I've been such a snob!

[MM2]

Before I started DE shaving (about 3-4 years ago), I used to use a wide range of soaps, gels and other concoctions. This was partly in the hunt for a good shave (difficult when using cartridge razors!), but also out of curiosity. I tried all sorts including Noxema shaving cream in a can (very thick & cushioning, but dried the skin), aerosol gel (very slick), non aerosol gel (slick but no protection) and oil (clogs cartridge razors). I even tried 2 products from a company called Lush cosmetics, which looked like custard (shaved reasonably well, but was supposed to be kept in the fridge and also clogged multi blade razors).

Once I started DE shaving however, as far as I was concerned, a badger brush and decent cream or soap (ie Trumpers, DR Harris or Taylors) was part of the good shave trinity and nothing else would do. Everything else was a cheap version of the good stuff, or designed to cover up what a bad shave cartridge razors actually give. Over time I graduated towards DR Harris soap sticks (almond) and became a regular face latherer.

On a recent trip away however, my soap stick turned out to be empty and a rubbish shave using shower gel followed. That afternoon, a trip to the local supermarket ensued to find some replacement shaving soap or cream. It had to do a half decent job certainly better than shower gel!), but be cheap, as I was going to bin it when I got home. After all, nothing but DR Harris right?

So I picked up a tube of Palmolive shaving cream for £1.60 (around $2.30) and gave it a go the next morning.

WOW!!!!!

The lather was fantastic! Really cushioning and slick. Along with a feather blade in a slant, I hardly felt the shave at all. and it rinsed off to leave my skin feeling smooth and not at all dried out.

Why had I not discovered this before. Why had I been insisting on DR Harris only, available mail order for around £8 a stick when this was available for a fraction of the price? The Palmolive lathered well and because it is cheap, I am not worried about squeezing a generous amount into the mug. It shaves really well, smells good, and leaves the skin feeling great. I had been such a Snob for discounting it because it was cheap.

So what happens now? Well I have not ordered a replacement soap stick from DR Harris. There are a whole host of products out there which are now begging to be tried, all of them cheap enough that I won't worry if they are no good. I can probably test 4 or 5 for the price of my normal soap stick. I think my first stop when this tube of cream runs low will be a stick of Palmolive shave soap. Hey, you never know, I may even give Lush another try.

 

[Luc]

Good stuff!!

It's interesting that you experimented with a few things before changing the tool (razor)!

Post any question that you may have!

 

[rummwa]

Proraso, Proraso, Proraso!

PINAUD!

 

[Cheech]

There's a Lush! here in SF. Heavy in luxury, light in performance.

Took me a while also, but its true: price does not necessarily equal performance.

 

[shm]

Snob or not - at least you have found out now

Besides Palmolive and Proraso mentioned above, I would recommend; Arko, Speick and La Toja - all shave sticks, and all very good performers.

 

[moodymick]

you are quite correct, there is an attitude around that sometimes it is hard to resist over buying products based on their so called 'pedigree'.

Some of the products i have bought from these manufacturers have been in all honesty - meh! (as my 16 yo son would say).

and yet many of these products are often lauded as the best thing since sliced bread - but now i take some of these comments with a pinch of salt as they seem almost slavish.

is the line YMMV a convenient cover when you've been suckered?

 

[Dpflaum]

It is true that more expensive does not equal better. I can't honestly say that the Penhaligons cream gives me a shave any better than a tube of Proraso. But it smells way better and lasts longer. 4 times longer? No. But enough that it kind of balances out.

It helps that I got my Pens on the BST for almost nothing...

 

[Slivovitz]

I have to admit that I do have one, as yet untried, D.R. Harris soap stick, which I bought along with a couple of less expensive ones in anticipation of a couple of trips. Most of my daily shaves, though, are with cheaper stuff, VdH, Col Conks, Proraso cream, even the much maligned but still excellent Williams. I'll admit that the high end stuff may be better in ways I won't appreciate until I try it, but as long as I'm getting good shaves, I just can't care. All stocked up now, and can't see buying any more soaps and creams for a couple of years.

As far as the snob thing goes, look at it this way. We generally agree around here that using a brush and a non-aerosol cream or soap is the best way to lather. So if everybody is to take advantage of that, there should be brands that are marketed to the average Joe, at regular K-Mart/Walmart/drugstore prices, and some of these brands should be good.

 

[bruno1]

Be sure to try the humble palmolive shave stick which in my openion is even better then the cream and you can buy it for 59cent!

 

[funkyb]

Proraso, Proraso, Proraso!

So true. Even after using the best of creams I always am amazed when I go back to proraso.

 

[mrjinkx]

I myself was the same way, even though I am still new to DE/brush shaving, until i was given a tube of Bigelow in my stocking at xmas. Boy was I wrong. That stuff is great. My rituals up until then were with the C & E line. It is not the most expensive, but it can add up. Now my latest purchase was a $6 bottle of Kiss My Face. Judging by the size it should last me a some time at a good price while also providing a quality shave.

Like I said I am still new. However, finding a good deal on an affordable product will allow me to experiment with more without braking the bank. That being said, I still plan on trying some of the pricier products in the future, e.g. Harris or AoS. However, I will have to save my pennies and choose wisely.

 

[Huxley]

Im assuming you posted from the uk seeing the price you quoted, give ingram a try it's the same price and equally as good if not better just make sure it's the blue ingram you try as that one lathers.

 

[Topgumby]

I find that my Palmolive sticks give an excellent shave.

I just put them in a container marked "Mr. Palm of Old Olive Street" and keep the pinky finger lifted as I rub on the stick and face lather, and I can still look down my beak at the wretched mob.

 

[JPM]

Glad it is working out for you. You never know what will work best.

 

[djh]

There are plenty of bargains out there in the way of shaving products and I am still experimenting to find out what works best and appeals to me. My T&H creams and soap arrived in the post this morning and I will test one of them tomorrow morning, but I also shave with Nivea cream (great lather and fantastic value), Palmolive stick, Tabac soap and Proraso. Enjoy the ride!

 

[MM2]

Thanks for the tips.

Huxley - you are right, I am in the UK. I will keep my eyes open for blue Ingram. Sadly this also means that the cheap US brands increase in cost due to postage.

Rummwa & Funkyb - I have wanted to try Proraso for a while, I may well give it a go at some point.

Topgumby & Bruno1 - don't worry, the Palmolive stick will get a place in my travel kit.

Looking forward to some budget experimentation!

 

[DFrancis]

Just keep experimenting, so far my two favorite creams are on other ends of the price spectrum, KMF Vanilla and Trumper's Almond, of course I have a sampler coming from T&H and will be giving Proraso & Creamo a try soon too.

 

[petr]

Tabac broke the paradigm for me. It's a slippery slope now old chap.

Speick stick will shake you up also.

 

[cohlineman]

Don't forget to try a bottle of Headblade's Slick shaving cream. Good menthol "flavor", the ingredients we all love for a good shave and the best part, a little goes a long way, especially with a good brush. At 8 to 10 bucks a bottle it is a great under-scored bargain. I keep abottle in my shower for my head shaves, but it has made it to my face many times when the Prorazo/CO Bigellow has run out in my 4 soap rotation.

You can find it at Wallgreen's and Rite-Aide pharmacies or directly from headblade's website. Worth a try, trust me!

 

[cohlineman]

Something tells me your logistics won't allow a quick trip to Wallgreens or Rite-Aide!
What would you expect from someone like me? V-8 mouth with a 4-cylinder brain!