What cream works best with Strop Shoppe Soap?

[Seminole]

Hello all:

I am recent new member and have become addicted to DE safety razor shaving and straight razor shaving. The advice I have seen from members here has been some of the most helpful information in my shaving efforts that I could have ever imagined. With that said, I currently like too mix and match my shaving soap and cream. Currently, my absolute favorite soap is Strop Shoppe "Baker St. with Tallow" My face has never been healthier since I started using it. My wife loves the arroma and it lathers beautifully. My question to all is: What cream works best with Strop Shoppe's Baker St. Soap? If you have any other suggestions or combinations you enjoy, please feel free to share.

Respectfully,

Noah

 

[Seminole]

Anyone?

 

[The Dean]

I can't speak to Strop Shoppe Soap. But, if you like the performance and scent of the soap---but still want to try a superlather, then perhaps something like KMF unscented is a good choice. Very inexpensive and of good quality. The scent won't clash with the soap as it doesn't have any real scent to speak of.

I've also used Cremo to superlather on occasion, and it worked fine. Cremo has a citrusy (burnt orange, I think) scent, so I don't know how that goes with the scent of the soap.

If you have some cream, any cream, in stock, just give it a shot. Unless the scents are conflicting, I can't imagine it would be a disaster.

 

[jwilock]

Any good cream or soap is sufficient by itself. Why mix anything with something as good as SS?

 

[The Dean]

Any good cream or soap is sufficient by itself. Why mix anything with something as good as SS?

As I've never tried SS, I can't speak to it, or for the OP. But while I usually leave great products alone, sometimes I mix them for, you know, FUN. Can't know what will happen if you don't try! "Sufficient" is hardly the best we can strive for, IMO. But YMMV

And I've rarely lessened the performance, or my enjoyment, of a product by trying a super/uber lather.

 

[u2u]

The only time I super lather is when I am trying to boost a non performing soap. This allows me to use the product in a useful way rather than consuming it as a bath or hand soap or going to the bin. Strop Shoppe products are of high quality and the couple I have use unique pleasant scents. I would not choose to mix them with another product as they are far too good to be utilized that way.

 

[Seminole]

Strop Shoppe soap produces an incredible lather. I am just experimenting. Again, I am so new to this that I don't know the rules.... Total newbie.....

 

[The Dean]

Strop Shoppe soap produces an incredible lather. I am just experimenting. Again, I am so new to this that I don't know the rules.... Total newbie.....

Typically I think most who mix use superlathering (and uberlathering) to enhance the performance of products that need a bit of a boost. But there really aren't any rules for what you can do. It's your stuff and your shave.

Even though I typically don't mix my higher end stuff, every once in a while I get the urge to check out a combo. What's the worst that could happen? I'm only risking a small bit of each product--as far as I can see that's the only downside for a failure. And I've never had a total failure, though I'm guessing there are some unfortunate combinations out there---lurking.

Don't feel the need to mix up a superlather if your soap, or cream, works great by itself. Chances are, you won't get a big improvement if the product is already top notch. But since you are just starting out, I'd encourage you to experiment and have some fun. Others might disagree.

 

[SmoovD]

Superlather if you wish but you will probbably not be able to increase the effectiveness of the SS soap. IMHO, superlathers are unwarranted. If a product is subpar than it is subpar in any formulation. Then again, there are not any set rules on how you want to shave.

 

[The Dean]

Superlather if you wish but you will probbably not be able to increase the effectiveness of the SS soap. IMHO, superlathers are unwarranted. If a product is subpar than it is subpar in any formulation. Then again, there are not any set rules on how you want to shave.

Not to beat this topic to death, because it is clear some here mix, at least sometimes, and others are staunchly against it--but I do have one question on the statement above.

You reject the notion that one product that, let's say, provides good protections but is hard to lather can't be made easier to use by mixing it with an easily lathered product? Or a soap that provides nice slickness but little cushion won't be improved by mixing it with a cream that has great cushion? Etc (you pick the deficiencies and strengths).

Isn't that what the makers of these products do when they combine the ingredients? Not every product performs like every other, and some may lack a bit in one area or another. I have found ways to make marginal products perform like champs, by simply finding the right combo. Hey I had the products, why not make the best of them? But it seems as though you are suggesting this cannot work. Well YMMV and all that, but I assure you, it works for me.

 

[SmoovD]

You can shave with any product or combination of products you choose. IMHO, if a product is subpar then it is likely to be subpar when combined with a superior product. Take your example, if it takes a product with better cushioning to be added to another lesser performing product in order to make the latter product better....why would you not simply use the better product.

And I am not saying that it can never work but it is not worth my effort to try to make a lesser product useable. Especially if I have better products. Dilution of a superior product doesn't make sense to me but do what'ca like. Like I posted above, there are no rules on how you want to shave.

 

[The Dean]

You can shave with any product or combination of products you choose. IMHO, if a product is subpar then it is likely to be subpar when combined with a superior product. Take your example, if it takes a product with better cushioning to be added to another lesser performing product in order to make the latter product better....why would you not simply use the better product.

And I am not saying that it can never work but it is not worth my effort to try to make a lesser product useable. Especially if I have better products. Dilution of a superior product doesn't make sense to me but do what'ca like. Like I posted above, there are no rules on how you want to shave.

I don't think the issue here is "better product" or "worse product", but rather "different products". In most cases, I mix two products that aren't top quality products. For example VDH soap and KMF cream. That combo improves both products, IMO. In fact, I find that combo takes two ordinary products and makes one very luxurious lather--comparable to that of a product much more expensive.

But with higher end products (again, which I rarely mix) one product can enhance the other---scent for example---without diluting the performance of either.

But the reason for using the product that may not be up to snuff is because you have it. Why waste product if it can be made to work well with a bit of creativity? I'm curious to know the bad mixing experiences you have had to make you believe there is nothing worthwhile to come of it.

 

[jwilock]

Not to beat this topic to death, because it is clear some here mix, at least sometimes, and others are staunchly against it--but I do have one question on the statement above.

You reject the notion that one product that, let's say, provides good protections but is hard to lather can't be made easier to use by mixing it with an easily lathered product? Or a soap that provides nice slickness but little cushion won't be improved by mixing it with a cream that has great cushion? Etc (you pick the deficiencies and strengths).

Isn't that what the makers of these products do when they combine the ingredients? Not every product performs like every other, and some may lack a bit in one area or another. I have found ways to make marginal products perform like champs, by simply finding the right combo. Hey I had the products, why not make the best of them? But it seems as though you are suggesting this cannot work. Well YMMV and all that, but I assure you, it works for me.

Mix a product with good cushion with a product with good glide and get the best of both - sounds reasonable. But if you have two lathers mixed up one of which has good glide and one of which has good cushion and then you combine the two just maybe each product "dilutes" the other so that instead of the best of both worlds you get the worst of both worlds. I don't really know, since I don't do this. Just wondering if this logic is as sound as it might seem on the surface.

 

[NCJack]

As to particulars, I sometimes combine just a smidge (less than a half-snurdle) of Real Shaving Co. cream, available at Rite-Aid drug stores. Also good on it's own.

 

[The Dean]

Mix a product with good cushion with a product with good glide and get the best of both - sounds reasonable. But if you have two lathers mixed up one of which has good glide and one of which has good cushion and then you combine the two just maybe each product "dilutes" the other so that instead of the best of both worlds you get the worst of both worlds. I don't really know, since I don't do this. Just wondering if this logic is as sound as it might seem on the surface.

I'm guessing you could make a worse product by combining two (although that isn't my experience), but you won't find out which combos work and which do not unless you try a few. I could definitely see scents clashing, and perhaps other areas could suffer as well. But a disaster should be readily apparent even before you use it---so you can always just abandon the mixture and use one solo, if it is really that bad. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Seriously though, I have no issue with those who don't mix. But I sometimes question why some are adamantly against it for others. I might understand it more if they shared tales of their many failures mixing different products. But I haven't really heard many of those.

 

[jwilock]

The reason I don't is twofold. First, I buy and keep soaps and creams in part because of their scents. I have many that I love and couldn't image adulterating them by mixing them with something else. To me that would be like buying a couple of finely crafted colognes that I love and then thinking I'll get something even better by combining them. As far as effectiveness goes, I find that good soaps and creams when lathered properly make great lather. If that weren't the case I'd stop using them just as I would if I didn't like the scent of something.

Just to be clear, I have mixed multiple creams, multiple soaps, and creams with soaps, as well as even adding a few drops of glycerin to a lather. I don't believe any of those combinations gave me a better lather than simply using a single good product alone.

To each his own - of course. At the very least mixing products can be fun and add a little interest to the daily ritual. More power to you for experimenting.