Are there any grocery store bar soaps that cab be used well as shaving soap?

**Go West Young Man** · 07-23-2012, 01:12 PM

Most bath soaps can be used to shave with, the question is whether they're the optimal tool for the job. Usually bath soaps give adequate at best shaves, bit I expect more than 'adequate' when dealing with my face!

**michiganlover** · 07-23-2012, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by drm20

Try eBay and search for "handmade shave soaps" there are some there that are outstanding and you can use them for shaving and in the shower. The ingredients are much more pure vs. store bought. Just my $.02

There might be some that are outstanding, but the vast majority are total junk. If one is ordering off the internet, it's a much better use of funds to purchase one of the tried, and true products that this board raves about. That way you can be insured a quality product, versus rolling the dice with Ebay.

The vast majority of "shaving soaps" on Ebay are little more than a bath soap recipe with some clay added, and the result formed into a round puck shape. They usually can't be made to lather properly no matter how hard you try, and quite often it's the result of a poor soap formula; the creation of a soaper who is totally clueless as to what the characteristics of a good shaving soap should be.

**bosenberg** · 07-24-2012, 06:47 AM

Another vote for the Dial glycerin. Ive used the green one in a pinch and was very surprised. When I run out of MrGlo, I might use it as a pre-shave soap.

**TheVez2** · 07-24-2012, 10:55 AM

Yep, Ivory, see below:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/266169

**btg** · 07-24-2012, 10:58 AM

Lava

**wbj509** · 07-24-2012, 11:25 AM

I used Dove yesterday, and even though it was product thirsty, I got a damn good lather out of it

**VT_Hokie** · 07-24-2012, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by btg

Lava

....Isn't that the stuff with Pumice in it?

**btg** · 07-24-2012, 02:11 PM

Yep, lava soap and a meat cleaver. That's how I roll. Apply the soap with a grill brush.

**urr-lord** · 07-24-2012, 10:11 PM

Dove,ivory,brut, palmolive classic,yardley can all give good shaves.Shaving in the shower can also bump up the performance of a mid grade soap.

**neilz4** · 07-24-2012, 10:40 PM

I bought Shea Moisture from Target, but it is $5 a bar, and I have now relegated it to shampoo bar (even still, it has ridden me of dandruff after years of trying anti-dandruff shampoos!). It wont work too well on its own no matter how much of the soap you load, but mixing it with other stuff made good lathers for me.

**WoodfordReserve-Neat** · 07-25-2012, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by btg

Yep, lava soap and a meat cleaver. That's how I roll. Apply the soap with a grill brush.

LMAO !

If you want a nice alternative shaving 'cream' instead of 'soap' try GoJo Natural Orange Pumice Hand Cleaner.
Are you sure you aren't Murray Carter ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PNEA...4248E8627060B6

**Wcoppage** · 07-25-2012, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Texasreiguy

DR Bronners will work! I've use the almond scent one.. Green wrapper

Blue wrapper for me. But thumbs up for dr Bronners all in one ( bar not liquid). Hell I have brushed my teeth with it.

I have been one an almond kick lately and forgot they make that one as well. Will have to pick on up.

**Mandina** · 07-29-2012, 08:47 AM

Williams--which I only use for head shaving--costs about the same as cheap bar soap; and when I have used it for face shaving, I've found it to be quite acceptable when used with a bit of pre- or post-shave moisturizer. +1 on Arko (the scent is fine with me) or, if you can get them cheaply, other budget shave sticks such as Palmolive or Wilkinson Sword.

**FL shaver** · 07-29-2012, 09:01 PM

I'd use Williams before any bath soap.

I have used Scottish Fine Soaps Au Lait and Goat's Milk soap in the shower and thought briefly about trying them, but I can't imagine they are slick enough.

**Wildalaska** · 07-29-2012, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by urr-lord

Dove,ivory,brut, palmolive classic,yardley can all give good shaves.Shaving in the shower can also bump up the performance of a mid grade soap.

Exactly. I have done BBS with Irish Spring

**Robert45** · 07-30-2012, 08:02 PM

I can tell you in my experience, that Irish Spring, even with added glycerin and olive oil, works less well than the least expensive shave soap from Target, Walgreens, Wal-Mart or CVS.

Besides, even moderately price shaving soaps will provide you with a lot of shaves, so the cost per shave is pretty low. I used a puck of MWF ($13.00) for over four months.....with three to four passes per shave session before I wore it down enough for replacement. So treat yourself to a soap formulated for shaving. You will enjoy it.

**cb91710** · 07-30-2012, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by Robert45

I can tell you in my experience, that Irish Spring, even with added glycerin and olive oil, works less well than the least expensive shave soap from Target, Walgreens, Wal-Mart or CVS.

True, but it DOES work and work well.

I've been shaving "traditionally" with straights, brushes, etc... for about 9 months.
Shaved face and head with a Fusion and Headslick from 2006.
Prior to that, it was a Mach-3 and a shower shave using Irish Spring because I couldn't stand canned cream.
The canned gels were tolerable enough for travel or the gym where a shower shave was not practical, but I never had a can in the bathroom after I ditched my last can of Barbasol around 1990.