What's the worse soap you've used?
- Thread starter steppinthrax
- Start date
My worst soap that wouldn't lather at all: Anything Geo F. Trumper. I couldn't get an acceptable lather from it, even when I used distilled water. There are some miracle workers here that can lather it (I've seen the video!), but not me. Threw it away.
My worst soap that did lather: VDH, whatever the pinkish colored one is. I really hated this soap. Didn't like the scent or the lather. Got an ok shave out of it, but still threw it away.
My worst soap that performs very well, but I still don't like it: Tabac. Yes, Tabac. Like I said, it performs very well, but I really dislike the stench ... I mean, scent. I know there are those who do like it, but I just don't. I've tried to use it over and over, hoping the scent will grow on me, but so far it hasn't. I have a stick of it and have used it about 10 times. I'll keep trying, because I want to like it ... it's a top performer, so I won't throw it out!
My worst soap that did lather: VDH, whatever the pinkish colored one is. I really hated this soap. Didn't like the scent or the lather. Got an ok shave out of it, but still threw it away.
My worst soap that performs very well, but I still don't like it: Tabac. Yes, Tabac. Like I said, it performs very well, but I really dislike the stench ... I mean, scent. I know there are those who do like it, but I just don't. I've tried to use it over and over, hoping the scent will grow on me, but so far it hasn't. I have a stick of it and have used it about 10 times. I'll keep trying, because I want to like it ... it's a top performer, so I won't throw it out!
Ah, I see, thanks for the explanation. I'm familiar with the technique but haven't heard that term before, perhaps because I've been away from the forum for a while.
I agree with everyone else who said Col. Conk lime. Just shaved with it for my first time. Oddly enough, my brother likes the scent, but I agree with the guys who say it smells like cheap dishwashing soap. The performance, I find, is similar to VDH Deluxe. That is to say, it's not cushiony and the blade cuts me as if I'm basically applying the razor to my bare, wet face. The stinging I got from my Clubman aftershave splash was crazy. Close shave, though. 
Looks like VDH and Col. Conk are going to become my new bath soaps. I'd feel bad about chucking them to the trash heap.
Looks like VDH and Col. Conk are going to become my new bath soaps. I'd feel bad about chucking them to the trash heap.
I've been "blooming" my soap for 25 years. I'll probably still call it "soaking" though 
If you're judging it based on its lack of lather ... please understand that it doesn't lather because its not supposed to.
Burt's Bees SC gives me a great shave every time, albeit without the voluminous white foam we're used to seeing. That doesn't prevent it from providing plenty of moisturizing, lubrication, cushioning and glide.
And I appreciate the fact that the ingredients list is written in plain English, and contains mostly essential oils and extracts without a lot of obscure chemicals I can't pronounce and don't understand.
Not to mention Burt's Bees is dirt cheap and available everywhere. You can pick up the whole range of BB's men's grooming products (shave cream, asb, bath soap, deodorant, shampoo/body wash, cologne, hair gel) for a fraction of the cost of other major brands.
The one complaint I have about Burt's Bees shaving cream is the smell. I like it, but its too narrowly focused to the Summer Season. If they could come out with an unscented version, or other flavors that would work at other times of the year, that would be a big plus.
I know Burt's Bees doesn't get a whole lotta love around B&B, and that's a shame. Its a good product that doesn't deserve the bad rap that's been forced on it.
My worst soap ever was Provence Sante ... I don't know which version it was since I just had a 1/2 puck that I got in a BST deal.
This soap lathered up easily. It looked good and it smelled great. It felt good when I applied it to my beard. But when I put the blade to work, I got tugging and irritation and a lot of missed spots. My skin was red and irritated afterwards.
I gave it a fair shot over the next month and tried it 2 more times, trying different brushes and razor/blade ... same results each time. So I threw it away and never looked back.
Provence Sante is one of very few products I've had to ban from my shave routine. I know it has a good reputation and a loyal following, but after 3 uses that led to disastrous results, I decided that it wasn't for me.
This soap lathered up easily. It looked good and it smelled great. It felt good when I applied it to my beard. But when I put the blade to work, I got tugging and irritation and a lot of missed spots. My skin was red and irritated afterwards.
I gave it a fair shot over the next month and tried it 2 more times, trying different brushes and razor/blade ... same results each time. So I threw it away and never looked back.
Provence Sante is one of very few products I've had to ban from my shave routine. I know it has a good reputation and a loyal following, but after 3 uses that led to disastrous results, I decided that it wasn't for me.
Never expected to lather. I expected it to hold a lubricant film. I'm cheap and I couldn't force myself to finish the tube. If it works for you, great. Cremo, Neutrogena, "Kiss My Face" all make decent non-foaming shave creams. They're ok for DE and cart shaving, but only adequate for SR shaving in my experience. Burt's didn't make the cut although I do like a few of their other products.
Calling it "dirt cheap" is an interesting description. It's neither widely carried nor what I would call cheap in the Sacramento area. Whole Paycheck(Foods) carries it. Maybe others, but I don't make a point of looking for it either.
Actually, I've found a couple good brushless creams that worked very well but I only use them when I'm in a rush and rather not grab the can of Barbasol. I do find them to be a great base as well if you want an extra bit of slip on a soap at times instead of using a pre-shave soap, oil or Noxema.
Badger and Herban Cowboy - I bought them on the same day at Whole Foods and ended up tossing them on the same day one week later.
I agree, the Badger soap is pretty bad, but the worst one I have tried is modern C&E soap. I have literally gotten better lather from a bath soap (Avon Core Winds comes to mind) I even tried grating it and trying it again with no luck. Now it is a hand soap at the bathroom sink. No need to throw away soap.
Col Conk's is one brand I'll never buy again. So many good soaps out there, no need to settle for anything less than a high performer, IMO.
Rocky Mountain Soap Company's shave bar. The 100% natural, toxin free, love mother earth, new millennium hipsters who make this stuff are out to lunch. A hand soap from any truck stop will do much better as a shaving soap. The good news is its a cheap, nicely scented hand soap or you can return it for a full refund, even without receipt, when visiting their stores in Western Canada.
Tabac. Yes, I know....don't even say it. For me this soap performed very well...awesome lather...but it was the scent...unbearable.
A soap from a Farmer's Market. It had "clay" 
haha, I agree. But after 2-3 months, I started to actually like the smell.
