I am new to wet shaving and grabbed a puck of the VDH glycerin because it is readily available at many stores around me. DR Harris is my next purchase but anyway back to VDH. First of all it is only 2 bucks a container, don't let price fool you, I'm sure you could spend a lot more and do a lot worse. It lathers at the word go. It is very slick and protective. It has a mild scent, admittedly nothing to write home about but it is light and not a problem if using your favorite aftershave. I haven't been able to compare it to other soaps yet and may find I like others better, but unless you are looking for a stronger admittedly better scented soap there is not a lot to complain about here. I personally don't care for heavy scents and will never use some of the supposed high end soaps that have heavy scents anyway. I look forward to using other soaps but found this is pretty good especially for the price. If you dismiss it as cheap stuff it just might be your loss.
Van Der Hagen
- Thread starter Raydermiike
- Start date
I got a puck for the first time a few weeks ago.... of the Deluxe variety. It does lather great and if the scent were any better I could see using it regularly, but I'm not a huge fan of the scent. Not bad.... it's mild and tolerable as you say.... but with so many wonderful smelling soaps out there I can't justify using VdH myself.
Ben
Ben
There are a large number of people here that agree with you. In a pinch their products are easy to find, cheap,and work very well. There are even people here who only use VDH soaps. As much as i like them there are just too many other soaps to try.
I keep a puck around for a super lather/uber lather sort of thing when I'm feeling like it. It definitely works well though, considering its seen as a "beginners" soap by many folks. I think its definitely worth the den space myself.
I liked it so much I bought the 12pk so I can "worry" about other things. It lathers well and I like a lightly scented soap and don't like to pay more when this works just fine for me. I have a 100 pack of Astras for $9 shipped and a 16 oz bottle of Clubman for $10 shipped. I'm set 
VDH is probably one of the most discussed soaps around here. It's OK, but I prefer Williams...
If you ever see the VdH luxury soap, try it out, its like $1 more and it is quite nice.
I added some of that to my rotation a couple of weeks ago. For $1 more it really is a step up, and has a great scent, I may put it away for a couple of months because I think the scent will really pop once the weather breaks.
I have around two dozen pucks of VdH Deluxe and VdH Luxury in storage. The Luxury has a nice mild scent, lathers well, is slick and gives a great shave. The only reason that it is not my only soap is because I like variety and want to try many of the other great soap/cream products which are not that much more expensive (C.O. Bigelow, RSC, Speick stick, for example). But you can't go wrong with the VdH and the Luxury puck is, I think, a nice step up for not much more money. If the Luxury puck had come onto market before I had a bunch of the Deluxe variety, I probably would have gone exclusively with it.
I like the VDH Deluxe and its easy to get at Walmart for about $1.50 a puck. The Luxury is bigger and some say better but the Deluxe, to me is just as good.
Hmmm. I have smelled this and wondered what it would be like. I might just get a puck to try using soap for the first time. I'm a cream user right now but as you might think its pretty much a law that I MUST buy MORE!!!!!!
Wet Shaving is an addiction! I think we need a 12 step program!
Wet Shaving is an addiction! I think we need a 12 step program!
I ordered pucks of the VdH Luxury in both Scented and Unscented today. Hoping the scent of the Luxury is better than the Deluxe.
Ben
Ben
Most people seem to like the scent of the VdH Luxury better than the Deluxe. Even so, the Deluxe scent is rather mild and you can do as I (and others) do; add a drop or two of essential oils to the top of the puck while it is soaking prior to the shave.
Ben:
I just ordered a 3 puck set of Luxury Scented and I hope the lather, lubercation, cushion, glide and scent will be better than the Deluxe (which for now is my 'go-to' soap). I'll experiment with adding 6-8 drops of glycerine per puck (and about 6 -8 drops of Clubman Citrus Musk [fortified with Royal Lymes]), before I melt it (nuke), for Überlather, extra lubercation, cushion, glide and scent .
Ben:
I just ordered a 3 puck set of Luxury Scented and I hope the lather, lubercation, cushion, glide and scent will be better than the Deluxe (which for now is my 'go-to' soap). I'll experiment with adding 6-8 drops of glycerine per puck (and about 6 -8 drops of Clubman Citrus Musk [fortified with Royal Lymes]), before I melt it (nuke), for Überlather, extra lubercation, cushion, glide and scent .
“Laughter is the [shaving soap]...that sweeps away the cobwebs of your heart”. Mort Walker
That will be an interesting experiment. I hope it turns out well for you. VdH soaps are a great bargain in my estimation. The Deluxe soap lathers like crazy with ease. If the Luxury is just as good a latherer as the Deluxe.... or better.... and the scent is better, that would be one incredible soap for less than $5 a puck.
Ben
VDH Luxury for the win. It smells better, lathers way better and feels better. It's vastly superior in every way to the Deluxe.
Haven't tried the luxury but picked up 2 deluxe for ~$3.50
That means I can get 3 VDH soaps for the price of 1 Col. Conk!
The lather takes a bit more water and the scent is mild but it turns out well. Not as protective/moisturizing as I would like but I'll experiment and see what can be done. For the price and availability it will become a staple in my shaving setup.
That means I can get 3 VDH soaps for the price of 1 Col. Conk!
The lather takes a bit more water and the scent is mild but it turns out well. Not as protective/moisturizing as I would like but I'll experiment and see what can be done. For the price and availability it will become a staple in my shaving setup.
+1
VDH soaps are a great bargain and work well. However, their Luxury soaps are a step up as in a "top shelf" product. The scented Luxury soap is in my permanent rotation now.
I don't build "superlathers" very often, but I would imagine that the VdH Luxury Unscented would be a great option for superlathering with some nicely scently creams.
Ben
