What do we really need out of a soap/cream?

[Sotiris_A]

This is a very user dependent topic and different individuals have different priorities in terms of desired (and less desired) attributes in a soap. After a bit of experimentation, I found out that, for me, there is an envelope which includes soaps from all price points, that meet my performance criteria and that I would happily use. This includes soaps from Arko, Speick and MWF to Barrister & Mann, Declaration Grooming or MdC. Not that there aren't any differences between those, but IME they all are good enough to excellent. So here is a list of my priorities:

1. Performance: slickness, works well with hard water. I tend to use a relatively thin layer of lather with almost as much water as the soap can take. I don't care about cushion or post-shave properties.
2. Scent: good and light enough to be used daily. For some reason that includes Tabac for me!
3. Local availability: I prefer to support the local brick and mortar or online stores
4. Continuous availability
5. Cost and cost per shave

 

[TioFabi]

i add "Lather stability" to the list

 

[GaryTha]

Why Stick with Slick?

Slickness and scent are the most sought after attributes of a soap. Scent, I can understand. But what's the big deal about slickness?

There doesn't seem to be an industry standard for slickness. This is understandable because manufacturers seldom advertise an industry-standard as they can be proven wrong.

Slick seems to be the ease that the razor glides over the skin. Granted, it feels good, but have our arms become so weak we can't apply a bit of pressure? Besides, except for water, the ingredients most likely to create slick stick to the skin.

Advertisers "pre-suade" us to buy through focusing our attention on slick and through falsely associating slick with a great shave. When the time and leverage are right, they strike by asking for the order.

Cialdini, Robert B.. Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade (p. 16). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition.

 

[ScottChapin]

Why Stick with Slick?

Slickness and scent are the most sought after attributes of a soap. Scent, I can understand. But what's the big deal about slickness?

There doesn't seem to be an industry standard for slickness. This is understandable because manufacturers seldom advertise an industry-standard as they can be proven wrong.

Slick seems to be the ease that the razor glides over the skin. Granted, it feels good, but have our arms become so weak we can't apply a bit of pressure? Besides, except for water, the ingredients most likely to create slick stick to the skin.

Advertisers "pre-suade" us to buy through focusing our attention on slick and through falsely associating slick with a great shave. When the time and leverage are right, they strike by asking for the order.

Cialdini, Robert B.. Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade (p. 16). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition.

The only exception I would take is that slickness is a real reduction in friction. Yes you can push the razor across your face as is grabs and let’s go, bouncing all the way, leaving nicks and cuts along the way.

Pushing loses momentum, which is hindered by friction. A lower velocity requires brute force which pulls on the whiskers leaving you sore.

Cushion is more elusive and perhaps nonexistent. Perhaps it keeps the edge riding above the skin, protecting against cuts and abrasion. Maybe not.


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[GaryTha]

The only exception I would take is that slickness is a real reduction in friction. Yes you can push the razor across your face as is grabs and let’s go, bouncing all the way, leaving nicks and cuts along the way.

Pushing loses momentum, which is hindered by friction. A lower velocity requires brute force which pulls on the whiskers leaving you sore.

Cushion is more elusive and perhaps nonexistent. Perhaps it keeps the edge riding above the skin, protecting against cuts and abrasion. Maybe not.


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This is by far the best description of the benefits of slick I've ever read. I don't want my razor bouncing like my old Dodge pickup on a washboard dirt road.

I'm also agnostic about the existence of cushion.

 

[Atlantic59]

Slickness and scent are the most sought after attributes of a soap. Scent, I can understand. But what's the big deal about slickness?

The purpose of slickness is to reduce friction with the end result of less irritation to the skin. You only need a certain minimum level of slickness, beyond that threshold it won't make much difference.

I think the need for slickness varies from person-to-person. On one extreme, some people can shave in the shower with just water and be OK. On the other extreme, some people's skin get irritated very easily so slickness is something they benefit from.

Scent is fairly unimportant, since soap is a poor carrier of scent and it's very short-lived. A pleasant scent is good enough, IMO.

I also believe cushion is a mythical idea. You get a closer shave with as thin a layer of soap & water as possible as long as it is lubricating enough to avoid irritation.

Note: I may have repeated some of Scott's points since he posted while I was in the middle of this.

 

[RigelDust]

Honestly all of the soaps I purchase don’t have ANY performance issues. For me it’s just a scent preference.

 

[ScottChapin]

Honestly all of the soaps I purchase don’t have ANY performance issues. For me it’s just a scent preference.

You’ve been lucky. Scent tends to be the separator for me in most cases. I have a couple soaps that seem to like to dry out quickly on my face.

Perhaps I’m not getting enough water to them, but it might not be worth the while learning and remembering what makes them tick.


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[RigelDust]

You’ve been lucky. Scent tends to be the separator for me in most cases. I have a couple soaps that seem to like to dry out quickly on my face.

Perhaps I’m not getting enough water to them, but it might not be worth the while learning and remembering what makes them tick.


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Or you’re just taking too long to shave. lol

 

[ScottChapin]

Or you’re just taking too long to shave. lol

LOL. At first it was true with a straight razor. I do use a straight most every day. Most survive. Today, Cremo didn’t. I usually use Cremo as a Preshave. Today I used a 4” bead and whipped it up.

I had to keep adding water, but maybe I was trying too hard to get a nice thick cream. Again. I don’t get into remembering drastically different ways to get a lather going.


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[RigelDust]

I’d rather to be on the dry side than wet.

That sentence right there seems completely wrong and something I thought I’d never ever say in my life.
This may only apply to shave soap.

 

[ScottChapin]

I’d rather to be on the dry side than wet.

That sentence right there seems completely wrong and something I thought I’d never ever say in my life.
This may only apply to shave soap.[emoji23]

Not when it’s clay.


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[GaryTha]

Suppose there were three shavers who only used one soap.

1. Which one likely has the most money?
2. Which one likely gets the best shave?
3. What is the dominant attribute of each soap?

 

[Bogeyman]

Glide, i.e., slickness & scent. Rarely has latherability been an issue. I can only recall two duds: Mystic Waters & Green Mountain soaps. Post shave feel for me is about as important as taxes for Bill Gates since I use a post shave cleanser. In other words, it's a total non-issue. I think the artisan soap making World has been sidetracked, or maybe even highjacked, by those reviewers bellering for post shave face feel to rival that of a Parisian salon. It's shaving soap, not cold cream.

 

[xiletero]

glide!
I rather have NO smell than smells I do not like
ease of use
price

 

[TWA]

I rate slickness and post shave as my main 'wants' in a shave soap. I really don't have problems making a lather with most every soap I've brought in. There were a couple of duds but I'm more careful now (no more etsy soap lol).

Interesting is that I only brought one soap with my over holiday vacation and it was a cheap soap but excellent performer. Super slick and awesome post shave. It got me thinking how it would compare to one of the elite soaps in my den. I tried it against GD Aion and even with the 500 ingredients in Aion it didn't perform any better than the cheap soap.

 

[superbaaad]

I rate slickness and post shave as my main 'wants' in a shave soap. I really don't have problems making a lather with most every soap I've brought in. There were a couple of duds but I'm more careful now (no more etsy soap lol).

Interesting is that I only brought one soap with my over holiday vacation and it was a cheap soap but excellent performer. Super slick and awesome post shave. It got me thinking how it would compare to one of the elite soaps in my den. I tried it against GD Aion and even with the 500 ingredients in Aion it didn't perform any better than the cheap soap.

Ok, you know I have to ask, what soap was it you brought with you?

 

[superbaaad]

Glide, i.e., slickness & scent. Rarely has latherability been an issue. I can only recall two duds: Mystic Waters & Green Mountain soaps. Post shave feel for me is about as important as taxes for Bill Gates since I use a post shave cleanser. In other words, it's a total non-issue. I think the artisan soap making World has been sidetracked, or maybe even highjacked, by those reviewers bellering for post shave face feel to rival that of a Parisian salon. It's shaving soap, not cold cream.

Haha, well put. May I ask what your favorites are given I think we have similar desires?

 

[JoeLr]

As long as the soap/cream provides slickness, facilitating easy glide for the razor on my face, and the scent isn't obnoxious to me, that's all I want. I will not chase/pay for soaps lauding terrific post-shave properties since I shave pre-shower and use my own skin protection regimen. I prefer to not rely on a shaving soap for that.

 

[PatElliott]

I know I replied earlier to this thread, but I recently bought some soaps that have changed the way I look at soaps.
Since my last post I have used Stirling Barbershop and M&M Trinity and both soaps provided that "slickness". Now previously I had used TOBS soap and Proraso soap and they both performed very well, but they did not possess the slickness of Stirling and M&M. With those two soaps my razor glided with ease and left no irritation. For me that is important because I have sensitive skin. The shave was so enjoyable that I was not worried about giving my skin an adequate amount of time to heal. Now I do use aftershave splash and balm to help soothe irritation and moisturize, but I could definitely tell a difference between my old soaps and my new soaps.
With that being said I do have to admit scent is important to me. TOBS sandalwood soap still remains my favorite (and I may be partial because it was the first soap I used when learning to shave with a straight razor) and doesn't irritate my skin very much unless I skip my aftershave routine. I do rank Stirling Barbershop and M&M Trinity above my Proraso Sandalwood because the slickness and cushion they provided cannot be overlooked.