Dove MEN+CARE 3-N-1

[StewB]

I used Dove MEN+CARE 3-N-1 soap to shave with yesterday and today. I use it like a shave stick and rub it on wet skin. Yesterday I used a brush to lather it; this morning I just rubbed it in by hand. I have to say this soap really works quite well for me for shaving.

It doesn't create a "billowy" lather, but it does create a slick shaving surface for the razor to glide on the skin quite easily. Slickness is the most important thing for me and this soap delivers that. in addition, this soap is easy to find just about anywhere and is not expensive. There may be soaps that perform better, but this one's price-to-performance ratio is (for me) about as good as can be.

 

[spacemonkey42]

That is my main bath soap and it works well for washing.

 

[Slapo]

I used Dove MEN+CARE 3-N-1 soap to shave with yesterday and today. I use it like a shave stick and rub it on wet skin. Yesterday I used a brush to lather it; this morning I just rubbed it in by hand. I have to say this soap really works quite well for me for shaving.

It doesn't create a "billowy" lather, but it does create a slick shaving surface for the razor to glide on the skin quite easily. Slickness is the most important thing for me and this soap delivers that. in addition, this soap is easy to find just about anywhere and is not expensive. There may be soaps that perform better, but this one's price-to-performance ratio is (for me) about as good as can be.

I think most bath and hand soaps would really work this way - they're all slick with a bit of water.

Did it dry out your skin much?

 

[Lil Cooties]

I did see that someone pointed out it mentions using it for shaving on some packaging (older packaging doesn't seem to say that), so I was curious about that (but they don't sell it here so I couldn't try it myself)

 

[StewB]

Did it dry out your skin much?

It's not drying to my skin; the post-shave feel is quite good.

 

[StewB]

That is my main bath soap and it works well for washing.

It seems to be a good general use soap as well. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it works for shaving.

 

[Frito Ray]

I remember reading that some guys grate it and mix it with grated “real” shave soap to make good, cost-effective “Frankensoaps”.

 

[StewB]

I have heard of that. As far as I am concerned this soap works well by itself. All I did was rub it on wet stubble and massage it a bit with fingertips to create a nice slick shaving surface.

 

[Lane101]

I used Dove MEN+CARE 3-N-1 soap to shave with yesterday and today. I use it like a shave stick and rub it on wet skin. Yesterday I used a brush to lather it; this morning I just rubbed it in by hand. I have to say this soap really works quite well for me for shaving.

It doesn't create a "billowy" lather, but it does create a slick shaving surface for the razor to glide on the skin quite easily. Slickness is the most important thing for me and this soap delivers that. in addition, this soap is easy to find just about anywhere and is not expensive. There may be soaps that perform better, but this one's price-to-performance ratio is (for me) about as good as can be.

If it's not creating plenty of lather you may not be loading enough soap. I've tried it alone and found it makes almost too much/too thick of a lather. @Big Jim posted a similar experience on the use of Dove soap for shaving a few years back.

Regularly use Dove Men+Care as a superlathering ingredient in my custom shaving soap blend at about 15% of the total blend, by weight, in my last batch. I grated it and mixed/kneaded it with the other blend components including Williams, Arko, Van Der Hagen, Proraso and Ivory in my most recent blend. Result is delivery of core shaving performance (slickness, lather stability and ease of lathering) as good as any of my commercial shaving soaps.

 

[StewB]

If it's not creating plenty of lather you may not be loading enough soap.

I realize now I wasn't clear in how I wrote that. It can create plenty of lather with a brush, but also works well rubbed like a shave stick and massaged over the skin using wet fingertips. For me the important part is a slick shaving layer for the razor, not how "fluffy" the lather is.

 

[AFE]

I purchased a bar couple weeks ago and started using it for cleansing and shaving. The cleansing works better than the shaving does for me however the product does give a good shave. I plan on keeping it in stock for daily use and as a backup for shaving when I run out of my favored shaving products. I'll echo what Stew says about the post shave skin results, it is pleasing.

 

[borwish]

I found it to be decent, but not slick enough. I found Pears to be a better option. I had thought about mixing the two. You can grab single bars to try at Dollar Tree.

 

[geneaut]

I whipped this up using the Dove a few years back. It is still slightly 'whispy' compared to a dedicated shave soap, but it certainly provides enough functionality to get a close and comfortable shave.

 

[cranewarrior]

I found it to be decent, but not slick enough. I found Pears to be a better option. I had thought about mixing the two. You can grab single bars to try at Dollar Tree.

I use Pears soap as a preshave enhancer. I just run it over my wet face and rub it in with fingers to make a crude proto-lather. Then I lather up as normal with whatever I am using that day. The Pears really adds an extra level of slick protection.

 

[Eric_75]

I've mixed Yardley English Lavender bar soap with Arko in the past with superb results.

 

[blethenstrom]

I found it to be decent, but not slick enough. I found Pears to be a better option. I had thought about mixing the two. You can grab single bars to try at Dollar Tree.

I have heard several that has mixed the Dove with another bath bar of soap like Ivory or the like with good success for that very reason. The Dove lathers like crazy, but lacks a bit in slickness. Pears mixed with Dove would probably be quite good.

 

[geneaut]

I've mixed Yardley English Lavender bar soap with Arko in the past with superb results.

In a pinch most of the tallow based Yardleys work as shave soaps. Dollar Tree usually has a pretty good selection.

 

[Eric_75]

Dollar Tree usually has a pretty good selection.

Yes, that's where I buy mine. I always have a few bars stashed away.

 

[borwish]

I have heard several that has mixed the Dove with another bath bar of soap like Ivory or the like with good success for that very reason. The Dove lathers like crazy, but lacks a bit in slickness. Pears mixed with Dove would probably be quite good.

I'm just guessing, but I think that a Dove 3 in 1 and Pears glycerin mixture would be the cheapest "shaving soap" option that would meet most folks on this forum's requirements. I have not tried it.

There's been a pack of the Dove in my Amazon cart for a few months. I thought about getting it and stashing it for the future because you never know if Dove will discontinue it.

 

[geneaut]

Yes, that's where I buy mine. I always have a few bars stashed away.

I picked up one a few weeks back with activated charcoal. I haven't had a chance to try it as a shave soap yet though.