**Please note: This is not meant to be a product review as there is an extensive reviews section within B&B.
I had been wet shaving for many years before finding Badger & Blade and up until that time had been using whatever cheap soap I could find at the mall or online. It never really occurred to me all the myriad of products available to the mug and brush shaver. After finding B&B my eyes were opened to all the choices and possibilities to the point it all became a bit overwhelming. Most notably I became concerned how much it was all going to cost. One reads words like luxurious, imported and essential ingredients you believe it is going to cost you plenty. As you continue the investigation you start wondering is there any way the cheap puck or tube can possibly measure up to the big players? Therein lies my purpose; to assure the new wet shaver you do not have to spend great sums of money in acquiring effective soaps and creams.
By now youve lurked around awhile, youve read the sticky threads, youve watched the You Tube tutorials and youve gotten a hint what its all about. When I first visited B&B there was a home page story regarding cheap drugstore aftershaves and their quality and effectiveness despite the low prices. After trying numerous soaps and creams at both ends of the price spectrum I am now comfortable in claiming the same holds true for them. The cheaper products can and do provide close, comfortable and in many cases superior shaves than their more expensive cousins. For the purposes of this discussion I consider cheaper to mean anything under $20 though many cost far less. This seems counter intuitive as weve been brought up believing the maxims you get what you pay for or cheap means junk. Fortunately in this case that is simply not true. In offering the following, I make the assumption you understand many factors are at play attaining the perfect shave. Proper beard preparation, the right razor and blade, angles and correct water ratios are a few that come to mind. Also by now youve seen the acronym YMMV which means Your Mileage May Vary or in other words, results vary and to each his own.
All this in mind there are only a couple bottom line characteristics we care about in a soap or cream. Does it provide a good cushion on which the razor and blade will glide? Does it provide a slippery surface to prevent the blade from skipping and pulling? Does the face feel hydrated and moisturized during and after the shave? Thats it. Details such as scent, richness, lather-ability and so on are of secondary concern to these core qualities. Qualities that I assure you are available in some very economical products. There exists one very easy process that tests all three characteristics at once. Most shavers make more than one pass with the razor. In between passes if you rinse the face with warm water in preparation for re-lathering it should feel almost satin like, smooth and slippery. I am reminded of a recently caught fish that slips and slides through the hands. This tactile feedback provides us information regarding the slickness and hydrating qualities we are looking for in a painless shave. You will immediately know when a product doesnt meet these standards. The face will feel dull, and the hands will not easily skate over the cheeks and neck. A small amount of friction or resistance will be noted, and you will almost certainly feel a dreaded pulling and skipping of the blade as you shave. It was noted at the beginning this is not a product review. However I want to offer up just a few products I have tried that meet the above criteria. This list is certainly not all inclusive and as mentioned results will vary. Simply put they are but a few of the cheaper products available that may offer you outstanding results. At the very least if you do not like them, you will not feel cheated in discarding them as they are that cheap. If you take anything away from this at all, I would like it to be that you need not feel sheepish or ashamed in purchasing and using dirt cheap products. Quite honestly, in my experience they offer the closest and most comfortable shaves I have ever had. Prices listed are a rough average and only the most basic of ingredients are shown.
Col. Conks:
Glycerin based soap puck. Contains avocado oil and vitamin E.
Variety of scents available.
$5
View attachment 29927
Kiss My Face:
Water based cream. Contains olive oil, aloe vera and Goldenseal antiseptic.
Variety of scents available.
Natural food locations (Sprouts, Whole Foods)
$8
View attachment 29929
Tabac:
Triple milled soap puck. Contains bergamot, neroli and lavender.
$12
View attachment 29930
CO Bigelow/Proraso rebranded:
Water based cream. Eucalyptus and coconut oils and glycerin.
Bath & Body Works
$10 large tube
$5 small tube
View attachment 29926
For Men Shave Cream:
Water and glycerin based cream. Vitamins A, E and B5 and sesame seed oil.
The Body Shop
$14 tub
$10 tube
View attachment 29928
Taylor of Old Bond Street:
Water and glycerin based cream. Contains Aloe Barbadensis and Allantoin.
Variety of scents and available in soap pucks
Moisturizing effects vary by scent and formula; see product reviews first
$15
Van Der Hagen:
Glycerin based soap puck. Contains vitamin E and oat extract.
Also comes in Deluxe version with aloe vera and lanolin.
Available at most drug stores including Wal Greens and Wal Mart.
$2
Give one or all of these a try and see if you're not impressed. I'm willing to bet at least one and probably more will give you a very satisfying shave.
I had been wet shaving for many years before finding Badger & Blade and up until that time had been using whatever cheap soap I could find at the mall or online. It never really occurred to me all the myriad of products available to the mug and brush shaver. After finding B&B my eyes were opened to all the choices and possibilities to the point it all became a bit overwhelming. Most notably I became concerned how much it was all going to cost. One reads words like luxurious, imported and essential ingredients you believe it is going to cost you plenty. As you continue the investigation you start wondering is there any way the cheap puck or tube can possibly measure up to the big players? Therein lies my purpose; to assure the new wet shaver you do not have to spend great sums of money in acquiring effective soaps and creams.
By now youve lurked around awhile, youve read the sticky threads, youve watched the You Tube tutorials and youve gotten a hint what its all about. When I first visited B&B there was a home page story regarding cheap drugstore aftershaves and their quality and effectiveness despite the low prices. After trying numerous soaps and creams at both ends of the price spectrum I am now comfortable in claiming the same holds true for them. The cheaper products can and do provide close, comfortable and in many cases superior shaves than their more expensive cousins. For the purposes of this discussion I consider cheaper to mean anything under $20 though many cost far less. This seems counter intuitive as weve been brought up believing the maxims you get what you pay for or cheap means junk. Fortunately in this case that is simply not true. In offering the following, I make the assumption you understand many factors are at play attaining the perfect shave. Proper beard preparation, the right razor and blade, angles and correct water ratios are a few that come to mind. Also by now youve seen the acronym YMMV which means Your Mileage May Vary or in other words, results vary and to each his own.
All this in mind there are only a couple bottom line characteristics we care about in a soap or cream. Does it provide a good cushion on which the razor and blade will glide? Does it provide a slippery surface to prevent the blade from skipping and pulling? Does the face feel hydrated and moisturized during and after the shave? Thats it. Details such as scent, richness, lather-ability and so on are of secondary concern to these core qualities. Qualities that I assure you are available in some very economical products. There exists one very easy process that tests all three characteristics at once. Most shavers make more than one pass with the razor. In between passes if you rinse the face with warm water in preparation for re-lathering it should feel almost satin like, smooth and slippery. I am reminded of a recently caught fish that slips and slides through the hands. This tactile feedback provides us information regarding the slickness and hydrating qualities we are looking for in a painless shave. You will immediately know when a product doesnt meet these standards. The face will feel dull, and the hands will not easily skate over the cheeks and neck. A small amount of friction or resistance will be noted, and you will almost certainly feel a dreaded pulling and skipping of the blade as you shave. It was noted at the beginning this is not a product review. However I want to offer up just a few products I have tried that meet the above criteria. This list is certainly not all inclusive and as mentioned results will vary. Simply put they are but a few of the cheaper products available that may offer you outstanding results. At the very least if you do not like them, you will not feel cheated in discarding them as they are that cheap. If you take anything away from this at all, I would like it to be that you need not feel sheepish or ashamed in purchasing and using dirt cheap products. Quite honestly, in my experience they offer the closest and most comfortable shaves I have ever had. Prices listed are a rough average and only the most basic of ingredients are shown.
Col. Conks:
Glycerin based soap puck. Contains avocado oil and vitamin E.
Variety of scents available.
$5
View attachment 29927
Kiss My Face:
Water based cream. Contains olive oil, aloe vera and Goldenseal antiseptic.
Variety of scents available.
Natural food locations (Sprouts, Whole Foods)
$8
View attachment 29929
Tabac:
Triple milled soap puck. Contains bergamot, neroli and lavender.
$12
View attachment 29930
CO Bigelow/Proraso rebranded:
Water based cream. Eucalyptus and coconut oils and glycerin.
Bath & Body Works
$10 large tube
$5 small tube
View attachment 29926
For Men Shave Cream:
Water and glycerin based cream. Vitamins A, E and B5 and sesame seed oil.
The Body Shop
$14 tub
$10 tube
View attachment 29928
Taylor of Old Bond Street:
Water and glycerin based cream. Contains Aloe Barbadensis and Allantoin.
Variety of scents and available in soap pucks
Moisturizing effects vary by scent and formula; see product reviews first
$15
Van Der Hagen:
Glycerin based soap puck. Contains vitamin E and oat extract.
Also comes in Deluxe version with aloe vera and lanolin.
Available at most drug stores including Wal Greens and Wal Mart.
$2
Give one or all of these a try and see if you're not impressed. I'm willing to bet at least one and probably more will give you a very satisfying shave.
