VDH Deluxe works great for me. An absolute top performer. I really question if people on here know what they are doing... IDK.
Anyway, I don’t fool around with microwaves. Just put it in a coffee cup and go.
Revisited Van Der Hagen Deluxe - Garbage!
- Thread starter Toothpick
- Start date
Anyway, I don’t fool around with microwaves. Just put it in a coffee cup and go.
That soap works great.
Yep.. The VDH Deluxe works for me also. 
It works so well I kind of feel for the people that it doesn’t work for. Out of the 12ish different soaps I have, I might say this works the best to be honest. Granted most of my soaps are not artisan soaps.Yep.. The VDH Deluxe works for me also.
Exactly! If you are comparing VDH soaps to other cheap soaps, they compare quite favorably. However, if you have tested as many soaps as I have (over 150) you will start to see the deficiencies in these cheap soaps. These inexpensive soaps are sold because there are people who put more importance in a low price than they do in performance. I suspect some of these people once owned a Yugo automobile.
Funny thread! 
Usually we have to take fellow shavers word on why something works or doesn't, then slap the YMMV sticker and call it a day. But since @Toothpick took the time to post a video now I can evaluate him evaluating the soap.
Here's my scorecard for his shaving test, from 1 (bad) to 10 (good).
Lathering skills: 3/10
Can't lather shampoo, let alone small hard puck in plastic, and definitively underloaded. What do you expect from a Barbasol user?
Objectivity: 1/10
Badmouthing it before he even began face lathering.
Tools used: 9/10
Great brush!
Taking down moustache: 10/10
Good riddance!
Fly catching: 11/10
Gives me hope that his lathering kung-fu will improve eventually.
Usually we have to take fellow shavers word on why something works or doesn't, then slap the YMMV sticker and call it a day. But since @Toothpick took the time to post a video now I can evaluate him evaluating the soap.
Here's my scorecard for his shaving test, from 1 (bad) to 10 (good).
Lathering skills: 3/10
Can't lather shampoo, let alone small hard puck in plastic, and definitively underloaded. What do you expect from a Barbasol user?
Objectivity: 1/10
Badmouthing it before he even began face lathering.
Tools used: 9/10
Great brush!
Taking down moustache: 10/10
Good riddance!
Fly catching: 11/10
Gives me hope that his lathering kung-fu will improve eventually.
This was the very first soap I used when starting out. I couldn't lather it properly but I remember liking the smell. Maybe I'll try it again now that I'm a little more experienced plus the scent will probably trigger some memories. I love when that happens.
They're mass market products. The mass market isn't going to pay $18 for four ounces of soap.
A more accurate comparison would be a Camry versus a Lexus GS F. Most people don't find value commensurate with the higher price.
In my experience VDH & Conk will give you a protective enough shave.
VDH Deluxe soap was one of my first shaving soap along with the VDH Boar brush. I remember it dissipating on my face but I still had an average shave with it. When I revisited the soap during my travel, I had a different experience.
It's definitely not a top tier performer for me. However, it gets the job done. I was actually surprised at how much lather I got. It's not a thick creamy lather but more of a low-structure thin-but-enough lather. The slickness was there. The protection was there. It was a comfortable shave.
Despite the SLS or SLES that's in the ingredient, I had a good shave with it. It's more of a memorabilia soap for me as it is one of my first shaving soap but for its price ($1.99), I can't complain. I think I like it slightly better than WMS... but slightly less than Razorock Soaps. YMMV but I can shave with VDH Deluxe soap any day of the week.
Also, the post shave is not great but it is what it is.
It's definitely not a top tier performer for me. However, it gets the job done. I was actually surprised at how much lather I got. It's not a thick creamy lather but more of a low-structure thin-but-enough lather. The slickness was there. The protection was there. It was a comfortable shave.
Despite the SLS or SLES that's in the ingredient, I had a good shave with it. It's more of a memorabilia soap for me as it is one of my first shaving soap but for its price ($1.99), I can't complain. I think I like it slightly better than WMS... but slightly less than Razorock Soaps. YMMV but I can shave with VDH Deluxe soap any day of the week.
Also, the post shave is not great but it is what it is.
A lot of TOBS Sandalwood cream reviews out there have the reviewer getting a burning sensation. No parabens or SLS in that one.
With Williams I get the complaints, it is a fussy soap. With this soap I’m really thrown off by the complaints. I’m wondering if people are adding too much water, if it’s water quality, or lather technique.
Luckily I’ve learned to take all complaints with a grain of salt. I mean some people say Tabac smells like an ash tray and it’s repulsive. I know 100% not to trust them.
Anyway, I’ll have plenty of time to dial in VDH and WMS.
Speaking of which, y'all need to click like and subscribe to this guy's channel. I luv A vs B test videos.
I luv A vs B test videos.WMS definitely takes a lot of time to load the brush. Once the brush is ready, then it'll give that creamy lather. However, if you load the brush like some regular artisan soap, in 20 seconds, WMS will disappear on your face like magic. It works but it just needs time and effort to make it happen.
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
I have not tested nearly that many but probably 5 of them in the $10 - $25 dollar range and while I do like VDH, i have to admit the pricier soaps had more to offer.
I've not used Conk, but don't doubt that at all, I know VDH is good enough.
I once watched a video wherein a guy loaded MWF for 2 minutes and then face lathered for 2 he got beautiful lather and I think modern Williams is better if you do similar. It's not a hurry up you got five minutes to shave soap for me. A dab of Nancy Boy on the brush is much better in that case.
I'll take VdH over modern Williams any day of the week.
Yep... Modern Williams is not good for me as well.
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
I can live with both, but VDH is more flexible to get decent results, i.e., less finicky. Sure some take joy in cracking the Williams code. It's cool to be able to make something work that others give up on.
If push came to shove and I had to choose VDH or Williams, I'd pick VDH
100% agree. But when people are saying VDH is complete garbage it really makes me wonder about people’s judgment. Or, are their results really varying that much?
IDK. I like the idea of sticking with the common stuff and not getting sucked into buying 150 $15 soaps. I get it, it’s fun but
150*$15= $2,250 on soap to shave?
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
Totally agree there. Some of those photos with stacks of every flavor an Aritsan makes are a bit ridiculous. I have about 5 soaps in the $10 - 25 dollar range. Just like all budget soaps are fairly similar (Arko, Williams, Palmolive, Derby, VDH et al) The soaps at the $10, $15, $20 and $25 dollar price points are all about the same as others in that group from what I've seen. So I don't need to try 150 of them now. As I use one up, I may repurchase if I like it or try something else. I don't even like having a bunch of cheap soaps around either. It's needless clutter.
