Canned Soap and Gels - Are there any good ones? Can they be made good?

[Renato1]

I have a big collection of canned shaving soaps and gels that have all let me down over the years. The only real use I have for them now is to use them on the Razorpit for cleaning cartridges and blades.

I was wondering - with all the advances we've seen in latherless shave gels (e.g. Jack Black Beard Lube, Menscience) have you come across any canned stuff out there which is on par or close to on par to good shaving soaps, creams and latherless shave gels? That has equivalent or near equivalent hydration, lubrication, glide, cushioning properties?

The other question relates to how I can make some use out of my collection of shaving soaps/gels. Do you know of anything I can put on my face beforehand that will get some performance out of them? Of the top of my head I was wondering if pre-shave oil, or those latherless glycerine face washes (e.g Nivea for Men Face Wash) might do something useful with canned shave soap. Yes, I could do the experiments myself - and wind up with a chewed up face requiring a week's recovery time - but I thought it might be wiser to ask people here.

I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Regards,
Renato

[The Kiwi]

Barbasol began offering a canned shave foam relatively early, and their product continues to act and feel closer to what we get from our traditional brush + water + cream / soap. Give it a try, there are about four varieties.

[Alejandro1969]

I have a big collection of canned shaving soaps and gels that have all let me down over the years. The only real use I have for them now is to use them on the Razorpit for cleaning cartridges and blades.

I was wondering - with all the advances we've seen in latherless shave gels (e.g. Jack Black Beard Lube, Menscience) have you come across any canned stuff out there which is on par or close to on par to good shaving soaps, creams and latherless shave gels? That has equivalent or near equivalent hydration, lubrication, glide, cushioning properties?

The other question relates to how I can make some use out of my collection of shaving soaps/gels. Do you know of anything I can put on my face beforehand that will get some performance out of them? Of the top of my head I was wondering if pre-shave oil, or those latherless glycerine face washes (e.g Nivea for Men Face Wash) might do something useful with canned shave soap. Yes, I could do the experiments myself - and wind up with a chewed up face requiring a week's recovery time - but I thought it might be wiser to ask people here.

I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Regards,
Renato

Howdy!
Total Shave Solution Oil is very good and as I always hated canned goo I used this from 1998 up to late 2011 when I started DE shaving. In fact as I was a bit nervous before my first DE shave I slapped on some of this oil. It is a fantastic product and I used it throughout my M3/Fusion days and never once cut myself while shaving. DE took over and my life will never be the same after the superb Italian creams and soaps I now use! Extra Virgin Olive Oil is good under anything, I find!

Good luck!

[britewhiteram]

I think he's trying to burn up his current supply.... I wonder if proraso pre-post shave would help make the shave smoother?

[ladykate]

I use Edge gel in my rotation of soaps. I prep with hair conditioner and warm water. I squirt an 'almond size' bit of the gel into the brush and face later. Seems to work fine for me. The glide/lube is nice. The gel also gets good reviews from 'normal' shavers. I assume they apply it with their fingers. The brush always works better for me. The lather is thick - as good as many/most other soaps. I think, like with other shaving soaps, one key is getting the lather right and getting your whiskers thoroughly buffed with the soap. The brush does that trick. I don't add much water at all. I warm the brush and shake out the water before applying. I like to keep the brush warm in a small scuttle.

[Renato1]

Barbasol began offering a canned shave foam relatively early, and their product continues to act and feel closer to what we get from our traditional brush + water + cream / soap. Give it a try, there are about four varieties.

Thanks, but unfortunately I haven't seen taht sold anywhere down here yet. Interesting that there is at least one nominee!
Cheers,
Renato

[Renato1]

Howdy!
Total Shave Solution Oil is very good and as I always hated canned goo I used this from 1998 up to late 2011 when I started DE shaving. In fact as I was a bit nervous before my first DE shave I slapped on some of this oil. It is a fantastic product and I used it throughout my M3/Fusion days and never once cut myself while shaving. DE took over and my life will never be the same after the superb Italian creams and soaps I now use! Extra Virgin Olive Oil is good under anything, I find!

Good luck!

Thanks. I haven't seen Total Shave Oil sold down here, but there are a couple of other oils being sold. I'll have to give them a try.
Regards,
Renato

[kaiseris]

Actually I think that Nivea canned gel I was using before DE does a decent job.

[Renato1]

I think he's trying to burn up his current supply.... I wonder if proraso pre-post shave would help make the shave smoother?

I've had the Proraso post shave stuff for decades, but only recently become aware of the pre-post one. The reviews here weren't that great for the pre part of it, but everyone seemd to like the post part. Still, it's a thought. Thanks.
Renato

[Renato1]

I use Edge gel in my rotation of soaps. I prep with hair conditioner and warm water. I squirt an 'almond size' bit of the gel into the brush and face later. Seems to work fine for me. The glide/lube is nice. The gel also gets good reviews from 'normal' shavers. I assume they apply it with their fingers. The brush always works better for me. The lather is thick - as good as many/most other soaps. I think, like with other shaving soaps, one key is getting the lather right and getting your whiskers thoroughly buffed with the soap. The brush does that trick. I don't add much water at all. I warm the brush and shake out the water before applying. I like to keep the brush warm in a small scuttle.

Thanks. Unfortunately, I've never seen Edge gel. What is it precisely? What section of a supermarket or pharmacy would I find it in?
Cheers,
Renato

[Renato1]

Actually I think that Nivea canned gel I was using before DE does a decent job.

Interesting thanks. Nivea have done a great job on other products, and I saw it on sale at my supermarket earlier tonight. It may be worth an investment.
Regards,
Renato

[pipskicks]

Thanks. Unfortunately, I've never seen Edge gel. What is it precisely? What section of a supermarket or pharmacy would I find it in?
Cheers,
Renato

I was using Edge gel for years before switching to DE. I threw them all away. I don't think it's any different than any other canned gel (or any better rather, I have tried better stuff, Edge gel wasn't one of them).

If you have canned gel, Edge is pretty generic, I'd do the same thing with whatever you have.

[FL shaver]

I love the La Toja canned foam I bought in Barcelona last summer. Better than Barbasol. I think I am partial to the scent and the mineral salts. No canned foam has made my face feel so hydrated. I still use it for neck shaves.

[Renato1]

I was using Edge gel for years before switching to DE. I threw them all away. I don't think it's any different than any other canned gel (or any better rather, I have tried better stuff, Edge gel wasn't one of them).

If you have canned gel, Edge is pretty generic, I'd do the same thing with whatever you have.

I see. It may well just be that in using a brush with such gels means that several minutes pass, so that they work better than if one were just following the directions on the can of putting it on and start to shave immediately.
Regards,
Renato

[Renato1]

I love the La Toja canned foam I bought in Barcelona last summer. Better than Barbasol. I think I am partial to the scent and the mineral salts. No canned foam has made my face feel so hydrated. I still use it for neck shaves.

This one sounds like a real contender. I must admit I am a real fan of their shave stick - best rich lather of all the sticks I've tried so far
Renato

[ladykate]

Thanks. Unfortunately, I've never seen Edge gel. What is it precisely? What section of a supermarket or pharmacy would I find it in?
Cheers,
Renato

It isn't remarkable or costly. It is a common gel in the supermarkets here - but I've had good luck with it and I had the world's supply hoarded in my closet when I went to DE and then Straights. I couldn't bring myself to throw them away and after a few months, I went back to them and used a brush. Made all the difference.

Here is a link... don't know if it is available 'down under' but, as was said, it is a generic sort of gel so substitutes would probably work, too.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr...6&aparam=68255

[jwilock]

You can look up my thread on what I bought while I was recently in Europe. One thing I picked up was a can of Proraso shaving cream. I found it to be quite good - certainly as good if not better than any other canned goo I've used.

[Renato1]

It isn't remarkable or costly. It is a common gel in the supermarkets here - but I've had good luck with it and I had the world's supply hoarded in my closet when I went to DE and then Straights. I couldn't bring myself to throw them away and after a few months, I went back to them and used a brush. Made all the difference.

Here is a link... don't know if it is available 'down under' but, as was said, it is a generic sort of gel so substitutes would probably work, too.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr...6&aparam=68255

No, I've never seen it. But I note quite a few gels now with aloe down here too.
Regards,
Renato

[Renato1]

You can look up my thread on what I bought while I was recently in Europe. One thing I picked up was a can of Proraso shaving cream. I found it to be quite good - certainly as good if not better than any other canned goo I've used.

I don't think I've seen the Proraso shaving cream down here, I'd have to go back to a store that stocks Proraso to make sure. Anyhow, I'll be in Italy in three months time where there is plenty of Proraso. Thanks.
Renato

[groovyd]

For a good canned gel do yourself a favor and try Aveeno for Sensitive Skin. It is made using oatmeal and is very soothing with a real nice smell. Also I have a can of L'Occitain that works very well.