Str8 users, what are your top 5 soaps?

[Joe Edson]

I go back and forth between using a DE and a straight and have found some huge differences in soaps. Whereas I can get by with most any soap with a DE, I found out last night that some just do not work as well for straights. Specifically I used the EJ sea buckthorn soap a couple days ago for a DE with no problems whatsoever. However, last night I used it for a straight shave and while I can get very good mounds of lather with it, the slickness and cushion just wasn't there for using a straight. I'm starting to think that maybe I'll just stick with the tallow and lanolin based products for using straights.

This also may help me start to thin the herd of soaps/creams in my den. I'm going to start using a product for 2 days with a DE and then 2 days with a straight and if it doesn't cut it for a straight then there is no point in me keeping it around. As of now my top soaps are:

1. MWf
2. Cella
3. Valobra
4. Palmolive
5. P 160

So....does anyone else notice this effect or do some of you use glycerin based soaps with no issues. Just curious to know if I'm the only one that has noticed this. I would have posted in the shaving soap forum, but figure this may give me a better idea of what people that use straights prefer.

 

[Tom Ford]

Mine would be in no particular order

MWF
SMN
Castle Forbes
Cella
AOS Sandalwood

(Tabac & CADE is rotated through the list too.)

 

[Legion]

DR Harris Arlington
Cade
Palmolive
MWF
DR Harris Marlborough

 

[professorchaos]

A more general answer to your post: When I used a DE, I didn't worry too much about ingredients. After switching to straights, I noticed that glycerine based soaps and creams suddenly didn't work so well. Try only using tallow or lanolin soaps and creams. With rare exception, I use nothing else.

 

[Joe Edson]

Try only using tallow or lanolin soaps.

I think that is where I'm heading. I didn't think there would be that much of a difference between using them with a DE and using a straight, but there is. I'm probably sticking to tallow and lanolin soaps (like them better anyway), but may give the french soaps a shot as they contain shea butter and the likes which may help.

Maybe I can get my soaps down to about 10 or so.....(wishful thinking)

 

[joshmpdx]

MWF, SMN, Valobra, SCS, Klar, Arran Arromatics, Musgo Real, also the vintage soaps such as Yardley and Old Spice are the first that come to mind.

 

[mdunn]

pens bb
cade
tabac
trumpers limes
mwf

 

[brianw]

Gent's Best
MWF
Arko

 

[johnmrson]

I don't have 5 soaps I really like. My top 3 are Caristma soft soap, RL Safari and P160. I use cream mainly.

 

[gull]

No love for Mama Bear?

To be fair I haven't tried ANY of the soaps so far listed in this topic. I actually have only tried 2 soaps so I'll just be leaving now.

 

[cadomniel]

Since starting with a straight razor I only have 1 soap in my rotation: Mitchell's wool fat. I like to make superlather with MWF and some nice creams but MWF by itself works very well for straight razor shaving.
It works well for making superlather because the scent doesn't clash with teh scent of any cream you might use, in the way that Tabac soap would.

 

[Woodash]

I own:
MWF
Valobra
Tabac
Proraso

I use, almost exclusively:
MWF (home)
Valobra (home & travel)

That MWF is wonderful stuff....

 

[Will P.C.]

I am pretty much only using MWF.

I will slip some Cade in though

 

[Joe Edson]

Alright, well proof is in the shave. I just got done using the same razor as last night (Filarmonica 13) and instead used MWF. What a difference!

In fact, this is the first straight shave that I can honestly say I got a BBS shave everywhere. Usually I have problem areas on the corners of my mustache, below the chin, and a spot on the right side of my adam's apple (notoriously hard with a DE as well for some reason).

I think I'm going to stick with the tallow or lanolin based stuff and maybe throw in Cade, or Provence Sante every now and then to see if those work as well.

Out of curiosity, what creams are tallow or lanolin based? I know that Musgo, SMN, and Acca Kappa have lanolin in them. Any others?

 

[sanfranciscian]

of the five soaps i own

Tabac
Pre de provence
williams
VDH deluxe
Bigelow cream

I think i am just as happy with the VDH as anything. I am rather boring in the soap department.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I've tried quite a few soaps with str8s but I'll agree with Henry here. Tallow or lanolin for me too.

MWF
DR Harris Arlington
AoS
CS 88
Vintage Yardley
Vintage Wrisley

Edit: While neither Tallow nor Lanolin, Proraso does a great job as well

 

[Luc]

I'm finishing my creams at the moment but in the shaving soaps.

Proraso Green
Proraso White
MonSavon
Cella
MWF

 

[Starcar]

Tabac
Proraso/Williams combo
Trumpers Lime (tallow)
Trumpers Rose (tallow)
P160

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

Harris, Speick, Tabac, QED and hopefully will find out what SCS soaps are like tomorrow!

 

[SliceOfLife]

Tabac
Irische Moos
Extra Vintage Williams (no scent makes me a sad panda though)
My soaps

I have no fifth. I had QED, Kells and Mama's soaps in my rotation until yesterday when I used a glycerin for the first time in a few months and it just flat out did not come close to cutting it (is it a pun, I won't tell). My technique has become a LOT more aggressive now that I'm spoiled on lather. So sadly some VERY nice smelling soaps are looking to be getting retired soon.



"2. Cella"
Probably the next soap I'll actually buy. After that I may want to try that french soap that comes all bubbly and chunky in a wood bowl (but costs like $40 shipping) if I can find someone who'll cut me a little sample off theirs for cheap. I'm not dropping, what, $70 shipped(?), on a gamble.