BigD's Van der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap Review

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by BigD, May 21, 2019.

  1. BigD

    BigD Well-Known Member

    Continuing my shave soap and cream reviews;

    This is my review of Van der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap. Products used during the shower and shave were as follows;
    1. Duru Olive Bath Soap
    2. Stirling Soaps Unscented Prshave Face Wash
    3. Dollar Shave Club Shampoo
    4. Dollar Shave Club Conditioner
    5. Van der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap
    6. Van der Hagen Shave Bowl
    7. Fine Lather Bowl
    8. Van der Hagen Boar Shave Brush
    9. Rockwell 6S (R6 - R3)
    10. Derby Premium (4th use)
    11. Gentleman Jon’s Alum Block
    12. AAFES Brisk Aftershave
    13. Old Spice Endurance Deodorant
    14. Babaria Royale EdC
    The following process is what I used for my SOTD with the Van der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap. This is also the same process I use with most of my shave soaps;
    1. While I brushed my teeth I made sure the soap bowl ran under the hot water
    2. I filled the soap bowl and the lathering bowl with hot water
    3. Rinsed brush with hot water
    4. Placed brush in lathering bowl
    5. Took shower
    6. Dumped water from both soap bowl and lathering bowl area
    7. Took out brush and rung out excess water
    8. Loaded damp brush from puck creating a cream
    9. Started working the cream in the lathering bowl
    10. Added hot water via finger tips until desired lather is produced
    11. Lather my face
    12. Cleaned my glasses with finger tip of lather
    13. Waited another minute to let the lather work its magic
    14. Pass I WTG (R6)
    15. Lather face
    16. Pass II XTG (R5)
    17. Lather face
    18. Pass III Chin to Ear (R4)
    19. Check for pick ups (None Needed)
    20. Scrub face with some of the leftover lather (Kevy Shaves style)
    21. Lather Underarms
    22. Shaved Underarms (R3)
    23. Rinse face
    24. Rinse Underarms
    25. Apply alum to Face
    26. Rinse Alum Block
    27. Apply Alum to Underarms
    28. Rinse Alum Block
    29. Clean equipment
    30. Rinse off Alum from face
    31. Rinse off Alum from Underarms
    32. Dry off
    33. Apply Aftershave
    34. Apply Deodorant
    35. Apply EdC
    Now for my thoughts. Just a heads up. Due to my process of bowl lathering unless the soap/cream is just horrible I always get a great lather. It takes longer, but the control of how much water is used really helps dial in the lather just right. Some soaps/creams take longer than others. So it is hard for me to find a soap/cream I dislike.
    1. Time to Lather
      1. Extremely quick
        1. You can really control the thickness of the lather via amount of water you add.
          1. If you want a real thick lather, don’t add much water
          2. If you add a good amount of water the lather is still thick but less so
    2. Quality of Lather
      1. As thick or creamy as you want
    3. Cushion
      1. Fantastic
    4. Slickness
      1. Whilst lathered
        1. Like snot on ice
      2. After Pass (Bare Wet Skin)
        1. It’s there
          1. Good slickness
          2. Great slickness once the area is moistened again
          3. You could get away with just wetting the skin for pick ups
    5. Scent
      1. It’s a very neutral
      2. Any aftershave or cologne will pair with this soap
    6. Rinse
      1. Rinsing Clean takes a bit of time
    7. Post Shave
      1. Fantastic
        1. Still need some post-shave attention
    I’ve used this soap twice. Once just to face lather before bed to wash my face, and the next to do an actual shave. For a cheap soap it’s pretty darn good. The soap itself is made in the USA. I’m shocked there isn’t more talk of this soap on the boards. It’s a really good soap. It provides plenty of slickness and plenty of cushion. There’s really no scent to speak of, maybe just a hint of Shea Butter.

    Post shave you can use any aftershave/cologne. So, if you have a one off scent that doesn’t pair well with your other soaps, this is a good soap to have.

    I have bought some more of these soaps, but not a lot. I think they are good to have in your shaveden for when you need a good non-scented soap to pair with an odd fragrance you have in your cabinet.

    I do recommend this soap for beginners due to the ease of lathering and being able to experiment with how much water you can use to get different consistencies of lather.
     
    Paul Turner, brit, PatrickA51 and 2 others like this.
  2. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    I've still got a fair sized puck I picked up locally when I first started wet shaving. It's good soap, no doubt. Guess I've found others with a more desirable scent.
    Bowl lathering helps me in fine tuning my lathers too. Once I figured out to not be stingy while loading my brush, all soaps got better lathers. You listed two different ones - Van der Hagen Shave Bowl & Fine Lather Bowl. The VDH is that dark blue outside/bright green inside? I found it good for holding and loading the VDH soap but too small to work up a lather. Much like an Old Spice mug it doesn't give me elbow room when using a modern large diameter boar brush. I currently use a device similar to the Fine bowl - a Japanese Suribachi. Like the Fine it's nearly cereal bowl sized, and has raised texture to aid in incorporating water and air into the soap. Rather that a couple of ribs and shiny glaze of the well designed Fine dish, the suribachi is a repurposed kitchen accessory. Meant to be used in accompaniment with a wooden pestle, the textured unglazed inner surface has fine grooves to grind spices or sesame seeds. It's help me make my best lathers ever!
     
    Terry, Frijolero, brit and 2 others like this.
  3. BigD

    BigD Well-Known Member

    I use the VDH Bowl, just like the one described, to hold the puck to load the brush. The Fine Lather bowl is where I build my lather, just like you described. If I wasn't clear on that, I apologize.

    Interesting use of the Suribachi bowl.
     
    Tedolph, Frijolero, brit and 2 others like this.
  4. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    Love the VDH. I keep the sets on hand as starter kits. It does not cost enough for most to use it. A simple soap that works good is not trendy enough. That is why you do not read more about it. Maybe I will start a VDH shave thread across the street.

    Loved reading your review.
     
  5. PatrickA51

    PatrickA51 Well-Known Member

    I have several pucks of VDH I like it. It's inexpensive and it lathers great. Also you can mix it with Williams Shave Soap and two mixed together makes a great shaving soap that lasts a long time and lathers great.
     
    BigD, Frijolero, RyX and 1 other person like this.
  6. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    Sign. Another Williams molester. No need in all that.
     
    BigD, RyX and brit like this.
  7. steve207

    steve207 Well-Known Member

    yeah it's good if you can find the puck with the shea butter in it that comes with the kit other wise vdh's other aren't that good I get a red rash from the others and skin dryed out not good remember the one with the shea butter
     
  8. ordinaryshaver

    ordinaryshaver Well-Known Member

    Not to be rude, but aren't that good based off your skin reaction is to a fair assessment.
    To say it didn't work out for you because of the allergy is fair, but the soap does work well, simply being allergic to something doesn't make it a bad product. I'm allergic to Vicodin, but that doesn't make it a bad product.

    I have tried the white VDH soap, it may be better for your skin. Also, I've heard good things about the Gillette pure cream.
     
    brit and BigD like this.
  9. ordinaryshaver

    ordinaryshaver Well-Known Member

    @BigD great write up!
    Good details and seems like a for and scientific review. Looking forward to more.
    Perhaps I should break out the kit for a video shave one of these days!
     
    brit and BigD like this.
  10. steve207

    steve207 Well-Known Member

    first off I didn't say it was a bad soap yeah it works for others only one of vhd worked without a problem on my skin that's what I started with the clear one didn't sit well with me and the white on with the mango butter I had allergy only 1 of them worked for me yes they are good if they all work for you and others hey that's great that all and no I not mad or any thing and ordinaryshaver you need to put your word together a little bit better is to a fair assessment what? it sound like you were upset:angry019: ok sorry if I made you upset it wasn't done on purpose.
     
    brit likes this.
  11. PatrickA51

    PatrickA51 Well-Known Member

    I also use Williams Shave Mug Soap, by it's self. I like the way it lathers and I also like the shave it gives. I also like mixing it with VDH and Williams Shave Mug Soap. It also gives an excellent lather and shave.
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2019
    wchnu, Frijolero and brit like this.
  12. ordinaryshaver

    ordinaryshaver Well-Known Member

    Not upset in the least. Just simply stating that your analysis of the soap being "not good" because of your allergies" isn't a fair assessment.
    I tried to make my post as coherent as possible and you misconstrued my post, it is easy to do via only text, no hard feelings. Also, if you will re-read my statement, I didn't say that you either implied nor inferred that it was bad, but that you said it "wasn't good", we can play sentax and semantics if you'd like, but that's not the point. The point is, it didn't work out for you, and that's fine, but don't discount a product do to allergic reactions, that's neither fair to the soap, nor to the community as a whole.
     
    Frijolero likes this.
  13. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    I tried scenting some by grating it down and adding aftershave. It lathers great...but no real scent. Back to the drawing board.
     
    steve207, Terry and brit like this.
  14. steve207

    steve207 Well-Known Member

    now you putting words in my mouth that aren't there dude you guy's say you didn't like a soap because it didn't smell good and say it's bad because of that. so what your point? it mite the new stuff that I have the problem with when they came in a green box of 2.5 once pucks that was found in the kit with the blue and green bowls then as store do they quit carring it and the kit both and the new stuff came out well that when the problem started but i'm welling to forgive and forget if you are we cool :signs021:ordinaryshaver I see the green box on the internet I may order one and see if it's the same old stuff and give it another shot and I my get Williams to try I fuzzy on youtube doing well with it
     
  15. ordinaryshaver

    ordinaryshaver Well-Known Member

    For what it's worth, I believe there may be a misunderstanding surrounding the semantics and syntax of this conversation.
    If you would like to, PM me. I'd love to help and if your looking for some Williams, I'd happily send you a box, as well as a few other samples that I think you may like.
     
  16. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    I will show off the VDH kit I found the other day next video!
     
    brit likes this.
  17. steve207

    steve207 Well-Known Member

    ok fuzzy you decide
     
    brit likes this.
  18. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    It is in a different color box. I think still the same as the green.
     
    brit likes this.
  19. steve207

    steve207 Well-Known Member

    maybe or they may have changed that we'll see
     

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