Have Not Tried A Soap.Yet

[eezee]

Hello Everyone,

I've been wet shaving for 4-5 months now and have yet to try a shaving soap. Thus far it's all been creams, mainly AOS Sandalwood and the C.O. Bigelow.

Other than the fact that the soaps come in the puck, what are the main differences between a soap and a cream? What's the difference in the lather? Are the creams "creamier?" What are the pros and cons between the two?

Thanks,

EZ

 

[Mick]

I find that creams are easier to build a lather with as they start of softer.

Other than that, I don't find much difference between using either.

You may want to consider shave sticks for a first soap.

 

[Mandina]

Here's an excellent overview comparison of soaps and creams.

http://www.shaving101.com/index.php/education/product-basics/67-pick-your-poison-soap-or-cream.html

 

[eezee]

Thank you Mandina. Good read.

EZ

 

[Matt_Bloodletter]

Obviously good quality variations of each will be awesome. Then there are the soft cream/soaps to make things more interesting ("croaps"). Soaps last longer and still provide plenty of performance. It's possible to buy a few primo creams for a treat and have soaps for routine stuff.

You owe it to yourself to try some samples, like Garry's Sample Shop, ebarbershop and I think even Stirling.

 

[xxvaleria]

I find soaps to be a little more difficult to build a lather with, but otherwise just as good as a cream. What's really good is to use both in a superlather.

 

[SilentTuba]

I prefer to use soaps, for two reasons: 1.) they're more fun to lather, at least for me, and 2.) they last longer, making them a better economical choice. As far as performance, good lather is good lather, regardless of whether it started life as a soap or a cream. What really matters is that you find products you enjoy using.

 

[Niles]

Here is a good article from the B&B ShaveWiki about lathering options.

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Shave_Soap_vs_Shave_Cream_vs_Brushless_vs_Canned

 

[jazzguy]

For me soaps generally perform better than creams but there are exceptions. Creams are generally easier to lather, as others here mentioned.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Creams have air whipped in them, so they make it difficult for me to produce a lather with as little air-content as I like... thus their lather always feels... overly voluminous, and dry, not exactly fizzy, but you get the idea. So far Proraso (You use it rebadged as Bigelow) is the only cream I've found that gives me a shave good enough I'll keep it in my cabinet. Otherwise, it's all soaps.

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

I just started back using soaps after 20 plus years using creams. I have always gotten a little irritation around my Adams apple but I am not getting this with soaps. I have no idea why. I have changed nothing except for using soap.

 

[Gustav]

Creams have air whipped in them, so they make it difficult for me to produce a lather with as little air-content as I like... thus their lather always feels... overly voluminous, and dry, not exactly fizzy, but you get the idea. So far Proraso (You use it rebadged as Bigelow) is the only cream I've found that gives me a shave good enough I'll keep it in my cabinet. Otherwise, it's all soaps.

+1, this is my impression also. I have and use Nivea shave cream from time to time but apart from that it is mostly soaps for me. I have particularly come to enjoy the shave sticks because they are the makings of copious amounts of thick and slick lather, directly on my face. They are fast and reliable. Furthermore there are many good shave sticks out there which are decently priced such as Palmolive, Speick, Wilkinson sword and Tabac.