Are all soaps and creams the same?

[Jslinger]

I have been wet shaving for around 4 years now and I have tried many different creams and soaps. Now I know that all are not created equal, but of the one's I have tried (QED, TGQ, Arko, Mama Bear, Proraso, Speick, MWF, Nancy Boy, Trumpers, TOBS), not one really stands out. Granted all of these are typically highly regarded, but I don't really notice any difference in shave quality.
I was wondering if anyone has any soap or cream that they feel REALLY stands out above the rest, or is my experience is a common one?

 

[Dewaine]

I have been wet shaving for around 4 years now and I have tried many different creams and soaps. Now I know that all are not created equal, but of the one's I have tried (QED, TGQ, Arko, Mama Bear, Proraso, Speick, MWF, Nancy Boy, Trumpers, TOBS), not one really stands out. Granted all of these are typically highly regarded, but I don't really notice any difference in shave quality.
I was wondering if anyone has any soap or cream that they feel REALLY stands out above the rest, or is my experience is a common one?

Honestly, besides the smell, I don't think there is a dime's difference in them. I have not had a bad shave in months, and the bad shaves prior to that were really my own fault, not the fault of the soap, creme, or blade. People will disagree with my observation, of course, but that is my opinion based on my experience.

 

[Blue_2]

I've become a fan of the small artisan creams. I find that they're better on skin conditioning than the larger brands. They also have the distinct advantage of being customizable, to your own personal taste.

My current favorite is called "The Bomb", or more specifically his Bay Rum scented "Calypso Bomb". It's a dense cream made by Alraz over on SRP. It has better protection than anything else I've tried so far. He's from Vermont as well, very nice guy.

 

[Bristlingbeardofodin]

I notice Tabac is not on your list. It is by far my favorite soap but in essence you are right--there is not much difference except for personal preference among the ones you mentioned IMHO

 

[Go West Young Man]

Of the ones you've listed, I wouldn't call any better or worse, just different. Each one has a different feel, smell, lather, etc, but they all get the job done.

Try adding an admittedly crappy cream to your rotation, you'll come to appreciate the quality of what you've been using!

 

[Drubbing]

I find some creams equal in performance, only the feel and smell may be different. I've found a couple of good, and hyped creams, to be very sub par.

Same with soaps. But Tabac never fails to deliver a superior shave to almost anything I have.

I can well imagine many people finding most stuff works about the same, once they've got good, consistent technique.

 

[Jslinger]

I tried Tabac and found it pretty much the same as the others. Now that I know that others have had the same results with various creams and soaps, I will be on a never ending quest for the perfect scent.
That shouldn't be expensive.

 

[JPDyson]

Tabac stands out for me, as no soap performs better and the scent is superb. Sir Irisch Moos would be a different scent, but otherwise alike.

 

[cymric]

Granted all of these are typically highly regarded, but I don't really notice any difference in shave quality.

There are little differences, and some are undeniably more pleasant than others, but none of these are like night and day as you already conclude. That is why any cream more expensive than about $7 to $8 per 100 g is not really worth it from a shaving point of view unless you are absolutely besotted with a particular fragrance... But then you should find the EdT, and shave with a decent and cheap cream.

 

[aimsport]

Now I know that all are not created equal, but of the one's I have tried (QED, TGQ, Arko, Mama Bear, Proraso, Speick, MWF, Nancy Boy, Trumpers, TOBS), not one really stands out.

You are either very lucky, or read B&B and learn well. This is quite the list! If what you're saying is among the leaders there is not much difference for you given a good technique, then I see your point.

BTW, you're missing Valobra Stick, Tabac, Cella, GB Signature, EJ Sea Buckthorn, CF Lime, Pacific Shaving Cream, KMF, PDP, DR Harris Arlington, ...

There are differences, IMHO, that can be felt, and of course there's scent. But your list with good technique are all great shaves, certainly.

And there are stand-outs for different techniques. Once you face lather with CF Lime, you know everything else is an also-ran.

Nothing, for example, can match the scent of a newly opened Arlington if you really want to smell like kids breakfast cereal... And who would even consider tuning their hammer dulcimer or going to a folk music festival without a MWF shave first... I mean really!

 

[DE Shaver]

For me, most soaps that you read about here (e.g. Proraso, Dr. Harris, Tabac, etc...) perform very well and have many years of pedigree. What that means is that you should be able to get results good results with the majority of them, which is in effect what you are saying. However, once you master and solidify you personal technique, you should notice that some soaps seem to work better better than others. We are not, however, talking about major differences but subtly noticeable ones for the majority of users.

 

[ackvil]

Some people like Fords, some Chevvies, some Chrysler products, some Toyotas------ You get the point. It is just a matter of overall preference. Some feel better to an individual. Some have a nice aroma. Some seem to make a better lather. Most give a decent shave - it's just that some do it in a more enjoyable manner.

 

[kingfisher]

Are all soaps and creams the same?

Uh, no.

I mean, excepting that they perform the same function. But to me it's kind of like saying that all foods are the same. "I've tried McDonald's chicken nuggets, Red Robin hamburgers, and had lasagna cooked specifically for me by Mario Batalli. And in the end, all these foods filled me up and made it so I wasn't hungry anymore."

True, but I'll take the lasagna, thank you very much.


I bowl lather, and one of the ways I can tell differences among my various soaps is how the lather evolves over time between my shave and my clean-up, and how the residual lather rinses from the bowl. Some of my soaps produce a lather than rinses out immediately when it is touched by water; these soap lathers are generally slick. Others produce a lather that resists rinsing out and that take a lot longer to rinse off the inside of the bowl; these soaps produce a lather that is very protective.

In summary, no, they're not all the same. But the better your lather-producing technique becomes, the more similar the products become.