Some soaps make life easier..

[albsat]

Well, I haven't tried many types of soaps like some members do have in this forum.

However one thing I know for sure. Some very affordable soaps, like Tabac, Proraso, Palmolive and recently Arko are simply more than enough to enjoy a great shave within a price range affordable to all.

The start of soap usage enjoyment is accessible to all in this hobby I guess.

Anyone disagrees?

 

[geneaut]

Agreed. I could happily shave every day with Arko if the circumstances came to that.

 

[brucered]

I have tried CF, MdC and a few other $$$ soaps and creams.

The only cream I have used the past few years in Proraso Blue in the tube. It's $9 cad at the drug store. Prior to settling on Proraso, I was a dedicated Haslinger user at $7-8 a puck.

It works as well or better than anything I have ever tried and I don't have to sorry about release dates, preorders, limited runs or formula changes.

 

[ksblazer]

Those 4 soaps you mentioned are what would be considered classics for wet shaving.

People have been using them for years because they work well, easy to find in their home country of production and price.

While I have a rotation of soaps in current use with some others waiting to go in it. I'm starting to find that I'm just as happy with my shaves using the classic shaving soaps and aftershaves too.

 

[Roy]

Proraso is way above the other soaps mentioned . The others give me red bumps, esp Pamolive.

I do like SV but you must decide if it's worth the extra price.

On thinking about my favourite soaps, they are mainly Italian. Skin care seems good in them all.

 

[lasta]

IMO all soaps perform equally as long as you use enough and mix in enough water.

In terms of lather consistency, I'll take Palmolve over SV any day.

Tabac is top of the list at any price range.

But, what do I know, Barbasol performs every bit as well as Tabac.

 

[geneaut]

I will admit that even though I like the Arkos and Palmolives of the shave world that I don't mind indulging at times with a product that caters to my decadent side. I love me some Trumpers GFT shave cream even if I could buy 20 sticks of Arko for the same price. I'm worth it

** hey I've been known to shave with $1 Yardley's bath soap so I figure it evens out a little

 

[steveclarkus]

I will admit that even though I like the Arkos and Palmolives of the shave world that I don't mind indulging at times with a product that caters to my decadent side. I love me some Trumpers GFT shave cream even if I could buy 20 sticks of Arko for the same price. I'm worth it

** hey I've been known to shave with $1 Yardley's bath soap so I figure it evens out a little

Traitor

 

[geneaut]

Traitor

I console myself with the thought it was a gift from my wife who likes the GFT cologne. Meanwhile I do have 11 Arko sticks stored in my sock drawer

 

[steveclarkus]

I console myself with the thought it was a gift from my wife who likes the GFT cologne. Meanwhile I do have 11 Arko sticks stored in my sock drawer

Well then, you are excused - and smart!

 

[RayClem]

In the wine world, you can still purchase Boone's Farm Strawberry wine for $4 per bottle. There are some perfectly drinkable wines for under $25. Then there are wines that sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars a bottle.

I would never spend hundreds of dollars on a bottle of wine, but I would not touch Boone's Farm unless I were homeless looking for a cheap drunk.

My philosophy of shaving soap is similar. I will not use cheap soaps like Palmolive, Arko, Williams Mug, etc. Likewise, I won't spend over $8 per ounce for a soap. I look for great performing and great smelling mid-priced soaps.

Tabac is a decent performer, but I had to air it out for two weeks before I could tolerate the aroma.

 

[dfs]

Agree with you, there are many good affordable soaps that give a great shave. On the other hand, not all soaps are equal, and there are many more costly soaps that are also outstanding. I personally like to mix things up a bit and try new soaps. And if you look at cost per shave, the reality is that all soaps are really pretty darn cheap.

 

[Roy]

Just now, only 2 soaps, Prosaro white and SV dolomiti v4.3. Both excellent and both treat my skin very well. Italians make great soaps .

 

[BigJ]

Yes indeed!

Price and performance often correlate poorly with shaving soaps IME. I have tried expensive ‘artisan’ soaps that were a waste of my hard-earned $. In contrast, some ‘inexpensive’ soaps, like the Vito’s red I used this AM, deliver again and again!!

 

[Jim99]

I have gone through a few pucks of Van Der Hagen over the years and find it to be a good soap. Not a great soap, but certainly good enough for a shave. I can find it in my local supermarket for under $5 a puck.

 

[old_school]

@albsat yup, Speick, La Toja, Cella, etc. Fine, fine shaves. Diminishing returns comes on fast for shave soap.

 

[Lane101]

Agreed! For me it's Williams and Van Der Hagen Deluxe. The former 99 cents at the local grocery store and the later under $2 when on sale from Walgreen's on-line. Typically blend together with a bit of Ivory for optimal lather and slickness. For variety also have a puck of Van Der Hagen Luxury (currently 2.99 on sale at Bed Bath&Beyond) that works well on it's own (extra glycerine in formula) and about a year ago acquired a tub of Proraso that lathers so easily.

Often find it interesting that the primary ingredients in the more expensive soaps are the same as those that cost no more than a few dollars.

 

[SterFry]

Agree with you, there are many good affordable soaps that give a great shave. On the other hand, not all soaps are equal, and there are many more costly soaps that are also outstanding. I personally like to mix things up a bit and try new soaps. And if you look at cost per shave, the reality is that all soaps are really pretty darn cheap.

This

Soap is cheap. Even expensive soap is cheap.
My tub of Barrister and Mann Omnibus cost $20, is utterly luxurious and will probably last me four months. That's working one extra hour three times a year to increase my enjoyment of something that I do every single day.

That said, I enjoy my grated up Speick stick a lot, too. YMMV etc

 

[RayClem]

Agreed! For me it's Williams and Van Der Hagen Deluxe. The former 99 cents at the local grocery store and the later under $2 when on sale from Walgreen's on-line. Typically blend together with a bit of Ivory for optimal lather and slickness. For variety also have a puck of Van Der Hagen Luxury (currently 2.99 on sale at Bed Bath&Beyond) that works well on it's own (extra glycerine in formula) and about a year ago acquired a tub of Proraso that lathers so easily.

Often find it interesting that the primary ingredients in the more expensive soaps are the same as those that cost no more than a few dollars.

Well, yes. Soap is a combination of fatty acids and lye. However, the characteristics of the soap depend on which fatty acids are used and whether the lye is primarily sodium hyroxide (hard soaps) or potassium hydroxide (soft soaps). Some fatty acids do not make the best shaving soaps. Castile soaps primarily from olive oil and Aleppo soaps primarily from laurel oil may be slick, but they generally are not very protective unless other fatty acids are added. Soaps that are high in stearic acid, whether from animal or vegetable sources, generally provide a thicker, richer, more protective shaving lather.

I now have 220 soaps in my collection. I rate each of those soaps. Both Williams and Van der Hagen rate as FAILS on my evaluation system If you want an inexpesive soap that performs much better, purchase a bar of Yardley of London Bath Bar with Cocoa Butter; it rates a C-.

The real magic of a well made shaving soap, however, comes in the added ingredients designed to moisturize, nourish and condition the skin. I love using soaps that rate A and A+.


By the way, Van der Hagen Dexuxe is primarily a synthetic detergent rather than a soap. It is a chemical concoction containing: Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Myristic Acid, Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Water (Aqua), Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Fragrance (Parfum), Aminomethyl Propanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Methyl Ionones, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Curry Red (CI 16035), Acid Yellow 23 (CI 19140).

The only reason it can be called a soap is that it contains a small amount of myristic acid, Shea butter, and sodium hydroxide.

If you think the formula of VDH Deluxe is anything like the formula of a high quality artisan soap, you have not read the labels carefully.

Here is the ingredient list for Grooming Dept Mallard artisan shaving soap. It is one of the finest shaving soaps I have ever used. It costs many times as much as VDH Deluxe, but the shaving experience is exquisite.

Ingredients: Water, Stearic Acid, Duck Fat, Kukui Nut Oil, Goat Milk, Castor Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Cupuacu Butter, Kokum Butter, Glycerin, Jojoba Oil, Myristic Acid, Shea Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Coconut Milk, Tamanu Oil, Lauryl Laurate, Carnauba Wax, Beeswax, Allantoin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Betaine, Sodium Lactate, Silk Amino Acids, Oat Amino Acids, Sesame Oil, Macadamia Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherols, Silk Peptides.

 

[old_school]

Here is the ingredient list for Grooming Dept Mallard artisan shaving soap. It is one of the finest shaving soaps I have ever used. It costs many times as much as VDH Deluxe, but the shaving experience is exquisite.

Ingredients: Water, Stearic Acid, Duck Fat, Kukui Nut Oil, Goat Milk, Castor Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Cupuacu Butter, Kokum Butter, Glycerin, Jojoba Oil, Myristic Acid, Shea Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Coconut Milk, Tamanu Oil, Lauryl Laurate, Carnauba Wax, Beeswax, Allantoin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Betaine, Sodium Lactate, Silk Amino Acids, Oat Amino Acids, Sesame Oil, Macadamia Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherols, Silk Peptides.

LOL! unobtanium and here and here... According to a quick look through this thread GD Soaps last from 30 to 45 days per jar at $26 plus shipping if available. Let's call it ~40 days per tub or 9 tubs per year or $234/per tub plus shipping IF you can get it - for a year of shaves. Not really what the thread is about is it?

My wife has dry skin (I don't) and must use moisturizer, her current favorite - for face and neck only - is $13.50 for 89ml. She uses 0.3mL per day so it last nearly 300 days. A fellow is better off buying a dozen sticks of Arko and a bottle of your favorite facial moisturizer. Why? Cheaper! stable formulas, lasts longer, actually exists in this universe and you can use the moisturizer YOU determine best for YOUR skin vs at the mercy of whatever laundry list of butters, waxes, milks etc. is in the shaving soap. Arko plus my wife's moisturizer would run <$28.50 delivered for a ~years worth of fine, top tier, world class shaves with a favorite facial moisturizer if needed.

If a person needs a moisturizing shave soap (I don't) Mikes Natural Soaps usually has something available at $15 or less per 5oz jar or 4.5oz puck. The ingredients list is refined, formulation is stable and more than enough moisturizing for my face. I rate it's shave A+ right along with La Toja, Speick, Palmolive, Williams, Cella, etc... Checking out Mikes as a 'local' replacement to tallow Tabac ~15 shaves in it's no where near 1/3 gone. Might start putting notches on the tub to keep track of the shaves . That's just my take on this anyway.

Mikes Natural Soap:
Ingredients: Distilled water; saponified tallow (beef) and stearic acid; vegetable glycerin; saponified kokum butter, avocado oil, and shea butter; lanolin, fragrance and/or essential oil(s); saponified coconut oil; kaolin clay, vitamin E.

Happy Thanksgiving @RayClem and thanks for all of the testing and feedback you provide. I use it a lot in making choices of what to try or not.