Favorite soap/cream with straights

[O.G.]

MdC is favorite.

[Alum of Potash]

I use whatever is available or whatever I'm in the mood for. I don't like the almond odor of Cella personally, but I've used both it and La Toja (shaving stick) just fine with straights. As mentioned above, lather is key, and danjared has just caused me to think that my lather is perhaps a bit too thick by his standard, so I'll have to study this question a bit more. Lately, I've been appreciating the tallow and lanolin soaps. Veleiro shaving cream is just wonderful IMO. And having recently won a Dr. Dittmar's puck that GreekGuy kindly PIF'd, I have been playing around with it recently, and can say that it is very nice as well.

[ridnovir]

Soaps: MWF, Tabac, Mike's Natural Soaps, Mystic Water Soaps
Creams: Acca Kappa 1869, GFT Coconut, Masgo Real, Castle Forbes Lavender
Croaps: Queen Charlotte Soaps, Razor Rock XXX, Cella

[Leon]

I'm not sure if there's a "good" soap for straights, since I've always used straights, so I don't know if one in particular works better than others.

But I know, some offer more "cushion" and protect me from straight razor bites. My tallow soaps provide me always great protection. Lately I've been reaching the D.R. Harris soaps. I can't get enough of them.

[Easttexasman]

Mystic Water
Santa Maria Novella
MWF
Salter creams

[superbleu]

harris, and cella are always very reliable.
I have used Mike's natural the last few shaves and they results have been pretty impressive.

[Jporco]

Oh yes. I use a completely different set of soaps and creams. As a rule of thumb, straights work best with soaps that have either tallow or lanolin.

+1000 on this one. Also don't be afraid to make it a little more slippery with water. Don't drown it, but a bit more water to help the blade slide more easily across your face (stop before you hit your nose though)!

[Nobody]

It really doesn't matter what soap you use so long as it leaves a slick, wet lather and doesn't irritate your face. The hard part is getting a lather that is hydrated enough but not runny.

I'll echo that, having tried all manner of odd soaps. Gives some interesting results at times and some plain old bar soaps can lubricate quite effectively. Doesn't carry the panache or mystique of some fabled shaving soap from far away lands, but gives a smooth face nonetheless.

And contra the OP, I get decent performance out of Cella and like it a lot, albeit with a wetter lather than if I was using a safety razor. That and humble Williams are the least irritating I have found.

[Gissy]

Thanks for all the answers, I guess I'll have to give Cella another go. Just work some more on tweaking the water to soap ratio.

[honed]

Good lather is good lather.