Comparing soaps is sooo subjective.suggestions?

[Teddyboy]

I have started comparing four Italian soft soaps: Vitos Extra Super, Cella, R-160 and 3P. These are all soft almond-scented soaps from Italy. I expected them to be similar in performance, and overall, that appears to be the case. Perhaps too similar. It is difficult to distinguish them also because of the subjectivity in the act of comparing them. The subjectivity is never totally absent; I am quite certain another individual would rank them differently from me. But it is interesting, so far, for example, that one soap provides better glide than the others; another provides a post-shave feel to the skin that I love; one was slightly more protective. I have overreached, perhaps by trying to attribute numerical values between 0-4 as a measure of a particular criterion. In fact, given the subjectivity, the numbers are a mere affectation of my mode of comparing. Nevertheless, even with all of ths subjectivity I will post the results when finished.

Can anyone think of any nearly objective criteria to consider other than, closeness, protection against tugging, weepers if any. Even razor glide seems very difficult to distinguish objectively, IMHO. If one of the soaps were junk, it would be easier, of course, but here they are all excellent and closer in performance than I even expected. Even with weepers, how do I know it is not caused by a momentary lapse in my technique rather than performance of the soap?!

I've started, so I'll finish. But when I stop to think about it, I could go nuts.

 

[djh]

I can't imagine any way to take the possibility of human error/input out of your sampling. If you are comparing them in order to decide which one to purchase next....... just buy all four again and save on the shipping

 

[Teddyboy]

I can't imagine any way to take the possibility of human error/input out of your sampling. If you are comparing them in order to decide which one to purchase next....... just buy all four again and save on the shipping

I've got all four. It kind of nags at me, is either one superior in general or in certain ways. Between the four of them I can smell like marzipan for years.

 

[shavefreak]

The vast majority perform the same, I prefer a lot of fragrance and a clean soap or sweet scent. The big thing with me is slickness. Razorock xxx or Aqua di Parma have that where most soaps fail. You can go over a spot without relathering, love slickness.

 

[wimbouman]

Durability of the lather, how long oes it last?

 

[Graybeard57]

It IS subjective, and I know my opinion colors my recommendations. Ultimately, we prefer, and likely recommend what works well for us.

 

[mftoms59]

I'd suggest for identical bowls, packed with each soap, have someone label them on the bottom & number on the side. Do a Blind test for maybe 15 shaves, keep notes, and at the end of your test you can check the bowl bottom and find your overall best performer.

 

[Teddyboy]

I'd suggest for identical bowls, packed with each soap, have someone label them on the bottom & number on the side. Do a Blind test for maybe 15 shaves, keep notes, and at the end of your test you can check the bowl bottom and find your overall best performer.

That is a very good idea, except for that I could distinguish these soaps from one another based on texture, look, scent. If I hadn't become so well acquainted you would have an excellent jump off point. For example, 3P is like dry ricotta cheese; Cella is soft but smooth; Vitos is pretty hard with a more muted scent and R-160 would remain by process of elmination. But thanks for the thought.

 

[mftoms59]

I guess the only other option is to have someone load your brush each day

 

[shavefreak]

Getting the samples is the way to go. When I got my first couple of soaps I bought samples of every TOBS and tried them all. Then I googled the most expensive or most luxurious shaving soap to see what the best of the best was or costs. I also learned there was a lot of perception and packaging built in but generally it had to be good to command $65.00. That was Aqua di parma and more research let me to the RazoRock line. Your skin type beard type, all of that matters. I have shaved with 6 Razorock soaps and two of the six never, ever give me a nick. The others will nick me here and there. So those two are my benchmark. Just about any forum purchases here peeps throw in whole soaps and samples so I have tested a lot. Still have just a couple more to try and I will hang it up and rotate 4 or so and thats it. I look for strong sweet scents, slickness on the skin where I can go over a miss without any lather, A non drying soap and compare it to the ones I love the most. Practice with samples is the best way or buy used here on the forum.

 

[Renato1]

Try do everything the same in lathering, using same razor and new sharp blade every time, then use an alum block and count number stings. Assuming one had a close shave, this becomes the ultimate objective measure of performance, as it must encompass the factors of a smooth shave like glide and cushioning.

I've always found that if I do get nicks I also get a lot more alum stings. And that I may have no nicks, but still have a significant difference in alum stings - from none or a couple, to numerous all over.

Actually, it's probably better to use underarm deodorant ammonium alum, as the stings are a tad stronger and will stand out more than with regular potassium alum.
Regards,
Renato

 

[SliceOfLife]

Honestly, there are so very many variables at hand that unless you forcibly restrict yourself to a handful of soaps you will find it hard to offer an objective opinion of a soap. I think everyone takes recommendations and reviews with this in mind, knowing that they are somewhat subjective, and somewhat dependent on lathering method, brushes, how many passes one does, and more. I have some soaps that are absolutely fantastic latherers, and if I bowl lathered, would be my every-day soap, but they just don't produce the volume of lather necessary in face lathering to last the number of passes I expect from a shaving soap with 9/10 of my brushes. Lather them with a rooney finest, a Chubby, or a ecotools bronzer brush, and they are fantastic, but try to use them with a boar or a less dense badger, and the lather is lacking for my third and later passes. Now assume I only ever used my Rooney Finest. I would preach the merits of this soap and be utterly baffled by the people who complained of its failings. And the vast majority of us don't have several dozen brushes. Now consider that the brush is only ONE variable.

 

[Coler]

Honestly, there are so very many variables at hand that unless you forcibly restrict yourself to a handful of soaps you will find it hard to offer an objective opinion of a soap. I think everyone takes recommendations and reviews with this in mind, knowing that they are somewhat subjective, and somewhat dependent on lathering method, brushes, how many passes one does, and more. I have some soaps that are absolutely fantastic latherers, and if I bowl lathered, would be my every-day soap, but they just don't produce the volume of lather necessary in face lathering to last the number of passes I expect from a shaving soap with 9/10 of my brushes. Lather them with a rooney finest, a Chubby, or a ecotools bronzer brush, and they are fantastic, but try to use them with a boar or a less dense badger, and the lather is lacking for my third and later passes. Now assume I only ever used my Rooney Finest. I would preach the merits of this soap and be utterly baffled by the people who complained of its failings. And the vast majority of us don't have several dozen brushes. Now consider that the brush is only ONE variable.

Quoted for Truth ! In many ways BAD is a great enemy of achieving objective standards in reviewing soaps/creams etc. And that is before one considers differences in technique and the individual vagaries of the face.

 

[blzrfn]

I switch products daily which makes it very difficult to grasp the overall performance perspective unless it absolutely fails. I think if I were to do an in depth comparison I would use the same product for three or four shaves in a row then repeat with the next product, making sure to keep the other variables the same for each soap. I would also limit myself to witch hazel or alum for after shave treatment to get a grasp on the skin care characteristics of each.