Ok, so I started out with creams, and now I'm thinking of trying out the soaps, but I have no concept of what’s good, what’s not, and what’s just acceptable. So I have a few questions for the more soap savvy among you, with the hopes that you could impart some of your wisdom and experience on me so that I don’t have to learn the hard way, and therefore waste a lot of money in the process. 1. What are some of the most recommended soaps you could direct me to for rough coarse facial hair? I need to find a soap that performs best on a sensitive skin, so can provide maximum lubrication, but at the same time works well with my ungodly amount of coarse rough hair 2. What is the best way to whip up the soap? I've had some people tell me that you can just buy soap in a tiki bowl and whip up the lather directly on the soap, then further lather on the face. Some have said don’t lather on the face but do it in a separate bowl, some have said you can leave water in the bowl, other say drain the water out of the soap bowl before lathering your brush... Given my facial type... What do you recommend? 3. I've heard of different types of soaps, one which is glycerin based, but I've heard others talking about different types. What are the types, and what are the differences? Thank you all for your assistance.
Cheap but effective , VDH , Select or Deluxe at the Walgreens, Walmart and Rite Aid. Arko shave stick, 2 of them milled into a mug, enough soap for 2 years. More expensive soaps I like are Cella, the Italian soap and Mitchells Wool Fat, both soaps to me perform in a way thats different and unique from some others I have found. A caveat, I have no experience with the range of expensive soaps so can't tell you about them. The Marvy Rubber shaving mug is a excellent cheap mug, usually found at barber supply houses for $10. A mug any proper shaving mug is good for soaps because it holds the puck in place allowing easy use. I and lots others find face lathering soaps the easiest. A soaked but damp squeezed brush is simply passed back and forth or circularly on the surface of the puck for 45 seconds to a minute and brought to the face. You simply build the lather on your face. If the lather is too dry just dunk the tips of brush in water and continue to lather. Some soaps are glycerin based or Tallow based. The glycerin based are more readily available, its base is a by product of soap making. Tallow soaps are in vogue right now and animal fat based. Some claim the tallow based gives a better richer lather. Tabac is a very popular tallow soap and easy to find. Good luck with soaps. I use creams and soaps about equally, I choose based on my mood for that day.
+1 on VDH, speacially for starting out; it's cheap, readily available and most agree it's a fine soap. It will be a good foundation for you to judge other soaps. I used VDH Deluxe for years before I found this site, if I had to, i could easily go back to just that. I do really like Mitchell's Wool Fat and Tabac. Mitchell's seems to be more difficult to lather for some, and I may agree with that, but it leaves my skin feeling the best. It does have Lanolin, so make sure you are fine with that. I have heard great things about Arko and Erasmic-(the older Tallow version) but have yet to use either. Good luck, -Moe
Isn't Williams a talow soap? I can find it pretty easily, and its cheaper than VDH. As to the original question- my face is similar to yours. Coarse facial hair and sensitive skin. There's no perfect soap or cream. Shaving technique and the right blade/ razor combo were far more important for me, anyway. I like Williams. It's cheap. It's readily available at most drugstores. And it works well for me. I've used a fair number of other soaps and creams and have always come back to Williams. I'd suggest you pick up several different soaps and creams, including Williams, and try them out.
I found VDH Deluxe being closed out at my local Wal-Mart for $1.00, so I bought 4 of them. I was just a bit too late to take advantage of the VDH set with the soap, brush and mug for $5.00 though. I've used it twice but I guess I am a bit impatient since I can't get it to lather up as in the Mantic video. Like the original poster, my inexpensive brush is shedding bristles. I'm interested in brush recommendations. I gather that badger brushes are preferred by most here, but these are ~ $100 or a bit more, and that's a good bit for a novice. I might be willing to go as high as, say, $40 - $45.
There are plenty of good badger hair brushes in that price range. The Tweezerman brush can be had for under $20.00, and makes a good starter brush.
West coast shaving has a set with a brush much better than a tweezerman with an awesome soap set for nearly the same price as just the tweezerman. Goto westcoastshaving.com and look under clearance. Had to resist buying that combo myself!!!!!! Back away from the computer............
I'd suggest picking up a few soaps to try, both glycerin and tallow so you can see how each performs and decide what you like best. Tallow based: Tabac, Cella, Arko, Prairie Creations Glycerin based: Col Conk, Mama Bears, Pirates Cove There are tons of others to choose from. I'd also suggest buying a shaving brush. I prefer boar and find that they're easier to use for soaps. They are also cheaper. Proraso ultra sensitive is also another good soap.
I wound up with a few different soaps after winning a newbie giveaway (thanks guys!), and they're all really good, despite having slightly different characteristics. I'd definitely recommend any of the TSD soaps as well as the one's from Ginger's Garden (which performs pretty similarly to the TSD), and also the Kell's Original soaps, which is a bit different (mine is hemp and aloe based, and its a clear soap), though it works great and the black tea scent is pretty fantastic. All of those soaps are fantastic and very affordable. One of these days I may get around to getting one of the fancy british soaps (Truefitt & Hill, Trumper of Old Bond Street, Geo F. Trumper) but they seem a bit expensive compared to the fabulous 'artisan' offerings which are pretty stellar on their own. EDIT: I've also tried the Erasmic and Lea shave sticks, which seem pretty traditional, and while they're both quite good, i prefer the TSD, Kell's, and Ginger's Garden soaps.
I've used Wiiliams (tallow), Van der Hagen, and just tried TSD (glycerin) for the first time. I have the teatree oil and lavender soap. IMO the TSD soap is the best by a long way. The williams is next and VdH last. Williams is carried in most grocery and drug stores and can be had for under $2. So my advise would be start there. If you find you like soap then definitely try the TSD when you are able. As for technique, face lather is probably easiest as long as the rubbing of the brush on your face causes no irritation. Bowl is good because you can whip up enough lather for three passes and keep the bowl in a sink with hot water to keep it warm. But it's a completely individual preference with no "right" answer.
FYI, the price difference isn't as big as it first appears as the milled soaps last significantly longer than glycerin and cold process soaps produced by artisan soap makers. For instance, Mitchell's Wool fat cost about 3X what TSD soap cost. But, MWF also last about 3X as long making the cost per shave about the same (nothing else lasts quite as long as MWF for me). Now as to which is better, you'll have to decide for yourself. I like some of each, but have had a higher success rate with milled soaps. I'd also say TSD soap is IMHO the best of the artisan soaps I've tried. It's also different that most others in that it's the hardest glycerin soap I've ever come across.
I think any new wet-shaver owes it to himself to take the time to properly learn to use soaps. I gave them a quick try (RTFM? gimme a break!) and decided they weren't as good as creams. Later, when I took the time to learn how to use them, I discovered how wonderful they can be. Now, I use both! Lots of good recommendations, so let me throw in one more: QED. These are wonderful glycerin-based soaps, with great scents, at a handsome price. On top of all that, you deal with Charles, and he carries many of the favorite brands, at attractive prices.
It's a given you should try lots...,That said, I think you'll love Arko Shave Stick...Just peel enough paper to expose some stick; about 1". Wet under HOT water. Rub directly on whiskers (your beard type is perfect to hold on to the soap). Then with your wet brush, make lather directly on face...this stuff explodes into terrific lather....When you check out this site you will see most Love this stuff. I originally got this stick, because I got back into TWS while living in Turkey, and its in every store here, and too inexpensive. My wife got it for fun as an impulse buy while standing at a register. The stick set in my Shave Closet for weeks. The first time I used it was after not shaving for 3 days. I thought using a wet shave stick would be an easy way to "nail-down" my changing "direction of hair growth" pattern, so I applied it liberally...When I hit it with the wet brush it exploded into such a fantastic lather...Then I proceeded to have one terrific shave...I walked around all day rubbing my face with my hand, not believing what a great BBS I had gotten, with No irritation. At that time, I wouldn't have believed I would shave without using one of my favorite creams, but now Arko Shave Stick IS my "Go To" Soap...Unbelievable...I was such a confirmed cream man. I still love a great cream its just when I reach into my shave cabinet my hand always goes to the Arko Stick... And I've haven't been dissapointed yet with the shaves I have been getting...
