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Loving cheaper soaps!

I have two favourite in the inexpensive category, Haslinger and Cella ( brick). The Cella gets the edge but both are excellent soaps.
 
I started my shaving journey with Proraso green, and then I moved on to Cella in the original classy deco red bowl, not the current one with the silly old man. After those two I started collecting (and using) a lot of different soaps, unfortunately liking the expensive ones, for the quality of the ingredients and the refinement of the scents. Since we are talking about inexpensive soaps, I will name a few of good quality that I enjoy using in my rotation. Haslinger for sure, Mike's Natural, Theophile Berton and Osma with alum. These have enough sleekness to work well with straight razors, my favorite shaving tools for the last couple of years.
 
The problem with lower priced soaps is usually the scent. I pay extra because I want a scent I could live with day in, day out... and enjoy. If scent is not a factor, no reason to spend extra money on soaps or creams. There are many great performing lower priced soaps to be had that'll offer the protection and slickness needed to obtain irritation free shaves. If I had to choose a low cost shaving soap/cream though, it would be speick, lavanda, or la toja.
 
Just got these in the mail yesterday!!

I think it wad a good deal for being under $10


20211014_181858_HDR.jpg
 

JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
There is no "problem" with less expensive soaps and scent or performance. Nor is there any problem with the expensive soaps. You buy what you like, and if you like it enough to pay the freight, then it's "worth it", by definition, to you.

Marco and I have been chatting back and forth about this. I've finally gotten off the "expensive soaps are not worth it" soapbox, because I finally realized that if someone likes it enough, it's worth it to them. Some of my shooting friends think the money I sink into custom 1911 pistols is insane--and frankly, they're probably right. :lol: But I get a kick out of them.

However, while acknowledging your favorite is worth it to you we've come to the conclusion that price has almost no relation to "quality" either in performance or scent. You buy what you like, but don't think there will be a huge increase in quality with higher price. Just admit you like something and buy it. Stop trying to justify the high price by believing it's better because of the high price. It's not.

Marco is a huge fan of both Cella original, the new Extra Extra Bio, and now, Saponificio Varesino. While he thinks SV is his favorite soap now, I doubt he'd tell you it is because it's expensive. (correct me if I'm wrong here, Marco). He's also a huge fan of PdP, and Haslinger, and, I believe Santa Maria Novella, all wildly different in price. I also believe he's concluded Santa Maria del Fiore is as good or better at a third to a quarter of the price of SMN. I'm a huge fan of all sorts of soaps, and I think Marco has convinced me to try SV (but it will be around Christmas).

Buy what you like, if you pay for it, it's worth it. But stop thinking more money will get you "better" soap. IMNSHO, the relationship between price and quality in the shaving soap arena is mostly random. If a maker can get a 500% markup on ingredients and other costs, more power to them. But with shaving soap, that's what drives the price differences--the markup. If the ingredients or process is more expensive for SV than for, say Barrister & Mann, it's in the neighborhood of a couple dollars per product, not $40-50, for certain.

@Marco, have I said anything I think that you think you'd like to correct? Thx.
 

Marco

B&B's Man in Italy
There is no "problem" with less expensive soaps and scent or performance. Nor is there any problem with the expensive soaps. You buy what you like, and if you like it enough to pay the freight, then it's "worth it", by definition, to you.

Marco and I have been chatting back and forth about this. I've finally gotten off the "expensive soaps are not worth it" soapbox, because I finally realized that if someone likes it enough, it's worth it to them. Some of my shooting friends think the money I sink into custom 1911 pistols is insane--and frankly, they're probably right. :lol: But I get a kick out of them.

However, while acknowledging your favorite is worth it to you we've come to the conclusion that price has almost no relation to "quality" either in performance or scent. You buy what you like, but don't think there will be a huge increase in quality with higher price. Just admit you like something and buy it. Stop trying to justify the high price by believing it's better because of the high price. It's not.

Marco is a huge fan of both Cella original, the new Extra Extra Bio, and now, Saponificio Varesino. While he thinks SV is his favorite soap now, I doubt he'd tell you it is because it's expensive. (correct me if I'm wrong here, Marco). He's also a huge fan of PdP, and Haslinger, and, I believe Santa Maria Novella, all wildly different in price. I also believe he's concluded Santa Maria del Fiore is as good or better at a third to a quarter of the price of SMN. I'm a huge fan of all sorts of soaps, and I think Marco has convinced me to try SV (but it will be around Christmas).

Buy what you like, if you pay for it, it's worth it. But stop thinking more money will get you "better" soap. IMNSHO, the relationship between price and quality in the shaving soap arena is mostly random. If a maker can get a 500% markup on ingredients and other costs, more power to them. But with shaving soap, that's what drives the price differences--the markup. If the ingredients or process is more expensive for SV than for, say Barrister & Mann, it's in the neighborhood of a couple dollars per product, not $40-50, for certain.

@Marco, have I said anything I think that you think you'd like to correct? Thx.

Dear John, your reasoning is solid and sound. You bring out excellent points and find me in total agreement with everything you declared. My hat is off, Sir! :euro:
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
There is no "problem" with less expensive soaps and scent or performance. Nor is there any problem with the expensive soaps. You buy what you like, and if you like it enough to pay the freight, then it's "worth it", by definition, to you.

Marco and I have been chatting back and forth about this. I've finally gotten off the "expensive soaps are not worth it" soapbox, because I finally realized that if someone likes it enough, it's worth it to them. Some of my shooting friends think the money I sink into custom 1911 pistols is insane--and frankly, they're probably right. :lol: But I get a kick out of them.

However, while acknowledging your favorite is worth it to you we've come to the conclusion that price has almost no relation to "quality" either in performance or scent. You buy what you like, but don't think there will be a huge increase in quality with higher price. Just admit you like something and buy it. Stop trying to justify the high price by believing it's better because of the high price. It's not.

Marco is a huge fan of both Cella original, the new Extra Extra Bio, and now, Saponificio Varesino. While he thinks SV is his favorite soap now, I doubt he'd tell you it is because it's expensive. (correct me if I'm wrong here, Marco). He's also a huge fan of PdP, and Haslinger, and, I believe Santa Maria Novella, all wildly different in price. I also believe he's concluded Santa Maria del Fiore is as good or better at a third to a quarter of the price of SMN. I'm a huge fan of all sorts of soaps, and I think Marco has convinced me to try SV (but it will be around Christmas).

Buy what you like, if you pay for it, it's worth it. But stop thinking more money will get you "better" soap. IMNSHO, the relationship between price and quality in the shaving soap arena is mostly random. If a maker can get a 500% markup on ingredients and other costs, more power to them. But with shaving soap, that's what drives the price differences--the markup. If the ingredients or process is more expensive for SV than for, say Barrister & Mann, it's in the neighborhood of a couple dollars per product, not $40-50, for certain.

@Marco, have I said anything I think that you think you'd like to correct? Thx.

Yup. Expensive ingredients, and expensive processing, do not guarantee a better soap. Nor does cheap mass production ensure a poor one. Enjoyable soaps, compatible with our technique and needs, will likely be found in a shotgun type pattern across the whole market spectrum. I found one pricey cream I really like, amongst an array of them. There's likely several more, but I'm not searching at the moment.

I know where my concentration of hits are in that spray pattern, and am happy dwelling in that region for now. Other people's concentration of hits, may well be in a different part of the market spectrum altogether. we just shouldn't fall into the trap of assuming what is right for bus, should be right for others.

Well said, John.
 
The problem with lower priced soaps is usually the scent. I pay extra because I want a scent I could live with day in, day out... and enjoy. If scent is not a factor, no reason to spend extra money on soaps or creams. There are many great performing lower priced soaps to be had that'll offer the protection and slickness needed to obtain irritation free shaves. If I had to choose a low cost shaving soap/cream though, it would be speick, lavanda, or la toja.
Even then, there are those lower priced soaps that I crave the scent of. Not that I use it often, but I keep some Arko around for that reason. Proraso Green you will have to pry from my cold dead hands. And ... get this... I MISS the smell of Williams, it's just too much work for me to get a reasonable shave from it.
 
Update. I contacted Palmolive. This is the reply:
Thank you for your recent inquiry about Palmolive Classic Shaving Stick.
We're sorry to inform you that in response to declining consumer demand, this Palmolive Classic Shaving Stick is not currently being manufactured for sale.
Damit. With Williams and Palmolive out of the picture it's time to make a run on ARKO before they go wokey vegan!
 
Pre de provence no. 63 is great not sacrificing scent at all and a little goes a long way since it's quad milled. I like the scent more than many of my artisan soaps and samples so much so I am thinking of picking up the edt.
One of my favorite soaps too!
 
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