me proper shaving technique, if I returned to my canned foam and cheap disposables then I would get better shaves now than when I first used them. All that said, I prefer my traditional vintage hard soaps - some of which are not as old as Barbasol in a can.
 

lasta

Blade Biter
When (if) I finish my soap collection, with the exception of occasional purchases of Palmolive, Tabac and Arko, I will be moving to canned foam exclusively.

Barbasol is OK, but I'm partial to Foamy. It handles water extremely well, very slick, and dries slower than most modern soaps.

But I'm with the pre-prep hair hydration above all else crowd. All lathers can be made slick enough with good prep.
 
Barbasol is probably one of the better canned foams I've used, nothing wrong with it. I prefer using a hard shaving soap, but would use Barbasol if necessary. The bubbles come from the propellant in the can (usually butane or propane). If you lather it with your fingers on a wet face it has plenty of slickness.

The scent of the original Barbasol may have been the inspiration for a famous men's fragrance (YSL Rive Gauche). I'd take it over most of the others I've tried. I like this one Italian eucalyptus & menthol shave cream a bit more.
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
Nope. Not me.
The canned stuff may work, but my experience is it doesn't work as well as a soap in a container, using both as they were intended to be used (soap - lather with a brush and water, canned goo - spray it in your hand and slather it on your face).
Is it possible that canned foam, when used with a brush and water, provides a better result than straight from the can?
Sure. Of course! I can easily believe that.
My question is... Why do that?
If you're going to use a brush and water anyway, why use canned foam at all when there are hundreds of great soaps in a container out there? Just seems like an extra step to me.
I think the age of the particular brand of product is less important than the relative age of the technology.
Barbasol is a pretty old product, and a soap from a new manufacturer doesn't have near the history behind it - but canned foam is a relatively new invention when compared to a soap and brush.
So, yes - using a brush and canned foam can work, and if it does, and you like it - that's all the reason you need.
For me, it's akin to shaving with a brush and a bar of Irish Spring or Dial bath soap, it can be done, and some people get good shaves that way, but neither were intended for that purpose.
The fantastically broad spectrum of scents, and the improved face feel from shaving soaps over canned foam or bath soap makes soap specifically made for shaving a winner in my book hands down.
Mind you - there are some really crappy shaving soaps out there, and I know of a bunch that I would just as soon dry shave than use, but overall, I prefer a good shaving soap and a brush.
 
Barbasol has a long history and I greatly prefer it to Gillette products for reasons I'll leave out of this post. I used it regularly for my quick shave in the shower with a Mach 3, when time was of the essence. IIRC, the type in the yellow can seemed to work the best but was hard to find.

Soap/cream and a brush performs far better for me and is more enjoyable so for now Barbasol takes a back seat.
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
Nope. Not me.
The canned stuff may work, but my experience is it doesn't work as well as a soap in a container, using both as they were intended to be used (soap - lather with a brush and water, canned goo - spray it in your hand and slather it on your face).
Is it possible that canned foam, when used with a brush and water, provides a better result than straight from the can?
Sure. Of course! I can easily believe that.
My question is... Why do that?
If you're going to use a brush and water anyway, why use canned foam at all when there are hundreds of great soaps in a container out there? Just seems like an extra step to me.
I think the age of the particular brand of product is less important than the relative age of the technology.
Barbasol is a pretty old product, and a soap from a new manufacturer doesn't have near the history behind it - but canned foam is a relatively new invention when compared to a soap and brush.
So, yes - using a brush and canned foam can work, and if it does, and you like it - that's all the reason you need.
For me, it's akin to shaving with a brush and a bar of Irish Spring or Dial bath soap, it can be done, and some people get good shaves that way, but neither were intended for that purpose.
The fantastically broad spectrum of scents, and the improved face feel from shaving soaps over canned foam or bath soap makes soap specifically made for shaving a winner in my book hands down.
Mind you - there are some really crappy shaving soaps out there, and I know of a bunch that I would just as soon dry shave than use, but overall, I prefer a good shaving soap and a brush.

I agree 💯% Phill! I think that shaving soap is far superior indeed. But its also like you said, one has to be wary of the bad shave soaps out there. For example, I'd be very wary of the Dollar Tree stuff lol. But ya, artisan shave soaps are where its at indeed. Were in complete agreement my friend! And excellent write up talking about the differences too BTW. :thumbup1:
 
I used Barbasol for like 30 years until I switched from disposable cartridge razors to DE safety razors. I would still use it occasionally if I could find it around here. For some reason Walmart doesn't have any. I use Proraso green shaving soap and love it, but I don't have any aversions to canned shave foam of any kind. I don't even mind the new smell of Gillette Foamy. However not all skin is the same and I am in the group that believes people should enjoy shaving with whatever equipment or products they like. :thumbsup:
 

linty1

My wallet cries.
I think you should revisit the Barbasol again, but now with your new DE knowledge, you might be pleasantly surprised? That's what happened to me anyways. Also I find barbasol works well (for me) with very wet... everything. Face, hands, razor. Is a fun try again if you have an old bottle at the back of your cupboard or something. I use it when I'm in a hurry.
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
I think you should revisit the Barbasol again, but now with your new DE knowledge, you might be pleasantly surprised? That's what happened to me anyways. Also I find barbasol works well (for me) with very wet... everything. Face, hands, razor. Is a fun try again if you have an old bottle at the back of your cupboard or something. I use it when I'm in a hurry.

Hello Linty, good to see you!

There once was a can of Barbasol in my arsenal, but I really found it unremarkable, and since continued use was considered optional, I decided to give it to my friend Russel. You know what I use when I am in a hurry? I use a shave stick instead, and facial lather, with a silver tip badger. Ohhhhh yes, talk about the xen moment of the shave right there.
 
My kid recently needed shaving cream for a school project, and we have a couple cans left. I shaved with it last night "just to see" and got a nice, close shave.
Timeless .68 Scalloped Comb. Re-lathred between passes and used water for touch-ups.

I don't like it as much as a nice soap, and I don't like tossing the cans in the trash. But it works fine.
 
youtubers do things for views and fans and often that involves things that are going to strike up controversy discussions get people to post and talk :) so I tend to ignore most of those that do that :) hahahahahaha

but he seems to do a daily shave and has a business to promote so more power to him I think he is doing it more for that reason alone than anything just to make clear where I feel he is coming from not for the controversy :)

that said like others use what works best and makes one happy I reckon

I really only want one or two of anything that are my top favs as I have no desire to use things that are not the best for me when it comes to shaving :)
 
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