Palmolive Shave Stick dries my face, but Cream doesnt

[MichaelUK]

Hello all,

As per the title, i have regularly used the Palmolive Classic (plain not menthol) Shave cream to good effect, but bought a same brand shave stick on a whim last year.

I find the shave stick looks and smells the same, but always dries my skin and results in a bit of an irritated / scraped shave - have tried many experiments of face vs bowl lather with it, tried adding more water etc, but cant get a good result with it - always a rougher shave than i would like, but the shave cream works well every time.

Can soap vs cream make that much difference, or am i doing something wrong ?

Thanks in advance

 

[BigJ]

Welcome aboard!

It has been a long time since I used Palmolive cream, so take this with (at least) a grain of salt. My guess is that you need more water with your stick, much more than you think.

With sticks, my procedure is to wash my face and leave it very wet. Then I rub the stick over my face. I build my lather using a damp brush and continue to add water (a few drops at a time) until I get the lather I want.

 

[MichaelUK]

I have been thinking about those occasions when i have had an unexpectedly rough shave and my instincts are telling me that water has a big part in this, as much as razor handling does. I will experiment with using more water.

 

[ajkel64]

I like to grate most of my shaving sticks into a puck and then use them like a normal soap puck. Easy to do.

 

[Your Majesty]

The green cream burns my face although I've gotten used to it already. Once I finish using it, I'm not buying it anymore.

 

[Luc]

I like to grate most of my shaving sticks into a puck and then use them like a normal soap puck. Easy to do.

Blasphemy!!!

The shave stick could be grated but it will probably performs the same unless something changes on how you use the stick vs puck!

Adding glycerin could help and/or more water.

I do not have those issues.

 

[MichaelUK]

I used the cream last night and compared it to the shave stick.

I came to the conclusion that with the cream, i measure out the same amount each time into a bowl with the same splash of water, because i am so used to it.

With the stick i just whizz it round my face and use a damp brush and it seems to dry out quite quickly on my face, so i guess i am probably not using enough water with it / or am using too much shaving stick on my face. I haven't used the stick very often.

 

[dmshaver]

Welcome, glad you found us. I also suggest using more water as you build the lather. A few drops to your brush multiple times. I haven’t used the stick, but more water seems like it may solve the problem.

 

[Timeclo]

That has been the same experience for me. The stick dries out my face a lot but the cream doesn't. Maybe it's something in the ingredients.

 

[Yukonmark]

Agree 100% that Palmolive sticks dry your face out. No idea why. Arko on the other hand doesn't
No experience with the cream though but Palmolive hand cream is fine

 

[balesofhay91]

Use more water. I had the same issue until I just kept a little more water at a time until the lather was right.

 

[Yukonmark]

Ive been using Arko sticks pretty much exclusively for about 5 years now. Have tried others on and off including Palmolive and tabac but I always head back to Arko

 

[romsitsa]

Same here, dry skin, sometimes light stinging, I blame the palm extract. Arko and Wilkinson sticks work for me.

Adam

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

You may be over-loading the soap. Are you using it as a shave-stick or mashed into a bowl and loading it that way? Either way, a tiny bit goes a LONG way.

 

[Yukonmark]

I face lather direct from the stick. Mashing it in the bowl kind of defeats the point of using a stick.

 

[MichaelUK]

I don't really like sticks - i bought the Palmolive one just to try, because i like the cream so much.

Think i might try an Arko stick, because they seem well regarded

 

[Al Bundy]

My experience has been that soaps generally require more water than creams.

Ps although they smell similar and are from the same manufacturer the formulae for the 2 Palmolive products are quite different

 

[ShaverAZ]

The 120º summer breeze dries out my face. The shave stick, not so much.
Of course, I use an after shave balm that I make myself to prevent dry skin.