Help with glycerin soaps

arghblech · Jan 4, 2009

I have several well respected glycerin based soaps that I'd really like to like but I keep getting terrible irritation with them.

Situation 1: Slick after adding very little water but little cushion.
Situation 2: No slickness but some cushion after adding more water.

I've been using tallow based soaps primarily and I get great shaves with them but I'd like to be able to enjoy the glycerin's too.

Help!

deshaveman · Jan 4, 2009

I think the Stones song goes, "You can't always get what you want..."

I've been enjoying Tabac for a few weeks now ever since I picked it up. The past two days I dug out my tub of Mama Bear Lime EO soap to try with my new brush. No problem whipping up a great lather. Super slick with awesomely close BBS shaves both days. BUT I did notice that the glide of the blade wasn't as "comfortable" as when I use Tabac. Translation: Limited cushion from the MB lather.

With Tabac I get a nice slick lather with just enough cushion to make the razor sliding across my face feel good. With MB I notice the lack of cushion which makes the razor feel a bit too close for comfort if my blade angles wavers at all. The jury is still out for me on glycerin soaps but it is interesting how, as my technique develops, I can start to discern these qualities in the various products.

arghblech · Jan 4, 2009

I'm hoping that I'm doing something wrong.

Do the glycerins require less water? More water seems to make them fizzle out.

expatCanuck · Jan 4, 2009

I'm not a huge glycerin fan for that reason.
I don't Tabac, because it causes me irritation, but I found that it was plenty cushiony but not slick enough.
But there are others I find that work plenty well enough. Those in my sig, and VdH, for example.

deshaveman · Jan 5, 2009

arghblech said:
I'm hoping that I'm doing something wrong.

Do the glycerins require less water? More water seems to make them fizzle out.

I would say yes they require less water. For me, using the same brush it seems to take less water to get the lather just right. We're talking half a teaspoon or so less in my experience.

arghblech · Jan 5, 2009

I'll keep trying on my saturday morning shaves. I can't really use them other days since the razor burn is kind of glaring :frown:

jkh · Jan 5, 2009

arghblech said:
I have several well respected glycerin based soaps that I'd really like to like but I keep getting terrible irritation with them.

Situation 1: Slick after adding very little water but little cushion.
Situation 2: No slickness but some cushion after adding more water.

I've been using tallow based soaps primarily and I get great shaves with them but I'd like to be able to enjoy the glycerin's too.

Help!

It is possible that you aren't getting enough soap. You can put a teaspoon of hot water on the puck and let is sit for a few. Typically when I do this I get sort of mucus membrane of soap that charges the brush like nobody's business.

However, it is my experience that I actually get a closer shave with a glycerin soap, but I have to be much more careful otherwise I get irritation.
Which is why I opt for a triple milled soap ... it is quite as slick, but provides me with a better protective layer. YMMV

good luck!

jkh · Jan 5, 2009

PS - Have you read this and this?

Dan Forest · Jan 5, 2009

arghblech said:
I have several well respected glycerin based soaps that I'd really like to like but I keep getting terrible irritation with them.

Situation 1: Slick after adding very little water but little cushion.
Situation 2: No slickness but some cushion after adding more water.

I don't know what "cushion" really means with regard to shaving. I looked at the B&B Glossary, but it wasn't listed. Soooooo, would you please explain what you mean by "cushion" and how it is really different than "slickness"?

arghblech · Jan 6, 2009

By cushion I mean that the soap doesn't appear to protect my skin at all from the blade. The lather has no thickness and offers no resistance to pressure.

arghblech · Jan 6, 2009

jkh said:
PS - Have you read this and this?

I have but I'll go through them again. It can't hurt!

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Help with glycerin soaps

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