Van Der Hagen shave soap

JoeKidd · Post by **JoeKidd** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:43 am

I discovered some Van Der Hagen select shave soap at a Rite-Aid pharmacy a few days ago. At $1.99 for a 2.5 ounce puck I had to try it. I'm here to say it's one of the richest, creamiest lathering soaps I have ever used. It has a very light, pleasant scent, maybe a hint of almond. The ensuing shave was superb. After a search I found it is also available at drugstore.com if anyone is interested. There are three varieties listed but I have only tried the "select".

xChris · Post by **xChris** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:22 am

This is one of the soaps that you will find definitely has the "YMMV" notation. I like it myself, and also get results like yours. Other, however, get widely varying (i.e., poor) results. Where I get it, it's still packaged under the Surrey brand name.

If it works for you, though, you really can't go wrong for the price.

Mike R · Post by **Mike R** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 6:24 am

It used to be called Surrey. I think it's good stuff for the money and Walgreen's carries the light pink type (says it's for sensitive skin, I think) in my area.

Mike

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:56 pm

I've been experimenting with various soaps over the past month or so and wanted to bump this thread. Rich is very right about the van der Hagen Select soap. This is the "Select" variety, which is opaque and pure white. Its lathering properties are superb -- thick, rich and abundant. The scent is unremarkable, though certainly clean and acceptable enough.

The VDH lineup is confusing. For starters, the company has rebranded its line from the old "Surrey" label, and both brands are still in distribution for now. Second, there is/was a "Surrey Deluxe" soap that appears to be white and opaque. Third, the product shots on the VDH website are confusing, in that some shots feature a bar of soap that is obviously mismatched with the box.

Bottom line: If it says "van der Hagen Select," this is a very good soap. If there were no confusion about this product, and if it came from Belgium or someplace, we would be falling all over ourselves to get it -- like Arko.

Truth be told, I still go to my Tabac and Mitchell's Wool Fat, which overall are better products -- and at many times the cost. But if I had to choose on a lather-performance-for-dollar basis alone, I would put VDH Select at the very top of the list.

Doug

aircraft_electrician · Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:46 pm

The Surrey Deluxe was the soap I staretd with and I really do like it. It's the slightly pink soap, and it does make a rich thick lather. THe scent is really hard for me to describe, except that it reminds me of the barber shop I went to as a kid.

Definitely good stuff, especially for the whopping 96 cents I can get it for!

Tom

Chaps · Post by **Chaps** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:49 pm

I too, like the Surrey soap. I picked some up at a local dollar store a couple weeks ago for a buck. I used it for the first time last week and it really does lather up great. As for the scent, like others have said, it is hard to describe, but it is a clean smell. I don't think you can go wrong using it.

Danny

rtaylor61 · Post by **rtaylor61** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:13 am

I've got them all, and from time to time, put them back into rotation.

http://www.vdhent.com/mensline.php

Randy

John 5 · Post by **John 5** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:57 am

I have the Van Der Hagen light pink looking one, and second the opinion that it is one tremendous value. I don’t have much experience nor many hard soaps, but can say that it shaves on par with some of my soaps costing 8 times more. The scent is also pleasant to me, a light aroma reminiscent of an old school barber shop.

John

yoyology · Post by **yoyology** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 8:41 am

I was looking at these soaps at Drug Warehouse last night, and based on the inner packaging (a clear mold that the soap is pushed out of) I think that these are the no-name soaps that I've been getting at local barber supply stores. Look for them there, and you might get an even better price, fellows!

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:19 am

Here's another fan of Surrey (van der Hagen) shave soaps. It's really good stuff, lathers well, provides good lubrication, rinses clean, and leaves my skin feeling nice and moisturized. And it's a real bargain. Longs and some Walgreens in my area carry the pink stuff, and Rite Aid carries the white.

Dave

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:34 pm

yoyology wrote:I was looking at these soaps at Drug Warehouse last night, and based on the inner packaging (a clear mold that the soap is pushed out of) I think that these are the no-name soaps that I've been getting at local barber supply stores. Look for them there, and you might get an even better price, fellows!

I think you're probably right, Karl. Do try the white one, though, if you haven't. It's better than the opaque light pink one. (I got my VDH Select at Drug Warehouse, Harvard at about 32nd St.)

A bit OT, but also, next time you're in the barber supply, give a sniff to the Master brand after shaves. I'm going to get a bottle of "Lord and Master" just to annoy the Mrs. Topaz is a good one, too.

Doug F.

Rocky_Marciano · Post by **Rocky_Marciano** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:48 pm

This is just great just great! another shave soap I HAVE to buy! Damn you SCAD!!!! If its more moisturizing and creamier than williams i'm definetly going to pick it up, but I will have to pick some up at walgreens or rite aids.

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:37 am

Rocky,

For me, the Surrey soap is creamier and more moisturizing than Williams. Thankfully, it's under $2. The clear glycerin Surrey is harder to find than the pink (Long's, Walgreens) or white (Rite Aid), but worth picking up.

Dave

Rocky_Marciano · Post by **Rocky_Marciano** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:21 pm

which kind of the three do you guys think is the best?

2 · Post by 2 » Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:31 pm

Bringing this post back from the dead...
I just picked up the VDH, I like it.

Wondering which of the mentioned soaps you guys prefer.

-TWO

Rocky_Marciano · Post by **Rocky_Marciano** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:20 pm

Yeah I was wondering if the deluxe or glycerin was better, im just going to buy the one they have at walgreens.

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:26 pm

I like the glycerin soap a bit better, if only for the light scent, which, according to Marty van der Hagen, is a very light 'knock-off' of Grey Flannel cologne.

Dave

Rocky_Marciano · Post by **Rocky_Marciano** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:29 pm

I just got some surrey glycerin soap and pinaud clubman a/s today, pretty good stuff!

2clfrwrds · Post by **2clfrwrds** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:02 pm

Rocky, where did you find the Surrey glycerin? I used to really like Gray Flannel, but it was too expensive for me at the time, so I made a little sample vial last more than a year.

--Glenn

Rocky_Marciano · Post by **Rocky_Marciano** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:58 am

it was at the supermarket