It is all a matter of perspective. For the price, VDH is a decent soap, but there are much better soaps available. Is it "garbage", well that too is a matter of perspective. Many of us throw food into the garbage that the homeless would love to eat. Likewise, those who cannot afford a better soap might love to get their hands on VDH.
Revisited Van Der Hagen Deluxe - Garbage!
- Thread starter Toothpick
- Start date
I agree with you. Williams disappears but still helps to glide the razor. Oddly though my VDH lather is thick and cushiony without any disappearing. I really works well for me.
After applying soap to the brush, first gently paint the soap into the face. The brush still has water stored inside the hairs but this should not be used until the soap is spread around the area.
I noticed the glycerin and deluxe versions of this soap now costs quite a bit more per ounce than the luxury soap, at least the online prices at places like eBay or Amazon. It's bizarre, to say the least. Maybe there are supply problems.
I've had better results from other, cheaper glycerin soaps. VDH is very mild on the skin- it's closer to using something like Dove than an actual soap, but it's simply difficult to lather. There are other soaps that lather much faster, even with my hard water. And the lather, in my experience, is merely acceptable.
I've had better results from other, cheaper glycerin soaps. VDH is very mild on the skin- it's closer to using something like Dove than an actual soap, but it's simply difficult to lather. There are other soaps that lather much faster, even with my hard water. And the lather, in my experience, is merely acceptable.
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Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
Are you referring to the Deluxe or the Luxury? Neither one is hard to lather for me, though do have soft water. I like the Luxury more than the Deluxe. I've likeed some other lathers better, but it's better than I get from other soaps in it's price range and nice and slick.
If you are in the market for Deluxe at a good price, this is it You are being redirected... - https://www.barberdepots.com/product/deluxe-shaving-soap-8-soap/
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I just don’t understand about this “disappearing” lather from modern Williams. I work 3 days a week, Friday through Sunday, Williams is my Friday Soap, Arko/Saturday and Col. Conk on Sunday. I use 2 synthetic brushes in rotation on the weekends, 6 passes total between head and face. I have gone back to using my scuttle after a recent discussion on another thread and I usually wash enough later down the drain after each shave with each of them to do another 6 passes. They are all thick, shiny and slicker than snot on a doorknob in a very short time, very close to yogurt or pudding consistency. I don’t consider them much different than the dozen artisan soaps I have or the MDC I have a well.
As far as the price point versus performance is concerned, Williams and Arko will probably become my staples once I use up what I have in about 3-5 years. I just don’t see the need in anything else and I will still enjoy my daily shaves just the same as I do now with having a full 7 day rotation. Personally, I like the gear more than the soap anyways.
This whole post is why I don’t pay a lot of attention to reviews and opinions on soap, only gear/hardware.
AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;MFR2019
As far as the price point versus performance is concerned, Williams and Arko will probably become my staples once I use up what I have in about 3-5 years. I just don’t see the need in anything else and I will still enjoy my daily shaves just the same as I do now with having a full 7 day rotation. Personally, I like the gear more than the soap anyways.
This whole post is why I don’t pay a lot of attention to reviews and opinions on soap, only gear/hardware.
AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;MFR2019
I sometimes use the Deluxe to wash my face and sometimes as alternative shower soap....good slick cheap stuff.
I would never use Williams or Arko for this purspose.
Shave: Van der Hagen creates great lather even w hard water.... and I am NOT an expert. And the lather comes out quickly.....no need to turn and turn till your arm goes numb....15' I have clocked some videos.... by then I am half way to work....and shaved.
I would never use Williams or Arko for this purspose.
Shave: Van der Hagen creates great lather even w hard water.... and I am NOT an expert. And the lather comes out quickly.....no need to turn and turn till your arm goes numb....15' I have clocked some videos.... by then I am half way to work....and shaved.
Do you face or bowl lather?
Price? Yes it's gone up. I used to see it for $2 Cdn now its $4 Cdn in a physical store.
I just used Deluxe yesterday with a broken in boar brush. It was thick and slick, giving a great shave.
I just used Deluxe yesterday with a broken in boar brush. It was thick and slick, giving a great shave.
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
I couldn't say. I have not used Col. Conk.
Now 90% face. Sometimes bowl...
I've had success face-lathering Van Der Hagen. The trouble is, my skin often cannot tolerate that sort of thing without getting brush burn.
I got a new, smaller lathering bowl and I may retry lathering VDH some time this week. I was using a salsa bowl that was a bit wide, and perhaps it makes bowl lathering more difficult than it should be.
If you’re going to look online you have to look at who is offering the product for sale. Universal Beauty Products (VDH’s parent company) has a presence on Amazon and is selling the luxury soap in 3-packs at a very reasonable price. The offers for the deluxe are from random third parties who set their prices just wherever. On the shelves where I shop, the luxury is still twice the price of the deluxe, as it should be.
The moral is the story is don’t buy at unreasonable prices.
I've got a few older synthetics, but they are more like 2nd or 3rd generation brushes.
I tried a 24mm SynBad but it was just huge, it doesn't fit my style of shaving. Most of my brushes are about 21mm or smaller. I typically just do 1-2 passes.
One of these days I'm actually going to sit down and make my own brushes . I have the knots and handles to do so, I just need some advice on how to actually glue them together.
Hello everyone, Toothpick's recent review results may be due to Van Der Hagen dramatically changing the Deluxe Shave Soap ingredients when it relaunched this product, as part of its Basics line, over the past few years. I'll detail the ingredient change and then highlight my personal experience using this product. Also a quick look at the Luxury shave soap from Van Der Hagen. The question for everyone is if your experience with the product is with the new or old formulation?
First, the original Deluxe Shave Soap from Van Der Hagen in the green box includes the following ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Fragrance, Titanium Dioxide, Triethanolamine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40.
The current "Basics" Deluxe Shave Soap in the orange box has very different ingredients: Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolsalate, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Mysteric Acid, Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Water (Aqua), Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera), Fragrance (Parfum), Aminomethyl Proponal, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Methyl Ionones, Titanium Dioxide, Curry Red, Acid Yellow 23. I entered this directly from the Van Der Hagen Basics Deluxe Soap box - most web sites still list the original ingredients. You can see the new ingredients on-line if you go to Amazon and enlarge the photo of the backside of the "Basics" product.
Wondering if Van Der Hagen downgraded the product to more easily guide customers to its $4+/- 3.5oz luxury soap versus the $2.29 (at Walgreen's on - line) Deluxe product. Now only see the Luxury soap on store shelves in my area versus the Deluxe version. Walgreen's, while it has sold the new "Basics" version for over a year, still shows the old green box and original ingredients on its web site. Purchased my Deluxe soap from Walgreens in late 2019 and was originally surprised to see a different box from what is still on the web site.
Interestingly the Luxury Soap appears to have ingredients that are very similar (look at top 4) to the original Deluxe formula. Specifically the Van Der Hagen Luxury Shave Soap includes the following ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Water, Sorbitol, Sodium Stearate, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Triethanolamine, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Mangifera Indica (Mango Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Titanium Dioxide, Fragrance. Main upgrades from original Deluxe appear to be Glycerin (#5 on list) and the Mango Butter. I have a puck of this and it is a great product for $4.
I first used the Van Der Hagen Deluxe soap (new Basics version) about a year ago and found that while it produced great lather there was limited slickness. Also experimented with Williams (my grandfather used this and Colgate years ago) and experienced great shaves though, because the lather was of moderate thickness, I sometimes relathered in the middle of a shaving pass. I've found that a 60/40% blend of Williams and the Deluxe Van Der Hagen works very well with rich lather that does not dissipate and excellent slickness. To make my "Van Der Williams" (borrowed idea and phrase from other posts here - thank you!) I grate a full puck of Williams (1.75oz) and mix in a half puck of the Deluxe (1.25oz) that has been liquefied in the microwave.
Getting back to the main topic here for those who have had great results from the Van Der Hagen Deluxe soap is your review based on the new "Basics" product formulation or the original formulation that is really very similar to what is now sold as the Luxury soap? Toothpick, which version was your evaluation based on? Comparison reviews from anyone who has used both formulations would also be helpful. Any chemists who can comment on the effect of the major reformulation should also chime in.
Given the dramatic change in the formula future Deluxe product reviews need to be based on the newer "Basics" soap formulation to be relevant.
First, the original Deluxe Shave Soap from Van Der Hagen in the green box includes the following ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Fragrance, Titanium Dioxide, Triethanolamine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40.
The current "Basics" Deluxe Shave Soap in the orange box has very different ingredients: Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolsalate, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Mysteric Acid, Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Water (Aqua), Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera), Fragrance (Parfum), Aminomethyl Proponal, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Methyl Ionones, Titanium Dioxide, Curry Red, Acid Yellow 23. I entered this directly from the Van Der Hagen Basics Deluxe Soap box - most web sites still list the original ingredients. You can see the new ingredients on-line if you go to Amazon and enlarge the photo of the backside of the "Basics" product.
Wondering if Van Der Hagen downgraded the product to more easily guide customers to its $4+/- 3.5oz luxury soap versus the $2.29 (at Walgreen's on - line) Deluxe product. Now only see the Luxury soap on store shelves in my area versus the Deluxe version. Walgreen's, while it has sold the new "Basics" version for over a year, still shows the old green box and original ingredients on its web site. Purchased my Deluxe soap from Walgreens in late 2019 and was originally surprised to see a different box from what is still on the web site.
Interestingly the Luxury Soap appears to have ingredients that are very similar (look at top 4) to the original Deluxe formula. Specifically the Van Der Hagen Luxury Shave Soap includes the following ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Water, Sorbitol, Sodium Stearate, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Triethanolamine, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Mangifera Indica (Mango Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Titanium Dioxide, Fragrance. Main upgrades from original Deluxe appear to be Glycerin (#5 on list) and the Mango Butter. I have a puck of this and it is a great product for $4.
I first used the Van Der Hagen Deluxe soap (new Basics version) about a year ago and found that while it produced great lather there was limited slickness. Also experimented with Williams (my grandfather used this and Colgate years ago) and experienced great shaves though, because the lather was of moderate thickness, I sometimes relathered in the middle of a shaving pass. I've found that a 60/40% blend of Williams and the Deluxe Van Der Hagen works very well with rich lather that does not dissipate and excellent slickness. To make my "Van Der Williams" (borrowed idea and phrase from other posts here - thank you!) I grate a full puck of Williams (1.75oz) and mix in a half puck of the Deluxe (1.25oz) that has been liquefied in the microwave.
Getting back to the main topic here for those who have had great results from the Van Der Hagen Deluxe soap is your review based on the new "Basics" product formulation or the original formulation that is really very similar to what is now sold as the Luxury soap? Toothpick, which version was your evaluation based on? Comparison reviews from anyone who has used both formulations would also be helpful. Any chemists who can comment on the effect of the major reformulation should also chime in.
Given the dramatic change in the formula future Deluxe product reviews need to be based on the newer "Basics" soap formulation to be relevant.
Van der Hagen Luxury, no problems. I put it in my soup cup/shaving bowl. Lathers very easily with my synthetic. Scent is very pleasant and very light. I've used it with preshave oil, and even mixed it with Cremo, works good for me. I am new though and have yet to try any higher end stuff.
You don’t need to go any higher. Van der Hagen, Arko, Cella, Tabac, it doesn’t get any better. Some snob appeal sure, but for whisker removal, this is as good as it gets.
