Great minds think alike i was going to say Razorock.
Choosing a first soap or cream
- Thread starter thefenlander
- Start date
lasta
Blade Biter
Let me save you the trouble: all soaps/creams perform equally. Buy it for the scent.
Can't go wrong with Palmolive or Proraso Green.
Can't go wrong with Palmolive or Proraso Green.
You can’t go wrong with either Speick or Haslinger as a first soap. They lather up just by looking at them, have a wide hydration window and the performance is excellent. La Troja also would fit the OP’s criteria.
I think Arko would send most people running back to canned goo as fast as they can.
I started with DR Harris. The wood bowl and proper scent prepared by a perfumer were more in line with what I was looking for in my wet shaving experience. Everyone has different reasons for getting into this. I was looking for something better and more enjoyable than I was using.
I think Arko would send most people running back to canned goo as fast as they can.
I started with DR Harris. The wood bowl and proper scent prepared by a perfumer were more in line with what I was looking for in my wet shaving experience. Everyone has different reasons for getting into this. I was looking for something better and more enjoyable than I was using.
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Another vote for Palmolive.
And that redeems him from pretending he dislikes ARKO! shave soap.
There are two types of shavers:
1. Those who love ARKO
2. Those who pretend they don't love ARKO
Some people’s skin doesn’t agree with it and that reminds me…
Ach Brito Mogno!
My skin didn’t react well with it, but that’s just me.
Otherwise
It’s easier to lather than ARKO!
It’s slicker than ARKO!
Somehow, it even smells better than ARKO! And it’s like $5-14usd
Ach Brito Mogno!
My skin didn’t react well with it, but that’s just me.
Otherwise
It’s easier to lather than ARKO!
It’s slicker than ARKO!
Somehow, it even smells better than ARKO! And it’s like $5-14usd
In my opinion, a beginner should start with Barbasol or Gillette Foamy. They will get an acceptable lather with either one without too much effort. There is no reason to arbitrarily disqualify cans. I never saw anyone use a brush in the Air Force from 1971 to 1993.
Once they can shave with foam (which is different than goo), then they can graduate to ARKO.
Once they can shave with foam (which is different than goo), then they can graduate to ARKO.
Actually, I have the opposite problem. I've lived an exemplary life. I attend church weekly and don't beat my wife, children or kick small dogs. There is no need to expose me to that scent.
Haslinger is a great performer IMO! I have and enjoy all eight of their options.
I also favor La Toja, a great travel soap, which lathers great with just about any water!
Proraso/CO Bigelow cream is very good, available at many Bath and Bodywork shops and works very well. The Bigelow packaging is an attractive green. Also, the Musgo Real cream is very good and I've found it at a few boutique stores. Soaps I like the Stirling and Razorock ideas. But as to skin reaction, I can't vouch for anything.
I'd say you can't go wrong with Stirling. It is consistent, has good quality, gentle to skin and offer great variety of scents both conventional and more uncoventional. Readily available in most parts of the world for around 15-18$ and since it is huge and it lasts long is a good bang for your buck. They also offer cheaper samples which are good alternative if you wan't to experiment with different scents
Another vote for Stirling or RazoRock.
I hit "like" because I assumed you were being facetious... if not, I take back my like.
I have never smelled ARKO, but the scent has been described at length here. If it smells remotely like a urine cake.. count me out.
I'm sure everyone here remembers their first. My first will be Tabac original. I like that it's known to lather well, provide slick performance. I also like that it comes with a ceramic bowl, which you can buy refills for.
Yes, I am one of those beginners. After spending a lot of money in a razor, I weighed in on the costs of a separate shave bowl, brush, and soap. When I found the Tabac, I thought 30 dollars was reasonable for a soap and bowl combination.
I bought a brush for 30 dollars, pure badger, and I got a 50 pack of blades for 20 dollars. Razor was 175. As I am a beginner myself if you'd like my opinion, recommend the Tabac.
Cause your average shave bowl is going to cost 45 dollars or more, soap 15 dollars. I made the choice to poor most of my money into the razor cause I wanted quality.
Knowing I didn't plan to buy another. I figure I can always upgrade a brush, soap, or bowl later. But in the short term at least, cost wise, the Tabac ticks all the boxes.
Yes, I am one of those beginners. After spending a lot of money in a razor, I weighed in on the costs of a separate shave bowl, brush, and soap. When I found the Tabac, I thought 30 dollars was reasonable for a soap and bowl combination.
I bought a brush for 30 dollars, pure badger, and I got a 50 pack of blades for 20 dollars. Razor was 175. As I am a beginner myself if you'd like my opinion, recommend the Tabac.
Cause your average shave bowl is going to cost 45 dollars or more, soap 15 dollars. I made the choice to poor most of my money into the razor cause I wanted quality.
Knowing I didn't plan to buy another. I figure I can always upgrade a brush, soap, or bowl later. But in the short term at least, cost wise, the Tabac ticks all the boxes.
I would suggest one of the "Kiss My Face" shaving creams, easy to lather, and the scents are nice.
on a side note, personally my fav so far is Tabac, but it only comes in one scent.
on a side note, personally my fav so far is Tabac, but it only comes in one scent.
In that case, you’re in!
ARKO!’s blend of citrus, citronella, and that hint of patchouli/nag champa isn’t remotely like a urinal cake. It’s overpoweringly like a high-end ultra-posh urinal cake from a bistro diner just adjacent to the Taj Mahal with a scent that makes you grateful an uncomfortable bladder led you to such salvation.
Instead of some base, bodily function, ARKO! guides you to a refreshing, invigorating shave ready to face the day with no stubble between you and glory.
I strongly wish urinal pucks smelled as good as ARKO! and have read reports of washrooms with urinal pucks of identical scent with great jealousy.
Now get an ARKO! shaving stick and live your best life!
ARKO! You’re In For a Treat
Also why the urinal cake hate? The hardworking little puck does its job so -you- don't have to smell something (maybe) worse. Day and night it slaves away, the smaller it gets, the bigger it stands, fighting the waves (ahem) of oppression that aim to melt it down. Stink on little puck, stink on.
Sorry, back to reg scheduled programming.
Sorry, back to reg scheduled programming.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Irritants:
Menthol is one that really causes me problems, and is recognised to be a potential irritant. Based on the severity of the reaction on my face, and that a basic search engine research will show it as a recognised irritant, I would exclude any products containing it for this exercise. Likewise, LaToja causes my problems, and I have noted that other shavers here have had issues with it too, so I would scratch that from the shortlist. I believe the almond scented ingredient in Cella is another repeat offender.
Erasmic is a very affordable, user friendly, and high performance cream, but sadly I do not believe it is freely available globally. I'm not familiar with a lot of other budget creams, but a lot of them do seem to have menthol in.
Haslinger and LEA sticks spring to mind as products which might tick all the right boxes.
Menthol is one that really causes me problems, and is recognised to be a potential irritant. Based on the severity of the reaction on my face, and that a basic search engine research will show it as a recognised irritant, I would exclude any products containing it for this exercise. Likewise, LaToja causes my problems, and I have noted that other shavers here have had issues with it too, so I would scratch that from the shortlist. I believe the almond scented ingredient in Cella is another repeat offender.
Erasmic is a very affordable, user friendly, and high performance cream, but sadly I do not believe it is freely available globally. I'm not familiar with a lot of other budget creams, but a lot of them do seem to have menthol in.
Haslinger and LEA sticks spring to mind as products which might tick all the right boxes.
