Hand Soap for Shaving?

[Burundian Hawk]

The Burundian Hawk is back to report, after shaving with the Palmolive soap. I used my very cheap soft badger, which is the worst brush in this month's rotation to use with soaps, because the hair is very flexible. Just to see what will happen. As preshave, a bit of glycerin on my face, as per standard procedure. Then i lathered over it.

1) Despite the fact that the badger was opening in contact with the puck, loading was again, easy, much easier than Proraso tub. Although, i must say, it caught me offguard, because i thought it would suffice for 3 passes, but i had to reload. This is after loading for first pass. The lather is almost ready. Please bare with me, i don't have bowl lather to show, because i face lather.

2) The lather once worked on the face, was slick and covered enough the face, to the point i couldn't see my skin. Although the Yaqi timberwolf did a more thick lather, but this is to be expected. The lather was stable enough to finish each pass without problems.

3) The lather was slick enough to shave without worries. If i didn't know better and someone gave to me, i would have thought it was a cheap shaving soap. I have seen worse with true shaving soaps.

4) Cushion: I did get a small weeper in the moustache area ATG. Weepers are uncommon in my case, so it is either the fact that the soap lacks cushion or the fact that i got carried away and got careless, because as i was progressing from one pass to another, i kept thinking "you can shave just fine with that". And then i got the weeper.

5) Post shave. Skin a bit tight, i used balm. I have seen worse. No burn or irritation. The skin on the other hand, feels soft just like you would expect after a normal shave with shaving soap.

In 2 words, i confirm my yesterday's impressions, with the difference that i had a weeper, which probably means low cushion or user error.

If i was out of shaving soap or didn't have alternative, i would have no issue with shaving with this again. Think that the Wilkinson UFO soap costs something like €4. The Palmolive is way better!

 

[emwolf]

I have tried some bar soaps in the past to create a decent shave lather. I've found most of them to be awfully drying and difficult to maintain a long lasting lather. Most shave soaps don't cost much so I'm okay with trying the ones recommended on B&B.

 

[emwolf]

The soap didn’t cause Lord Carnarvon’s death!

View attachment 1255950View attachment 1255951

 

[Colonel Conk]

I picked up a glycerin-based soap at my local Indian market--Medimix--to use as a pre-shave soap, but found it lathered so well, I just shaved with it.
View attachment 1255875

Lathered as well, if not slightly better, than any entry level glycerin soap. I'm talking VDH, Col. Conk's, Wilkinson's Blue Bowl.

But then, I've shaved with Zote's laundry soap and got a good lather.

View attachment 1255879

I object to this claim, which I find totally unsubstantiated!

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

I object to this claim, which I find totally unsubstantiated!

Time for an old fashioned shave off!

 

[trentr]

I agree completely, sir. I do not intend to shave with hand soap either. Well, except for today, for the sake of the community... And as you say, the Americans should support the artisans and the Burundians should support the the various cheap industrial products, because, if we don't, then they will discontinue the product and then all we will have will be artisan prices or, the industries will also raise the prices, if they see that everyone regards paying 20-25 for a soap as "normal". Burundians will do it for the sake of everyone! We will save Lea, Haslinger and La Toja!

Lea and la toja are actually on my "wish" list. I have a little of that want to be like my grandfathers in me too. I use some of there tools and tractors. I keep me less than impressive tools clean and use a sand stone to do so. (Shovels, plowmoldboards and what not). But I like some splurges too. I was unaware Burundi was in Africa although it sounds right now that ya mention it. I will google a bit and see what it is like there. I sometimes forget the whole world is bot like my small life on a farm in kansas.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Lea and la toja are actually on my "wish" list. I have a little of that want to be like my grandfathers in me too. I use some of there tools and tractors. I keep me less than impressive tools clean and use a sand stone to do so. (Shovels, plowmoldboards and what not). But I like some splurges too. I was unaware Burundi was in Africa although it sounds right now that ya mention it. I will google a bit and see what it is like there. I sometimes forget the whole world is bot like my small life on a farm in kansas.

Haslinger is the pick of the litter in the sequence as given IMO. Great stuff.

 

[Dualist]

I'm very much enjoying this thread! Part of switching to DE and straight shaving is, for me, getting a little "off grid" and more old-fashioned. Unplugging from the matrix and going my own way. Independence, even if in a small way.

I guess I take it a few steps further, into a sort of adventure-shaving territory. It keeps things interesting!

So I love reading about other people's expirements and finding their own way by doing the unexpected. It breaks conventional thinking and preconceptions and that's progress. Even if in the end we stick with our purpose-made luxuries of shaving soap.

Anyway, some shaving soap is better than some bar soap, and some bar soap is better than some shaving soap. I've used bar soap for almost all of the last 10 years, not thinking about better or worse but just to not be too precious or picky about it all.

 

[Burundian Hawk]

Lea and la toja are actually on my "wish" list. I have a little of that want to be like my grandfathers in me too. I use some of there tools and tractors. I keep me less than impressive tools clean and use a sand stone to do so. (Shovels, plowmoldboards and what not). But I like some splurges too. I was unaware Burundi was in Africa although it sounds right now that ya mention it. I will google a bit and see what it is like there. I sometimes forget the whole world is bot like my small life on a farm in kansas.

The best Lea product is the hard soap (Lea Classic) IMHO. For its price in Europe, it is unbeatable for what is offers (well, only Arko beats it, if you can stand Arko scent). La Toja, i prefer the red cream.

Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, one of the most beautiful african countries and with a rich history of war, political instability, colonialism and mosquitoes, where Arko would probably become bestseller soap for its citronella scent.

 

[Burundian Hawk]

Haslinger is the pick of the litter in the sequence as given IMO. Great stuff.

Correct, sir! It's not really cheap. But it's cheap luxury. It translates to €9 for 120g of soap. Which is lower than the average. Faint scent is why, i would guess. Personally i like the Lea puck just as much.

 

[alin]

Here is my report
Yesterday after the post, I shaved with a Protex hand soap. It is an antibacterial hand soap with tallow produced by Colgate Palmolive in Turkey (cousin with ARKO?). The result was far beyond expectations! I had an absolutely great shave! I didn't feel like I wasn't using a dedicated shaving soap. I had absolutely no cuts, irritation or discomfort. I used a BIC Astor blade rated as very sharp and IKON x3 slant + bar device. The foam was perfectly usable but not very stable. In the end I used as usual Alume Block + a balm. We are talking about a very cheap soap that can be improved by mixing with a cheap shaving cream like Derby, Palmolive, Damaris, ARKO, etc. and you can get a very good soap that costs $ 0.5 per 100 grams better than ARKO ! Can skilled colleagues tell us if the ingredient list of Protex soap is safe to use on the face?

 

[Burundian Hawk]

Here is my report
Yesterday after the post, I shaved with a Protex hand soap. It is an antibacterial hand soap with tallow produced by Colgate Palmolive in Turkey (cousin with ARKO?). The result was far beyond expectations! I had an absolutely great shave! I didn't feel like I wasn't using a dedicated shaving soap. I had absolutely no cuts, irritation or discomfort. I used a BIC Astor blade rated as very sharp and IKON x3 slant + bar device. The foam was perfectly usable but not very stable. In the end I used as usual Alume Block + a balm. We are talking about a very cheap soap that can be improved by mixing with a cheap shaving cream like Derby, Palmolive, Damaris, ARKO, etc. and you can get a very good soap that costs $ 0.5 per 100 grams better than ARKO ! Can skilled colleagues tell us if the ingredient list of Protex soap is safe to use on the face?

Curiously or rather not, the ingredient list is very similar to the Palmolive soap that i shaved with. Only the middle ingredients are different.

 

[jmudrick]

i think that if you shave during a shower you can get away with using plain bath soap. The water running down your face helps the razor glide. Outside of the shower, it's generally a really bad idea.

That was my thought. If you are not relying on lather to saturate whiskers then bar soap wouldn't be bad. I've done it but why.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

 

[trentr]

The best Lea product is the hard soap (Lea Classic) IMHO. For its price in Europe, it is unbeatable for what is offers (well, only Arko beats it, if you can stand Arko scent). La Toja, i prefer the red cream.

Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, one of the most beautiful african countries and with a rich history of war, political instability, colonialism and mosquitoes, where Arko would probably become bestseller soap for its citronella scent.

That is basically what I read in a short bit of googling. Minus the mosquito/arko lol.

Sort of sad to see that war defines or describes a place. Or is the main thing they can find to write about. I saw some images and read a bit about farming and wildlife. I bet there is some beauty to Burundi as well. But I never been to Africa and when I have seen it on TV, it probably is not really even shot in Africa. Gotta be leery of TV and internet , they do not always project truth lol

 

[trentr]

Here is my report
Yesterday after the post, I shaved with a Protex hand soap. It is an antibacterial hand soap with tallow produced by Colgate Palmolive in Turkey (cousin with ARKO?). The result was far beyond expectations! I had an absolutely great shave! I didn't feel like I wasn't using a dedicated shaving soap. I had absolutely no cuts, irritation or discomfort. I used a BIC Astor blade rated as very sharp and IKON x3 slant + bar device. The foam was perfectly usable but not very stable. In the end I used as usual Alume Block + a balm. We are talking about a very cheap soap that can be improved by mixing with a cheap shaving cream like Derby, Palmolive, Damaris, ARKO, etc. and you can get a very good soap that costs $ 0.5 per 100 grams better than ARKO ! Can skilled colleagues tell us if the ingredient list of Protex soap is safe to use on the face?

I have seen people add cremo to shave soaps to make "super lather". Perhaps it would boost a hand soap as well. I mean if one was just looking to play chemist nd mix up their own concoction. Probably no real NEED for it lol.

 

[Burundian Hawk]

That is basically what I read in a short bit of googling. Minus the mosquito/arko lol.

Sort of sad to see that war defines or describes a place. Or is the main thing they can find to write about. I saw some images and read a bit about farming and wildlife. I bet there is some beauty to Burundi as well. But I never been to Africa and when I have seen it on TV, it probably is not really even shot in Africa. Gotta be leery of TV and internet , they do not always project truth lol

Well, unfortunately Burundi is rather famous in Africa for having an extremely troublesome history and abnormally high death toll in wars and political instability and volatility is almost a normal condition. There are other, much more "peaceful" african countries, i am afraid. Right now the situation is rather stable, but you never know... Of course there is beauty to Burundi! Like in most of Africa, there is ample wildlife and Burundi is one of the countries which shares lake Tanganyika with some other countries. The lake is a blessing for an african country, but at the same way, it is the main reason why mosquitos also thrive in Burundi and malaria is very common disease.

 

[Snargle]

Just for giggles, I tried shaving this morning using a bar of Dove Men's bath soap. I loaded a Finest Badger brush off the bar, did my normal face-lathering, and did one WTG pass using a Gillette Milord loaded with an Astra SP blade. Overall, it wasn't bad. It was slick enough and the razor glided easily. The lather was kind of thin and didn't provide much cushion, but it certainly was acceptable. For the second pass, I rinsed out the Dove and lathered with a Palmolive stick, just because I didn't trust the Dove for a second, against-the-grain pass.

If I ever found myself in a situation without a true shaving soap or cream, I think I could manage with the Dove bar, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

The few times (MANY years ago btw) I used Dove as a lather, my face got dried out something fierce. Never did that again.

That stuff is made for washing, not shaving, but hey it’s your face and coin, so whatever.

 

[BigSpender]

I picked up a glycerin-based soap at my local Indian market--Medimix--to use as a pre-shave soap, but found it lathered so well, I just shaved with it.
View attachment 1255875

Lathered as well, if not slightly better, than any entry level glycerin soap. I'm talking VDH, Col. Conk's, Wilkinson's Blue Bowl.

But then, I've shaved with Zote's laundry soap and got a good lather.

View attachment 1255879

I used Medimix classic, not the glycerin one, when I was living in India and found it was multi-talented, also working well as a shampoo and shaving soap. I would have kept using it to shave if I hadn't had Vi-John tube shave cream. It's inexpensive in India and works well.

Vi-John is my main shaving cream again, thanks to a sale at Italian Barber. They have it on clearance for $2 per 125 gram tube, which is a very good price for a large tube. It doesn't produce mountains of lather, but it doesn't need to to produce a nice shave, as it has a lot of glycerin in it.

That Nivea post is also proof that an all-purpose soap is possible, and probably was more common before chemists took over designing more profitable soap.

I believe I have found an American soap that is also multi-purpose, but I'm still testing it.

As to those who remember their father or grandfather shaving with Pears or Ivory or Dove or whatnot, the ingredients of these soaps today probably bear little or no resemblance to their earlier or original forms. So, what worked 30 or 60 years ago might not work today. I've experimented with shaving with soap in the past, including Ivory, Pears and Neutrogena, and was not satisfied, in part because of skin irritation. But who knows, perhaps the modern versions might actually work better.

One thing I just noticed: It might be better not to wash your face with soap before using soap as a lather to shave with. If you think about it, that's probably how shaving soap was used 100 years ago, especially by barbers. Try throwing some water on your face a few minutes before shaving and then applying the soap directly, either like a stick or with a brush, and then lathering with the brush. I'm wondering if leaving some of the oils in your skin might protect you from skin irritation, and even provide a smoother shave. I might try this with some of the soaps I had problems with.

I always washed my face thoroughly when I began shaving with a DE razor and canned foam as a kid, but canned shaving cream is not intended as a soap to cleanse your face, though it probably does this a little. But soap is a different story.

From the accounts of soap some of you have tried, it seems others have much tougher skin than I do. Or they are doing something different. Or they think stinging skin is normal after shaving. If you can shave with laundry soap, one of these must be true. Which is it?

Regarding the "soap poisoning" GIF, I've been wondering what razor Jean Shepard's father shaved with. I might post something on this in the movie thread, eventually. And what was Ralphie's preferred, piquant soap brand?


Life's too short for bad coffee.

 

[BigSpender]

I've been pondering this matter of irritation from hand soap, and shaving soap in general.

When I see shaving/soap labeled for "sensitive skin" and it has aloe somewhere down the ingredients list, my first thought is it's a gimmick. However, straight aloe juice IS good for sunburn and some other things. Has anyone tried it as or in an aftershave?

Witch hazel is also excellent for quickly relieving the itching and swelling from fresh mosquito bites, so could it also be helpful in relieving soap irritation? Anyone try it, or perhaps witch hazel with aloe?

BTW, there are two family-produced Dickinson witch hazels, one with natural alcohol and the other with denatured alcohol. The family split up over this dispute.

Vinegar, in theory, should also be helpful as an aftershave in countering the alkalinity of most soaps. Trouble is, I haven't been having any skin irritation from my current hand/shave soap, none, so I can't test these.

I see in the tallow thread that some complain it causes skin irritation, but I suspect it is the alkalinity (they used to use lye) needed to turn it into soap.

I wonder how many fancy shaving soaps cause skin irritation?