cost analysis of shaving soap

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by thesuperiorshave, Feb 22, 2019.

  1. thesuperiorshave

    thesuperiorshave Well-Known Member

    I enjoy anal-retentive things (none more so than Phil Hartman's brilliant SNL chef character who accomplished nothing) and lately have weighed soaps/creams to see how much % of the full vessel is used with each session, and thus its cost per session.

    Milled soaps typically cost the least to run, especially when they're not fancy names, and as a genre the "any-American-without-EU-testing" group of 'croaps' are the most costly way to make lather.

    But to make the point most clearly on just how $$$ it is to have all the latest new kids in town, here is comparison of the most costly soap I've ever bought (Creed's Vetiver soap+bowl for which I paid $96.30 in 2014 and which goes for $125 today) with a tub of supposedly superior 'artisan' soap from US (in this case Wholly Kaw King of Oud Tallow, can be had for $24 if put in an order but for which I paid $27.94).

    Even comparing the Wholly Kaw using the least-costly $24 option to the Creed with the most-costly $125 option, guess which one costs more to use per session? The Wholly Kaw does, and it isn't even that close!

    whollykawvscreed.jpg
     
  2. Hembree

    Hembree Not as pretty smelling

    Interesting!
     
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  3. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    I'm a fan of the late actors work as well. I tried to view the SNL skits but someone had blocked them here in The States on YouTube. So let's open things up and get this discussion flowin?

    With that out of the way - my seat of the pants common sense has had me leaning toward to triple milled soaps over creams. It's not just that the makers of shave creams have to include preservative. It's because the included hydration (which may lead to bacterial growth) means the consumer is paying for water. I'll gladly spend a few moments loading my damp brush from a hard puck that can be softened by a sprinkle of water just moments before my shave.
    Soft soaps, croaps, and creams are pretty much the same as hard soaps for the service of lubricating my face. It's the idea of buying convenience and time saving when shaving is now an enjoyable process rather than a hated chore.

    A couple of my current favorite dense, dry, yet easily lathers products; Klar Almond (quintuple milled), RazoRock WTP Lime Burst (which may be made by TFS of Italy - still researching ;)), & Tabac Original.
     
  4. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    For me, quality trumps longevity everyday of the week.
     
  5. lightcs1776

    lightcs1776 Well-Known Member

    I enjoyed reading your analysis. Well done. I expected the results as I have read reviews about high end soaps lasting a long time. However, I still have difficulty investing a significantly larger sum in one order. Part of this is knowing that it is more difficult to explain a $100 shave soap to my wife and part is because it is hard for me to get past the thought that I would spend $100 on the soap. Plus, I don't know if I want a soap to last two years or more. I like variety. Yes, I could still rotate in different soaps, but my tendency would be to stick with a couple rather than invest in additional soaps.

    Sent from my DROID Turbo using Tapatalk
     
  6. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    There IS no explaining that Chris. :happy102:
     
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  7. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    I am OCD about somethings but figuring out my cost per shave is not one. It is a surprising that there is that much difference in how many more shaves you go out of the Creed, but triple milled makes sense.

    I find AoS creams and Castle Forbes are not that expensive on a per shave basis, these two creams really do make a lot of lather from just a small scoop.
     
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  8. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Verily Joseph. It's the combination of a long lasting + high quality soap that is the objective?

    I have two vintage products as an example. Both Williams and Colgate were found in the wild so their condition was subject to the history of previous owners. The Williams stick was poorly stored in a correct tube without a cap, but still wrapped in the aluminum foil. Very dry, crumbly when I cut off samples from the unused end to share with a couple TSD members. Wonderful lather that takes very little product. The Colgate in puck form was in it's original cardboard box, slightly dusty, and unused. Not a great lather no matter what I've tried. It's rock hard, has as little scent as the Williams, and will last for decades since I'll never use it again. Considering the five bucks I gave for it and so few shaves received - low value.
     
  9. SparrowPoint

    SparrowPoint Active Member

    Not a huge fan of artisan croaps. Too soft. I use the same soap daily for a couple weeks then switch up. I find they get goopy when used like that....and no I am not going to change my ways to stop this from happening. Too many soaps out there that work with my methods to sacrifice my shave to suit the soap
     
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  10. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    Cost comparisons are certainly interesting. While it is possible to get fantastic shaves at minimal cost (using a vintage Gillette razor, Omega boar brush, Arko shave stick, drugstore witch hazel, and the like), I doubt most folks hang around here to save money. :D
     
  11. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    Fact is Charlie, I was spending next to nothing (comparatively so) when I was using a Fusion/Canned Goo.
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2019
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  12. Hembree

    Hembree Not as pretty smelling

    Save money?:rofl:
     
  13. brit

    brit in a box

    to save money? no . but for hobby/collecting / history/ friendship here/great shaves - priceless..great value.. a new supercharger for my mustang is over 5 grand, then i have to install it /dial it in..there are more expensive hobbies out there...
     
  14. brit

    brit in a box

    your favorite straight, a stone or 2, your favorite soap and brush..it should be the least expensive after some time against investment costs..if these items were the only ones..with a soap back up of course..
     
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  15. brit

    brit in a box

    i did a cost analysis a while back .1 year with my de ,brush ,1 soap and 100 astra blades versus my carts/gel .its somewhere here but if i remember right i was up over $100 .in a year,still had blades left..the second year i would have more..the rest is ADS...
     
  16. Randy Orton

    Randy Orton New Member

    I enjoyed reading your analysis. Well done
     
  17. oscar11

    oscar11 Well-Known Member

    I'm not a spread sheet type of guy but I like hard pucks, it's what I grew up with.
     
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  18. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    Depending on the hobby, you may also need to budget for bail. :char039:
     
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  19. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Here's the way I look at this subject-I don't use the same soap more than 3 times back-to-back, which doesn't kill off much soap. With enough to rotate around, there always appears to be plenty of each soap, for quite a long time. I was PIFed my Jeeves Bay Rum-7 oz., and that's been here for maybe half a year(the purpose of it being PIFed to me was to assist me in my NB18 goal-well we all know what happened with THAT)...but half a year here, and looks like it will be here for, I'm betting 3-4 years. As I think about getting my Bill Neumann-8 oz. for $28, that's $28 for a product that should be here for 5 years. To me, that helps the purchase look better than had I said "$28? Uh no". 1/2 a pound is just that.

    Other than the above, let me say that I have nothing to say. :cool:
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2019
  20. GatorJoe

    GatorJoe Well-Known Member

    I know I’m spending more now than before with Braun or Norelco electric shavers, or multi-blade razors and canned cream, but I’m okay with that given the extra value in the experience/end result to me. To each their own but for me the chore now is not mundane.
     

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