I have been using largely creams and want to try some soaps. What soaps do you recommend? (Try to keep them somewhat affordable).
Favorite Soap
- Thread starter bokaba
- Start date
Let me be the first to say Tabac.
Actually I don't have a lot of experience with other soaps but Tabac is working very well for me.
My favorite soaps remain DR Harris soaps. They are triple milled and give good shaves. They may be a bit pricey but worth it.
My friend alabamalawyer recently sent me Palmolive Classic shave stick. It's a tallow based soap. I was blown away. It's a great shave stick. I think it's under $5. Now thats value at an affordable price.
My friend alabamalawyer recently sent me Palmolive Classic shave stick. It's a tallow based soap. I was blown away. It's a great shave stick. I think it's under $5. Now thats value at an affordable price.
If you like a cool refreshing feeling after your done shaving with luxurious lather, Proraso is the soap for you.
the first few threads of the soap forum include TGQ, Williams, MWF, and Tabac.
That seems like a good place to start in my opinion, and you'll have some reading to go along and make it all the more fun
That seems like a good place to start in my opinion, and you'll have some reading to go along and make it all the more fun
The palmolive stick is outrageously good!
Oh no. Here we go again.
I'd say just spend some time reading some of the threads. There are so many great ones.Oh no. Here we go again.
Yea but they are always fun.
Tabac gets a lot of good press and yeah, it's good soap. I also HIGHLY recommend Institut Karite. It seems easier to make a good lather with and has a very clean smell.
Pricey, but you will not be disappointed with D.R. Harris.
Try any of Mama Bears glycerin soaps they are the BOMB! Slick as you know what on your skin and the razor just glides!
Of course I love Tabac also.......
Of course I love Tabac also.......
Agreed...Mama Bear soap are excellent for the price. I highly recommend the Rosemary Mint!
HoneyBee_spa soaps and Provence Sante shave soap are my favorites. I also like the Proraso shave soap (both the white and the green) that comes in the plastic cup with cover.
-- John Gehman
-- John Gehman
There are so very many good soaps. Where to begin...
"Affordable" is a relative term. You'll pay more for a triple-milled soap but it'll last a LOT longer than a glycerin-based soap. So if you judge cost on a per-shave basis, the triple-milled soaps are actually cheaper in the long run.
That being said, you can't go wrong w/the soaps offered by D.R. Harris, Trumper or AoS. Vintage Blades has a soap w/their name on it that's basically T&H's luxury soap in all but name -- it's gotten some very positive reviews around here and is significantly cheaper than T&H's offering. Then of course there's Tabac (the standard bearer for many of the folks on this board) & MWF. And of course, the soaps offered by Penhaligon's are both top shelf.
When it comes to glycerin soaps, I think the best ones are made by Colleen @ TGQ. As has been said numerous times, her soaps give the best triple-milled ones a run for the $$. IMHO, in terms of shave quality Mama Bear's & QED's soaps are (arguably) neck & neck but both are a distant 2nd to TGQ's soaps. Charles @ QED, however, has an incredible nose; his scents are all EO-based (with some exceptions) and incredibly strong & pure. But beware -- if you have sensitive skin his liberal use of EOs might not make your face happy.
Hope this helps. Have fun!
EDIT: Forgot to mention Honeybee Sue. Another muy talented soap artiste! I'd actually rank her soaps above both Mama Bear & QED in terms of shave quality & comfort. But that's just me.
"Affordable" is a relative term. You'll pay more for a triple-milled soap but it'll last a LOT longer than a glycerin-based soap. So if you judge cost on a per-shave basis, the triple-milled soaps are actually cheaper in the long run.
That being said, you can't go wrong w/the soaps offered by D.R. Harris, Trumper or AoS. Vintage Blades has a soap w/their name on it that's basically T&H's luxury soap in all but name -- it's gotten some very positive reviews around here and is significantly cheaper than T&H's offering. Then of course there's Tabac (the standard bearer for many of the folks on this board) & MWF. And of course, the soaps offered by Penhaligon's are both top shelf.
When it comes to glycerin soaps, I think the best ones are made by Colleen @ TGQ. As has been said numerous times, her soaps give the best triple-milled ones a run for the $$. IMHO, in terms of shave quality Mama Bear's & QED's soaps are (arguably) neck & neck but both are a distant 2nd to TGQ's soaps. Charles @ QED, however, has an incredible nose; his scents are all EO-based (with some exceptions) and incredibly strong & pure. But beware -- if you have sensitive skin his liberal use of EOs might not make your face happy.
Hope this helps. Have fun!
EDIT: Forgot to mention Honeybee Sue. Another muy talented soap artiste! I'd actually rank her soaps above both Mama Bear & QED in terms of shave quality & comfort. But that's just me.
If you want to have any credibility as a soap shaver, you have to at least try Tabac. It lathers nicely, and the scent... well, most people like it and some find it suspect. Its growing on me sort of, but I didn't really like it much at first.
Truefitt & Hill Luxury soap gets good reviews.
Mitchell's Wool Fat gets good reviews.
Institut Karite gets good reviews.
I've got a La Toja shave stick which I enjoy.
I also really like Crabtree & Evelyn Nomad, although its a little on the pricey side as are some of the aforementioned soaps.
If you really want the most bang for your buck, you're just going to have to try Tabac. It is reasonably priced, a lot of people like the scent and it doesn't take much of a fight to work it into a nice, rich, fluffy lather.
The same could be said for all of the above mentioned soaps, but I think Tabac is probably the most economical - as well as the most praised among soap users... like, by a mile.
Truefitt & Hill Luxury soap gets good reviews.
Mitchell's Wool Fat gets good reviews.
Institut Karite gets good reviews.
I've got a La Toja shave stick which I enjoy.
I also really like Crabtree & Evelyn Nomad, although its a little on the pricey side as are some of the aforementioned soaps.
If you really want the most bang for your buck, you're just going to have to try Tabac. It is reasonably priced, a lot of people like the scent and it doesn't take much of a fight to work it into a nice, rich, fluffy lather.
The same could be said for all of the above mentioned soaps, but I think Tabac is probably the most economical - as well as the most praised among soap users... like, by a mile.
For me, Mama Bear soaps are simply the best. I am quite partial to Ye Olde Barbershoppe and find myself opening the container several times a day for a sniff. And the price is extremely affordable.
DL
DL
For your first soap it is best to get something that is generally accepted as good by everyone. Personally I don't care for any of the glycerin or cold process soaps out there. I don't think they offer enough cushion compared to the best triple milled soaps. My personal favorites are D.R. Harris ($11 if purchased from ......... Shaving in the UK), Vintage Blades Brand Soap (Rebranded T&H Luxury $12), or Trumper's but they cost a little more than the others. Tabac lathers well and is a good choice if you enjoy the scent. The scent caused me some irritation so I don't use it in favor of the others.
Clint
Clint
On a budget, I would recommend Mama Bears' Colonel Conk's and Van der Hagen soaps.
