I was thinking about this when I was walking through the drugstore last night. You see a good old can of Barbasol or just a Williams shave soap that's really cheap and I think that works. Then you see Dollar shave club butter, Harry's shave gel and all these other shaving creams that cost several times more. I just started to wonder is this all marketing or is there anything in this new expensive goo that actually helps our skin or shaving experience. I know we're all fans of old school shaving and that includes me but objectively is there anything in this new stuff that does us any good?
Is there an argument to be made for newer shaving cream brands versus the old stuff?
- Thread starter Shattered dreams
- Start date
Oh my. Are you in luck! Lol, jk, or as I tell my son, "just kidding!"
I have no idea if this makes sense, but I was both a Cosmetologist (to meet ladies of course) then a nurse (already had a lady, but I wanted to feed my son better) so of course I think I am so smuggly smart.
As far as I'm concerned, if you don't have a reaction to any of the ingredients, you are probably just wasting money on any perceived benefit from any soap, as the skin is constantly sloughing off the top cells and rebuilding itself from the bottom. This of course took billions of years to evolve, because I said so. We have no room for a Designer, unless it's a razor design, LOL!
Also, most of the cost of the product that isn't by an Artisan is related to advertising, chemicals, packaging.... NOT ingredients.
You might as well close this thread, as I'm sure only two people are smarter than me on here: @shavefan and @Owen Bawn .
Okay, they might only be AS smart as me, and not nearly as incredibly handsome.
I have no idea if this makes sense, but I was both a Cosmetologist (to meet ladies of course) then a nurse (already had a lady, but I wanted to feed my son better) so of course I think I am so smuggly smart.
As far as I'm concerned, if you don't have a reaction to any of the ingredients, you are probably just wasting money on any perceived benefit from any soap, as the skin is constantly sloughing off the top cells and rebuilding itself from the bottom. This of course took billions of years to evolve, because I said so. We have no room for a Designer, unless it's a razor design, LOL!
Also, most of the cost of the product that isn't by an Artisan is related to advertising, chemicals, packaging.... NOT ingredients.
You might as well close this thread, as I'm sure only two people are smarter than me on here: @shavefan and @Owen Bawn .
Okay, they might only be AS smart as me, and not nearly as incredibly handsome.
If you are talking about grocery store/drug store shave aisle selections, there aren't a whole lot of "new" creams to draw a comparison on. I have used Gillette Pure shave cream, and I like it. I like Cremo (is that considered new?).
If you want to expand beyond Barbasol and Williams (I love Williams by the way), look at the online vendors with their huge selections of creams and soaps and you will find an argument against the drugstore creams and gels. Otherwise, yeah, stick you what you like.
If you want to expand beyond Barbasol and Williams (I love Williams by the way), look at the online vendors with their huge selections of creams and soaps and you will find an argument against the drugstore creams and gels. Otherwise, yeah, stick you what you like.
Owen Bawn
Garden party cupcake scented
I have no idea. I simply prefer not to spend a lot on everyday soaps or creams, nearly all of which end up in the Great Miami River soon after I use them. They go from my sink to the Great Miami to the Ohio River, and then on to the mighty Mississippi before finally washing out into the Gulf of Mexico. I'm not opposed to fancy soaps and creams with slickum-smellum added; in fact I own more than a few. But I use them on Sundays or special days or when I need a sensory pick-up. In general I don't detect much improvement in performance over the $1-$5 stuff I use the most frequently.
I suppose that with all of the restrictions on perfume ingredients and on tallow being imposed by our faceless leaders one could quite plausibly argue that most of the best, highly priced soaps and creams of today are a weak shadow of soaps and creams in the past.
Please allow me to reiterate: I have no idea.
I suppose that with all of the restrictions on perfume ingredients and on tallow being imposed by our faceless leaders one could quite plausibly argue that most of the best, highly priced soaps and creams of today are a weak shadow of soaps and creams in the past.
Please allow me to reiterate: I have no idea.
There’s no reason to argue for or against these products. It’s up to each individual to examine the contents and decide if they want to spend their money on them or not.
I’ll argue by saying the Barbasol with lanolin (yellow can) is the best cream I’ve ever used. I will die on that hill. But it’s not an argument I guess, just my opinion.
I used an entire can of Barbasol Original continuously during the summer of 2021. Aside from a major lack of slickness, It did a remarkable job of giving me a close shave. If Barbasol figured out a way to tweak that formula by making it a little slicker (and a little less drying) I’d be perfectly fine using that all year round. I just can’t use it in the winter, which is where DR Harris has taken over. And although the scents and post-shave are heavenly, my whiskers don’t go down as easily like when using the good old Barbasol!
From my experience, ANY lathers that have stearic acid towards the beginning of the ingredient list soften my tough whiskers enough to cut them down easily. Some of those “fancy” drug store products don’t appear to have much stearic acid and although slicker for sure, I always have more of a “fight” on my hands when using them. The post-shave is usually way nicer and is really a trade-off, for me anyways.
From my experience, ANY lathers that have stearic acid towards the beginning of the ingredient list soften my tough whiskers enough to cut them down easily. Some of those “fancy” drug store products don’t appear to have much stearic acid and although slicker for sure, I always have more of a “fight” on my hands when using them. The post-shave is usually way nicer and is really a trade-off, for me anyways.
Owen Bawn
Garden party cupcake scented
It is an outstanding foam. I was always partial to Noxzema in the white can due to the scent and my childhood memories of it, though I admit your Barbasol performs better.
Although I prefer shaving soaps (not creams) that are lathered using a brush, I do keep a can of Barbasol Extra Moisturizing. The propellants that are used to produce the foam do dry my skin, so I do not use it often, but it is one of the better canned foams
I have tried non-lathering creams like Jack Black and Alba Botanica. I guess they work OK if you are shaving with a cartridge razor, but I do not like using them with other razors.
I keep a tube of Cremo in my travel gear. It is designed to be applied without a brush, but it becomes incredibly slick if you add water. Thus, I carry a synthetic brush and use it to lather Cremo in a coffee cup.
There are also tubes of creams such as Proraso, Cella, Palmolive, Gillette, La Toya, Speick and others. You will find creams from traditional makers such as Taylor of Old Bond Street, D.R. Harris, St. James of London, Geo F. Trumper and Truefitt & Hill. There are some artisan soapmakers who produce creams such as: Captain's Choice, Catties Bubbles, Knightsbridge, Wet Shaving Products and Wholly Kaw La Superieure. I am sure there are others.
There are lots of products out there for you to explore as time and money permit.
I have tried non-lathering creams like Jack Black and Alba Botanica. I guess they work OK if you are shaving with a cartridge razor, but I do not like using them with other razors.
I keep a tube of Cremo in my travel gear. It is designed to be applied without a brush, but it becomes incredibly slick if you add water. Thus, I carry a synthetic brush and use it to lather Cremo in a coffee cup.
There are also tubes of creams such as Proraso, Cella, Palmolive, Gillette, La Toya, Speick and others. You will find creams from traditional makers such as Taylor of Old Bond Street, D.R. Harris, St. James of London, Geo F. Trumper and Truefitt & Hill. There are some artisan soapmakers who produce creams such as: Captain's Choice, Catties Bubbles, Knightsbridge, Wet Shaving Products and Wholly Kaw La Superieure. I am sure there are others.
There are lots of products out there for you to explore as time and money permit.
I would guess that anything in a can will have more chemicals, preservatives and negative environmental impact, than a cream in a tube or tub.
If you look at Barbasol Extra Moisturizing Shave Cream, you will find that the ingredients are not that bad:
Water, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Isobutane, Laureth-23, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propane, Fragrance, Propoxylated Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Lanolin Oil, Dimethyl Lauramine Oleate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract (Chamomile), Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract (Irish Moss), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe)
There certainly are some synthetic detergents like Laureth-23 and SLS. However, these are commonly used in many products such as shampoos. Many of the other ingredients are commonly found in shaving soaps. The main environmental problem is with the Isobutane and Propane propellants used to eject the product and produce foam. Then, of course, is the issue of disposing of the aerosol can.
I am not a cream guy, but I used them for many years before I returned to ‘traditional’ wet shaving.
For me the answer is in the term ‘traditional’ meaning that most of the difference is probably marketing.
But what do I know?
For me the answer is in the term ‘traditional’ meaning that most of the difference is probably marketing.
But what do I know?
The aerosol and can are what I was eluding to.
When I get a soap or cream in a dish or jar, I often self repurpose it. Worst case, it is recyclable.
I think the sort answer to your question is "No". There are good old products and good new products, but there isn't any "special ingredient" found in newer products that makes them better.
There is a lot of marketing and fluff, but there are many great products. That said, I'd prefer to shave using soaps with just a few simple ingredients. I'd like some moisturizing ingredients to avoid dry skin. Whether old or new doesn't matter very much, there's no secrets in shaving soap.
Has anyone tried the Barbasol 1919 cream in a tube?
barbasol.com
Looks like a nice travel solution.
Barbasol 1919 Classic Shaving Cream, 6 Ounces
Men's 1919 Classic shaving cream from Barbasol, the maker of men's shaving systems, disposables, foams and creams - buy online.
Looks like a nice travel solution.
No, but I've been tempted...Has anyone tried the Barbasol 1919 cream in a tube?
Barbasol 1919 Classic Shaving Cream, 6 Ounces
Men's 1919 Classic shaving cream from Barbasol, the maker of men's shaving systems, disposables, foams and creams - buy online.
Looks like a nice travel solution.
As the question is about older vs. newer shaving creams, I shall steer clear of the inexpensive vs. expensive shaving creams train of thought that has somehow crept into this thread.
I believe that an argument for newer creams can be made as (at least some of the) newer creams avoid ingredients that some shavers find suspect (e.g. parabens, which in Portuguese BTW means ‘congratulations’
).My own experience also suggests that for creams within the same (e.g. ‘economy’ or ‘middle of the market’) price range the quality of newer products (excluding so-called ‘artisan’ creams that can vary wildly in quality and performance) the bar has risen steadily over the last 20 years.
Of course, some of the stalwart classics have always been good and I see little reason that they will decline, unless the producer looses interest in them or makes serious errors in one of the reformulations that happen all the time.
B.
Well.....not to be a fly in yer ointment, but if you save up a bunch of those cans, have an intimate campfire, and drink some brave water.....and wait for the rest of your party to go visit the closest tree to empty their bladder...... Then toss a few of those used cans in the fire....well!
You will see how much of the propellant is left over. And, though I've never actually done anything like that, I've heard that if no one puts an eye out, everyone has a fine time.
But don't it in your woodstove. I'm pretty sure it ain't covered on yer Homeowners insurance.
Picked up Gillette Pure. Does not have a lot of the chemicals, or stuff with names I can't pronounce. Price reasonable. I see that a lot of toiletries are trying to be more "natural", or "green". Does not necessarily make them "better", or any worse, than they were before. As long as it does not give me face blisters, or cancer from repeated exposure, I think we should be alright...
Similar threads
