Soaps That Punch Above Their Weight

[FloorPizza]

However, there are others who might use the potential savings to add an additional bass rod to the collection per year and still get great performance out of their shaving soaps.

Good point. Soap eventually finds its way down the drain, but a new razor lasts more than a lifetime.

 

[1Vader]

Although the new Haslinger formula is pretty good, I have yet to find a non-tallow soap that has the cushion of a tallow soap. However, admittedly, I have purchased far more tallow soaps, so there are a lot of non-tallow ones I have not tried. There may be one that will rival a tallow soap.

Same here, probably 90 percent of my soaps are tallow based. Aside from the cushion, they just give me the best post-shave.

FWIW, best non-tallow soap I've tried is from Sudsy Soapery.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

The new formula lathered easily, even in my hard water. It was plenty slick, but the cushion was not as good as I would have liked.

If that's the case, I'm really glad I got the new version, and not the tallow. I try to avoid cushioning lather, as I find that it's not conducive to shaving with a featherlight touch, and always gives me a rougher shave. Maximum slickness and zero cushion gives me best results.

 

[RayClem]

Same here, probably 90 percent of my soaps are tallow based. Aside from the cushion, they just give me the best post-shave.

FWIW, best non-tallow soap I've tried is from Sudsy Soapery.

I really wanted to like Sudsy Soapery soaps, but I purchased several samples and nearly every one of them felt like I was pouring gasoline on my face. The simple scents containing grapefruit, lime, lemon, mint, etc. just react with my sensitive skin.

 

[RayClem]

If that's the case, I'm really glad I got the new version, and not the tallow. I try to avoid cushioning lather, as I find that it's not conducive to shaving with a featherlight touch, and always gives me a rougher shave. Maximum slickness and zero cushion gives me best results.

Whenever I review a soap, I always describe the the type of soap that works best for my beard and skin type. I realize that not everyone likes what I like. I shave with a straight razor most of the time, so I like great cushion to protect my sensitive skin from the naked blade. Also, the only aftershave product I use is plain witch hazel, so I like soaps that have great moisturizing and conditioning properties.

You have expressed an interest in slick soaps, with little cushion. I have also had folks say that the soaps with great post-shave (for me) are too greasy for their skin. It is a great thing that we have so many choices as there are so many of us making the choices and we all differ in our needs and preferences.

 

[MM879]

I think that a thick cushioning foam is not good for DE razors with the safety bar head. The head tends to hydroplane on the cushion and not compress and stretch the skin. I water down all my soap/creams even the canned foams. It would be interesting to test this theory on open comb razors.

 

[Clay S]

I think that a thick cushioning foam is not good for DE razors with the safety bar head. The head tends to hydroplane on the cushion and not compress and stretch the skin. I water down all my soap/creams even the canned foams. It would be interesting to test this theory on open comb razors.

If you ride the cap, it does foamaplane(TM) easily, with either OC or bar would be my guess, both would have a lot of foam headed their way. Riding the bar would snow shovel a lot of it away prior to the blade.

The cap riding results I'm basing on results from clearing a month beard comparison with a Gillette Slim and a Gillette New LC. While hair and foam are quite different, both do try to lift the razor away from the face when cap riding. Perhaps next Mouvember I'll try steep shaving.

 

[MM879]

If you ride the cap, it does foamaplane(TM) easily, with either OC or bar would be my guess, both would have a lot of foam headed their way. Riding the bar would snow shovel a lot of it away prior to the blade.

The cap riding results I'm basing on results from clearing a month beard comparison with a Gillette Slim and a Gillette New LC. While hair and foam are quite different, both do try to lift the razor away from the face when cap riding. Perhaps next Mouvember I'll try steep shaving.

The thick cushion concern is only during the extremes. When the foam is drier/thicker than you would want. My idea soap/cream is Tabac in a loose mixture. The best of both worlds. I've been thinking about an OC, but I just can't get my mind around the skin tension with the OC.

 

[ronald90]

Some people don't like MWF but for me it punches above its weight, both in hard and soft water areas

 

[SpannerX]

Tabac, absolutely Tabac. When I get off this year's sabbatical, I getting another puck or two.

 

[guitarslinger]

I want to add Tcheon Fung Sing's Rasozero to the list. $5. Shaves awesome. Plus, I'm not allergic to any of them. Nice lather. Stiff like canned foam, but shaves like Italian croap. The Lemon one meshes well with all kinds of afterhaves.

 

[Norman Gunston]

Budget bracket - La Toja, Palmolive stick (Euro), Spieck stick
Low-Mid bracket - Haslinger (tallow), Tabac, Stirling

 

[Clay S]

The thick cushion concern is only during the extremes. When the foam is drier/thicker than you would want. My idea soap/cream is Tabac in a loose mixture. The best of both worlds. I've been thinking about an OC, but I just can't get my mind around the skin tension with the OC.

Agreed. I would never compare thin lather to hair.

I've always preferred thinner lather, and since starting to learn SRs, have started making even thinner. Frommy limited soap experimentation, PdP and Cade, on the verge of running off my face thin, are my preferred soaps.

 

[JB1963]

I'd have to say speick and Latoja for budget minded, but there are so many great soaps, and for the amount a soap lasts I would not be looking to get one just because its cheap

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

Just tried the Palmolive stick for the first time today. Easily the best soap for the money. Costs and smells less than Arko and shaves way better, too. Don't need a lot of money for a quality shave!

 

[1Vader]

I really wanted to like Sudsy Soapery soaps, but I purchased several samples and nearly every one of them felt like I was pouring gasoline on my face. The simple scents containing grapefruit, lime, lemon, mint, etc. just react with my sensitive skin.

Looks like you're in luck buddy, I just saw some unscented Sudsy's on WCS

 

[RayClem]

Looks like you're in luck buddy, I just saw some unscented Sudsy's on WCS

While unscented soaps are great for those who cannot tolerate scents, I consider wonderful scents to be a significant contributor to the overall shaving experience. I get little pleasure from the use of unscented soaps, or even those that smell "soapy". I have dozens of soaps whose scents do not irritate my face. I avoid simple scents with one or two dominant scent notes unless I know I am not sensitive to the particular scents. I also avoid soaps that do not list the scent notes. If a scent is highly complex, no single scent note is high enough in concentration to be a problem.

 

[dabrock]

Nobody is an experienced shaver if they haven't used Barbasol. For traveling, it beats packing a wet brush. Gillette Foamy is another option.

Of the canned versions I would go with Aveeno over Barbasol, it's the closest I've found in both ingredients and performance to a cream or soap. At around $5 for a 198ml that lasts quite a few shaves it's more expensive than Barbasol but definitely the best I've found for being in a pinch. It's also competitive in price with soaps and creams.

 

[BrooklynSalt]

Murphy and McNeil can't be beat right now for the quality, quantity (5.5oz tub), and value ($17). Its a top tier artisan soap that can give all the big names a run for their money.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Just tried a sample. This is the real deal. As good as anything I’ve used.

 

[naughtilus]

Scent does nothing for me while I shave. But I enjoy occasionally sniffing soaps and looking at interesting packaging.

@les24preludes Although I agree your picks are wonderful, I would add that no shaving journey is complete without experiencing Arko, Proraso, Cella, MWF, Tabac... start in modesty and evolve in refinement.





Or just buy a palette of Tabac and MWF and focus on brushes and razors.