Best shaving soap?

[HORNS]



When I started wet-shaving about five years back, I used shaving-specific soap, mostly the cheap drugstore variety with occasional forays into the fancy stuff, for the first few years.  But it's been a long time since I've used a shaving-specific soap; rather, when I'm getting low (or towards the end of the summer if it doesn't look like I'll make it to the next spring) I just go down to my local farmer's market and peruse the handmade soap stalls, and get a puck of something mild, good-smelling, and olive-oil based.  Can't see any reason why I'd go back -- it's loads cheaper than the fancy shave soaps, and so much more pleasant than the cheap ones.

I've often wondered if there was something special about the shaving soaps that separated them from regular but high quality soaps. For example, several shaving soap manufacturers hype the presence of glycerin for its lubricating qualities, but there are plenty of conventional soaps that I agree smell a whole lot better than a $20 shaving soap.

I guess I'll just have to try it out.

 

[Cuttingboard]

From Badger & Blade, "The main distinguishing feature of a shaving soap over normal bathroom soap is the presence of potassium salts as well as sodium salts and often a higher stearic acid content (be it the use of refined stearic acid or the use of fats with a high stearic *****-acid content). Bath soap normally only consists of sodium salts. This means you need to saponify the fats with a combination of both potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. Suggestions like adding clay or castor oil will not turn a bath soap into a shaving soap. Likewise, glycerine is nice to have as a moisturising agent, but its presence in higher than normal quantities will not make a soap suitable for shaving if the formula is not right to begin with".

 

[phxlawstudent]



As both a Sandalwood and TOBS fan, I must unfortunately tell you TOBS Sandalwood isn't very good at all, probably best to avoid that one, as well as the Lime.
Only speaking of the cream, if there is a TOBS Sandal soap, I haven't tried it.
As far as Taylors goes, it doesn't get any better than Avocado cream IMO

Fair statement. Although I wouldn't trash the sandalwood cream that badly. However, the Avocado is a better scent and doesn't leave a weird residue.

 

[phxlawstudent]



I've often wondered if there was something special about the shaving soaps that separated them from regular but high quality soaps. For example, several shaving soap manufacturers hype the presence of glycerin for its lubricating qualities, but there are plenty of conventional soaps that I agree smell a whole lot better than a $20 shaving soap.
I guess I'll just have to try it out.

Some makers use tallow and lanolin, both are not normally found in any other soap these days. DR Harris & Tabac & AoS should still be using tallow in their formulations of triple milled soap.

 

[rucnok]

i just ordered some Mitchells wool fat soap from mdcsoap.us and used it all week.

i'm pretty sure this one might be the best.

thick lather and pleasant dryer sheet type smell.

great after face feel too.

 

[Cuttingboard]



Some makers use tallow and lanolin, both are not normally found in any other soap these days. DR Harris & Tabac & AoS should still be using tallow in their formulations of triple milled soap.

AoS no longer uses tallow...they reformulated in January.

 

[Veremund]



I've been using Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet cream since Father's Day and it's pretty amazing - I'd say on par with SMN, if not better. I understand it's ungodly expensive but (1) the glass jar with silver top is pretty and stays on my sink, (2) it lathers like crazy and I feel I will get two years of shaves out of that jar, and (3) it smells awesome

I just picked the jar today. Been using Old Taylor's the last few years and love it, but I thought I'd give the Pengaligon's Blenheim Bouquet a try. And I really like the jar.

 

[Veremund]

And now I can say I really like the cream itself. Great shave!