My three soap rule

[jim9112]

So I've been wet shaving for about 5 months now and I think I've managed a pretty minimalistic approach. My goal was to find products I like, stick with them, actually save some cash (more of a long term goal).

So far I manged to settle on a razor (merkur 1904 OC on a 30C handle), blade (Astra Sp), brush (Italian Barber LE Boar) and even an ASB (RR Nonno Michelino).

So the problem is soap. I want to try every soap known to man. I dont know why im happy using the same razor, blade and ASB every day but dream of different soap all night. This is at odds with my desire to keep things simple. So my new rule is a three soap rotation. I won't buy any new soaps till I use up, throw away, or give away one of my current soaps. Right now I have VDH lux, Col Conk Lime, and RR Mughetto di Bologna in rotation.

I'm hoping this will force me to research and make a soap "bucket list". So what are your recommendations? I feel soap lasts long enough where I'm not hung up on the cheapest option. And I'm also not interested in "get this because its a solid performer that smells ok". I want if your face doesn't experience this soap at least once you will regret it soap.

I plan to make at least one In my rotation a sure thing soap at all times. So I'm also not worried about ease of use. Worst case scenario I'm sure I can find someone here to take soaps that don't work for me off my hands.

Stuff I've tried
VDH deluxe: great performance used it up
VDH luxury: delux was better this one had less cushion to me
RR Mughetto di Bologna: loved it great smell lots of cushion and slickness easy to lather
Col Conk lime: thin lather but very slick smooth shaves love the smell

 

[SamF]

Cella. Great soap, particularly good with a boar brush (I use it with my SOC), slick, cushiony, amazingly moisturising, and the best scent ever

Will be keeping an eye on this topic as I want to see other people's soap recommendations, and I want to see how well you actually stick to 3 soaps. I started of with a 3 soap limit. I now have 5, with 2 more on the way. Good luck!

 

[Nagash]

Mitchel's Wool Fat, everyone needs to try it at least once. It's by far my favorite soap out of all the ones I've tried so far.

 

[Graybeard57]

Aaahh, soaps. They are my weakness, too. OK, so are blades. I prefer small shop artisan soaps, and stick with three vendors: Mama Bear's Soaps, Mike's Natural Soaps, and Queen Charlotte Soaps. MB is glycerine based; Mike's and QCS are tallow based. All shops are completely honest and trustworthy, and they all sell sample sizes. MB also has smaller pucks for about $5 each. Go to their sites and browse. After sampling, you could settle for one from each and keep to your three soap rule.

 

[Mick]

Here are my favorite two in each catagory based on performance (not scent)

Shave Sticks:

Arko
Tabac

Soaps:

Mitchells Wool Fat (MWF)
Cella


Creams:

Truefitt & Hill (any scent but Grafton is my fave)
Trumper's Coconut Oil cream

Now I use MANY more than this on a regular basis but if I were forced to pic only 2 in each category these would be the group.

 

[Niles]

Cella
MWF
MdC

 

[Riff Raff]

Cella
MWF
MdC

I have to quote James here for at least his first two choices as I have never tried MdC (but am certainly willing to try it!). Cella and Mitchell's Wool Fat are two of the best soaps out there. In my experience, Tabac should be counted among those as well.

Now if we are talking about craft soaps, then I would say Jabonman is some of the best soap I have ever tried.

I'm just sayin'.

 

[mctmatt]

I guess tht soap for me will be MDC http://www.savonnerie-martin-de-candre.com/en/8-savon-a-raser as it creates a lot of discussion on this forum with many who feel that it is the Ultimate in shaving soaps to those that say it is good but no better than (insert preference shave soap here). The cost and shipping cost of this shave soap is a huge factor for me at this time, but it is one that at some point I will say damn the cost I am placing my order. Do a search on Badger and Blade about this shave soap and see for yourself.

 

[SteveWY]

Soaps: Cella, Tabac, VDH. I could use those and nothing else for the rest of my life and be satisfied (That doesn't mean I WILL, just I could!)

Shave Sticks:​ Palmolive, La Toja

 

[Galengwath]

MdC is basically the perfect shave soap IMO. D.R. Harris soaps are also wonderful. Mikes is good.

 

[jim9112]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I also want to throw out there that my wife loves internet shopping (mostly amazon). She is an amazing person who supports my quest to be clean shaven at all times and has been known to toss a shaving soap into her purchase for me (makes her feel better about buying stuff for herself she really doesn't need). So I'm hoping she just starts getting me soaps from my "bucket list" and ill end up with an epic rotation anyways. I'm not cheating on my three soap rule if I'm not the one that buys them right???

 

[1904]

Tabac and Cella. I'm also on a small rotation, and right now the two bowls are occupied by new DR Harris and Crabtree and Evelyn pucks. They're nice, but I miss those duskier scents -- especially the Tabac. And I think it's going to take a long time to work my way back to it.

 

[Riff Raff]

I'm not cheating on my three soap rule if I'm not the one that buys them right???

Uhm.....YES! You are ABSOLUTELY right!

 

[ouch]

That's eerily similar to my 30 soap rule.

 

[tbress]

I'm doing the same thing, sort of. I'm concentrating on one soap at a time, but my rule is that I have to kill three soaps before I buy a new one. Over the last year I killed Cella, Arko, and Mama Bear's Green Irish Tweed. To celebrate I just bought a tub of Eton College (I wanted to try a cream). Now I am turning my attention to my puck of Tabac.

 

[robochoche]

My current faves are Martin de Candre, AOS sandalwood and RR MdB. I have tried Cella, PRORASO old formula, MW Bay RUM , Arko, MWF, RR XXX, Williams, VDH luxury and various other creams.

 

[Marco]

To the many great soaps above I want to add Klar Kabinett. Fantastic all-round performer with a delicious rosey scent.

 

[Strokin04]

To add to the great soaps listed above; La Toja, Calani, Mike's Natural, and Haslinger.

 

[sgtd]

To the many great soaps above I want to add Klar Kabinett. Fantastic all-round performer with a delicious rosey scent.

Listen to Marco. He knows what he's talking about.

 

[njpaddy]

I like your 3 soap rule. I came very close to ordering soap #20 last night. Had SRD Opus X in my cart, but didn't pull the trigger. The best I can do for this year is a "finish 2, buy 1 rule". The only good thing about so many soaps is that most won't get replaced. So far the only 3 of my current soaps that I plan to reorder are:

Ogallala Bay Rum
DR Harris (Windsor or Lavender)
GFT Rose