I am simple and use old fashioned real soap made from tallow or plant fat. The tallow based soap I get locally here at the hardware store is called grandma's soap. They also sell it on amazon, the plant stuff I use is Kiss My Face Olive oil based soap.
That aloe vera gel is good stuff and versatile. You can easily use it in place of shave soap with no issues. I've done it a few times before. You can also mix it in with your soap when you lather it to make it slicker. It also works well as an aftershave skin conditioner in place of a balm like nivea lotion. It tightens up the skin and helps with drieness.
I am currently enjoying the PAA Cube 2.0 (unscented). I wash my face with it then reapply it before I lather.
I tried a pre-shave soap sample that Stirling Soap Company sent me not too long ago. It is called 'Glacial Unscented - Pre-Shave Soap'. I was blown away by this soap! The menthol definitely hits you but I was surprised on how it softened my stubble and made it easy to shave my mustache area which is a trouble spot for me. I used it as a face wash and then re-applied it before I lathered. I had tried their regular, non-menthol pre-shave soap and must have had a bad batch as it burned my skin several years ago, but I had no problem with the Glacial. I think it is a newer pre-shave soap so I read the reviews for the regular strength menthol pre-shave soap and the reviewers were talking about being able to use this soap without needing to shower to soften up their beards. I will give that a try. This pre-shave soap worked as well if not better than my PAA Cube 2.0 unscented pre-shave soap. I am not sure it boosted the lather like the Cube does with some soaps but the slickness was great as was the beard softening. I was very impressed. To be be fair, maybe I should have compared it to a menthol Cube 2.0, but I do not have one of those yet.
Now that I've been using bath soap as a pre-shave, I may consider Pears...first learned about Pears while making my Rise order.
I use St Ives Green Tea & Bamboo face scrub in the shower before shaving. It softens my beard and clean skin thoroughly.
For me THE best Preshave is the Cube from PAA. The value for the money is excellent, skincare too. It adds an additional layer of cushion and increases the glide. I have the old „Floid Sandolor“ as well, which is a great product too (now there is the „Furbo Sansdolor“) which is quite similar to the old one. Gel type Preshave with a slight Lavender scent. Nice. From time to time i use the green Preshave from Proraso. The menthol in it is really cool (as far if you like Menthol and your skin has no problems with it), it gives also a thin protective layer under the lather and leaves the skin soft and smooth after the shave. Also i have the Preshave from „Grooming Dept.“ Scentless. A „thicker“ cream type Preshave where you scoop a almond size amount out and rub it in your skin. Adding a little water will bring it to a thinner consistency and adds a VERY GOOD layer of protection. I like it but would not buy it again.
