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Octagon and Lifebouy

Just curious, has anyone ever shaved with either of these two soaps? They still make Octagon, but it is hard to come by. I read on Wikipedia that Unilever still makes Lifebouy in Cypress.

I remember Octagon as a child. If all else failed, we had to use that for personal hygiene, laundry, washing the dog, getting rid of poison ivy, the list goes one. However, I have never heard of any one shaving with it.

It is a lye based soap isn't? My guess is that it would not go over too well on the face, but I would like to hear about anyone's experience with the soaps.
 
I actually saw some Colgate's Octagon soap at a local grocery store, but was unsure if it was suitable to shower with as the label had all sorts of other uses listed wholly unrelated to body care:

"For removing hard-to-get-out spots from the family wash, Octagon soap is excellent! And - it makes dishwashing quick and easy... because it dissolves grease fast. You'll like it, also, to help keep your stove, cabinets and woodwork sparkling clean."

The Vermont Country Store is a place you can get Lifebuoy soap, as well as a host of other products that have fallen by the wayside.
 
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Octagon is more for cleaning. I for one, have never considered shaving with it. We have some and only use it for removing stains in clothes. For this, it works well.
 
Ask Dave Irving. He's an expert on the Octagon soap (and everything else that hasn't graced store shelves in 80 years) and has probably tried it for shaving as well.
 
:lol::lol:

i shower with octagon. i have yet to use it as a shave soap. being this has peaked my curiosity i will do so tomorrow.

i have around 8 bars of lifebuoy, 3 of which are original.
 
Lifebuoy was the first bath soap I ever tried shaving with. It was an emergency shave many years back, and I found it made an incredibly weak and drying lather. :eek: Lifebuoy is the only soap that my father has used for the last fifty years, and I personally hate the smell of it. It wrecks my skin something awful.

Dave is the one and only person that I know of that has bathed with Octagon regularly and lived to tell about it. Just washing my hands with that stuff is like letting them soak in bleach for an hour or two. Very lye-heavy, and was never intended to use as a daily bath bar. Remember, there was a reason that people a hundred years ago bathed only once or twice a week- anything more and their skin would fall off. :lol:
 
Lifebuoy was the first bath soap I ever tried shaving with. It was an emergency shave many years back, and I found it made an incredibly weak and drying lather. :eek: Lifebuoy is the only soap that my father has used for the last fifty years, and I personally hate the smell of it. It wrecks my skin something awful.

Dave is the one and only person that I know of that has bathed with Octagon regularly and lived to tell about it. Just washing my hands with that stuff is like letting them soak in bleach for an hour or two. Very lye-heavy, and was never intended to use as a daily bath bar. Remember, there was a reason that people a hundred years ago bathed only once or twice a week- anything more and their skin would fall off. :lol:

fresh bar today :lol:
 
Rumor has it Dave Irving took the plunge and shaving with Octagon this morning. Dave? Is this true? If so, how was it?
 
he did. he said the lather wasnt much different than williams. he also warned that for most people it would MAJORLY dry out their face.


huzzah and whatnot.
 
No wonder his avatar looks like that. There you have it folks! Why, next time you need facial/shaving soap, buy Colgate Octagon!
 
A mom & pop Rx in town carries Octagon. Back in the late 80's I worked in a "general store" that also sold Octagon. Back then, it was made in the Philippines. Currently it's manufactured in Mexico.

I purchased it as I wish to get away from using antimicrobial soap for hand washing. "Germs" need to be physically scrubbed off and washed down the drain.

It's a big bar. Ninety-nine cents. I slice it into thirds.
 
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