Great list in this thread, especially as you include a number of my favorites:
Haslinger (all eight varieties)
MWF (which may take awhile to master)
Speick
Haslinger (all eight varieties)
MWF (which may take awhile to master)
Speick
After the shave you could use a dollop(almond size) CeraVe moisturizing lotion, that lotion will do wonders for most folks. Most soaps are slightly Alkaline on the PH scale so getting your skin more to neutral PH level will help and CeraVe is more neutral on theI’ve recently returned to the world of shaving after having a long beard for over a year. I started out shaving in the shower with a DE for a couple of months, but now I’m getting back into shaving with straights again.
I’ve been face lathering with Tabac almost exclusively, and always shave right after my shower, but it feels like my skin is very dry right after my shaves, and it even feels like the soap lather is drying out my skin before my first pass is done. I can definitely feel more pull/irritation when this happens.
I’m interested in what the hive mind thinks; am I just making a bad lather, or should I try some other potentially more moisturizing soaps that would improve my experience, and if so which ones would the hive-mind recommend for long lasting lather and moisturizing properties?
After the shave you could use a dollop(almond size) CeraVe moisturizing lotion, that lotion will do wonders for most folks. Most soaps are slightly Alkaline on the PH scale so getting your skin more to neutral PH level will help and CeraVe is more neutral on the
PH scale for myself! CeraVe can be bought at most pharmacies & Amazon in North America and is very common + affordable.
(old archived photo, this works well for a moisturizing balm, better than others I have tried over the years!)
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I use it when the shave is completed, my procedure usually I like to wash my face with warm water when done shaving to remove most soap residual and then towel dry my face then apply some aftershave(optional) then apply a little CeraVe moisturizing cream.Kind sir, when should we include this lotion during the shave routine? Is it to replace the aftershave product? I also suffer from sensitive dry skin
I love Lothur Grooming shave soaps. They have a nice clean scent, it is easy to lather, are very slick, and have a post-shave feel, unlike any other soap I have used. Absolutely fantastic shave soap. In fact, if I have to choose only one shave soap to use for the rest of my life, it would definitely be Lothur.Lothur v2 or Zingari (Sego)
I just realized I’m late to the party haha.Thank you everyone for the replies: Here’s some updates for me/ things I did based on recommendations here.
Overall, my shaves are much better, and my skin feels much more moisturized. Good luck to the reader to discern which of the 10 interventions I made is most/more/somewhat responsible for the improvement.
- I’m better/ faster at straight razor shaving
- My edges have improved through acquisition of better hones, and better honing skill.
Proraso Blue pre-shave: Absolutely wonderful. Easily the biggest game changer for me. Improves soap lathers. This is the first thing I’ve tried that allows me to shave without showering immediately before shaving. Now, I just need to find a similar non-mentholated product for times I don’t feel like mixing with the cooling effects. Please comment with recs.
Stirling soaps: easy to make LONG lasting lather. Probably the 2nd best post shave feel. I got 2 scents:
Haverford: Fantastic scent, even though my wife said the soap looked like poo when it was in the bowl. Lather is a light brown/ off white color, but performance is great and scent pleases this guy who used to smoke vanilla scented pipes.
Bay Rum: Another great performer this time in a classic/traditional scent. Wife has never said the soap looks like poo.
Proraso White Shave Soap: Scent is ho-hum. Super slick. Super easy to make long lasting lather. Great post shave feel. Really a great all around performer, especially when paired with proraso pre and post shave.
Mitchell’s Wool Fat: Easily the best immediate post shave feel. Lather definitely SHORT lasting, re-lathering/ rewetting lather is a must. Trickier to find the sweet spot, but probably the best of the lot when you get it right.
Speick Cream: I only used it once, mostly because I’m more of a soap guy in general. Not memorably good, not memorably bad in any way either.
CeraVe: I’ve been using morning/night when I remember. My skin feels more moisturized overall, but I still look old. I found out after purchasing that this product had been supported by Dylan Mulvany. I have not worn, not had the compunction to wear a dress since using though.
Tabac (aquired in 2021; probably tallow based?): Used today for the first time in a few weeks since posting this thread. Great lather. Great scent for this old guy. Really pretty good in moisturizing and long lasting lather. And a really good post shave feel.
Maybe all of the problems I was having before were due to poor SR technique, slowness, poor edges, resistance to relatheting, resistance to using face moisturizer, previously acquired and now resolved bitchiness.
Or, just now (slightly) satisfied preshave AD, hone AD, soap AD, and postshave AD.
Hope y’all enjoy the process as much as I do
I just realized I’m late to the party haha.