Heresy

What is your opinion on fine shaving creams and hard soaps? Do you like Trumpers, Coates, Taylors, Truefitt & Hill? Post your reviews and opinions here!
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Drummer
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Heresy

Post by Drummer »

About a week or so ago, just for a little ‘contrast’, I decided to shave with Colgate canned foam (an old can that had been under the sink for quite a while)… I prepped as I usually do, and fully expected that I wouldn’t finish a complete first pass before giving up and taking up my brush, but much to my surprise, I finished the shave – and it wasn’t half bad :shock:

So, I continued for the rest of the week, and got consistently good shaves - I mean really good, with absolutely zero irritation... In fact, I found that a couple of my problem areas were easier to get to a BBS state than when I use my usual soap & brush combo. I got the impression that the relative lack of slickness of the Colgate foam kept the blade from slipping over the whiskers without cutting them - does that seem plausible?

I realize that I'm talking crazy here, but before finding this site, I used canned foam daily and never really had any problems with it. I'm not ready to chuck my brush & soap just yet, but it was an interesting experience, so I thought I’d share…
Joe
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prism
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Post by prism »

You're not talking crazy, Joe. For years I used Pinaud canned foam and got great shaves. Loved the scent too, still do. Nonetheless, nothing beats the feeling of painting on a properly-whipped lather . Is it possible that your lather is too thin? Have you tried any creams? Vic
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spencergray
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Post by spencergray »

I've had a similar experience. Recently, I've been shaving with Sharp's shaving gel from Target, and a Sensor. I've gotten great shaves out of that combination.

Spencer
Rob

Post by Rob »

Hey, whatever works!
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Gatorade
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Post by Gatorade »

I think one of the things that gets over looked when people come to this site is the preperation and technique that gets learned. If we decided to go back to canned foam and cartridge systems then we would still use some of the newely learned prep and techniques. Thus creating a better quality shave from sub-par products. Before I started shaving with a DE I could literally shave with my eyes closed. I would roll out of bed at 5:45. Shave with both eyes closed using Edge gel and a Quattro at 5:50 then out the door shortly after to go train my early clients. How to shave was never tought to me but was just figured out by trial and error and what you saw on the ads. Now that I have learned how to shave I can only assume that going back to the old equipment would yield better results than I was getting before but not as good as I am getting with my brush, cream and DE.
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Ouchmychin
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Post by Ouchmychin »

Maybe you should box up the DE brush and soap and park them under the sink for a while. Then when you try them after a couple of months you will have a new basis for judging. I can say that I only have Edge to compare with. Several years ago Consumer Reports did a comparison test and most of the shavers they used preferred Edge to the other canned aerosol creams. I always found it hard to apply and often lost some to the counter, sink or my chest. It simply fell off my fingers. It did seem to have some kind of gas stored in the gel that foamed up when you rubbed it on. Don't know how. Now I find that Palmolive cream is much richer and somewhat greasier so when I rinse it off my face feels like I have used a balm or oil.

Ouch
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Joe, No, it's not entirely crazy....there are several factors. The business about bringing to bear a new level of skill and attention has already been mentioned. And, perhaps a different razor as well. Then there is the fact that despite their airy-fairly feel, aerosol foams generally have a lot of cushion, and hence, gents whose skin's are easily irritatied, or whose technique is not all that it could be, sometimes do well with them. I shaved with canned foam ( normally Barbasol ) and a DE razor for 20 years. Used proper, if perfuctory, technique, and got consistantly good shaves. And almost no irritation. The only real pragmatic differences between my shaves way back then, and now, is that with the brush etc. the cut is a little closer, and my skin feels a bit better....softer more supple. The aesthetic or experiantial difference, between the two, is much greater, however.
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Gordon
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drmoss_ca
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Post by drmoss_ca »

Does the Colgate foam come in Violet, Coconut, Sandalwood or Rose? That would be a factor to me.

The most important part of getting a close and comfortable shave is in the preparation of the beard, and once the beard has been softened it is certainly possible to shave well with Edge gel. I'd miss the use of the brush, scuttle and those scents though.

Chris
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Gilwoodb
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Post by Gilwoodb »

I've been shaving for 40 some odd years, with better than 25 years of that in the United States Navy. I began shaving with a Gillette razor, Gillette Blue Blades and Gillette foamy cream because that's what my father used. I continued with the canned foams/creams for many years because barracks and shipboard life didn't lend itself to brushes, shaving mugs, etc. I also moved from the double edge blade to the Trac II when the DE blades became difficult to find. Tried electric razors... In retirement I discovered sources for the razors and blades of old, and I've been with them ever since. I prefer hard soaps and good brushes, especially the D.R. Harris and Mitchell's Wool Fat, and I believe I get a better, closer shave than with the canned creams. I find satisfaction in the morning ritual of shaving, and the fact that it takes longer is of no concern as long as the effort produces the desired result. That said, I agree with Gordon on Barbasol. I used it for many years and got good shaves, in fact I preferred it to those slimy gels that are now the norm. There are many reasons, not the least being the time factor, why a person would not be interested in perfecting the water/soap mixture in a cup every morning. In my opinion, go with what works for you, and if that means a multi-blade vibrating razor whacking through a layer of slick, magic cream, so be it.
Gil
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rtaylor61
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Post by rtaylor61 »

Maybe the difference here we need to examine is a "good" shave vs. an "enjoyable" shave.

Randy
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minderasr
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Post by minderasr »

I've shaved with electric (albeit briefly), trac II, mach 3, and fusion razors for most of my life (46 years old) and always hated shaving. Without any hesitation I can say I actually look forward to shaving now that I've switched to DE. I truly enjoy the morning ritual.
-= Jim =-

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ScottS
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Post by ScottS »

I've always thought that you can get a fine shave from a can so long as you start with a very wet face. It seems more designed to hold water to your face than to provide the water. Even though water is in all the ingredients lists, I don't think canned creams are nearly so hydrating as a well mixed lather.

That said, I can't believe that the move to cans would have worked if it brought absolutely nothing to the shave. I just can't picture a guy shaving with a soap and mug for two decades, picking up a can, and saying "I don't like a thing about this, but I'm gonna use it anyway, and that's what I'm gonna teach my son". Any sacrifice to the shave (if there is, in fact, a real sacrifice) must have been offset by convenience and the idiot-proof factor.
Lil' Shaver
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Post by Lil' Shaver »

My Nivea goo in a can is pretty darn good stuff. I still use it sometimes, but I like my soaps and creams even better. The Barbsol goo in a can was the poorest Ive ever used. Sadly, I used it for several years before I discovered a badger brush and hard soap.
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CurtP
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Post by CurtP »

I just got back from a trip yesterday. I took a tube of Neutrogena shave gel and a Mach3 with one new blade - I didn't want to go through security with a DE. I followed my normal prep routine and it was a horrible shave. The Neutrogena numbed my face and even though it was a new cartridge, it still dragged and skipped all over the place. It was so bad that I didn't shave again for the rest of the trip. I'll never do that again. I guess I need to find a nice travel brush and a small container for my D.R. Harris shaving cream.

I think I'll go plug in the little crock pot and make myself a hot towel and have a shave :!:
crackstar
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Post by crackstar »

I once travelled to Europe on business, and brought a brush with me, a razor, but no cream or soap, because I packed fast, and forgot the stuff. Well, I used plain soap from the hotel room, and it worked pretty good. That particular soap lathered quite well with my brush.
JEFF
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