Narrowing it down to the very best . . .

[Lane101]

I'm ready to get rid of a hoad of one soap (didn't work as I had hoped) and use Tabac and Proraso Blue exclusively.

When I try something else or new, I'm usually let down.

I'll try Vegan Haslinger before going all in on those two. I haven't used it since tallow was removed.

I don't have much in my soap pile. Just a handful of not available any longer soaps.

I've found that with different types of soaps one has to tailor the lathering technique to get good results. This can be use of a stiffer boar brush on my hardest soaps or scooping my soft Italian soaps into a lathering bowl to ensure enough product is loaded.

What was the one soap that didn't work a you had hoped?

 

[DesertIguana]

I have a bunch of soaps I have collect over last couple of years, my rule is use something until it gone, then go to something unopened, and move on. Not big into sent, as I show post shave so the soap smell goes down the drain with shower water. maybe when the current supply is gone, could just do a Proraso Green.

 

[bmiller3230]

Stirling
Long rifle Soap Co.
Cella

I have a lot of others including SV, Shannon's etc.., but just never seem to pick them up when I go to shave

 

[brucered]

I've found that with different types of soaps one has to tailor the lathering technique to get good results. This can be use of a stiffer boar brush on my hardest soaps or scooping my soft Italian soaps into a lathering bowl to ensure enough product is loaded.

What was the one soap that didn't work a you had hoped?

I've spent 8 months using MWF exclusively, varying load times, varying water content, varying brush types. It's not a 10 for me, so it won't make the cut.

And no, I won't consider using a water softening system or bottled water etc.

I'll be okay.

 

[mr_houston]

I was able to get over my obsession with buying matching sets. My goal is to have one lightly neutrally scented soap, and allow the many aftershaves to satisfy the thirst for variety. My lightly neutrally scented soap is Boellis Panama.

I had the same goal, but opposite approach. I have many soaps, but only 2 neutral aftershaves:
- Nivea Sensitive Balm
- Lucky Tiger (with added alcohol and menthol).

 

[Marco]

No Proraso?

Oh yes, Proraso too! But the creams only, not the soaps.

 

[bmiller3230]

I've found that with different types of soaps one has to tailor the lathering technique to get good results. This can be use of a stiffer boar brush on my hardest soaps or scooping my soft Italian soaps into a lathering bowl to ensure enough product is loaded.

What was the one soap that didn't work a you had hoped?

With soaps, I don't have the patience to mold myself to a product I buy. It has to just work out of the box...

 

[Lane101]

With soaps, I don't have the patience to mold myself to a product I buy. It has to just work out of the box...

It's not so much about a specific method for each individual soap and rather determining the most convenient and efficient way to load the right amount of product for major product types (hard pucks, croaps & creams).

For example with direct loading from the container I could not easily load enough of my soft Italian soaps resulting in weak lather that did not work well. Scooping the right amount of product into a lathering bowl solved that issue. For soft shaving creams I can apply the product directly on my face and then face lather - saves time.

Details in the thread linked below:

Can Great Lather be Generated from Any Reasonable Quality Shaving Soap or Cream?

At their core most shaving soaps and creams consist of saponified fatty acids. Can any reasonable quality shaving soap or cream generate great lather with the right technique? Over the past two years I've added a number of good commercial shaving soaps and creams to my rotation. This rotation...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[bmiller3230]

I guess I've resolved that I don't need different methods. I just use soaps that work with the way that I do it. I've learned, in most cases, the juice ain't worth the squeeze.

 

[Ouelljas]

I’ve never had a big collection, 8 or 9 at most, which was really a blend of croaps, creams and soaps. I slimmed it down to 4 soaps which are Stirling Orange Chill, Margaritas in the Arctic, Sheep and one tub of SV 70th Anniversary. Stirling is really the only artisan soap I’ve tried and it performs so well at such a great price that I really don’t think I’ll be diving too deep down the artisan rabbit hole anytime soon. I’ll most likely stick to a 4 soap rotation and just try out different Stirling and SV scents as my tubs run out, with the exception of Stirling Sheep, which will always have a spot in my den. I’m also going to keep one of their mentholated scents around for summer.

 

[Beefdrippings]

This! I have a handful of soap Mfg’s products but, enough aftershave to last two lifetimes.

Now the obsession will be only with aftershaves...

 

[musicman1951]

Same - I'm down to three in my regular rotation, MdC, SV and CSS (usually two at a time - MdC and one of the others). I like to have one other soap to throw in on occasion. It's been WK for a while, but I just ordered a soap from Barrister and Mann as the first soap I tried from them was very different, but worked well. Frankly, it drove me a little crazy with the long load time, but my curiosity is up.

 

[gdawg55]

Oh yes, Proraso too! But the creams only, not the soaps.

Forgot this was soap thread…lol. Thought it was weird you didn’t mention Proraso….makes sense now.

 

[gdawg55]

I have way too many soaps, but tend to use Ogallala, PAA, B&M, MWF, SMN, SV, and A&E most often. I also have a few creams that I use as well, but not as regularly as my soaps.

SMN is my all time favorite. If I could afford to use it as my only soap I would. This one is typically regulated to my Sunday morning shave.

 

[steelcity2]

Pretty much just use Stirling glacial Lemon down here in FL. Used to love Queen Charlotte while they were around.

 

[DamascusSteel]

I'm narrowing down my favorites as well, I care more about performance than scent these days. For me Arko's performance is better than anything I've used. A&E face lathered is really good, Stirling is really good also. I've tried at least 6 other brands that just don't meet the mark anymore. I'm about to order some Saponificio varesino for my birthday and Christmas they just happen to be side by side. I've been wanting to try a triple milled soap. I'm hoping it joins the club with Arko.

 

[The Coffee Bandit]

Barrister and Mann
Ariana and Evans
Grooming Dept
Murphy and McNeil
MacDuffs

Other soaps that are still excellent, but not quite in the elite tier of the aforementioned...

Mike's Naturals
Stirling
Ethos
Zingari Man
Declaration Grooming

Note that price to performance ratio would produce a completely different ranking.

 

[BrianP]

I have four on the go regularly:
Cella
Stirling Varen
Canada Shave soap
Fine American blend

Proraso Green and Fine snakebite make appearances when I need to cool off.

I have lots of other great soaps, but they are in the closet and these are the ones that I use on the regular.

 

[NorthernSoul]

...I'll try Vegan Haslinger before going all in on those two. I haven't used it since tallow was removed...

Haslinger has reformulated their vegan shaving soaps. The more recent version 2 is better than the previous version 1, IMHO. You can tell by looking at the ingredients list. The v2 removed palm oil and has coconut oil instead. Haslinger Sensitive was the first to go with v2, then the others followed.

Some online stores have the old ingredient list still showing on their website. For instance, Connaught is shipping v2, but the website still shows v1. They can be really slow about updating their website sometimes.

 

[Tomo]

You’ve got the right idea. I did a similar thing and now keep a small collection of the best of the best. Somewhere between 8-12 seems to be the magic number. I got down to four at one point but decided it wasn’t enough. I currently have the following favourites in stock. Plenty of variety but not overwhelming.

Acqua di Parma
DR Harris
Saponificio Varesino
Santa Maria Novella
Martin de Candre
Speick Cream
Truefitt and Hill Cream
Castle Forbes
Palmolive
Tabac
Musgo Real