Thanks for the great information in this post. I was going to start one with a very similar topic but this has answered my basic questions. As a complete newbie it was recommended to me to start with an easy to lather cream. I ended up with some TOOBS (TOBS?) and using a bowl to lather. I like it, have had zero problems with making lather or with its performance. I do have a barber shop locally that sells Arko, been thinking about trying one. I have no idea how to use a stick of soap though.
Our "Comprehensive Guide to Lathering soaps, creams, shavesticks in a bowl and on the face" thread does a fine job of showing how to use a stick. I also found the video below online, and this gent does a great job of showing and explaining shave stick usage:
As with any of my gear, price dictates what I buy. I love the creams, but it has to be under $10 per tube or tub. I have only tried a few soaps and am very happy with VDH deluxe. It's inexpensive and readily available just about anyplace that stocks shaving gear. I prefer the creams because it lathers so much easily for me, and most of them have a decent smell. I have been using Dalan D'men s/c from shave a buck, but the last 3 times I went to Joe's web page, he isn't listing it anymore. I'm hoping that he is in between orders and just hasn't gotten any in stock. It was going for around $3 a tube and the cool brand ( blue label) tube has a scent that I would love to see come out in an aftershave.
Funny how I've been tracking this thread for a while and it inspired me to write a longer post/small article for TSD. Just have to work on my writing skills still and fine tune it, but hey...thanks for the idea everyone!
many things learned in this thread. I tend to use 90% soaps but mostly because that is all I am able to find local. Not many creams around on the island.
I have several different soaps and one cream. I don't know why but I tend to gravitate towards to soaps; although, the TSD wheat cream (orange scent) smells really, REALLY good and it makes an awsome lather without much effort and it makes my face very soft. I tend to use it once a week or so. I also have a sample puck of regular TSD (Tabac scent) soap that I used for the first time yesterday. It was also very easy to lather and did an amazing job! I will be ordering more of that also with some Mbomb soon!
It really does! It makes the whole bathroom smell like a mandarin orange does just as you begin to peel it! Very nice! I don't normally gush about scents but this one speaks to me!
I've been using cream the last few times. I somewhat lean towards creams, but I love using soaps too.
I'm typically unbiased but I have more soap than cream. It seems you get more bang for your buck with a soap puck. They last forever and the bowls they come with look great in the den, or like me you can buy refills and use your own mug/bowl and look really snazzy. That's not to say some creams aren't very high on my list. I always have some Bigelow and KMF in the den, and in the winter they moisturize really well. I wouldn't limit myself to one type. If you think it sounds good, get it. Worst case you can always PIF or trade it for something else.
I am new, so I have been testing (and having fun) soaps, shaving sticks (solid), and lately shaving creams. I have also tested creating lather on a bowl, and also on my face - after trying both, I much more prefer face lathering and it might be just because of the hard water where I live, but the creams seem to work better than the soaps. I tried Proraso New formulation, HeadSlick, and today I tried TOBS Avocado (from a sampler of various TOBS creams) - this Avocado shaving cream is the best I have tried so far as it seems to have something "special" as in the 5-6 weeks I have been shaving with a razor, I have never had the razor slide/glide as freely as today with the Avocado cream. I was using my Adjustable Aristocrat (Gold Slim) set to 3, with wally world Wilkinson blades (two shaves already on that particular blade), and I got a great shave, with no nicks/cuts. Simply awesome! Will
