What do you do when you purchase a shaving soap that turns out to a be a "dud"?

If you've been following my UK comparison thread, you know that there were a few "duds" in the group that would not make a shaveworthy lather. I'm not talking about personal performance preferences once the lather is on your face. What I mean is that soaps that will not make a stable lather...the lather dissolves or dissipates into bubbly foam. Now, I'm wondering what everyone does when they encounter soaps that do this, so I'm making a poll. If you're a newbie that does not have a fair amount of experience lathering hard shaving soaps, or you have ultra-hard water that you know is a problem, or some other issue on your end, I'd prefer if you didn't vote in this poll.

I'll write up a review to share my experience, but I don't make any special effort to contact the manufacturer.

I call in sick.

Go West Young Man said:

I'll write up a review to share my experience, but I don't make any special effort to contact the manufacturer.

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This. While I believe it is valuable to share your experience, I think complaining to the manufacturer is a little over the top and unnecessary

Also, whatever the dud soap is is relegated to shower duty.

Worst poll ever

I post in the want to trade and work out a trade with another member. I had a soap that I did not like at all and ended up trading to someone that wanted it and I got to a container of cella out of the deal.

Whine in the shaving soap forum, then see if anyone has a WTB for it, then post on BST. If there's a meetup I plan on going to, toss it in the PIF box and save it.

buddydog said:

Worst poll ever

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Well, I wouldn't go that far, but soaps/creams/razors/blades/brushes/AS come under the heading of YMMV. I've only purchased one in the past year that I felt was below par. I PIF'd it as a bonus along with a DE razor to another member.

Since it would be poor form to "look a gift horse in the mouth", I have absolutely no idea what became of it.

if a soap (or cream) ends up being a dud, it usually still functions as a decent face/body wash.

I hate public polls.

I try to get rid of it, either in trade or PIF. One man's trash may be another's treasure.

I write a glowing review about the soap to try and generate some buzz, then try to sell it on the BST.

Topgumby said:

I write a glowing review about the soap to try and generate some buzz, then try to sell it on the BST.

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I considered RSC cream a dud for myself, so I PIF'd it and hoped the next guy had better luck and I will continue to do this in the future

Wow, that is unfortunate! Never had any that this happened to, but, then again, i only buy from small artisans.
i would relegate it to the shower!
Good luck!

stuart12dz said:

Well, I wouldn't go that far, but soaps/creams/razors/blades/brushes/AS come under the heading of YMMV. [snip]

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You obviously haven't tried Caswell-Massey shave soap. Then again, there is absolutely no way that they don't KNOW their shave soap is total c**p compared to every other (non artisan) shave soap out there.

FWIW: by "artisan" I'm not talking our soap vendors who participate here on the forum and who use, and have worked to perfect a good (and in some cases *excellent*) shave soap and who CARE that their product is shave-worthy. I'm talking some of the etsy & fair type "soap makers" who have probably never used a shave brush or real shave soap in their life. They either buy a melt & pour "shave soap base" and add scent, or find a recipe on the internet for a shave soap, developed by yet another person who has never touched a shave brush, and call it a shave soap. Yes, some of THOSE soaps are as bad as C-M soap, possibly even worse (if you can imagine that).

Topgumby said:

I write a glowing review about the soap to try and generate some buzz, then try to sell it on the BST.

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Shave soaps that don't "Cut the Whiskers" get regulated to Shower Duty.

If you call the manufacturer to complain about the product, they may say: "Your Mileage may vary" and hang up the phone.

GreekGuy said:

This. While I believe it is valuable to share your experience, I think complaining to the manufacturer is a little over the top and unnecessary

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+1