Difference in cheap and expensive soaps

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by Hayter, Oct 19, 2012.

  1. Hayter

    Hayter Active Member

    Ok, so being that I am completely new to this wet shaving thing. I have aquired some shaving soaps and have orders more. I try to spend maybe about 3 to 6 bucks on a bar of soap or soap puck as it were.

    Is there a really big difference in the soaps that are say 7 bucks Vs the ones that they sell for like 30 bucks? Im not quite understanding the cost difference and was hoping that someone could possibly help justify spending that much on a shave soap.
     
  2. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I, like many here, are quite happy with soaps that cost less than $2 - Van Der Hagen, Williams, Arko, several others.
    Most of the less costly (I refuse to use the word cheap, it has a conotation of meaning not worth much) soaps are cold pour and made with glycerine. Not being a soap maker, I can only assume this is a cheaper method. Most of the more costly soaps are triple milled (again, I'm not a soap maker, so I don't know how this figures into the cost).

    That being said, a triple milled soap will last quite substantialy longer than a cold pour soap, thus, although more expensive per puck, it just might be cheaper per shave.

    For me, I do believe some soaps are just flat over priced. A refill puck of Art of Shaving soap is $26. Yes, it's a great soap, but so is C&E and TSD. The only reason I have a puck of AoS soap is because I was given an AoS gift card for my birthday.

    Bottom line, when it comes to soaps, more money DOES NOT always mean a better shave.
     
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  3. Hayter

    Hayter Active Member

    Ok, so its good to know that I am not going about things the wrong way and buying the less expensive soaps. I did recently purchase Col Conk and the soap was only like 3 bucks, but is raved about. So I hope that get a good lather from it. I still need to buy a better brush. lmao

    On a side note : I did notice that you have a shop and are selling things that I need to purchase. So I will be purchasing quite a bit. I fear that my GF is going to kill me within the next month or so.
     
  4. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Not my shop, JoAnna's shop. She goes by Queen of Blades here at TSD. She makes a fantastic product.
    I'm a regular like you just asked to help keep the peace we've all come to appreciate here in the Den.
     
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  5. Hayter

    Hayter Active Member

    Ah.. i.c. well either way. it has some fine selections. :happy036:
     
  6. Hayter

    Hayter Active Member

    I just ordered 2 pucks of the van der hagen for a buck a piece. I will see what happens when it gets here.
     
  7. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    Well at least you'll die well shaved :happy005:!
    Personally I usually buy soaps for around $5 give or take. More money doesn't neccesarily mean a better soap/cream. I read as many reviews on the different forums as I can on any soap I want to buy. Van der Hagan delux is a nice soap, it's inexpensive and for me I can get it locally from drug and grocery stores. I use a #6 Turkish horse hair brush from "bestshave" not the best QC but for about $5 shipped its worth a try...:)
     
  8. awake2shave

    awake2shave Crazy Sharp Melon Baller

    Two very well made soaps for the 1-10 dollar price point are TSD Lanolin shave soap and the razorock La famiglia line great scents and great quality cushion glide and skin care. Prorasso soaps are also a fail safe for under 10 weather it be lathering cream or soap.

    All of these are must trys in my book on the hunt for the perfec soaps :)
     
  9. newb

    newb Resident Newb

    Expensive soaps really are not any better than some cheap soaps. Good soap is good soap no matter what the cost. My favorites right now are TSD Lanolin, Arko, Palmolive, MWF, Tabac and vintage Old Spice. They range in cost from less than 2$ to 30 dollars. They are all awesome to me. Use what you like and enjoy the shave..
     
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  10. newb

    newb Resident Newb

    Triple milled soaps, The water is pressed out of the soap 3 times. (I believe) Thus they are denser. M and P doesn't go through a press, so they have more water weight. Triple milled lasts longer. I've had some triple milled shower soaps that last 3 months with daily use. While M&P shower soap only lasts a month or less. Are either any better ? IMHO, no. Good soap is good soap no matter what the process used to make it.
     
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  11. Ryan B

    Ryan B Knight of the Soapocracy

    You can get good shaves with almost anything, some people are willing to spend more money than others. I usually spend around $10, sometimes $15 for soaps and creams. I'm more of a cream user though, but I like using soaps too. I've used more expensive soaps and got great shaves, but those more expensive soaps belonged to my dad; not me.
     
  12. Monkeylord

    Monkeylord The Lather Lord

    Just to throw my opinion in there, as said above, the price means little I love Palmolive shave stick and it costs about 2,50 dollars here, and i adore Tabac ( a refill shave stick 100gr costs about 6-7 dollars). High quality low priced products are everywhere the only thing is that someone has to try them and tell other people about it. I noticed in some places there are people that are a bit suck up, and elitist (i don't know if that's the right term in english) about wet shaving and look down on "the cheap stuff" but as far as I know , there's no such among these wonderful guys and galls around here :)
     
  13. oscar11

    oscar11 Well-Known Member

    Use what works for you. As long as you can get a good protective lather and good skin care from the soap your using, that's all that matters.
     
  14. alpla444

    alpla444 That's sweet!

    I will try most things, my cheapest is Palmolive shave stick 49p here in UK:) and up to L'Occitane Cade soap £9.50 both work great for and everything else I have inbetween, some products I have not cared for so much (maybe it was just me)
    Price matters to me only in the fact as to what I expect from that product, I rate the product only on performance.
    And with everybodys skin being different, and also the hardnes of the water in different regions you may get toataly different results from someone else.
    Its just a case of trying them. there are plenty of product reviews on this site alone and the SOS section shows what is current with todays users, things like the classics Proraso, Tabac etc..... Are fantastic performers for so many (but the sent is not to everybodys liking) but the have been around for years for a good reason.
    Good luck with your forth coming purchases:) (PS nice question)
     
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  15. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    Not exactly. The Wiki on soap explains better than I could.
     
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  16. Jaymo

    Jaymo Active Member

    While I haven't had good luck shaving with Williams, it has worked very well as a hand and body soap for me.
    Van der Hagen and Arko work very well for me, as shave soaps. It took me a few times to get the hang of VdH, but it was also time using anything other than canned shaving garbage, I mean cream. Proraso shave soap in the green tub is one of my favorites. I absolutely love it. It took a few tries to get used to lathering it, because it doesn't lather exactly the same as my others (do any of them?), but it is a strong performer.

    Generic (Wal Mart, or equivalent) Noxzema facial cleansing cream works very well as a shave cream. It doesn't really lather, but it is slick and soothing.
    I learned about it from a girl I dated 20+years ago. It also feels great on sunburns.
     
  17. ChrisC1977

    ChrisC1977 Well-Known Member

    You have gotten some really good advice on here. I can't really top it. You can fine quality at all price points. And I agree on what was said that some soaps/creams are just over priced for no reason. Find a few that work well for you as far as skin care and great shave experience. No need to go overboard. I got 3 soaps in my rotation...That is all I own. (Unless I use my wife's RazoRock)

    One thing I will add is you will most definately get more shaves out of shaving soaps and tube creams than canned goo. My Omega shave soap for example is maybe 40% depleted and I have had at least 40 shaves with it. So price per shave it is a true bargain. And Williams can be tricky to lather. You need to soak the puck, drain off the excess and leave the brush pretty damp. Then swirl your brush in the same bowl the soap is in at least 130 times. I get great shaves with Williams. But not until I learned how to lather it.
     
  18. Erik Redd

    Erik Redd Lizabeth, baby, I'm comin' to join ya.

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  19. lradke

    lradke and doggone it, people like me

    The price of the soap doesn't determine how well it works. It's just the price. I have, and use regularly Proraso green, TSD Lanolin, Mitchell's Wool Fat, and Martin de Candre. These are listed from cheap to expensive. The Proraso lathers just as easily as the MdC, the only thing with the MdC is that you need so little on your brush for a cream like lather. That being said though, they are all very fine soaps, and provide WONDERFUL lather and just as great skin care! Honestly, if you're on a budget I would highly recommend Proraso! (Well it's cheap where I am) Now some are definately hit and miss, but I am sure someone here can offer an oppinion on almost any soap and let you know if it works (lathers) or not.
     
  20. DesertTime

    DesertTime Well-Known Member

    A different perspective. If you're new to wet shaving, you might want to compare the cost per/shave today to what you did before. I just checked and something like Edge costs 2.45 a can. I never used a full can of a shaving goo before, so I have no idea how many shaves are in a can, but I'd guess not too many multiple pass shaves compared to a milled soap.

    And, IMO, even the worst soap I've used is immeasurably better then the few shaves I tried with goo (why I never completed a can). Point being, even $26 a puck might be a bargain on several levels.
     

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