Testing Soaps

[DESkydiver]

I am wondering how many others out there tend to test soaps and how to determine which is the best soap for your style… Is tallow based better than glycerin based or vice versa and why?

I like to take a single soap, using just hot water and brush, apply the soap directly to the face without any oil or pre-shave and shave. I try to use the same soap for at least a week and find out some of the characteristics…
Does my face get a decent layer of lubrication or does the blade skip?
How many passes can I get from a single (normal) loading of the brush?
Do I get a closer shave with fewer passes?
Does my face dry out faster or does it stay moisturized longer?

What are some of the other thoughts on testing soaps and what characteristics do you look for in your soaps?

 

[gaj90027]

I haven't had any stand out problems using any of the standard glycerin or tallow soaps that are loved and praised on B&B. Most, if not all, have performed as expected with a slight edge to the tallow soaps IMO being a touch more slick and a tad more moisturizing over all.

As long as I'm using a trusted brand (not some home made or health store mystery product) it's mostly all about the scent for me now.

A week of use is definitely a good test if you are getting mediocre results in order to rule out user error.

 

[talibeard]

I have been trying a fair number of soaps and while tallowate soaps are in the majority som non-tallows perform in the same league. Besides the criteria you posted I have a few more. First the scent; do I like it (day in day out) and does it irritate my eyes nose or sinusses. At least as important is how my skin feels one or more hours later; often my reaction to a soap or one of its ingredients take a little time.

A lot of scents seem to be great at first use but start to irritate when used daily, especially 'home-made' glycerin soaps high on essential oils seem to fall into that category.

 

[shmeegs]

I generally put soaps into the sections of "good all around soaps" "smelly good soaps" "lather good soaps" and "garbage" Those that are "good allaround" are great by themselves and don't need to be mixed. The middle two usually are mixed with each other as one usually don't lather well at all or difficult to lather and the other is dull but lathers great. Garbage usually ends up going right there.

 

[BlackBard]

I am wondering how many others out there tend to test soaps and how to determine which is the best soap for your style… Is tallow based better than glycerin based or vice versa and why?

I like to take a single soap, using just hot water and brush, apply the soap directly to the face without any oil or pre-shave and shave. I try to use the same soap for at least a week and find out some of the characteristics…
Does my face get a decent layer of lubrication or does the blade skip?
How many passes can I get from a single (normal) loading of the brush?
Do I get a closer shave with fewer passes?
Does my face dry out faster or does it stay moisturized longer?

What are some of the other thoughts on testing soaps and what characteristics do you look for in your soaps?

That's about how I do it, too.

 

[DESkydiver]

First the scent; do I like it (day in day out) and does it irritate my eyes nose or sinusses. At least as important is how my skin feels one or more hours later; often my reaction to a soap or one of its ingredients take a little time.

A lot of scents seem to be great at first use but start to irritate when used daily, especially 'home-made' glycerin soaps high on essential oils seem to fall into that category.

Scent... This is a good addition to the list of criteria.

I generally put soaps into the sections of "good all around soaps" "smelly good soaps" "lather good soaps" and "garbage" Those that are "good allaround" are great by themselves and don't need to be mixed. The middle two usually are mixed with each other as one usually don't lather well at all or difficult to lather and the other is dull but lathers great. Garbage usually ends up going right there.

I suspect my trials will result in something similar and ultimately focus on identifying those "good all around soaps".