Soaps vs Creams

[stryker4526]

Well over the past few months I've been trying out various soaps and creams, including Mama Bears, Mike's Natural, and Honeybee Spa for soaps (as well as RR, but I actually loved how easy RR soaps are), as well as T&H, TOBS, GFT, and NYSC for creams and I think I have come to the conclusion that I just prefer creams.
While it may be true that soaps last longer and can be cheaper (can be... here's looking at you, MdC), I have found that it is generally more difficult to get a good lather out of them, or to "dial them in," so to speak.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this? I'm considering putting my soaps on BST (Mike's Orange, Pepper, Cedarwood, Mama Bear Spicey Lime, Honeybee Very Sexy for Men and South Seas) and getting more creams instead. What about you guys? Are creams generally easier for you? Am I just being a baby about the effort soaps take? Give me your thoughts!

 

[mistercitizen]

I'm starting to get more and more into soaps, but I do agree that for me creams seem to lather with more ease. I think it's mostly because of the time it usually takes to load a brush for a soap that gives me that impression. I have SSAD as well as SCAD so I really don't have the option of prefering one over the other.... all I can do is purchase them and try to use them up. In the beginning I can remember trying to figure out what would be the cheapest and which would last longer but that was before I realized that I was going to buy enough of both to last me two lifetimes.

Ben

 

[celestino]

i much prefer soaps! The process of swirling the brush on the puck and face-lathering and watching that creamy lather build, aaaaahhhhhh!

 

[craig94yj]

Right now I have PIF'd all my soaps except my VDH deluxe. I keep this because it is 10% glycerine and has almost no scent. I am having fun with "uberlather" and use it as a base for my creams. Todays shave was VDH, Proraso Blue cream and 7 drops of liquid glycerine. Soaps and creams have properties I like separately, but when you combine them it gets even better.

 

[Elder Scrolls]

I prefer soaps.....sticks to be exact, face lathering with sticks = heaven !

 

[Joneman]

I thought I had been leaning towards creams as well but I really miss my Tabac which got lost in a recent move and I have an MWF sample on the way.

 

[stryker4526]

I think I am getting ready to sell my soaps, the more I think about it.
What do you guys think, is $35 shipped for the lot a fair price for Mike's Natural Orange, Cedarwood, and Black Pepper, Mama Bear Spicey Lime, Honeybee Very Sexy for Men, and Honeybee South Seas?

 

[dcobranchi]

$5 - $6 a puck seems like a fairly common price range on the B/S/T.

For me, I'm basically down to two choices each day: Arko stick or Bigelow cream.

 

[DanOK]

Probably a fair price but I can't imagine being with out the soaps in my shave den or the creams I enjoy. With a large rotation of brushes and razors the variety soaps and creams bring to the table enhances the shave experience. Whether Tabac this morning and Trafalgar tomorrow both are equally enjoyable with the right razor and blade. Then there are the crossovers hard cream or soft soap. If ease of use is the primary criteria its hard to not use shave sticks.

 

[stryker4526]

Probably a fair price but I can't imagine being with out the soaps in my shave den or the creams I enjoy. With a large rotation of brushes and razors the variety soaps and creams bring to the table enhances the shave experience. Whether Tabac this morning and Trafalgar tomorrow both are equally enjoyable with the right razor and blade. Then there are the crossovers hard cream or soft soap. If ease of use is the primary criteria its hard to not use shave sticks.

Well I'll probably still use soft soaps. For instance, I am not going to get rid of my RazoRock because of how easy it is to use. All of the other ones are soaps that I haven't been able to get the hang of after a few tries. Maybe I am giving up too soon but it just doesn't seem to be worth it when I can go right to any cream or my RazoRock and get an excellent lather with minimal effort.

 

[Jefebadskin]

Do what you like. I far prefer soaps since I found this website, the lather turns out the way I want and my best soaps beat my best creams. I will always use both though. Proraso red, a few T&H are too good not to use.

 

[NJBob]

I definitely find the creams easier to lather. I keep trying soaps but can't master them well enough to work up the great lather I get easily with almost any cream. I am loving my new Aqua di Parma (gift) which I guess is a hard cream. Lathers as great as any I've tried.

 

[hedonist222]

Creams are easier to lather.

But I find soaps to be slicker. Especially on the second application of lather.

 

[Clovis Man]

I thought I preferred creams for quite a while -- and then I got this new Badger & Blade brush. It's stiffer than any of my previous brushes, and -- well -- I never knew soap could lather like this!

If you're having trouble getting soaps to lather, perhaps you should try a stiffer brush. At least, that's what did it for me.

 

[Mick]

I have gone away from making soap lather in a bowl/scuttle after spending 3 months on the road with soaps (2 sticks 2 pucks) and face lathering every day.

Creams are easier to build a bowl/scuttle lather with but it does not require all that much more effort to build a lather with a good soap.

In fact I think I will build a lather in my scuttle using a soap today just to break the trend here at the turtle palace. Not sure yet what it will be but seeing as it is Single Edge Sunday and I have not picked out which SE gets the call today I might as well fondle my soaps and SE razors for a little while and pick something nice for today.

 

[tinashubby]

Love my soaps! Creams not so much...

 

[Watasha]

I use both but I use creams more often.

 

[Unadan]

It seems there are more soaps that contain tallow vs. creams - my face doesn't react well to tallow so I prefer creams vs. soaps. Although I always have some pucks of VDH in my rotation.

 

[cryhavoc]

Creams are ok, but I love soaps!

 

[sir-nix-alot]

Soaps are so easy to lather assuming you have anything that resembles decent water.

Run your brush under water / shake out excess.
Load your soap for a minimum of 45 seconds - no need to soak puck.
Palm lather adding water by dipping bristles.
When you think the ratio is right work for an additional 30 seconds - If you see it is too dry, add water and start the 30 second clock again.
Apply to your face

If you have too much lather cut the loading time appropriately next time. After a while you'll just know what it is supposed to look like.