Favorites for less than $30??

UPDATE: Finally decided to ditch the canned foam for some soap. Definitely costs under $30, smells nice (to me) definitely produces a very rich lather with proper prep and a good stiff boar brush, but from what I've read around here and other places, it has the proclivity to produce controversy, so I'm reluctant to mention its name out loud. Oh well, I guess I'll mention it. Its name is...OMG!! Look up in the sky!! Its a bird!! Its a plane!! Its....

 

I guess my most expensive purchase was a Tabac. Didn't know there were soaps/creams over $30. My favourites are Arko and DVH. Way under $15.

 

TSD Wheat Cream (orange), TSD Lanolin, and Mama Bear's Sandalwood Vanilla, and Rain. The TSD Lanolin isn't the best smelling in my opinion (irish spring scent) but it leaves my face feeling the softest EVER! My brother loves the scent so I let him borrow it. I'm not sure he's going to give it back. I may try it in a different scent if I can't repo it soon.

 

I have the Irish Spring scent too. I like it just like I like the body wash and body soap forms that it comes from. I would say trade it or PIF it if you want to try something else.

 

I'm also a believer in the TSD Wheat Cream. I have the unscented and I love making super lathers with it. And my face loves me for using the unscented type.

 

I have such limited experience but considering ease of lather, oxidation rate, glide/protection and general post shave "feel"...the maca root wins hands down. Scent really doesn't play a factor for me unless it's just terrible. The Body Shop has a real winner with this product. I'm not sure that I have read one single negative comment.

Frugally minded, I would say the $5.00 Bigelo tube has been a pleasant surprise.

 

I don't have anything from the Body Shop, but probably will soon. For a little perspective, I've been doing lots of reading here at TSD and spent anywhere from $5.oo to $11.00 on quite a few soaps and creams. So many; in fact, that I could have bought a few $30.00 soaps/creams. On the other hand I really enjoy having a varied selection of soaps, creams, and scents to choose from and spending more than $10.00 on each would be cost prohibitive! There is not one product that I've tried so far (blades excluded) that I would not be happy to use everyday if it was the only one I had......but where's the fun in that!

 

If we're gonna bring up shaving sticks and soaps, then I want to plug the Palmolive Shaving Stick. Great scent, awesome lather, and lasts forever. For less than $5.

VDH's premium unscented soap also kicks butt for about $5 a puck. I've been using one puck of this almost daily for over two months.

 

I'm a snob and buy art of shave cream for about 22$ for the sandlewood. But I also buy the aftershave lotion and pre shave oil. So it's about 100$ for the kit, but it lasts a year.

 

The Speick and Tabac creams perform great. Both can be found for less than $15 shipped (E*bay w/ free shipping) . The shave stick of both creams are also quite inexpensive. I think they both smell fantastic which doesn't hurt either. (YMMV)

 

QCS Voshkod and green Irish tweed. They smell great, lather awesome and seem to last forever. The Voshkod is an experience, it freezes your face you will definitely feel awake. Great for summer too

 

Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella, Cella!!!!

Did I mention Cella? At $9 to $12 for 150g, IMO, this stuff can't be beat. I'm even ordering the 1Kg block next chance I get. This stuff smells so good that the thought of eating some has crossed my mind on occasion. LOL
I think the Proraso/C.O.Bigelow cream is also pretty good, but not as good as.....

Cella!!!

 

I started out with VDH Delux and Williams and have stayed to the inexpensive side of soaps so far. Don't think I could justify the more expensive ones, I just don't see how they could be "THAT" much better.
Heres my list:
Col. Conk--Bay Rum
Honey Bee--Bay Rum,Lavendar,Old Spice
Classic Shaving--Citrus Spice,Menthol,Sandalwood
Rays of Colorado Goat soap--Bay Rum,Lavendar,Old Spiced,Sandalwood
RazoRoc--Classic, Cacao
Poraso and Crabtree & Evelyn--Sienna(gift) the two most expensive I have.
A bunch of others I've tried and forgotten about because they didn't work well for me.

 

Blenheim Bouquet, Acqua Di Parma, and Xpec are all under $30 per shave.........LOL The best cheap shave cream I have discovered so far is Nancy Boy Signature Shave Cream. Search Straight Razor Place forum (under shave creams) for my review entitled, "Nancy Boy Shave Cream Made Me Sick" You will get a kick out of my review.

 

Very good...............

 

Florena and Palmolive comes to mind. Top notch for a tad under 30$. ;-)

 

Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood.

 

Mikes Natural Soaps:
http://www.mikesnaturalsoaps.com/Mikes_Natural_Soaps/Shaving_Soaps.html

 

All my favorites cost less than $30! I'n fact the most Ive ever paid for a soap is about $15 and half of that cost was for the shipping...With so many "GREAT" soaps for under $30 I've never had any urge to try the more expensive soaps....