VAn Der Hagen Delux Shave Soap

I really like this soap. It is not fancy, or expensive, but lathers up well and takes better care of my face than the price would ever suggest! Even with a cheapie Burma Shave brush it does a good job!

I admit that I have not tried Trumper and other triple-milled shaving soaps, but I have triend a lot of budget soaps, and from a performance standpoint, Van Der Hagen is tops. Only downside is that it's not available in various fragrances. That said, it lathers easily, produces a rich thick lather, gives a nice close shave, rinses clean and my skin feels soft and moisturized afterwards. And since they reformulated it to remove the lanolin, my skin likes it even more.

Dave

This review is for the tan/pink deluxe soap, not the clear glycerin version.

This soap is about $1.30 for me and lathers and moisturizes great. Here's the key to lather and good moisture as I had bad experiences too until I got the process down. For a great moisturizing lather start out with a warm, semi-dry brush. I do this by soaking the brush in hot water and then flicking it out aggressively 2-3 times. Take your 'drier than usual' brush and swirl it on top of the puck for about 20-30 seconds until you get a paste like consistency and your brush is loaded evenly--you don't need a ton of this primer but enough that the bristles are clumping. You shouldn't have "lather" from this yet. If you do you have too much water.

Then swirl the brush in a lather bowl for another 10-15 seconds to even it out on the brush and work it into the breach with the little bit of water your brush is retaining. After that you just build your lather by adding a little bit (1/2 teaspoon) of hot water at a time and pumping and swirling the brush. You'll get a thick lather and when it stops building add a little more water and swirl and pump more. You'll add water 1-3 times usually but the goal is thick but shiny lather. I was getting thick lather from this previously but it was really drying until I learned to slowly add enough water until I got a shiny, small bubbled, thick lather. Basically add as much water as you can without creating thin, bubbly lather. If done right you'll have very thick lather that will hang off your brush but is shiny and smooth for a wet, moisturizing shave.

I love the VDH pink. When I first got into wetshaving, I spent countless dollars on the higher end creams/soaps..... but this has become my standard soap.....

First, I take 2 pucks, melt it into a bowl, and just lather right ontop of the superpuck. I go through about a puck a week, but I get excellent shaves and better lather with the pink than I have ever gotten with anything else.

I've found it is great for superlather as well.....I just throw a dab of cream onto the superpuck and go to work. The cream's scent will always come through nice and strong, but I say again, this stuff is great on its own.

YMMV....but for this chap....VDH pink cannot be beaten as far as price and local availability........

Yeah its cheap, you get what you pay for... $1.50 going to get you a pretty workless puck of soap. Its got some good lather to it... for about 30 seconds. Smells like rubbing alcohol, not really drying but, by no means moisturizing. After using some high end products the drug store stuff just doesnt compare. Ounce for Ounce Mamma Bears soap is just as cheep and about 50x better. But Hey, what ever floats your boat right? VDh soap will not be part of my rotation. On a positive note however, I do find that it makes an excellent superlather when combined with Proraso cream.

I have been using the deluxe for a long time, I rotate the glyceryn in every now and then but not to often. It's easy to work with a hot-pot and a bowl, smell is good and shave is smooth. For the price, it's unbeatable. But I like the simple basics. : )

First off, I've only tried the pink version. This was the first shave soap I used, and it's quite easy to work up into a lather. Much easier to lather than Williams, and as mentioned doesn't dry out my skin (like Williams). The smell of the pink version is a bit foul IMO. Kinda smells like stale beer, but for some reason I like it? I shaved with it this morning, and it provides an excellent shave. I'll continue to use this product.

Yes, it is cheap, lathers well, smells fine, etc. But how does it shave?

Sorry, I have to disagree with what seems to be the prevailing wisdom of the group on this one and say that I did not acheive a good result with this soap.


Despite what i considered to be quite a fine lather using my
Chubby 3 and Jim's lather production technique at
(http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136), I just didn't get a close shave using this soap. Further, my face hurt was dry to the point of feeling scaly later that evening.

Caveat: I have very sensitive skin. The additional passes required to do the job may have done me in.

Advice: Despite my poor results, only a fool would not try this soap. Enough people have had good luck with it that it must be good for some folks and for the price, why not learn if you are one of the lucky ones?

Gregg

Price= Just fabulous, so inexpensive, I got mine for about $1.75

Quality= for the price, it is outstanding. However, compared to others, probably not so much. But hey, the others are 8-10 times as much!

Scent= I can say that I'm not too fond of the scent. It just isn't something that I would like to smell like. However, it fades quickly and is inoffensive. Also, the scent diminishes as puck use goes on

Lather= This lathers up very easily and does a good job. However, (since many people compare the two), I think that the williams lathers up faster and denser lather. Still an 8 though

Efficacy= It does a good job here, nothing else to say

Moisturizing= It isn't drying, but it isn't "moisturizing" either. It leaves your skin a little better than neutral, hence the 7

Overall a good buy, and I can't wait to try its glycerin version (just gotta wait until this one is all used up!). Get this one fellas!

I received a puck of VDH Deluxe a while ago in a trade, and have loved it ever since. I love the smell (I don't know why, but I just love it), the performance, and the fact it so conveniently fits into my Old Spice mug. I have even ordered more, so now I have lots of refills.

The price is great for this product. It lathers beautifully (I would recommend face lathering, it doesn't like being lathered on the soap itself), and just works. Moisturising is good also.

If I went to the US, I'd definately pick up a few pucks to take home.

I just bought this stuff today at Walgreens and just used it.

First off, let me say: WOW! I'm really impressed!

Price: This stuff is TWO freaking dollars!!!

Quality: This stuff worked really well for me. My face is BBS and there is absolutely no irritation or redness on my face.

Scent: Not that it really bothers me, but it no to little scent. I think it's intentional though. It has emollients and shea butter, and it's scent is the natural smell from those. I have no problem with this though...I'd rather hae a great shave than a happy nose.

Later: I'm a face latherer, so maybe that's why I had a hard time lathering it, but I don't have a stiff brush either. It took me a while to get enough good lather to fill up my face and brush, but I'm not that experienced with face lathering any way. But, for two dollars and the overall outcome of the shave, it doesn't bother me at all.

Moisturizing: As stated before, my face is lovely after the shave. No redness or irritation and BBS.

Great stuff, every one should give it a try.

I used to use Williams, Colgate and whatever I got for Christmas, then started using Vanderhagen's Deluxe a number of years ago because Wal-Mart and several other stores around here have it. VDH used to be Surrey. I have a puck of Glycerine VDH in my shaving kit. I think the Deluxe lathers better, but the Glycerine lets the razor slide better. Maybe that's imagination. Never used the Select VDH. I have no problem with having enough lather with two or three passes with the Deluxe. Moisturizing? Well, my face isn't dried out after using it, but I guess it could be better. Efficacy? I haven't used that word in 20 years. If it means does the soap produce the effect for which I'm hoping - nice lather, smooth shave, lasts a long time before I have to replace the puck, is inexpensive and doesn't leave my face feeling like a parking lot - then yes it produces the desired outcome. The scent, though, I'm not too crazy about, but last year or the year before I started melting the soap and adding after shave or cologne (I'm an Old Spice kind of guy.) That did the trick.
A prime factor for me is easy availability and price. Why buy those fancy and costly soaps by mail or internet order when VDH is available down the street, produces the same outcome at greatly lesser cost?

Having tried several shaving soaps, I was extremely satisfied with Van Der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap. It comes in a beautifully packaged box. The price is hard to believe - less than $2.00 a bar. It has a very enjoyable mild scent that makes shaving a joy. The best part about this soap is that it lathers beautifully and provides a painless shave since it contains emollients that oil up your skin as you shave. I have very sensitive skin and this shaving soap has greatly reduced razor burn and irritation. I can't believe how good it works. It lathers beautifully if one takes the time to work at producing a great lather. Their other product - Van Der Hagen Glycerine Shave Soap - works just as great. I alternate between the two. Completely satisfied with my purchase. Will be using this for quite a while.

I'm just getting on the wetshave bandwagon and this is my first soap. All I have to compare to is the Barbasol goo in a can. This soap feels so much better than the goo. The moisterizers are better and the shave is smooth. I would recommend this soap.

I have been lurking here for quite some time and I've found much of the information very helpful with the exception of shaving soaps. Van Der Hagen is great soap. These cheap widely available soaps smell great, lather nicely and leave my face feeling moisturized after facilitating an excellent shave. I have become somewhat skilled using my C&E best badger brush and I have tried various techniques using a wide variety of soaps which are highly regarded here. I have paid a LOT of money for these boutique brands which now reside in my shower continuing their lives as body soaps. They don't lather any better (perhaps as well, but not better), they burn and dry my face and they don't give me ( a VERY heavy beard ) a very good shave at all. In fact the C&E, and Geo trumper both gave me a nice case of razor burn. Yesterday I endured nauseating cigar smoke here in Knoxville tn to give Col Conk a try. I had previously tried most brands in this stinky storefront's repertoire with mixed and always disappointing results so I gave the Col. a shot.

After this mornings disappointing shave, Col. Conks almond was placed on the coveted shower shelf and I have decided to stick with what I KNOW works very well: Van Der Hagen. I have both the glycerin and white soaps which perform flawlessly every time I use them. The scent is old world genuine and none of the fruity/nutty/smoky/boozy scents come close in terms of performance or aesthetics. So despite the MOUNTAINS of testimonial here, my personal preference is Van Der Hagen. Give it a try, use a bowl to generate your lather make sure your brush "drags" on the soap and you'll love it too and don't sell it short because of availability or cost.

PS thanks all for the C&E best badger brush tip, it DOES make a significant difference.

A step up from williams with the exception of scent. It is completely neutral in scent. It smells like what it is, soap with lanolin. Lanolin can be a little "stinky" to some, so make sure you smell it before buying. On the plus side, lanolin is one of the best moisturizers around!

If you prefer cheap soaps, this may be for you. If you're used to high end soaps with exotic scents, you won't be impressed. It's also readily available at Walgreens, so it makes a good choice if you're hard up and need some soap right away. Also good for travel since it's loss will be negligible.

Its a Good cheap soap...lathers up a bit better than Williams but the scent won't win over many converts...

I tried it this morning, and I'd rate it a so-so. I couldn't get a decent lather out of it, but the scent is not horrible like most cheap drug store stuff, and it did leave my face feeling smooth and moist. I applied some Thayer's Witch Hazel and left it at that, and my face still feels good now at nearly 6 pm. Can't beat the price! I'll probably throw it in my travel kit. It was good enough, though, that I ordered the VDH Glycerin version - looking fwd to trying that one.

My verdict: it stays but just barely.

beats the snot out of williams, for only a little bit more coin. the scent is nothing special, but mild and not objectionable. the regular and sensitive (white and brown) version of this don't work nearly as well for me as the deluxe (pink). has a tendency to dry my face somewhat. seems to last plenty long, especially considering the price. available locally, which is a huge plus for me. one of the best values in shaving.

My wife bought me a cake of the pink version. Nice scent, but subdued. I had no difficulty working up a good lather. Very nice shave. Great price. It's now a part of my rotation.