What's the difference between soap & cream

[flyingfool]

Newbie with questions:

the purpose of a soap and cream seems to be the same. To get lather to shave. So what is the difference between a shave soap and a shaving cream?

Also what is the difference between:

After shave, lotion and balm and tonic?

 

[Niles]

There is a section of the B&B shave wiki that talks about soaps and creams here. http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Getting_started_wetshaving Scroll down and you should see it. Basically creams are a bit easier to lather since they are softer. But you are correct in that the purpose is the same. Soaps are more traditional. Some people like one or the other better, some use both equally.

 

[KodiakAttack]

Welcome to B&B!
Indeed, the purpose of both soaps and creams is the same. Its the original state of the product that makes the difference. Shaving Soap is just that. Its a soap similar to a bar of regular soap, but specially formulated for shaving with the added ingredients that provide slickness and moisturizing/lathering properties. Most commonly found in a circular hockey "puck" shape, but can also be found in a stick form which can be applied directly to the face.

Creams commonly come in squeeze tubes or tubs/bowls. They can range from being lightly whipped, to very densely packed cream. Creams can have a slightly different formula than soaps and tend to be easier to lather due to the water content in them. Over-all, creams and soaps do the same job but the method of whipping up a lather is different between the two. Soaps tend to have more variables, some being easier to lather than others. Most creams are pretty consistent on their ease of lathering.
Hope this helps.

 

[Chadao]

I started with soap, then picked up some creams, and then PIFed the creams. I used only soaps for about a year, they just seemed to perform better for me...especially MWF and Mike's. Then I tried Irisch Moos and not I'm back using soaps and creams.

 

[The Dean]

There is a great interview with Al Raz (of Al's Shaving) today on the Sharpologist:

http://sharpologist.com/2013/07/interview-with-al-raz.html

In one of his list of common misconceptions this is his first:

a) some people believe that the difference between a soap and a cream is its consistency, it is the difference in formulation and production method that determines whether a product is a soap or a cream

Of course Al is right about the actual difference between a soap and a cream. But as a user, I'm really not that concerned with the manufacturing process when I start prepping my face and lathering. I approach the products based on its consistency. Honestly, I don't particularly care if the product is actually a soap or a cream, but rather how it performs. I use a lot of croaps. Some are labeled "crema". Are these produced as a cream and not as a soap (as with other soft soaps)? Truth is, I don't know. And when it's time to shave I don't care. If they are actually creams, but lather like soft soap, I will treat them as a soft soap--and classify them as a "croap" for my personal use.

I have always wanted to try Al's cream and now I want to try his soap (Sapone de Barba) too.

 

[Eeyore]

In my experience, it is easier to get creams "too wet" than it is with soap. I like soaps that can take a huge amount of water without going runny.