looking for all purpose soap... lather, shower, shampoo

**Omnichron** · 02-09-2010, 12:52 PM

etc.. any good ones out there? I just want a big chunk of awesome soap that will keep me clean and make excellent lather. price is no matter.

**jlindy** · 02-09-2010, 01:37 PM

You might want to take a look at this http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...?ltr=W&t=88093 I can't testify for it myself having not tried it, but it looks interesting.

**kingfisher** · 02-09-2010, 01:42 PM

Why?

I prefer buying soaps that are uniquely suited to the situation.

Having said that, I think VDH makes a nice combo bath soap/shaving soap. Not sure if it is supposed to be used as a shampoo or not.

**Thunderjugg** · 02-09-2010, 01:48 PM

there are one or two available under the american title that does proraso, available at bbw. probably not the boojiest of soaps however i have tried one or two with satisfying results. if nothing else, they will be readily available. also, in this area (southern pa), there are a lot of home made items which, with a little searching can be found readily and at a decent price. again, not the easiest item to notice unless you are in your fifties and female as they are often sold at fleamarket style locals as well as farmer markets, nooked in nicely between lots of things made of grapevines and potpurri. ask your grandmother :roll:

**Thunderjugg** · 02-09-2010, 01:52 PM

i hesitated to mention, been watching the uk version of the office a bit much....

when i was stationed in japan of all places, there was a guy whose wife was from africa. they imported some of the best homemade soaps and oils ive ever experienced. take from it what you will, i would say go non production/mass produced, as my experiences have led me to prefer homestyle.

**jkh** · 02-09-2010, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by jlindy

You might want to take a look at this http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...?ltr=W&t=88093 I can't testify for it myself having not tried it, but it looks interesting.

That is what I would recommend if you are looking for an all in one. I too have not tried it, but the reviews claim it to be a good shampoo, soap, and shave soap.

**DESkydiver** · 02-09-2010, 02:06 PM

The only thing I am aware of that comes close to an all purpose soap is Dr. Bronners Castile Soap:

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm

It does not lather up well with a brush for shaving IMHO, but it is quite versatile. I have used for years for many different situations... a great camping soap that is bio-degradable, can even be used to brush your teeth (talk about a new twist to washing your mouth out with soap

) It is one of the multi-use items that is always in my camping gear.

**norton** · 02-09-2010, 02:19 PM

The Woody's I've used as a shampoo and soap - works well - I'd have to defer to the review above for shaving performance, since I didn't try that.

Someone here had a tub of Woody's on the BST recently.... I think it was the guy with "House" as his avatar...he could probably provide some input.

The bar is big. Their Post-Shave rescue isn't bad either.

**cfriend** · 02-09-2010, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by jkh

That is what I would recommend if you are looking for an all in one. I too have not tried it, but the reviews claim it to be a good shampoo, soap, and shave soap.

I recently sold my Woody's soap on the BST. Works well on all three fronts, but I found it to disappear FAR too quickly as a bath soap.

**WinstonSmith** · 02-09-2010, 03:00 PM

Pears. I find it in the dollar store (!), and I really like it for a bath soap. The only thing I found seriously wrong with it for body/noggin/shave was that it dried out my hair. Didn't make a habit of it, but limited results were favorable.

**dcrosso** · 02-09-2010, 03:19 PM

I recently purchased 10 bars of Woody's Meat and Potatoes bar soap. See:SHAVING SOAP REVIEWS. I probably will not use it all the time for shaving as I have numerous creams and soaps to shave with. I was looking for a all natural bar soap to use in the shower for my body, hair and face prior to shaving. The reviews I read were all positive and it is supposed to be very moisturizing. At first I thought it would be to expensive, running $7 to $15 at various online supplyers. I happened to find a source at Nationwide Beauty Supply for $5.98 for a 12 oz. bar. Shipping was around $7.50 so I ordered ten bars to spread out the per bar cost.

I changed the shipping costs. I confused the shipping with another company.

**Schwert** · 02-09-2010, 05:40 PM

J.R. Liggett's Bar Shampoo Soap makes a decent shampoo and even though I think it would dissappear way to fast as an all-purpose bath soap it is not bad for that. I have not used it to shave with, but I can rub up a slick feeling (not too huge bubbles) shampoo so it ought to work adequately.

Not cheap though.

I got a bar for Christmas and as a shampoo I like it (no signs of new hair growth though

)

http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/...cessor=content

**dcrosso** · 02-09-2010, 11:59 PM

J R Liggetts bar shampoo soap is available at Vitacost for $3.89 per 3.5 oz. bar. I bought a couple of bars a while back and it does agood job, just does not last very long, even just using it on your scalp. The Woody's is several dollars more, but you get 12 oz. They also sale South of France bar soaps and numerous other brands, Toms of Maine,etc. Their shipping is not to bad if you make a large order.

**kingfisher** · 02-10-2010, 07:32 AM

This is a link to the VDH stuff. Marketed as a bath soap combined with a shaving soap. Dunno about using it as a shampoo.

http://www.amazon.com/Van-Hagen-Acti...5815772&sr=1-6

**Not4you** · 02-10-2010, 07:51 AM

I use this is the shower for an all-over clean ...

**MPruett** · 02-10-2010, 10:43 AM

Nivea makes this product.... you've probably seen the commercials, and that's what started the idea leading to the thread.

Seriously though.. the Nivea 3-in-one bodywash/shampoo/shave gel is a fine body wash and shampoo, but it's lacking in the shave gel department. It's fine for using a disposable with on a single-pass shave (did it on a hunting trip), but not something I'd choose to use daily.

**andrew98** · 02-10-2010, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Not4you

I use this is the shower for an all-over clean ...

Too bad it's no good for shaving.

-Andy

**soapbox** · 02-10-2010, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by andrew98

Too bad it's no good for shaving.

came here for the obligatory Williams' abuse comments.

Leaving content.

**verdict** · 02-10-2010, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Schwert

J.R. Liggett's Bar Shampoo Soap makes a decent shampoo and even though I think it would dissappear way to fast as an all-purpose bath soap it is not bad for that. I have not used it to shave with, but I can rub up a slick feeling (not too huge bubbles) shampoo so it ought to work adequately.

Not cheap though.

I got a bar for Christmas and as a shampoo I like it (no signs of new hair growth though

)

http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/...cessor=content

just tried it, the lather does disappear over a period of time. luckily I tried it on my hand and not my face.

**xgunterx** · 02-10-2010, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by WinstonSmith

Pears. I find it in the dollar store (!), and I really like it for a bath soap. The only thing I found seriously wrong with it for body/noggin/shave was that it dried out my hair. Didn't make a habit of it, but limited results were favorable.

I still use it to shave from time to time (in rotation). Since we bought all the Claus Porto soaps (hey, choosing is really hard and free shipping from Portugal was nice too), I use it mainly now to wash the face before shaving.
I used it a few times to wash my hair and I can confirm it does give me the feeling of drying out a bit which is strange because it is a very moisturizing soap to wash the body and to shave with.
The ASB from Woody's is really magnificent and the gel is also a very good product.