THinking of ditching my soaps/creams for just one product.

[ODJ]

To my surprise, on a whim I picked up a puck of Van Der Hagen Deluxe shave soap several days ago, and the performance has even surpassed my favorite products, which are Queen Charlotte Soaps and GFT Coconut. I have tried so many different soaps and creams in the past only to have them always fall short in the performance department, even if I thought they smelled amazing, they never came through in the performance department. For me, consistency and quality of the performance of the cream or soap is my top priority. VDH seems to outshine everything else I have or have tried. The scent doesnt bother me at all. Also ordered some VDH Luxury pucks, since others have commented that if I like the VDH Deluxe, I will like the VDH Luxury even better! Sure the QCS smells better, but the VDH performs better for me.

How many out there use only one product because it just outperforms everything else they have tried?

 

[Grim_Reaper]

Me too thinking of sticking with MWF

 

[Shave_Rat]

This was/is my line of thinking since the first time I lathered Tabac a couple weeks ago. lol I do like the VDH Luxury tho, a lot. It's a great product.

 

[Gingerbread]

Variety is the spice of life!

 

[ODJ]

I agree, but not if you are having a 'variety' of results with inferior products! I have three brushes (all Semogue boars) and several razors (Mergress XL, '57 Super Speed, DE89, HD34c, HD37c slant and a Lakeside Cutlery Straight Razor) so there's my variety! I'm just tired of shelling out money for new creams and soaps in that quest for 'the one'. If the best cream or soap I have tried cost $50 a tub or puck I'd have no problem shelling that out if it performed. Guess I am just lucky to find that the one that worked for me ended up being reasonably priced, but my reason for this isn't to be frugal or save money at all. Was considering buying a few different essential oils, and just dropping a couple drops in my lather just to give it some variety.

 

[sychodelix]

Sounds like a plan guys! Make sure you send all the stuff you want to get rid of to my address.

 

[banditman]

I've gone through a similar line of thinking and reduced my soaps down to two with one cream-haven't been having any problems either. By the way, VDH is a good soap with an added bonus of being easy to gt locally. Gotta get some of the luxury and see how that works.

 

[Shave_Rat]

I'm actually narrowing down to like 2-3 soaps, and 2 or so creams (with possible scent differences on hand in one of the brands I stick with), and can always mix a cream with a soap for variation. I currently have 8 DE's and 2 straights (just started learning those), that's enough variety for me. lol

 

[Attila]

Although I think having less product in general would be a good idea for most of us, part of the fun in this hobby of ours I like to call wetshaving is trying and using different products. It's the variety that keeps it fresh. Even the bad experiences are just that, experiences. Too much of even a good thing would get boring after a while I think and I enjoy using different soaps, razors and aftershaves based on my moods and whims for the day. YMMV but I enjoy the variety.

I think cutting down on the sheer volume of variety is always a good thing though. I have 6 soaps and 2 creams in my rotation with currently 6 razors and 5 different aftershaves. I will not be buying any more consumables until I use up the ones I have in my rotation. That's my limit anyways.

 

[pipskicks]

If you really do like it above the others, why not? I would keep some expensive ones, but I know if you're shaving with VDH almost every day, it's got to be cheaper than most of the alternatives. It's like $2-3 and there are plenty of soaps that are 10x that price.

 

[Cary Grant]

These days I only use MWF and finish off with Taylors Jermyn Street AS and ASB. My skin can be sensitive and this combination works the best so no point for me to rotate.

 

[sgtd]

Who are you people and what have you done with your inner wet shavers?

 

[Attila]

Well as is always said around here, YMMV. If folks are happy sticking to one or two products that work well for them, then more power to them! I like using a few that work well for me. But I can certainly understand the appeal of slimming things down to basics.

 

[PugslyCat]

I went the whole first year of DE shaving with VDH Deluxe and Williams soaps. Right now I'm enjoying trying a few soaps, but really don't want to have more than 2-3 open and in my rotation at any given time.

If you like the VDH Deluxe, try Colonel Conk almond and bay rum soaps. They seem to be the same soap, just different scents.

 

[ODJ]

Just to clarify, for me at least, it's not about 'sliming down' the herd because I have too much stuff, it's more about getting rid of stuff that doesn't performa as well, which pretty much is everything else I have tried, and I have tried a lot of creams and soaps!

 

[imbored2deth]

If you find one thing that works the best, I say ride that horse until you assume room temp.

 

[JeffOlson]

I could use just one soap or cream. I just haven't found it yet.

I have pretty much settled on just one razor and one blade. (Feather AS-D1 + Feather blades.) However, my favorite brush and my favorite soap or cream are still up in the air...

 

[Mr5x5]

I'm happy with VDH and Mama Bears. I may try a cream someday.

 

[mdove47]

I use a soap, OS, at home. At the Y a cream, either Bigelow or Real Shaving company. I use a cream at the Y so I do not have to worry about breaking a mug and having glass everywhere. I stick to one soap, and just a couple of creams. They work well, and I am pleased with their performance.

 

[kpg102]

I've had similar thoughts lately about narrowing down to one or two products. Then I think, nah. And I end up buying more. There are just too many soaps and creams that I really like, so I imagine my rotation will always be relatively large, although I won't hesitate to unload a dud product or one that doesn't do it for me. But hey, whatever works for you, and congratulations on finding "the one".