Van der Hagen Luxury

[Potrzebie]

Don't remember who posted it on what thread, but several someones spoke very highly of VdH Luxury, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was available at my regular supermarket, and priced at about 40% of what I pay for Tabac, which has been my regular soap for a couple years.

I wasn't expecting much, having had less-than-stellar results from another brand of glycerine-based soap, but hey: we all know how pudding is proved, right?

All doubts were quickly erased. It loaded well to my boar brush without blooming the soap, and whipped up a respectable volume of pleasant-smelling lather in a minute or so in my stainless steel bowl. Went on just fine, and shaved at least as well as the Tabac, given my own equipment and routine. For me, there was much more residual slickness, which is a plus for rounding up strays, but it also means I needed a good deal more rinsing when I was all done -- no big deal, though.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a reasonably priced (and possibly locally available at retail), well-performing shaving soap, Van der Hagen Luxury just might be worth a try for you.

 

[FarmerTan]

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[DEATHMgck]

Love that stuff.

First soap i ever used and always got a puck around.

 

[rockviper]

Like many of the more affordable soaps that have been around for years, VdH is often overlooked and does a great job.

 

[Jim99]

VDH is a fine soap and is a bargain for the price. I use it on a regular basis and is slick enough for my straight razor shaves.

 

[Twelvefret]

Don't remember who posted it on what thread, but several someones spoke very highly of VdH Luxury, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was available at my regular supermarket, and priced at about 40% of what I pay for Tabac, which has been my regular soap for a couple years.

I wasn't expecting much, having had less-than-stellar results from another brand of glycerine-based soap, but hey: we all know how pudding is proved, right?

All doubts were quickly erased. It loaded well to my boar brush without blooming the soap, and whipped up a respectable volume of pleasant-smelling lather in a minute or so in my stainless steel bowl. Went on just fine, and shaved at least as well as the Tabac, given my own equipment and routine. For me, there was much more residual slickness, which is a plus for rounding up strays, but it also means I needed a good deal more rinsing when I was all done -- no big deal, though.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a reasonably priced (and possibly locally available at retail), well-performing shaving soap, Van der Hagen Luxury just might be worth a try for you.

Until recently when I received a large box of soaps from a friend, VDH Luxury was my only soap. It's the best kept secret in soaps and now I have other soaps from which to compare.

 

[pdieten]

The local grocery has these for under $3 apiece and they last me almost two months. I'm never going to let myself run out of it. Been using it for years, working on a puck now and there are four more in the drawer. Shame it's not quite as easy to find as it used to be but as long as I still have places to get it I'm happy

 

[Macfrommichigan]

The Deluxe was easy to find. Not anymore.

Bed, Bath, Beyond carries Luxury. $3.99. Saw it today.

 

[Jim99]

Until recently when I received a large box of soaps from a friend, VDH Luxury was my only soap. It's the best kept secret in soaps and now I have other soaps from which to compare.

It’s selling for $1.99 a puck nowadays in a supermarket by me. Unbelievable! It just makes this soap that much sweeter!

 

[Twelvefret]

It’s selling for $1.99 a puck nowadays in a supermarket by me. Unbelievable! It just makes this soap that much sweeter!

The deluxe here is less than the luxury.

 

[pdieten]

The deluxe here is less than the luxury.

I would expect that it does everywhere, especially since the deluxe pucks are smaller than the luxury. My local grocery carries the 2.5oz deluxe for $1.49 and the 3.5oz luxury in scented or unscented for $3.29 now. Used to be $2.99 if I remember right. Oh well. Either way a super price-performance value.

 

[Roy]

I have found a UK seller. £8 plus £10 delivery! Extortionate when so cheap in USA . I wonder ofvthe UK vendor gets any orders. I think this shows that price is no real guide as to whether or not imported soaps are good value.

 

[Twelvefret]

I've been able to sample Proraso (Red/Green), Cella, Stirling, Bigalow, Palmolive, Williams, Arko, VDH Luxury/Deluxe, and Haslinger. Both tubed soaps are creamy and make lather easily. The Cella is my favorite higher priced soap. However, to date, the VDH Luxury with glycerin makes lather easily and provide the best hydration creamy lather for me and my soft water quality.

I'd say that Palmolive, Cella, and VDH are my current experientially based favorites.

 

[BigJ]

It’s selling for $1.99 a puck nowadays in a supermarket by me. Unbelievable! It just makes this soap that much sweeter!

SWEET!!

 

[shave/brush]

VDH Luxury is the soap by which I judge all others by.

 

[pdieten]

I have found a UK seller. £8 plus £10 delivery! Extortionate when so cheap in USA . I wonder ofvthe UK vendor gets any orders. I think this shows that price is no real guide as to whether or not imported soaps are good value.

Probably more that since the soaps aren't distributed in the UK the vendor might have had to pay close to regular US retail, and then has to make a profit on top of that.

Here in the US we pay much more for European products than buyers in their home nations pay, presumably for similar reasons.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Don't remember who posted it on what thread, but several someones spoke very highly of VdH Luxury, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was available at my regular supermarket, and priced at about 40% of what I pay for Tabac, which has been my regular soap for a couple years.

I wasn't expecting much, having had less-than-stellar results from another brand of glycerine-based soap, but hey: we all know how pudding is proved, right?

All doubts were quickly erased. It loaded well to my boar brush without blooming the soap, and whipped up a respectable volume of pleasant-smelling lather in a minute or so in my stainless steel bowl. Went on just fine, and shaved at least as well as the Tabac, given my own equipment and routine. For me, there was much more residual slickness, which is a plus for rounding up strays, but it also means I needed a good deal more rinsing when I was all done -- no big deal, though.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a reasonably priced (and possibly locally available at retail), well-performing shaving soap, Van der Hagen Luxury just might be worth a try for you.

Pot6rzebie:

...my first soap was Williams and I was a VDH Deluxe man for a long, long while until I tried the Luxury Scented and

...what a difference!! :thumbsup"

The Luxury Scented out-shinned the Deluxe (which was then my 'go-to' soap), in terms of ingredients, lather, lubrication, cushion, glide and scent. I also add 10 drops of glycerin per puck (and about 6 drops of Clubman Brandy Spice or Whiskey Woods [or both]), before I melt it (nuke), for 'Überlather', extra lubrication, cushion, glide and scent .

Read More: VDH Luxury Scented Soap Reviews, Post your VDH experiments Here and The Van Der Hagen Society

"It's time to start shaving like a Van der Hagen man". VDH Slogan

 

[Whilliam]

Quality soap. I used to buy mine at Target. Do they not carry it anymore?

 

[FaceScraper]

If buy the Unscented version and want to add some old spice after shave or cologne to it how many sprays of cologne and how many drops/ splashes of aftershave do you add to one puck ? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DEATHMgck]

Quality soap. I used to buy mine at Target. Do they not carry it anymore?

Depends on the target.

A lot of them have upgraded to big fancy shaving sections. Most that do only have the starter kit and not soap singles (at least in my area).