newbie :Soap or cream ?

Hi

I'm getting my first Safety razor tomorrow .

As i am totally new to wet shaving , i was wondering :

what is exactly the difference between using a soap OR using a cream ?

I was getting a proraso soap , but now i szz they also sell proraso cream.

As a newbie , is it wise to get the soap / cream ? or is it personal ?

I probably get them both , and smell-feel for myself .

Thx!

Personally I'd get the soap if you want Proraso. Its a very soft soap, tends to be cheaper, and will last longer. Check out the help section and read making great lather with soaps.

Mostly personal and what your face reacts to. Start off with the basics, Proraso cream, Tabac soap and some Speick and venture off from there. It will get you a good idea of what you want to look for in future products. And it will convince you that the most expensive isn't always the best. Have fun and enjoy!

Creams tend to be a bit easier to lather for new shavers, but beyond that it is really just a personal preference.

Proraso soap is odd. More like cream, really. If you try it, don't judge soaps by it. Besides that, there's glycerin-only soaps, and oil/fat soaps, and you should eventually try both. Agree with the other posts on the rest.

And welcome to B&B.

My first soap was tabac,and I also tried mama bears which is a glycerin base I believe. I get good lather from tabac,to me mama bears is a little tougher I'm new as well and I'm still working on my soap, water ratio. But tabac smells good and feels good when shaving. Mama bear is good but like I said I'm personal having issues with it others don't. Mama bears is cheap to and smells wonderful. I have dragons blood.

Just gotta discover that for yourself. I went with the creams first and discovered my skin prefers the tallow soaps better.

both a good, just go with whichever takes your fancy

As a newbie try VDH which is available at many discount stores like Wal Mart. LOw cost investment with easy lathering.

A good newbie cream is musgo or em's line of stuff.

Buy both and use both, together = superlather

I have both Proraso tube cream and green tub soap, scent/latherwise both are identical. The tub seems to last longer and is probrably more economical. The cream is probrably easier to lather with.

I agree with the recommendation to try both, though I prefer soaps. Do yourself a favor and stay away from Williams soap. I had a tough time with it when I first started wet shaving. Some of my very favorite soaps turn out to be very affordable- SCS $6, The Shave Den $7, Mama Bear $8. I highly recommend them to anyone but especially the newbie.

both

Welcome to B&B!

I think you have good advices on soap vs cream. I would pick cream if I was starting, easier to work with!

jkh said:

Creams tend to be a bit easier to lather for new shavers, but beyond that it is really just a personal preference.

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I agree. Either will work well -- it's just a matter of what you prefer. For that reason, I recommend trying a couple of creams, a glycerin soap, and a tallow soap. Find out what you like best, and go from there.

Welcome mate - I'm sure you'll be trying several of each before too long

thx for the replies

AND i got my first DE shave today ! with my new Merkur HD 38C

Dr harris lavender soap

some little nicks , no fancy cuts

ALthough i'm not totally happy , because i m still not totally clean , but
i think thats probably normal for a first time.

btw my technique was lather-shave North to South ; lather-shave North to South ; lather - shave South to North .

Comments on the technique are welcome thx

For technique and info, watch this video. Then watch all his others.

I would recommend a cream (other than Proraso... Kiss My Face is dirt cheap for a big pump bottle just as a start and to build confidence. Unscented, Lime or Peach fragrances. Get it at Whole Foods, some Kroger stores, or health food stores), get Proraso in the tub (good value, soft soap so you get an in between type product), and get a hard soap like Pre de Provence (big puck, great value, excellent performance, comes in a nice tin for use and storage). Harris Arlington, Trumper's Rose, Mitchell's Wool Fat (don't be scared off reading that some folks have difficulty with this one), and Tabac (I hate... hate the fragrance, but most folks seem to like it) are also excellent choices.

With that little collection of three products, you'll be able to experiment without spending a fortune, you'll have some variety in your shave den, and you'll be able to figure out what you prefer. Once you have some experience, you may find soap more fun and challenging. I do, and I only use soaps now. Here's a good tutorial to help you use soap successfully.

Don't forget aftershave too. I like alcohol-free products like Provence Sante Green Tea (splash with shea butter), Nivea Sensitive Skin aftershave balm, or Trumpers Skin Food (Sandalwood is my favorite, and lime is nice too. A little goes a long way. It's pricey but worth every single penny.).

Welcome to B&B, and have fun.

-Andy

Thx Andrew for the info