Creams vs soaps

BlightyStick · Feb 1, 2016

Newby here chaps.

Today I received a sample of Blue Beard's Revenge shave cream as a freebie with some blades. Compared to my soap it seems to give a slicker lather with a better lube quality.

Is this generally the case with creams?

Your thoughts appreciated!

Downing · Feb 1, 2016

I haven't tried BBR cream so can't comment on it directly, but I can say that I prefer creams to soaps as I've found they lather more quickly and I prefer the creamier consistency of the creams I use.

BlightyStick · Feb 1, 2016

...Apologies chaps. I may have originally posted in the wrong place... Thanks for moving Mr Mod!

Greg S · Feb 1, 2016

I think it all really depends on the soap itsef and how it is hydrated. Last year i moved up from the Old Spice and drug store standards to Tabac, MWF and Col Co and Maca root. This year when I reloaded I got Vulfix Italia Lime, TOBS Coconut in a tube, Cella and Poraso Red, Tabac & CC Lime. Ii wasn't too impressed with the TOBS until this morning when I had a nice shave. I think it is partially the soap formulation/ingreadients and the hydration learning curve. There are just some soaps that are soaps and others that are a cut above based on an individuals perception. Find what you like reguardless of the Kool Aid drinkers preaching their poison.

CigarSmoka · Feb 1, 2016

I have just the opposite experience, I made the switch to mostly soaps because I felt they were slicker and gave more protection. I still use creams, but only have 2 tubs compared to 10 or 11 soaps. I tend to use cream (and my Sensor) when I'm in a rush and just want a quick lather/shave before heading out the door.

emwolf · Feb 1, 2016

I like both creams and soaps, but primarily a soap user. After learning a lot from the forums here on B&B, there's a real art to hydrating the lather with soap. Creams are quicker for me and if I'm pressed for time I've got several creams that provide excellent shaves.

Pepin · Feb 1, 2016

It is up to the individual to determine which (or both) soap/cream works best for them.

Me, I prefer soaps, but do have a few creams (Truefitt & Hill, Geo F. Trumper, TOBS, Proraso) to use with my soaps.

dotKomo · Feb 2, 2016

Greg S said:
I think it all really depends on the soap itsef and how it is hydrated. Last year i moved up from the Old Spice and drug store standards to Tabac, MWF and Col Co and Maca root. This year when I reloaded I got Vulfix Italia Lime, TOBS Coconut in a tube, Cella and Poraso Red, Tabac & CC Lime. Ii wasn't too impressed with the TOBS until this morning when I had a nice shave. I think it is partially the soap formulation/ingreadients and the hydration learning curve. There are just some soaps that are soaps and others that are a cut above based on an individuals perception. Find what you like reguardless of the Kool Aid drinkers preaching their poison.

YMMV, but I have had both slick soaps and creams - it depends. For me TOBS is a really slick cream. But, I get really good slickness with Soap Commander soaps. Conversely, I haven't had very good luck with VDH soap, or Pacific Shaving Cream.

tromboneliness · Feb 2, 2016

Many here will tell you that soaps are in fact slicker than creams. But the reality is that any of the good soaps or creams we use will be plenty slick if you incorporate enough water into your lather. When you do, the differences in slickness between any two products diminishes to a very small amount.

Mostho · Feb 3, 2016

Soaps and creams are pretty much the same IMO.
It depends mostly on your experience to create a good lather and creams/soaps quality.

chris.hale · Feb 3, 2016

Good quality soap or cream will get you to the same place, they just require slightly different technique to get there.

rodmonster · Feb 4, 2016

Soaps are more challenging, that is for sure. I get a great lather from creams without any effort. The process of getting a great lather from a soap is more difficult, but more gratifying when I get it right.

BlightyStick · Feb 4, 2016

Thanks for the thoughts chaps. Decision made - I'll stick with my soap. It's a nice one by L'Occitane and I'm getting great results, no irritation, nicks, weepers etc. I like that fact that it might be a little trickier than creams to lather well as I enjoy the challenge.

Thanks again folks... :001_smile

Dog Whiskerer · Feb 5, 2016

I like both soaps and creams. Maybe that's why I super lather at least half my shaves. Combined, a certain quality of one compensates for a deficiency in the other. Soaps add slickness to the cushion that creams provide. That said, not every soap lacks cushion and protection, and not every cream lacks slickness.

dotKomo said:
I haven't had very good luck with VDH soap, or Pacific Shaving Cream.

That may be one of my better super lather combos: Van der Hagen Deluxe shaving soap and Caffeinated Pacific Shave Company shave cream.

Pepin · Feb 5, 2016

I have both soaps and creams. I look for a product that has both the performance and scent that I like.

Overall I prefer soaps to creams, I like the loading of the brush off of a puck, and then building the lather. The creams I use regularly are those that are not produced as pucks.

TOBS Avocado
TOBS Eton College
GFT Spanish Leather
Proraso Blue

If an interesting cream comes along I will try it. Cyril R. Slater make excellent creams, with very nice scents.

BSAGuy · Feb 5, 2016

It's all in the wrist.

Neither soap nor cream is inherently slicker than the other.

RT Smoothie · Feb 7, 2016

I enjoy both but I think I prefer soaps.

Fordfather · Feb 7, 2016

RT Smoothie said:
I enjoy both but I think I prefer soaps.

Blasphemy!!!

bberg100 · Feb 7, 2016

Mostly use soaps, but have several creams that frequently fall into the rotation. When traveling its 100% creams in tubes.

salisburyyates · Feb 7, 2016

In my experience soaps sometimes take longer to work into a slick lather - as it is easier to overload your brush with cream and invariably work up a cushioned lather with little effort. So you will find the cream takes less work to use but in my experience it also does not last as long as a good puck of Tabac or MWF.

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Creams vs soaps

BlightyStick

Downing

BlightyStick

Greg S

CigarSmoka

emwolf

Pepin

dotKomo

tromboneliness

Mostho

chris.hale

rodmonster

BlightyStick

Dog Whiskerer

Pepin

BSAGuy

RT Smoothie

Fordfather

bberg100

salisburyyates

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