Van Der Hagan soap trumps Taylor's and Proraso? What's the Deal?

[Tyronious]

I have a couple tubs of Taylor's shave creams (Rose/Eton College), a tube of Proraso, and a tube of Kiss My Face Face Lavendar.

I like them all. They smell nice and perform pretty well, but they all pale in comparison to my $2.50 Vander Hagan Deluxe Shave Soap I bought from Wal Greens.

I don't get it?

It doesn't seem to lather that much better, but the glide of the razor is noticeably better, my shave is much closer, and my skin doesn't really dry out at all. I prep the same way (wet, hot towel, for about 2/3 mins) and use the same blades too (Personna).

Is it just that soaps perform better than creams? Or is it just that my skin responds better to this particular brand?

I like all my sort of fancy fragrant creams, but I guess I may not need them anymore...

 

[82R100]

Just like anything else here, things work differently for different people. There are a number of us for whom Van der Hagen Deluxe works very well.

- Chris

 

[DavidP]

Van der Hagen's is a very good performer, that's all! Obviously they're not using any expensive essential oils, which would be part of why it's cheap.

 

[dashmaverick]

I think it's a shame that people often associate cost to performance. This leaves many of the "budget" brands to be overlooked or misjudged, despite it's many positives.

I'm glad you've found a soap that works well for you and also doesn't break the bank.

 

[Monkeydad]

Just like anything else here, things work differently for different people. There are a number of us for whom Van der Hagen Deluxe works very well.

- Chris

You called?

 

[gaj90027]

VDH Deluxe is one of my top soaps hands down!

I melt mine into a tupperware container and stir in some SCS blue line a/s splash for a really chilly menthol shave. I have yet to find a menthol soap to top it.

I call it VanDerMenthe

 

[82R100]

In the long run, if you find it to your liking, you can save quite a bit by purchasing it by the dozen from Amazon:

 

[masonjarjar]

VDH probably also happens to be a very good match for the water in your area..

 

[shmeegs]

VDH is a great cheap wonder. It lathers great but doesn't have any powerful smell to bug you.

 

[Dpflaum]

I have to agree, all the expensive creams don't perform nearly as well as the soaps that you can find for ~$10.

For reference I have tried:
T&H
Trumpers
TOBS
Penhaligons
Proraso
EJ
etc.

I pick Speick/Tabac/Irisch Moos every time.

 

[Wil Dorenbos]

I think it's a shame that people often associate cost to performance. This leaves many of the "budget" brands to be overlooked or misjudged, despite it's many positives.

I'm glad you've found a soap that works well for you and also doesn't break the bank.

+1 I get great results with ARKO, VGH, Palmolive, KMF and Godrej; all inexpensive

 

[Vlad]

Many of us have turned VDH into a high-end soap by doping it with a good fragarence, in my case Montblanc. Awesome. I plan on making many more. Take that, Fancy-schmancy soapers!

 

[Fortitudo Dei]

VDH probably also happens to be a very good match for the water in your area..

Good point. VDH is a detergent / soap hybrid rather than being purely soap which is what most of the other shaving soaps and creams normally discussed on B&B are. The detergent content makes it much less "fussy" in terms of how it reacts to differing levels of water hardness / mineral content (this is similar to why detergents will lather in sea water and soaps won't). As such it should perform reasonably well with just about any tap water.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I really like VDH. It is my go to soap and I find it to be a fantastic value. I am not about to put down another soap because we all have our favorites. For me VDH is one of the best so I have no need to pay 5x as much for a shave soap.

 

[ShavelockFoams]

VDH is great stuff, without a doubt. Like many things in life, that which is more expensive is not always better. Also, as shaving is very much a YMMV thing, glad to hear that you found something that works so well for you.

 

[Psicko]

I like VDH. Where I live, its only about $.50 more than williams, but its in a whole other league. I havent tried a whole lot of soaps or creams. I usually have prorazo from B&BW as a cream, I sometimes get Col. Conks, which works decent, and now VDH. VDH works better than conks for me. I havent tried anything over $10 yet.

 

[gollum83]

VDH Deluxe is one of my top soaps hands down!

I melt mine into a tupperware container and stir in some SCS blue line a/s splash for a really chilly menthol shave. I have yet to find a menthol soap to top it.

I call it VanDerMenthe

If you're going to do that, why not just buy Sue's Blue Line Menthol soap? SCS shave soap only runs $6 a puck.

 

[michiganlover]

You called?

I think he meant to call me.

You have heard about the wonders of VanDerSpice right?

VDH is good quality stuff, one could do far worse (I am starring at you Modern Day Williams).

 

[kansascutthroat]

i have some of the glycerin and deluxe van der hagen. will both of these melt in the microwave or are you melting it with heat? are you just adding a favorite cologne or after shave for the fragrance??

 

[JPDyson]

I find VDH reliably decent, but have gotten far better lather from Taylor's and Proraso, not to mention better scents. Perfect example of YMMV.