Foam from a can... was it always evil?

[Topgumby]

This thread on Indian Old Spice shaving cream in a tube has a couple of comments from The Nid Hog and Theperfectstorm praising (gasp!) vintage canned foam.

If there is one thing that seems to get almost universal disdain here, it's "canned goo". A guy can say he shaves with a nice soap or cream and a Fusion, and he'll get some rolled eyes but an equal amount of "whatever works for you!" supportive posts.

If a guy posts that he shaves with a Single Ring, Bolzano blades and Edge Gel, you can almost smell the tar and feather being prepared.

There are a ton of threads asking "Why the switch to cartridges?" but hardly any debate on the move to aerosol foams and gels. It seems that the consensus is that men put away the brush and mug due to speed and convenience, and somehow forgot that the old way was better.

I did a "week of canned goo" after I'd been using a brush for awhile, and found the modern products to be anywhere from truly bad to adequate but uninspiring.

Even though I'm getting old enough that the gray hairs are starting to dominate, I'm not old enough to remember any pre-80's canned foams, nor have I tried to locate any. Those posts from some guys who have opinions that I put some weight behind got me thinking, however.

• Were the original canned foams better than the hated "canned goo" products we have today?
• If so, why?
• Is there something about an aerosol foam that makes it automatically inferior to a lather that's built by the shaver?
• Why the change, and why was it virtually universal (as far as I can tell)?

Any memories from guys who were shaving during the big switch in the Fifties and Sixties would be awesome.

Just to add my own pre-conversion history, I used to use Edge Gel, and before that I had tried whatever foam was on sale or available as a travel size at the PX. I must have been unsatisfied at some level, because I do recall trying Old Spice shaving soap and liking it, using a Gillette Brush Plus gizmo to build the lather. I remember my father using a mug and OS soap on the weekends, but his everyday shave was a can of Barbasol, IIRC.

[DavyRay]

I used aerosol lather from the late 1960s on until about 1971. I thought it worked well. I eventually settled on Barbasol. It was inexpensive, and made good lather.
I have no experience with other aerosol shaving products.

[Moe]

For decades, Burma-Shave (in a tube) belittled the shaving brush, resulting in a plethora of "brushless" shaving cream products. I started out double-edged shaving in the early 60s with Palmolive "brushless" shave cream in a tube, but used with a boar bristle brush. That was MUCH better than using it brushless, something very few experienced in those days. I personally believe the growth in popularity of foam in a can in resulted from the poor performance of "brushless" shaving cream in a tube, applied by hand. Today, I sometimes use Palmolive cream in a tube from Belgium, with a badger brush, and find it to be excellent.

"Blinded by science," I switched to the Trac II in the 70s and fought problems for decades. Like you, I used Edge gel for awhile, and eventually settled on Barbasol--until I went back to shaving with a double-edge razor and brush this year.

Although others say it's in the preparation and technique, and they get good shaves with Barbasol now, that isn't my case. Even applied with a brush, it doesn't come close to anything else I use these days. YMMV.

[KittensAndRainbows]

I've found that Noxzema canned goo in the green can is passable, and better than Barbasol. I don't think I'm brave enough to try it with a Str8 shave, though.

[grouse79]

I only gave up my electric when the Mach3 power came out, about 2004? I quickly found that foam did not provide much protection and resulted in many cuts and irritation. Gel was far better although it took me a while to realise I was using far too much each time.

[jsrdrnr]

I am not sure. I do know that my grandfather in the 80s used barbasol in a can. He would squirt it into his old spice mug and use his brush to whip it up. He used a two blade disposable gillette by this time to shave with. He was in his 70's.

[miamimoe]

I started wet shaving in the late 60's and used canned foam, as there was no "goo". There were a lot of varieties to choose from-Gillette Foamy, Noxzema, Rise, Barbasol, and a host of other brands, mostly in plain and menthol. IIRC, I believe that there was even an Aqua Velva branded shave cream. I still remember that I bought a brush and a tube of Gillette cream even then. When I started using the brush, my dad said that I was: "old fashioned".

On the whole I think the old canned lather was better than any of the gels today. I still keep a can of Noxzema sensitive on hand for a quick shave sans brush. Not bad for a can. It will never equal the experience of a brush and a quality soap/cream.

[BroJohn]

I started in the early/mid-60's with 'Rise' shaving foam/lather from an aerosol can. Occasionally used Gillette 'Foamy' and then in late-60's/early 70's switched to the aerosol gels. Used a boar brush and Old Spice soap/mug for a year or two in the late 70's, but didn't know what I was doing and abandoned it to return to goo. I guess all these products were... 'Okay'...

I went decades, shaving daily and not really knowing how to properly shave until landing here at B&B a few years ago.

-- John Gehman

[Timbit]

I think it's the brush that is perceived to separate those who take shaving seriously and those for whom it is a chore.
It is a bit of a cultural thing here too, I mean the term "Canned Goo" is pretty much the accepted term for aerosol products 'round here, and it is hard to say anything positive about something called "Goo".

[Speedwell68]

I am tempted to try a modern canned go or gel, I have never used it.

[BlackBard]

When I first started shaving in the in the late 1950's, I began with a DE (don't recall which one, but it was not a TTO) and canned shave soap. I recall that I did use Noxema medicated foam and sometimes Rise or Foamy. I switched to a badger brush and soap in a mug in about 1965 or 1966. Since that time I have probably only used 3 or 4 cans of goo - mostly as a travel soap.

I recently tried Nivea gel (was hospitalized, so my wife got it for me) and think it is superior to any of the old canned shave creams from the past. I even think Gillette Series canned foam gives fair results, but nothing comes close to any solid soaps I have used, since changing in that long ago time.

[proxymoron]

I used Nivea gel before switching over to C.O. Bigelow. I liked it and never had any problems, but Bigelow used brushless (in an early test) still gave me better glide and, ounce for ounce, is a much better value.

[DougK]

I am tempted to try a modern canned go or gel, I have never used it.

The canned Proraso foam is pretty good as long as you start with a sufficiently wet face and rinse well between passes (I assume that C.O. Bigelow is essentially the same product in a different package). In fact, I used the foam this morning with my G-Bar and got a very comfortable three-pass shave. Barbasol is OK and Foamy will do if you can't get anything else, but those are the only foams I have any experience with. I've yet to find a gel that's good for anything besides clogging up a razor.

[Big Kev]

I have had good luck with Aveeno and Barbasol. I have not used any vintage canned stuff though. In a pinch or traveling either one has worked well for me. I do enjoy the soaps and creams more though, that is why I use them.

[woodfluter]

I started shaving in the mid-60s with the foam in a can, and about a year or two later my dad switched back to soap, mug and brush. So did I ... maybe a Christmas present? Anyway, that was 45 years ago and I (almost) never looked back. So I don't know much! Maybe the products have improved.

All I remember was that the Old Spice and later cheap Williams soaps were better than the canned stuff. With the can, it felt like I might as well just wet my face with water and be done with it, which I did sometimes.

Got a can of Barbasol once ... ended up throwing it out before it was used up. If you know me and how I am about wasting stuff, it maybe says something.

Used gels once for a travel kit. I agree, not effective.

One time, my wife got a trial size tube of some shaving compound from Body Shop. This was very strange stuff but actually effective. You used a little tiny blob and rubbed it onto wet face with your hands. It was the most slippery, mucilaginous stuff I've ever encountered apart from Revert, a synthetic drilling mud. It took forever to wash it off. But dang, it did make the razor glide slickly and smoothly through stubble. Not in a class with good lather, but amazing for what it was.

- Bill

[DFrancis]

I started with an electric and soon moved to a cart and Bodyshop brush and cream. The only canned I have used is Aveeno and it never gave me any problems, I just prefer to use a brush.

[miamimoe]

Williams shave cream was made as far back as the 1920's. Here is an old ad promoting the cream and AV.

1920+acqua+velva.jpg

[Topgumby]

Interesting replies. Thanks, gents.

Of course the sample here is completely skewed, but it seems that canned stuff was just "OK", with some people thinking that the current crop is equal to or better than the old stuff.

It still makes one wonder how the can took over so quickly...apparently two thirds of the market ten years after introduction.

I wonder how much of the move to aerosol foam was driven by the women of the house? I think a lot of the ladies were probably happy to have the mug and brush off the counter in the bathroom.

[Moe]

I think a lot of the ladies were probably happy to have the mug and brush off the counter in the bathroom.

I'm betting not--the mug didn't leave rust rings on the counter.

[Topgumby]

Funny, my dad was tinkering with the idea of having a plastic base made for shaving cream cans to deal with the rust ring, and then they switched to aluminum.