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Soaps vs. Creams?

Lyrt said:
Question: do brushes behave differently with soaps and creams? In concrete terms, is it possible for a brush to create a good lather with creams but not with soaps and vice versa?

To a lesser extent, yes. A decent brush will create lather with either and get it on your face. However, there are differences in brush styles and quality which affect how easy it is to generate that lather. Typically, a soap brush is viewed as one with shorter, denser, stiffer, hairs that can more easily remove soap from the cake. A cream brush, while not having to physically remove soap, tend to have longer and softer hairs. With both, the tips of the hair can range from scritchy/scratchy/scrubby to very soft. Additionally, there are most deffinetely general purpose brushes that can do both well.
 
I started with a soap for my first DE shaves (AOS Lavender) but once I tried creams (GFT Coconut/Sandalwood) I've been hooked. I still use soaps occasionally (I have 3 Mama-Bear soaps as well now) but I find it harder to get a good lather built which will last for 3 or 4 passes. I know this is probably down to my lack of skill but it means that usually I go for the creams, as I know I can consistantly get a great lather from them.
 
Lyrt said:
Question: do brushes behave differently with soaps and creams? In concrete terms, is it possible for a brush to create a good lather with creams but not with soaps and vice versa?

Not that I've noticed. I think the short small brushes are associated with soaps because they lift the soap off the cake a little better, and mostly because they are small enough that they don't overwhelm the little wooden bowls that soaps are stored in. Soaps are also lathered more on your face while creams seem to be lathered more in the bowl, so there's less need for a soap brush to hold so much lather inside the brush which allows it to be smaller as well. I'm mostly a soap guy (Harris and T&H) and dearly love my small style 1 Rooney, but although it does creams just fine I'm still thinking of picking up a bigger Rooney for the occasional cold winter days when I feel the need for cream and thick hot lather.
 
Primarily, I am a 'soap' guy- however, I do have a some of the minexpensive creams ( Proraso and Palmolive). I have noticed that when I am shaving with a brand new blade (the Feather comes to mind), starting off with a cream 'seems' to be easier on my face- however, I love the closeness of the shave I get with soaps.

I currently have a large stock of Saint Sue's soaps and have started to acquire some of Mama Sue's stuff also. I have yet to acquire( resistance is futile!) some of Honey Sue's merchandise, but that is a matter of time.

I am awaiting some of the Castle Forbes Lime cream (figured I would go straight to the top) and looking forward to see how I like it.

Basically, I enjoy both and couldn't see myself being likmited to just one type. At some point, I will incorporate shave sticks also. :biggrin:

Marty
 
PottyDoctor said:
I have been primarily a 'cream guy' because I really liked their easily produced luxurious lather. However, I was always trying soaps because I really wanted to be able to use the 'classic and original' means of producing lather since my return to DE shaving. I ended up trying and discarding many shaving soaps and had nearly come to the conclusion that soaps just weren't for me. Then I discovered Tabac, and as John said, this stuff produces an amazing lather and works well for me. My next big discovery was HoneyBee shaving soaps, which have become my 'go to' shaving soaps due to the wide variety of scents, the ease with which they lather, the slickness of the lather, the irritation free shave which they give and the moisturizing feeling they leave your face with. In addition, I have also found Charles' soaps at QED to be a winner and they are available in a wide variety of scents as well.

I am now a cream and a soap guy. It's not that one is better than the other, they just produce somewhat of a different shaving experience and help to keep shaving exciting. I probably now use the soaps a little more than the creams but I still like them both. There are some great soaps out there, so don't give up on 'em, just keep trying them and you will find the ones that work for you. There's nothing like the feeling of shaving with a DE, a badger brush and soap...it takes you back to a time when life was simpler and shaving once again becomes one of life's little pleasures. :cool:


Variety...exciting...fun...this is your time in the morning..no one else, just you. It does take me back to the days of watching my Dad & Grandfather shave, that's when we had quality time together, man to man so to speak. Ahh, to be young again.

John:001_005:
 
I have used Floris soap in a wooden bowl for about 20 years. Generally the stubbier, stiffer brushes seem to work better but I have also used a BK12 from time to time on a worn in soap cake with no problems other than some minor overflow of the lather. Since joining up here a few weeks ago, I started to explore creams. I bought a small selection of Trumper (rose and violet) , T&H (lavender) and Taylor (sandalwood) creams to try out. After a week or so, I am impressed. Still calbrating the ratio of water to cream to get a good lather wthout wasting a lot. Compared to soaps, the creams make a rich lather easily, they are much stronger scented, and they make for some variety. I expect, I'll rotate in creams with soap now. I noted the comments on this site about brush coloration by some creams, so am using an old PJ2 with the Trumper until I see what happens. I don't agree with some members that a "pinktip" Rooney's finest is desirable! I might risk my BK or even a PJ3. Overall suggestion - use both soaps and creams - they both have their rewards!
 
blantyre said:
I have used Floris soap in a wooden bowl for about 20 years. Generally the stubbier, stiffer brushes seem to work better but I have also used a BK12 from time to time on a worn in soap cake with no problems other than some minor overflow of the lather. Since joining up here a few weeks ago, I started to explore creams. I bought a small selection of Trumper (rose and violet) , T&H (lavender) and Taylor (sandalwood) creams to try out. After a week or so, I am impressed. Still calbrating the ratio of water to cream to get a good lather wthout wasting a lot. Compared to soaps, the creams make a rich lather easily, they are much stronger scented, and they make for some variety. I expect, I'll rotate in creams with soap now. I noted the comments on this site about brush coloration by some creams, so am using an old PJ2 with the Trumper until I see what happens. I don't agree with some members that a "pinktip" Rooney's finest is desirable! I might risk my BK or even a PJ3. Overall suggestion - use both soaps and creams - they both have their rewards!

I've used my ShaveMac Silvertip [currently my most favorite brush] quite extensively with D.R. Harris Lavender, which is intensely [purple/violet] colored, as well as Taylor's Rose, and I have never noticed any coloration of my brush. However, there just might be some creams out there that would discolor a brush that I am not aware of, so YMMV. :wink2:
 
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