Soap for a cream user

[jestah93]

I've been wanting to get into the soap game for a while after seeing the great things you guys have said about some of the top brands, but have only ever actually used creams. I'd like to find a soap that is on par with some of my favorite creams at least as far as fragrance goes, which include:
TOBS Jermyn
TOBS Shaving Shop
AOS Sandalwood
GFT Spanish Leather

I've done a little digging, and would like to find something that is relatively inexpensive but also quality. Some I'm interested in are:
Mike's Barbershop
Mike's Pine and Cedarwood
Barrister and Mann Bay Rum
B&M Seville
MWF

..to name a few. Now, I know many of you will want to tell me just to get some samples and choose some I'd like that way. I've done that before with creams and have been slightly overwhelmed, and would rather take some strong recommendations and just buy something straight up, and if I don't like it the worst that'll happen to it is it'll end up on the BST and one of you can have it

C'mon guys, help a brother out!

 

[OzoneAz]

You cannot go wrong with Mike's Barbershop. Let me throw DR Harris at you as well. Scent wise, it seems you like Sandlewood and Spanish Leather. I think DR Harris Marlborough would be your match. And as far as performance goes, IMO DR Harris soaps are second to none.

 

[John Von Wuggz]

My favorite soaps are MWF and Proraso green in the tub. Those two brands are always in my full time rotation.

MWF is pricey (especially if you get it in the awesome ceramic bowl the first time) while Proraso is one of the best deals out there.

 

[branford]

I would transition using soft Italian soaps (my favorite). These "croaps" are regarded as either hard creams or soft soaps, but certainly loaded and treated as soaps.

The best examples of these soaps include Proraso in the tub and Cella. The Razorock Artisan Line is also similar to Cella with a wide variety of scents.

If you want a typical hard soap, the D.R. Harris varieties are some of the best triple-milled tallow soaps in production. MWF is also highly regarded, but I cannot offer a fair opinion as I am allergic to its fragrance oils. Some people are also sensitive to the lanolin in MWF.

Good luck.

 

[djh]

The biggest hurdle for most cream shavers when moving to shaving soap is getting the same sort of lather quality. I would suggest that you grab a couple of easy-to-lather soaps and see how you like them. Tabac, Palmolive stick, DR Harris or Valobra stick would all be good to start with.

 

[CharlieFoxtrot]

I vote for Tabac and Haslinger.

 

[Chadao]

Is your water hard? Soft? In between? I highly recommend MWF and Mike's, but my water is uber soft, so I cannot judge the performance in other places. That said, I travel around the US, almost 4 weeks a month, and I usually take MWF with me...although I am on my way to Canada right now with Mike's Barbershop in my Dopp kit.

 

[CanuckShaver]

My favorite soaps are MWF and Proraso green in the tub. Those two brands are always in my full time rotation.

MWF is pricey (especially if you get it in the awesome ceramic bowl the first time) while Proraso is one of the best deals out there.

+1. Proraso green is my first soap, then added the MWF, both are great soaps. I added a Cade a couple of days ago and also very happy with it.

 

[Chaucer]

Kell's Original is a glycerin soap with soft texture (although not as soft as the "Croats"). Hypo-allergenic too.

 

[Mick]

MWF or Tabac would be my recommendation

 

[blzrfn]

Since creams are rather easy to lather (for the most part), I would start with some soaps that are also considered easy to load and lather. Razorock classic series, Tabac and if you want to splurge Martin de Candre all fall into this category. Some of the soaps that are mentioned in this thread may be a bit difficult to get a handle on and for a new soap user might be a real disappointment. Avoid MWF, Mike's, QCS, and MW to start, but definitely grab these once you've fallen in love because they are good soaps aside from their finicky tendency.

 

[jazzguy]

Start with something really good like DR Harris and master that. Mike's are good and heavily scented but not as easy to lather. MWF is an all-time classic but tricky to lather for some (works very well for me) Just remember to load heavy on the brush. Have a look at the soap tutorial sticky here.

 

[kingfisher]

Another strong vote for RazoRock. The artisan series is excellent, and I also love the LaFamiglia line of soft soaps. These are ridiculously easy to lather, have wonderful scents, and are inexpensive.

Its a no-lose proposition.

 

[brucered]

QCS Cream...yes, cream.

from what I understand and have read, it used to be the Soap they offered, until people started asking for a harder product.

it lathers and performs like a soft soap, but is firmer then Italian crops.