Which Countries Make the Best Shaving Software?
- Thread starter SalS
- Start date
I would agree that the US has some great shaving software products. It may sound blasphemous, but I don't think I've ever tried any Italian software. I know that I've intended to get Proraso and Cella throughout the years, but never ended up doing so.
@SalS what software from the UK or France have you tried? DR Harris makes some of my favorite soaps. Truefitt and Hill are my favorite among the Three T's, but I have also enjoyed Taylor of Old Bond Street and Trumpers as well. Castle Forbes was great once dialed in. I always have some Pre de Province in my bathroom.
@SalS what software from the UK or France have you tried? DR Harris makes some of my favorite soaps. Truefitt and Hill are my favorite among the Three T's, but I have also enjoyed Taylor of Old Bond Street and Trumpers as well. Castle Forbes was great once dialed in. I always have some Pre de Province in my bathroom.
Shaving creams are where Brits excel. I love Cyril R Salter.
Hi Sals, Respect your YMMV view on what works for you personally based on your sudden conversion to brushless products in the Spring of 2023 (see P.S.S. below for details). You need to qualify this statement by noting that you currently prefer brushless products that represent a narrow segment within the plethora of shaving soaps and creams that we use. In your post last Sunday (7/21/24) you noted that "I have only one razor, no brush...." and in later posts noted that you currently only use two products from a single U.S. vendor that you hand lather.
You have even gone as far as to state that "Canned foam and gels are a step above using a soap and a brush but definitely not as good as the more expensive brushless creams and gels that are non aerosol. Unfortunately for some its hard to accept." in your June 5th post and "Lather is shaving eye candy and nothing more." in your 10/8/23 post in an SV shaving soap thread.
You actually find the majority of products discussed here on B&B disappointing because they typically work best with a shaving brush regardless of the country of origin. While I respect your personal preferences the condescending tone of your posts, like the one above or your May 10th post on Mitchell's Wool Fat "Honestly is it worth thinking about?", indicates that you do not respect ours. For the majority of us that enjoy creating lather with a brush we find that soaps and creams from many countries, such as the U.K., Turkey, Portugal and Germany as well as the U.S. and Italy in my case, deliver great shaves that are enjoyable. In fact, like many here, I personally find that creating my own lather with a brush is one of the most enjoyable aspects of wet shaving. In today's modern age how often do we get to craft our own personal product?
Bottom line is that your statement above is not valid for most of us as it is solely based on your narrow set of personal preferences. We respect your preferences, please respect ours.
P.S. You have repeatedly claimed, in multiple posts, that shaving creams are "technologically superior" to shaving soaps without any real justification of the claim. I'm struggling to understand why your favorite Jack Black (JB) cream that has Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, a surfactant and emulsifier, as its second ingredient after water and the typical stearic acid base found in many soaps and creams is technologically superior? Interesting that in its web product listing Jack Black tries to ignore any of the top 7 ingredients in this cream when it talks about what is in the product and focuses on trace ingredients. Full analysis in the thread linked below starting with post#11. The JB Beard Lube you also tout has alcohol as its second ingredient that you noted "Alcohol is one of the worst things you can put on your skin." in your May 5, 2023 post.
Link to Jack Black Cream Ingredients Analysis and Comparison:
JACK BLACK Beard Lube: Stand alone or Base
Just purchased Jack Black Beard Lube. Product is more of a gel. For those who use, do you utilize as a stand along product? Or, do you top it with a shaving cream? For those who use as a stand alone what is your impression?
www.badgerandblade.com
P.S.S. Saw your 3/10/23 post that indicates that a little over a year ago you had a much more balanced perspective on shaving soaps and creams: "Overworking lather is just as bad as underworking it. Frankly I use shaving soap about half the time I shave and the other half an incredible non lathering cream by a New York company called Blu Atlas. For a long time I used Cremo, which I thought gave a fantastic shave. So when I use a soap I spend about a minute developing lather. Stirling and Proraso build fast and I prefer a wetter lather." In a 5/14/23 post you acknowledged "great shaves with Proraso"
On April 16, 2023 you posted that you purchased some Jack Black for the first time in years and by an April 22nd post you stated that "I am off the brush and soap thing" claiming they were obsolete. By the May 14, 2023 post noted above you began primarily touting Jack Black and have continued to do this since then.
Curious to know if you have been compensated by Jack Black in any way, including free product, to help them market their shaving products? If your sudden conversion to Jack Black, away from classic shaving products, was just a personal epiphany we respect that. However if you are now a compensated spokesperson you need to disclose that.
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- Thread starter
- #5
Yes tried all of those over the years. All average in my opinion and not on the level of the American and Italian artisans or the more easily available soaps and creams.
Hi, I just went through @SalS historic posts for my response in this thread above. Did not see any mention of his using U.K. based products in his posts going back roughly three years (all that are available). Soaps mentions only included Stirling and Proraso. Not sure what his original post is based on unless I missed something or it is per usage from years ago.
@Raven Koenes , agree on the Cyril R. Salter creams. I use their Wild Rose and French Vetiver that are great. Their hard tallow based pucks are also excellent.
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- Thread starter
- #7
I have tried all of them trust me, but never have brought them up. No point.
I prefer products from Portugal!
As I've previously asked, what else have you tried from the UK and France?
Care to elaborate? Any specific qualities or characteristics that you find inferior in UK or French products?
My LEA Professional and Mendolada creams are excellent. At some point I need to dig out the unused LEA shaving stick that I've yet to try.
The ones that make Jack Black Beard Lube and Henson
Every country (that manufacturers shaving software & anything else for that matter) makes good stuff and bad stuff!
I don't see the point of breaking down who's better and who isn't!
Popularity (marketing) & amount of sales can also play a role in who perceptually makes a better product.
i.e., A big name has a better shot of making a product that people will purchase first (thinking it's best) which negates the possible future sales of a product from the little guy.
Buy & try whatever you feel suits you best from whatever country it is and enjoy the shave!
Just my point of view!
I don't see the point of breaking down who's better and who isn't!
Popularity (marketing) & amount of sales can also play a role in who perceptually makes a better product.
i.e., A big name has a better shot of making a product that people will purchase first (thinking it's best) which negates the possible future sales of a product from the little guy.
Buy & try whatever you feel suits you best from whatever country it is and enjoy the shave!
Just my point of view!
Here is a joyful thread with 1 million views and 29,000 replies over nearly 1500 pages that *celebrates* the international diversity of the products we love:
www.badgerandblade.com
This thread does not spark joy. It is the opposite of joy.
Love what you love and tell us all about it but why do you have to take a dig at, get this, not even a specific product, but a couple of whole countries worth of unspecified products (all of which you have tried). Hah!
Personally, I love software from France, Germany, Italy, USA and the UK. That’s just what I’ve tried. You‘ll find plenty of verified experience in my posts and journal where I talk about it.
I’m sure there is loads of stuff I have yet to try and some I’ll never get around to. I don’t really consider the country of origin, other than as a point of interest in terms of appreciating the product and its heritage. There is something wonderful about a good triple-milled soap, whether from Italy, the UK or Germany. Likewise, a nice artisan product is a nice artisan product. A great cream is a great cream. Croaps. Don’t get me started on my love of croap (ok they’re mainly Italian).
Good soaps and creams stand up on their own merits. There is no sensible way to classify their performance or quality by reference to country of origin.
How international were you today?
USA - Blackland TI Blackbird, Dickenson’s WH. Russia - GSB. France - MdC Rose. Italy - Mugseco lather bowl, Omega 011842, SV Desert Vetiver AS.
www.badgerandblade.com
This thread does not spark joy. It is the opposite of joy.
Love what you love and tell us all about it but why do you have to take a dig at, get this, not even a specific product, but a couple of whole countries worth of unspecified products (all of which you have tried). Hah!
Personally, I love software from France, Germany, Italy, USA and the UK. That’s just what I’ve tried. You‘ll find plenty of verified experience in my posts and journal where I talk about it.
I’m sure there is loads of stuff I have yet to try and some I’ll never get around to. I don’t really consider the country of origin, other than as a point of interest in terms of appreciating the product and its heritage. There is something wonderful about a good triple-milled soap, whether from Italy, the UK or Germany. Likewise, a nice artisan product is a nice artisan product. A great cream is a great cream. Croaps. Don’t get me started on my love of croap (ok they’re mainly Italian).
Good soaps and creams stand up on their own merits. There is no sensible way to classify their performance or quality by reference to country of origin.
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I'll be honest, I don't even know or care where stuff is made.
If it works, if works.
If it works, if works.
@SalS answered a similar question a couple of weeks ago with his July 15th response "You name it. Mass market, artisan basically everything. The beard lube is non lathering but the cream is big latherer. I have have good experiences with other products like Proraso, Ariana & Evans, Ethos, Stirling, Cella and others, but this combination is unbeatable. I normally buy them at Nordstrom Rack in NYC where I live." (link below, see post #55). All made in the U.S.or Italy products.
Not sure you will get a further response. When SalS started jumping into threads I've posted on to denigrate use of products that provide shaving lather and tout his preferred alternatives with "superior technology" a couple of weeks ago I've asked for the basis of the claims and not received a response. Will leave this to you going forward as Moderator.
Link to SalS response to question " What lathering products you compared your non-lathering option with?":
Can Great Lather be Generated from Any Reasonable Quality Shaving Soap or Cream?
Cella is still a top favorite, but I've replaced Proraso green with TOBS Peppermint shaving cream, followed by Aqua Velva. I don't know why I like the peppermint better, but Cella red is really superb stuff. And unless they've fiddled with it lately, I think it is still the classic 100+ year old...
www.badgerandblade.com
Umm, not to step into your issue but leave what exactly to the moderators?
As far as I know, giving his opinion (whether you don't like it or think it's false) isn't out of line. I normally never stand in like this but quoting post after post from a user in order to degrade their opinion isn't right.
Takes a lot of time and effort to follow someone like that.
It's strange!
Just skip what he writes and move on!
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Thank you for your perspective.
Yes it is strange when someone's B&B participation for over a year is mostly focused on touting a single product and disrespecting alternative preferences. If just the former you are right that it is easy to skip what is written and move on. When combined with the latter that approach is harder. The major issue isn't the personal preferences expressed, it is the repeated ridicule of alternative preferences held by others.
As I noted in my above post I've said my piece and am now moving on as we all should.
Italy has the best factory stuff and the US has the best artesan stuff, hands down. There are some great products from other places, but noth8ng comes close to Italy and the US. Let's be serious.
Edit: also, Italy is probably second best for artesan stuff, and the US second best for factory stuff.
Edit: also, Italy is probably second best for artesan stuff, and the US second best for factory stuff.
Good, sounds like the right thing to do!
I'm not trying to sound hard on what you wrote but don't think that quoting everything and posting it is the right way to go.
I'd ignore the posts and personally PM a moderator!
Good luck!
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