Stupid question: why are the Bond Street, Tabak and other shave soaps brands exclusively for shaving? I mean I used bars of Dove and Pre de provence in my life, but I don't think you can shave with those. So, what distinguishes a soap as one to shave with? Thought I knew the answer, but after heading to a couple of nonshaving stores with soaps, I realized I had no clue, why a shaving soap was that and a bath soap bar was not the same, or maybe it is?
You can use a shave soap as a bath soap, but a bath soap makes a poor shave soap. Shave soap is designed to give a thicker lather. Notice your bath soap next time you lather up - thin and bubbly. Some folks do use bath soap to shave with. It's your shave. Enjoy it your way.
Just trying to fill in the gap I have regarding this specific knowledge...and seeking seasoned information. I'm impressed with shave soaps composition allowing them to lather. Not, interested in shaving with Dial soap, I think the outcome wouldn't be positive. I'd rather keep my blood inside my body.
'Shave' soap vs bath soap I made this post a while back. While im sure some soaps are horrible for shaving I bet a majority would make a decent later.
More than once folks have said they didn't like a particular shave soap, so they use it in the shower instead. If you are sampling, but purchasing full sized pucks unless you have a sensitive skin reaction I'd say toss it in your shower and give it a try. While you're at it, experiment with bath soaps. If it sucks as a shaving lather, at least you now know.
Just for fun, I am going to load up off of a bar of stirling bath soap. It is so foamy, I wonder if a guy could get a decent shave out of it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
As mentioned, a shaving soap creates a denser lather, with good stability. A bath soap has more cleansers, while a shaving soap has low cleaning capabilities. Some people do use bar soap for shaving, but I wouldn't recommend it, far too many great shaving soaps. Also, some people use shaving soaps in the shower if they have subpar performance for shaving, but usually shaving soap costs more than bath soap, but it is a good way to use up a soap you do not care for.
A big difference; at least now a days; is that most bar "soaps" you will buy, are not actually soap. In fact, the FDA strictly prohibits them from being labeled as soap. Next time you're at the store, read the labels. You will see most labeled as cleansing bar, body bar, etc. The reason for this is that modern "soaps" are in fact made up mostly, if not completely, of synthetic chemicals. True soap consists of only a few, basic and "naturally" rendered ingredients; such as Tallow. Hop on over to Stirling and you will find more info on it on their page. It's why Rod and Mandy got into making soap. Stirling bath soap will actually make a good lather! I've tried it before, lol. It's ingredients are slightly different from their shave soaps; but they are both true, natural, tallow soaps. So the bath soap will actually do the job quite well; but obviously not as well as the shave soap.
Regular soaps are optimised for cleaning. Good shave soaps are optimised for protection and slickness.
I will be ordering a bath soap for my first Stirling purchase(among other items). I'll mix it up into the same rag I use to squeeze my bodywash in. It'll be interesting to compare.
As others noted, shaving soaps have somewhat different formulations than bath soaps. It is those details that make the difference between a soap that is lousy for shaving and one that is reall good. The formulation details also account for differences between shaving soaps - some are better than others. While shaving soaps make reasonably good bath soaps, albeit on the slippery side, most bath soaps make poor shaving soaps. There are a few notable exceptions, however. Dove and some store brand Dove analogs make good shaving soaps, as do Savon de Marseille olive oil soaps. That is more by chance than design, though. Here are my Dove and CVS shaving soap reviews, in case you are interested: Dove soap review CVS Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar (Unscented) review I look forward to reading your thoughts on the Stirling soap.
As stated above, shave soaps are formulated for slickness and density. bath soap = big bubbles shave soap = micro bubbles
