Recommendations for Higher End Creams and Soaps

Chaps · Post by **Chaps** » Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:11 pm

Ok, men, as most of you know, since I started wet shaving 7 years ago, I have mainly been a drugstore cowboy when it comes to creams and soaps, i.e. Williams Mug, Old Spice, Proraso, etc. But, I want to try some higher end creams and soaps. Can you recommend some that won't break the bank but would be a step up. Thanks in advance.

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:20 pm

Hi Danny -

I can only speak for soaps, but I think the Valobra Shave Stick is outstanding. I grate it up, mash it into a one-cup Pyrex bowl, and use it as a cake.

Two tallow-based artisan soaps that I find to be of top quality:

1. Mike's Natural Soaps: mikesnaturalsoaps.com (no www) and
2. Mystic Water Soaps: www.mystic4men.com

- Murray

Chaps · Post by **Chaps** » Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:26 pm

Thanks Murray. I'm gonna check 'em out.

gil3591 · Post by **gil3591** » Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:30 pm

tabac soap
palmolive shave stick
mystic men cream from bulgaria

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Mon Feb 18, 2013 11:14 pm

First and foremost, the Taylor creams. Granted, they cost more than you're used to paying ( although not that much more than Proraso ) but they are a steal for what you get, and compared with more-or-less comparable creams that cost much more. Okay, in some cases their scents are not up to the standards of Trumpers, D R Harris's, or T&H but the cream itself is very similiar. And they have a large selection of scents to choose from. BTW, get the pots rather than the tubes...better value and often better cream as well.
Regards,
Gordon

Post by **Sam** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:08 am

Danny: Oak Hall carries Truefit and Hill, and that is where I got my rose and lavendar at Christmas for 20% off. Maybe they have an Easter coupon book coming out?

Rufus · Post by **Rufus** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 8:02 am

As far as I'm concerned, there is no better high-end shaving cream on the market in terms of value (i.e. cost x efficacy x selection) than TOBS (Taylor's of Old Bond Street). In addition, they make equally as good shaving soap as well as complementing aftershaves and colognes. I've used TOBS's shaving cream as my primary shaving cream for 20 years; I like it as much today as I did 20 years ago. Also, if you're ever in London, England, they have a great shop on Jermyn Street (not Old Bond Street!

), which is chock a block with shaving gear and supplies; even SWMBO enjoys visiting the shop
with me.

EDIT: For the sake of full disclosure, I also enjoy MWF, C&E creams, Trumpers creams, Body Shop cream and Harris creams, but TOBS is my go-to brand.

jww · Post by **jww** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 8:27 am

MWF --- like you where expecting something different at the top of my list???

DR Harris Lavender and Arlington soaps are two of my favourites.
Ditto on Palmolive in either the stick or the cream as both are excellent, as well as Tabac soap. Cella is nice as well --- and quite reasonably priced.

Recently, I have also become quite enamored with Gold Dachs -- a German soap which has a wonderfully light and clean fragrance, while producing great quality lather. Current C&E soaps are also good -- although the fragrances for me are only so-so as they tend to be strong to my sensitive nose and sometimes leave my skin feeling quite tender. No other soaps do this, so I am thinking it must be the fragrance ingredients that they use.

Thalay Sagar · Post by **Thalay Sagar** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:28 am

One more for Taylor's creams. I would also second Tabac for a soap as well as those from Harris. And of late I have fallen for the Valobra stick grated into a bowl.

jww · Post by **jww** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:54 am

I have to admit I have never gone the grating route with Valbora, but have used it in stick form, and it's pretty good stuff.

Chaps · Post by **Chaps** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:17 am

Gentlemen, thank you all so very much. I have a lot to check out. This is going to be fun

Sam, I completely forgot about Oak Hall and I was just in there last week shopping for socks. I'll stop back in.

Many thanks.

desertbadger · Post by **desertbadger** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 1:24 pm

Another vote for the "Fat"! Although Palmolive and Arko shave sticks are excellent; I grate mine.

Regards,
David

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:55 pm

Taylor's for creams and Harris for soaps. You won't be disappointed by the Harris soaps, I don't think there are too many soaps that are better.

John Parker · Post by **John Parker** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 8:04 pm

Indeed Taylor for creams and D.R. Harris for soap - lavender is wonderful! Also, be on the lookout later this spring when Bullgoose should have a Valobra stick-inspired fougere shaving soap with tallow. I am waiting for that one.

ShadowsDad · Post by **ShadowsDad** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 9:21 pm

Provence Sante Verlain

Klar Kabinett (the price may seem like a lot, but it's a huge amount of soap for the price)

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:58 am

I don't have much else to suggest, but my first reaction was to mention the Taylor's creams because they are priced very reasonably, and they perform just about as well as any. Of course, if you have a local outlet where you can get some T&H, then you're very fortunate. Regarding cheap but excellent top shelf soaps, then there are Harris, Tabac, MWF, Speick, Palmolive, and the very excellent Valobra hard soap that comes in stick form. I move all of my sticks to bowls because it suits me better that way. You're making a good move here Danny! Let us know what you decide on, and how they work for you.

rbaloha · Post by **rbaloha** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:55 am

Dr. Selby

gsgo · Post by **gsgo** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:41 am

Go Italian with some Cella or a brick of Valobra in almond or menthol, both are good value with top shelf shave performance.

slackskin · Post by **slackskin** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 6:29 pm

I am surprised nobody has mentioned Haslinger. This is, in my opinion, a high quality tallow soap from and old line Austrian company for a very good price. West Coast shaving (and others, I'm sure) carries it.

RazorRamone · Post by **RazorRamone** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:57 pm

As a rookie to upper crust soaps, I suggest you procure some vintage tallow Penhaligons soap. English Fern would do nicely. Then you can be miserable like me when reminded that your stock has depleted to 1 remaining bowl.

If you can't find any vintage Pens soap, widely available Harris' Lavender or Almond are good soap choices too.