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Van Der Hagen Deluxe

Earlier today I finished my second shave with this soap. (Full disclosure: I mostly use creams, and this is only the third soap that I have ever used so my experience is limited.) I have been very impressed by the slickness and the closeness that I have been able to achieve with this very inexpensive soap. Post-shave feel is good. It's better than other soaps that I have used, and it's on par with the creams that I have used. I'm guessing that post-shave feel with a tallow based soap might be even better. But again what has amazed me is that at the end of both of these first 2 shaves, I have gotten incredibly close with this soap. I don't know what it is that allows for closeness, but I've been quite happy with this soap for the first 2 shaves. We'll see how it goes in the future.
 
Earlier today I finished my second shave with this soap. (Full disclosure: I mostly use creams, and this is only the third soap that I have ever used so my experience is limited.) I have been very impressed by the slickness and the closeness that I have been able to achieve with this very inexpensive soap. Post-shave feel is good. It's better than other soaps that I have used, and it's on par with the creams that I have used. I'm guessing that post-shave feel with a tallow based soap might be even better. But again what has amazed me is that at the end of both of these first 2 shaves, I have gotten incredibly close with this soap. I don't know what it is that allows for closeness, but I've been quite happy with this soap for the first 2 shaves. We'll see how it goes in the future.
I always thought it was very decent soap. I still have an unopened puck in my stash. I find the subtle scent quite intoxicating. Don't know if its been reformulated since I first bought some 10-15 years ago but I sure liked it better than soaps like Williams. BTW, if one has a Walgreen's locally, you can get two pucks for $5 with free shipping to the store (if your location doesn't stock it). I remember buying mine at Fred Meyer's
 
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I always thought it was very decent soap. I still have an unopened puck in my stash. I find the subtle scent quite intoxicating. Don't know if its been reformulated since I first bought some 10-15 years ago but I sure liked it better than soaps like Williams. BTW, if one has a Walgreen's locally, you can get two pucks for $5 with free shipping to the store (if your location doesn't stock it). I remember buying mine at Fred Meyer's
Yep. I bought mine online at Walgreen's and use the Ship to Store option for free shipping for a grand total of $2.99 for one puck. Seeing as how I like it, I'll go for the 2/$5 next time.
 
Not that I'd use VdH much over other soaps and creams I currently use but for $5, I ordered two pucks just in case they stop making them at some point. :)
 
Earlier today I finished my second shave with this soap. (Full disclosure: I mostly use creams, and this is only the third soap that I have ever used so my experience is limited.) I have been very impressed by the slickness and the closeness that I have been able to achieve with this very inexpensive soap. Post-shave feel is good. It's better than other soaps that I have used, and it's on par with the creams that I have used. I'm guessing that post-shave feel with a tallow based soap might be even better. But again what has amazed me is that at the end of both of these first 2 shaves, I have gotten incredibly close with this soap. I don't know what it is that allows for closeness, but I've been quite happy with this soap for the first 2 shaves. We'll see how it goes in the future.
Hi Mikhou, Yes Van Der Hagen (VDH) Deluxe is a good soap though I found that its slickness was just OK. The VDH Luxury, at around $4-5 per puck delivers much better slickness thanks to the addition of glycerine. Since you recently purchased your puck from Walgreens you likely received the newer formulation VDH Deluxe that is marketed as part of the VDH Basics line. I have the same version. Note that a great time to buy this soap is when Walgreen's runs it's holiday season percent off sales.

I've found that the VDH Deluxe makes an excellent binder for my Van Der Williams blends. I grate my tallow based Williams and other hard soap ingredients and then melt the VDH Deluxe and mix/knead together for a great custom blended puck that I've posted on elsewhere.

Those posting above about older pucks of VDH Deluxe have soaps with a different formulation so that reports on performance may not reflect what the newer VDH Basics version delivers.
 
Not that I'd use VdH much over other soaps and creams I currently use but for $5, I ordered two pucks just in case they stop making them at some point. :)
Per above the new pucks will be of a very different formulation than your older puck. Posted on this in detail a couple of years ago (link below). If you have chance to compare the performance of the newer Basics version to your older Deluxe puck please post on it. I found that the Basics version, while it lathered easily, was just OK from a slickness perspective.

 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
I've posted this before during the last ten years and likely will say it again when threads like this pop up.

Van der Hagen, even though it says "soap" on the box it is far from being a traditional soap made with a fat saponified with a strong base to form fatty acids and metal salts. That's what true soap is and is made from natural ingredients, not synthetic man-made stuff.

Their product should be labeled "detergent round" or similar. Look at the ingredients, some very polar molecules (good as cleaning agents and surfactants) that aren't as sensitive to pH variances and wash off easily. For me, it's always a no go on Sodium laureth sulfate and Sodium lauryl sulfate in my household which have short and long-term drying effects on my skin. I'll stick with the traditional products, deal with soap scum and feel better about it being more bio-degradable and friendly to aquatic life.
 
I've posted this before during the last ten years and likely will say it again when threads like this pop up.

Van der Hagen, even though it says "soap" on the box it is far from being a traditional soap made with a fat saponified with a strong base to form fatty acids and metal salts. That's what true soap is and is made from natural ingredients, not synthetic man-made stuff.

Their product should be labeled "detergent round" or similar. Look at the ingredients, some very polar molecules (good as cleaning agents and surfactants) that aren't as sensitive to pH variances and wash off easily. For me, it's always a no go on Sodium laureth sulfate and Sodium lauryl sulfate in my household which have short and long-term drying effects on my skin. I'll stick with the traditional products, deal with soap scum and feel better about it being more bio-degradable and friendly to aquatic life.
Horses for courses, right nemo? After all, that's what this place is all about.
 
I used that old puck for today's shave and it was terrific. Razor was my Old Type with a Bic Chrome (6 and done) blade. Ordered a pair of the pucks from Walgreen's for $5 and they still show the old green boxed, old formula version on their website. It'll be shipped to the local store so I'll be curious what shows up - NOS or new version?
 
I used that old puck for today's shave and it was terrific. Razor was my Old Type with a Bic Chrome (6 and done) blade. Ordered a pair of the pucks from Walgreen's for $5 and they still show the old green boxed, old formula version on their website. It'll be shipped to the local store so I'll be curious what shows up - NOS or new version?
Yeah, when I ordered it showed the green box, but I received the new black and brown box.

BTW, I also ordered the VDH Luxury to compare the two.
 
I got a Van Der Hagen set a long time ago with the soap, a boar brush, and lather bowl. If I’m not mistaken Walmart carried that set at the time and it didn’t cost much. I liked the soap, light scent and slicker than other soaps I’ve tried. Still use the lather bowl and the brush..not the greatest brush but the thing is years later it is so heavily used by now and so well broken in I’ve come to really like it, generates and holds lather really well. Most people likely give up on it much sooner and opt for something better for just a few bucks more. Handle isn’t well made and I had to fix it a couple times and the brush does shed a bit at first from what I remember, but for a long time it was my only brush and that heavy use really paid off it’s only gotten better with time.
 
Yeah, when I ordered it showed the green box, but I received the new black and brown box.

BTW, I also ordered the VDH Luxury to compare the two.
So you used the new formulation in your original post. I'm not gonna get too carried away with VdH and comparing but for $5, I'll take the chance. I'll continue to use my Brit creams and soaps (and Italian and German and French) as my mainstay.
 
I got a Van Der Hagen set a long time ago with the soap, a boar brush, and lather bowl. If I’m not mistaken Walmart carried that set at the time and it didn’t cost much. I liked the soap, light scent and slicker than other soaps I’ve tried. Still use the lather bowl and the brush..not the greatest brush but the thing is years later it is so heavily used by now and so well broken in I’ve come to really like it, generates and holds lather really well. Most people likely give up on it much sooner and opt for something better for just a few bucks more. Handle isn’t well made and I had to fix it a couple times and the brush does shed a bit at first from what I remember, but for a long time it was my only brush and that heavy use really paid off it’s only gotten better with time.
I bought two of those sets when they were about $10. One of the brushes fell apart within a year but I still have the other and it's great! I also have both bowls and the puck I just broke out last night was the remaining one from those sets.
 
I bought one of those sets way back when and it really was a great way to get started. I probably still have that bowl around here somewhere.
 
I bought two of those sets when they were about $10. One of the brushes fell apart within a year but I still have the other and it's great! I also have both bowls and the puck I just broke out last night was the remaining one from those sets.
My brush held up well for several years, it was the handle that went on me and I just put it back together with epoxy because the brush became sort of like an old baseball glove that was broken in perfect and comfortable LOL. Walmarts in my area still carry the razor which I never bought since from what I heard it was a milder razor and I was always happy with my old Super Speed for a mild butterfly style razor. If it was a more aggressive model I’d have likely gotten one because I prefer those for when I skip a few days shaving. The blades I’ve used before, really nothing special and not what I’d call bad either since they seemed to retain their edge decent enough but overpriced compared to what you can get in bulk.
 
I used that old puck for today's shave and it was terrific. Razor was my Old Type with a Bic Chrome (6 and done) blade. Ordered a pair of the pucks from Walgreen's for $5 and they still show the old green boxed, old formula version on their website. It'll be shipped to the local store so I'll be curious what shows up - NOS or new version?
I received my first VDH Deluxe soaps from Walgreens almost 3 years ago while they were showing the old green box yet already shipping the new orange Basics version so I suspect you will get the newer version also.
 
Yeah, when I ordered it showed the green box, but I received the new black and brown box.

BTW, I also ordered the VDH Luxury to compare the two.
See my response to CCS above, they changed to the new Basics orange box version almost three years ago but have yet to update what they show on their web site.
 
I bought two of those sets when they were about $10. One of the brushes fell apart within a year but I still have the other and it's great! I also have both bowls and the puck I just broke out last night was the remaining one from those sets.
The sets are a great deal. Have two sets with the small ceramic bowls and another two with the apothecary mug and razor stands. Keep my primary soap rotation in these. Bed Bath and Beyond had the apothecary mug sets on sale last holiday season for around $12 each with coupon.

The brushes fall apart within a year. Tossed two, gave one away and have another sitting in a drawer. Use a Razorock Blondie (Zenith 80N) as a much better boar option now.
 
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