Why are you a cream man...or a soap man?

[AshleyC]

Cream man. It is my one concession to the convenience factor of the canned gels or foam I used to use.

Soaps, with the exception of sticks like Arko or Palmolive, are...fussy. Fussy if you use a bowl or mug and a brush to build a lather. Arko, etc. are the exception because you can easily palm lather it on your face without a brush.

And while I enjoy the more relaxed pace of traditional DE shaving, I'm not necessarily going to start churning my own butter or shodding my team of horses. Or traveling via team of horses.

Creamo Creme, Proraso, and C.O. Bigelow are more than adequate.

 

[DougK]

Doug, recommend you try out a full set from Wholly Kaw. They specialize in skin care, and my face never feels better that after shaving with their products.

I may do that, thanks for the recommendation.

 

[TechClone]

Cream man. It is my one concession to the convenience factor of the canned gels or foam I used to use.

Soaps, with the exception of sticks like Arko or Palmolive, are...fussy. Fussy if you use a bowl or mug and a brush to build a lather. Arko, etc. are the exception because you can easily palm lather it on your face without a brush.

And while I enjoy the more relaxed pace of traditional DE shaving, I'm not necessarily going to start churning my own butter or shodding my team of horses. Or traveling via team of horses.

Creamo Creme, Proraso, and C.O. Bigelow are more than adequate.

If Ashley likes cream then I like cream too.

 

[dotKomo]

I don't see this as an either/or choice, but a both/and.

I like them both for what they do for me, and judge them on their own merits.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I like both for different reasons. I do find that my ability to produce a consistent quality lather with soaps has me reaching for some of my preferred creams lately. I still get great shaves from the quality soaps even when my lathering result is less than desired. It’s that residual feel that keeps me coming back to great soap. I’ll keep mixing it up and work that brush.

 

[KeenDogg]

Yes

 

[Tomo]

I was a die hard soap man to start. The traditional choice for a traditional shave I thought. Like many things I am starting to change those initial opinion and a few samples have me considering creams more and more. I don’t have much time for the new ‘artisan’ croaps though. They can’t seem to decide what they are.

Soaps work really well for me but the good creams add a level of convenience without any noticeable performance trade off. The convenience of creams really shines while traveling and they tend to play nice with softer brushes. If it’s a cream I like it to be in a tube.

 

[ShaverAZ]

I use both

 

[OpusX]

Nothing wrong with both, and using both encourages the whole collect/horde aspect that is so much fun. I have things from vintage Old Spice soap to modern India Old Spice cream, and use them as the mood strikes.

 

[Bklynboy]

I started with creams and then moved to soaps. It takes me 30 seconds to load the brush from a soap and another 30-60 seconds to lather on my face. If I go with a cream I might save 30 seconds. For a long time I used soaps at home and creams on the road. After an almost full tube of Proraso was confiscated by TSA, I switched to sticks on the road and never looked back

 

[musicman1951]

I have no earthly idea.

I used creams for many years and now I use soaps.

I just don't know. Great shaves with either.

I guess I'm an enigma.

 

[OhioBob]

I started shaving using creams, gradually moved to soaps. I still use both but soaps are used more.

 

[JCarr]

I have many more soaps than creams, but generally, I find creams to be a bit easier to lather. Tough call. I also have some product that would fall into the croap category. I would have to say I'm a soap man overall, but only because of sheer availability. Most product comes in a soap form and not a cream. Kinda good with both forms though.

 

[RayClem]

I was a die hard soap man to start. The traditional choice for a traditional shave I thought. Like many things I am starting to change those initial opinion and a few samples have me considering creams more and more. I don’t have much time for the new ‘artisan’ croaps though. They can’t seem to decide what they are.

Soaps work really well for me but the good creams add a level of convenience without any noticeable performance trade off. The convenience of creams really shines while traveling and they tend to play nice with softer brushes. If it’s a cream I like it to be in a tube.

As someone who has tried everything from traditional hard soaps, to foams and gels, to creams, to Italian croaps, to artisan soaps ranging from very soft to very firm, I have to tell you that they can all give a decent shave, but if you want a product that is easy to load, easy to lather, are superbly slick both primary and residual, provide a layer of cushion to protect your skin from blade irritation, providing a wonderful shave and leaving your skin feeling amazing afterwards for many hours, I suggest you make time for some of the newer artisan products. Some of the products released in the last year are amazing. I have about 190 shaving creams and soaps in my den representing over 90 different formulations. The artisan soaps I have obtained in the past year are by far the best. Like, you, I like soft brushes. These recent artisan "croaps" work quite well with soft brushes, whether synthetic or badger.

 

[Bklynboy]

I have many more soaps than creams, but generally, I find creams to be a bit easier to lather. Tough call. I also have some product that would fall into the croap category. I would have to say I'm a soap man overall, but only because of sheer availability. Most product comes in a soap form and not a cream. Kinda good with both forms though.

He he, 'Croaps', love it

 

[Clay S]

Soap. I face lather and don't like the cream flying off the brush at the start of it. Hard soaps also seem to provide more shaves for the same outlay.

 

[MntnMan62]

I use both creams and soaps. Choosing one or the other is just limiting yourself. And why would anyone want to limit their enjoyment of this great ritual?

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

I use both creams and soaps. Choosing one or the other is just limiting yourself. And why would anyone want to limit their enjoyment of this great ritual?

Well said.
I’ve been pretty much a TOBS guy, but in the last few days I’ve finally discovered the slick goodness of the Fat. So I guess I’m both, although I don’t see going back to TOBS anytime soon.

 

[Ivo4u2]

Soap because it tends to give me a better shave

 

[MntnMan62]

Well said.
I’ve been pretty much a TOBS guy, but in the last few days I’ve finally discovered the slick goodness of the Fat. So I guess I’m both, although I don’t see going back to TOBS anytime soon.

I’m also a TOBS guy. I’d say I find soaps to offer more slickness but will use cream when I don’t want to put the time in to load a brush.