Soaps vs Creams

[pmpdog11]

Newbie here. Just wondering if someone could explain the differences between soaps and creams? Any major differences? Any and all info appreciated. Thanks.

[Zubar]

A real can of worms this topic.

I love creams, but also Tabac.

C

[Kratos]

a common question. There has been much discussion on this. Just do a bit of searching. As for my nickel and dime...
The basic consensus is that creams are a bit easier to lather, and more moisturizing. Soaps, especially triple-milled varieties, last longer and produce a bit thicker lather. You also typically need less product to produce adequate lather. I use both.
It really varies, though. The brush you use also plays. Boars tend to require more work to lather cream than badgers, while the reverse is common for soaps. What sort of gear, if any, have you acquired to date?

[northpaw]

While it's true that creams are almost always a bit easier to lather (more forgiving about the amount of water used), I've never been able to tell a huge amount of difference in the end result, personally. To put it another way: I see as much or more variation between different soaps and different creams than I do between the two groups.

That said, soaps do last and last, so they're probably a better value for the money. But the best solution is to buy as many of both as you can afford, then buy a few more.

[adonnellyr]

I started with soaps, but was recently introduced to a wide area of creams (thanks to a fellow B&Ber's PIF). For me, I can tell creams are going to run out a lot quicker than the soaps, so to reiterate upon past posts, you get better value out of soaps. Once I run through the samples, I think I'll settle into a routine where I use soaps on days when I'm not in a hurry (so almost every day, as I'm a student) and creams on days when I need a good lather in a hurry. As for the quality of the final, lathered product, I would say that both creams and soaps can be good--it just depends on the brand. Although, it seems to me (and this is subjective) that the top notch soaps are slightly out of reach for creams in terms of creating that perfect lather.

Cheers!

[Doc4]

Soaps are like *this* and creams are like *that*. Clear as mud?

I'd suggest getting one of each (Tabac or whichever DR Harris scent sounds best for soap, and whichever TOBS cream tickles your fancy, for example) and you will get a really good idea which you prefer. That'll give you at least a year's worth of good shaves right there, BTW.

[OldSaw]

A good place to start is here.