Soap?

[6Jetwrangler]

I have been good and have not bought anything for quite some time. Believe me it's not by choice, more circumstance. That will change in time. But for the mean time i have run low on initial supplies i've bought, from when i started 6 months ago. To compensate I have been shaving as cheap as possible. Everything you pretty much have to buy specialty: blades, creams, brushes, except for soap.

I experimented with pure glycerin "el cheapo" soap that costs 1.29 at grocery stores. Worked great super cushy lather and very easy to whip up boar or badger. I got another bar from a stash of fancy soaps at my parents house. Just as before glycerin based, but a fancy smell and color. Something weird (smell) not sure, dark red swirl coloring. This created a great shave but I swear the soap burned my face a little. I say this in respect to it being applied, no blade in sight. After it was shaved off, the area that burned was fine. Which leads me to believe it was no doubt the soap possibly reacting with my skin.

Before i continue this cheap endeavor does anyone have any insight or precautions for using "just any" soap to shave with????

 

[americanarmsdealer]

As long as it has a good, lasting, slick lather that is comfortable for YOU to shave with, I'd say use whatever works for you. The soap you had the burning sensation with most likely had an ingredient that you are at least mildly allergic to. Some guys have reactions to even certain brands of high end shave soap. Have you tried Williams Mug Shave Soap or Van der Hagen (VDH) shave soap yet? Both work pretty well, and you can pick them up for under $2-3 a puck.

 

[BlackBard]

I experimented with pure glycerin "el cheapo" soap that costs 1.29 at grocery stores. Worked great super cushy lather and very easy to whip up boar or badger. I got another bar from a stash of fancy soaps at my parents house. Just as before glycerin based, but a fancy smell and color. Something weird (smell) not sure, dark red swirl coloring. This created a great shave but I swear the soap burned my face a little. I say this in respect to it being applied, no blade in sight. After it was shaved off, the area that burned was fine. Which leads me to believe it was no doubt the soap possibly reacting with my skin.

Before i continue this cheap endeavor does anyone have any insight or precautions for using "just any" soap to shave with????

A word of advice: Don't use anything for shaving that is not intended for shaving. Bath soap is not a substitute for shaving soap. I have tried it, as have many others here at B&B. The consensus is that it is much inferior to "real" shaving soap.

My advice for the cash strapped shaver is to buy inexpensive shaving soap, eg VDH or Williams and use that. You can get it for less than 2 bucks and it will last for at least 6 weeks. YMMV, and all that.

 

[DE Shaver]

Use properly formulated shavings soaps, as regular hand soaps can be particularly harsh on the face. There are many inexpensive soaps, like VHD or even Proraso, that provide excellent shaving lather and cushioning, without the harshness.

 

[michiganlover]

+3 to the suggestion for Van Der Hagen Deluxe. It's available for $1.67 per puck at your local Wal-Mart.

 

[cnnc97]

You can also get a 12 pack of VDH for like $15 on Amazon.