Okay, so I'm going to let some information out that I think are secrets.(maybe not). There is glycerin soap made by a manufacturer named SFIC Corporation. It is the same glycerin soap used in Mama Bear's and Kell Dragon's soap. You can get the Melt and Pour base off of Brambleberry for about $5 a pound with shipping included. I've used it with some fix-ins to make a fantastic shaving soap(best I've ever had). Recently, I've discovered that in my local "Oliver's market", that they have a brand called Crystal Pure Glycerin soap for $1.29 in a 4.25oz puck. I've started using it as pre-shave soap and a face wash with fantastic results. Did a Dovo shavette shave today with that and Proraso White. Utterly fantastic. Just trying to pass some information on. I think the Crystal Glycerin soap is the same as the Brambleberry M&P Glycerin Soap Base. There is this new fad of using glycerin soap as a pre-shave, which is why I'm posting it in this forum and not the "Shaving Soap" Forum. I like to track manufacturers and stuff, so just some FYI. What it looks like http://shop.sficcorp.com/crystalglycerinesoapbars-1.aspx No ingredients on the package or the site.
The secret is that if you track products back to a manufacturer, you know what it actually is. Using that information, you can save money. I can use that Crystal soap and make the same shave soap as using the Brambleberry M&P shave soap base, for pretty much the same cost including shipping. Or I can use it as pre-shave soap, as this new fad suggests. I'm not sure if that totally makes sense.
I wouldn't call it a fad. Leisureguy recommended Musgo Real Glycerin Lime Oil (MRGLO or "Mr Glo", as it is called) soap as a preshave in his book for several years now. Many people have been using that glycerin soap or the WholeFoods 365 glycerin soap as a preshave for years. I still have my Mr. Glo from when I use it as a preshave. The shaving soaps are soaps are so good now, I usually don't use a preshave. When I do, it is this one.
I never noticed any benefit from using a glycerin pre-shave soap, but I normally shower before shaving and therefore wash my face with a non-glycerin soap anyway. It may have helped, but not enough where I could notice a difference.
