Safety Razor Appreciation

[bassoonguy]

I didn't realize Cremo was meant to be applied without a brush. I've been using a brush and getting decent results. I read that creams are better for beginners because they're easier to lather. I'm not opposed to soaps but figured I should get the technique down before advancing past a cream. Maybe I should start looking into better brushes and going with a soap instead. Thanks for the recommendations.

How do you lather the soap as compared to the cream? I just put some of the cream on my brush and apply it directly to my face without the use of a mug first. I seem to get a pretty good lather that way and always think the soaps would be more work. Your post got me wondering if I should try.

[Geo]

How do you lather the soap as compared to the cream? I just put some of the cream on my brush and apply it directly to my face without the use of a mug first. I seem to get a pretty good lather that way and always think the soaps would be more work. Your post got me wondering if I should try.

I do the same as you. I apply directly to the brush and then brush it on my face. I've never used a soap, so obviously I'm no expert, but I read the reason creams are recommended for beginners is because soaps are more work. But it seems you get better results with soaps so I'm wondering if I should give it a try too.

[paintflinger]

I didn't realize Cremo was meant to be applied without a brush. I've been using a brush and getting decent results. I read that creams are better for beginners because they're easier to lather. I'm not opposed to soaps but figured I should get the technique down before advancing past a cream. Maybe I should start looking into better brushes and going with a soap instead. Thanks for the recommendations.

There is a version meant to be used with a brush, it comes in a tub, but I am assuming you're using the stuff in the tube. You can lather either version with a brush, but it's easier to just rub it on your face with some water.

With regards to creams vs. soaps, I wouldn't actually call creams easier for beginners. The thing with creams is that they already have a high moisture content so you don't have to add much to get the right lather. With soaps, you need to add more water (typically, it does vary though) and in general you need to add it slowly if you want your lather to be extremely hydrated. That said, you need to know with either soaps or creams when you've got it correctly hydrated so I've never really understood why creams are considered "better" for beginners. Especially with the new artisan soaps, which seem to lather if you look at them funny. If you want soap suggestions, I've personal experience with the majority of the products on the market at all price ranges, so feel free to ask away.

How do you lather the soap as compared to the cream? I just put some of the cream on my brush and apply it directly to my face without the use of a mug first. I seem to get a pretty good lather that way and always think the soaps would be more work. Your post got me wondering if I should try.

I guess in that regard its more work, but really only 10-30 seconds more for softer soaps and maybe 90 seconds more for very hard triple milled soaps. The nice thing is that as long as you are adding the water slowly and you've loaded enough soap, you can easily control the lather and maximize the hydration. If you want my thoughts on a particular soap, ask away. Lastly, I wouldn't ever recommend loading a soap from a mug. Much better to load it from the tub it comes in typically.

Some recommendations if you are looking to try soaps:

Cheap/Soft/Almost Top Tier/Easy to Get: Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations
Expensive/Soft/Top of the Line/Easy to Get: Cold River Soap Works Glide

There are plenty of others like Mike's, Mystic Waters, Meißner Tremonia, Nuavia, Grooming Dept., Tallow & Steele, etc., but those two are easy to get, lather, and leave the skin feeling great.

I really like Taylor of Old Bond Street. I use the Sandlewood scent and although its not specifically for sensitive skin I don't have any problems with it. I consider myself to have sensitive skin as before the switch I would get razor burn all the time on my neck. However, they do have a cream specifically for sensitive skin if you need it.
https://www.amazon.com/Taylors-Old-B...d+street&psc=1

I find TOBS to be very drying on the skin. I've used 1 tub of Mr. Taylor and 1/2 a tub of Grapefruit before I started trying other products and realized how drying it was for me. I've also used a full sized sample of the Sandlewood and a smaller sample of the peppermint scent, so I'd say I'm fairly experienced with how TOBS works. In general, I find all of the Creighton's produced creams (TOBS, Trumpers, etc.) to be very drying and overpriced for their performance.

[Geo]

Thank you for the insight [MENTION=13371]paintflinger[/MENTION]. I'm going to sample Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations soap. Are there any in particular that you recommend? Also, should I upgrade to a natural badger hair brush? I'm currently using a cheap synthetic brush. I like that it dries fast but not sure if the bristles are stiff enough for a soap.

[paintflinger]

You'll be fine with the synthetic as Lisa's soaps are fairly soft and load easily. Even with something like DR Harris, as long as you bloom the soap, you'll be able to load easily. If you do upgrade to badger, I can suggest a few knots.

With regards to Lisa's soaps, just go with whichever scent you like, they all perform the same. Personally, I'm very partial to Lavender and cannot get enough of her Gentleman's Lavender.

[bassoonguy]

There is a version meant to be used with a brush, it comes in a tub, but I am assuming you're using the stuff in the tube. You can lather either version with a brush, but it's easier to just rub it on your face with some water.

With regards to creams vs. soaps, I wouldn't actually call creams easier for beginners. The thing with creams is that they already have a high moisture content so you don't have to add much to get the right lather. With soaps, you need to add more water (typically, it does vary though) and in general you need to add it slowly if you want your lather to be extremely hydrated. That said, you need to know with either soaps or creams when you've got it correctly hydrated so I've never really understood why creams are considered "better" for beginners. Especially with the new artisan soaps, which seem to lather if you look at them funny. If you want soap suggestions, I've personal experience with the majority of the products on the market at all price ranges, so feel free to ask away.



I guess in that regard its more work, but really only 10-30 seconds more for softer soaps and maybe 90 seconds more for very hard triple milled soaps. The nice thing is that as long as you are adding the water slowly and you've loaded enough soap, you can easily control the lather and maximize the hydration. If you want my thoughts on a particular soap, ask away. Lastly, I wouldn't ever recommend loading a soap from a mug. Much better to load it from the tub it comes in typically.

Some recommendations if you are looking to try soaps:

Cheap/Soft/Almost Top Tier/Easy to Get: Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations
Expensive/Soft/Top of the Line/Easy to Get: Cold River Soap Works Glide

There are plenty of others like Mike's, Mystic Waters, Meißner Tremonia, Nuavia, Grooming Dept., Tallow & Steele, etc., but those two are easy to get, lather, and leave the skin feeling great.



I find TOBS to be very drying on the skin. I've used 1 tub of Mr. Taylor and 1/2 a tub of Grapefruit before I started trying other products and realized how drying it was for me. I've also used a full sized sample of the Sandlewood and a smaller sample of the peppermint scent, so I'd say I'm fairly experienced with how TOBS works. In general, I find all of the Creighton's produced creams (TOBS, Trumpers, etc.) to be very drying and overpriced for their performance.

Thanks for the info. I'll give them a look.

[idvsego]

[MENTION=13237]Geo[/MENTION] all soaps, creams, and cropes (firm cream/soap hybrids) have a preferred application method but honestly, you can do whataver. When I travel I don’t take a brush so whatever cream/soap I take I wet my face and rub the cream in my palm or directly on my face and lather. It uses more cream and doesn’t get fluffy foam but it lubricates well and that’s the point, right? One thing I find in this type of shaving is you have hobbyists and you have shavers. Hobbyists get hung up on details, the fluff of your foam, the amount of bubbles in it, etc. Shavers just want the most comfortable shave that is pretty close and usually opt towards cost effective. I have a little of both in me but lean more towards a shaver these days.

Not all soaps are hard to lather, they just require more water like [MENTION=13371]paintflinger[/MENTION] said. Just think of them as hydrated soaps. My L’ Occitane soap is super easy. I can get lather by wetting my fingers, rubbing the soap, and rubbing my stubble briskly. Not “marshmallow” lather but lather. With a brush it foams up nicely and easily. With all of that said, a puck of soap that is the same size as my tub of Taylor of Bond Street cream last sooooo much longer. You can barely tell I have used my L' Occitane but I have gone through a tub of TOBS in the same amount of time.

[MENTION=14690]bassoonguy[/MENTION] I face lather with a lot of my soaps too, but often use a bowl. The trick to any lather is water content. I dampen my brush, swirl it on the soap until it seems pretty loaded then start swirling. I let water drip off of my hands into the bowl a few drops at a time as needed. It sounds like more work than it is. The only difference in my lathering process for cream and soap is I put a dab of cream in the bowl. I used to put it on the brush like you but I found I used way less by just putting a little in the bowl.

I use an assortment. In a loose order of preference…Taylor of Bond street, Razorock, Stirling, L’Occitane, Rustic Shaving Soap, Proraso, Catie’s bubbles, Barrister & Mann, Mike’s Natural Soaps, and my favorite “travel/oh crap I am out and have to go to a local store to find something decent to shave with” is C.O. Bigelow. You can find it at Bath & Body Works stuck back in the back corner. I have a bunch of other soaps but those are the ones in my rotation the most. Maggards does samples of a ton of stuff.

[bassoonguy]

Ok, everyone's posts have convinced me to try a soap rather than a cream. However, I am after a sandalwood scent. I am currently using captain's choice after shave. Anyone have experience with the soap? Any other sandalwood soap recommendations?

[Geo]

[MENTION=12021]idvsego[/MENTION] I'm definitely in the shaver category. I've read of people saying that wet shaving is the best part of their day. I don't know that I will ever get to that point. I just want a decent shave that doesn't leave me neck a ragged mess. Thanks for all the input.

[Geo]

Ok, everyone's posts have convinced me to try a soap rather than a cream. However, I am after a sandalwood scent. I am currently using captain's choice after shave. Anyone have experience with the soap? Any other sandalwood soap recommendations?

[MENTION=13371]paintflinger[/MENTION] recommended Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations. They have a scent called Faux Sandal that I was going to give a try along with the Gentleman Lavender.

[idvsego]

Ok, everyone's posts have convinced me to try a soap rather than a cream. However, I am after a sandalwood scent. I am currently using captain's choice after shave. Anyone have experience with the soap? Any other sandalwood soap recommendations?

Sandalwood scents vary wildly, I have found. Trial and error is your best bet.

[idvsego]

[MENTION=12021]idvsego[/MENTION] I'm definitely in the shaver category. I've read of people saying that wet shaving is the best part of their day. I don't know that I will ever get to that point. I just want a decent shave that doesn't leave me neck a ragged mess. Thanks for all the input.

Best part of my day? Nah. But it can be a nice thing at times. Slows you down, smells nice, and some women find it attractive. But if shaving is the best part of your day, I feel for your days.

[Geo]

Best part of my day? Nah. But it can be a nice thing at times. Slows you down, smells nice, and some women find it attractive. But if shaving is the best part of your day, I feel for your days.

My thoughts exactly. I get the appeal and it can be satisfying at times but something about dragging a razor across my face and neck prevents me from ever fully enjoying it. The best I can do is try to make it as pleasant experience as possible.

[Haschoov]

Great topic.

Razor: Don't recall... nothing special, but plan to upgrade soon.
Blade: Fan of sampler packs... Treet Platnium is my current favorite
Brush: Escali badger
Soap: The Blades Grim - Smolder. Great smell that the wife very much enjoys
Aftershave: I find Neutrogena Men triple protect face lotion works best for me

[paintflinger]

I wouldn't call it the best part of the day, but it is nice taking something that used to be a chore/jacked my neck up and turning it into something that I enjoy doing. Getting that perfect shave is like chasing that perfect game in golf.