Body Soap as a Pre-Shave

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 12:06 pm

My situation is this: I own the following...

MWF Shampoo
MWF Bath/Body Bar
MWF Shave Soap

... so I ask, Can I get more bang for my fat by using the B/B (not to be confused with B&B) Soap in beard prep in the hot shower prior to the shave?

Triple the Fat, Triple the Fun!

CJS · Post by **CJS** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:36 pm

I'm assuming the bath bar has lanolin too? If it does, I'm sure it would be great at making your skin and beard hair softer before the shave.

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 9:23 pm

Yep it does have lanolin.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 10:29 pm

Nate, You can try it. Personally I never wash the area I'm going to shave with anything but hot water. Soaping and rinsing and then lathering simply irritates my skin. But that's me.
Regards,
Gordon

95% · Post by **95%** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 1:48 am

I wash my face, indeed my entire body, in the shower with whatever soap or cream I plan to shave with. But I go easy on my face and don't do too much rubbing. Our skin appreciates not being overworked, over-cleaned, and over-exfoliated.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:05 pm

95% wrote:I wash my face, indeed my entire body, in the shower with whatever soap or cream I plan to shave with. But I go easy on my face and don't do too much rubbing. Our skin appreciates not being overworked, over-cleaned, and over-exfoliated.

I wanted to post a response, but I'm drawing a blank here. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your statement. This morning for example, I finished off a bar of Neutrogena milled bath soap in the shower, and then shaved with Castle Forbes Cedarwood. I don't think I would consider using the CF as a shower soap.

95% · Post by **95%** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:36 pm

Gary, you're probably right. If I were lucky enough to own the CF cream, I might think twice about using it as a shower soap because it's so valuable and expensive. On the other hand, an "almond-size" dab of it would likely be enough for a whole-body wash. I use my other creams in this way, as well as my shave soaps, because they're luxurious, good for my skin, and effective enough at cleaning. If I were a younger man on the go all day long, I might need a greater quantity of soap, and a stronger soap, than the shave products I use. But they fill the bill in my case.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 6:02 pm

Now that you've put it in my mind, maybe I'll give it a try next time. I have used some shaving soaps as bath soaps, at least 3 that I remember. Just had never occurred to me that you could do it with the creams. Hmmm. . .

ExecAccess · Post by **ExecAccess** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 9:57 pm

Personally I wouldn't use any type of soap on my face - tends to dry the skin. I use a mild face wash.

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:30 pm

Nate, those are all good products.

I wash my beard, as well as soak it, before the shave, and I would say that any good soap or shampoo would work fine for this purpose.

I have been using Dr Bronner's liquid Castile soap for the pre-shave wash.

- Murray

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:17 pm

That's what I would do Nate.

Julius_Rodman · Post by **Julius_Rodman** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:33 am

CMur12 wrote:Nate, those are all good products.

I wash my beard, as well as soak it, before the shave, and I would say that any good soap or shampoo would work fine for this purpose.

I have been using Dr Bronner's liquid Castile soap for the pre-shave wash.

- Murray

Shampoo is usually AMMONIA based.

nothing brings out the unique smell of AMMONIA in a shampoo like shaving soap on a silvertip.

(the voice of experience)

--------------------------------------------------

Kent

KAV · Post by **KAV** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:40 am

Well,

I just missed my mouth and poured hot Kona coffee on my chin. I think we can eliminate caffeine, at least external applications as helping to soften the beard.
I clean my face like I maintain my shoes. To much kindness to the leather can kill it. Cold water in shower, then shaving soap, Witch Hazel, more cold water.
Now where are those straws

alcx77 · Post by **alcx77** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:41 pm

Squire wrote:That's what I would do Nate.

What is the ideal "prep" for a shave?

Alan
[Currently]
Futur
Croma Diamant Blade
Shaves so far 5
Boar or Omega Syntex brush
VDH & Trumpers Sandlewood shave soap

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:01 am

Alan, There is no universal 'ideal'. As you can see from the above, different gents have different approaches. My personal 'prep', prior to lathering, is minimul indeed; hot water in the shower and again splashed on the face just prior to latheing up. That's it. Some other gents favour more elaborate proceedures, but for me, less is more.
Regards,
Gordon

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 3:56 pm

Right G, more often than not less is more.

Alan, I'm convinced water is simply the answer. Hydrate the whiskers makes them cut easier. As a child, 5-6 years old, I saw the family barber draw a hot towel out of the steamer and slap it on my Grandfathers face prior to the shave.

Years later, when he was teaching me how to hone and strop an open razor, I asked Mr. Shorty why he used the hot towels. In an aside he said, "Because my customers expect it".

Scott_C · Post by **Scott_C** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:25 pm

When I shave a customer, I will first wipe the face off with a warm towel to remove any oil or grease. Next, I will apply a thin layer of Noxzema followed by wrapping the face (over the Noxzema) from the bottom up with a steaming hot towel. Before the towel cools I will slowly remove it while removing the Noxzema at the same time and then apply the lather.
I like using Noxzema because it works well to clean the skin and also because it softens the skin so that I can stretch it out really well.

Just my 2 cents worth.

drumana · Post by **drumana** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:27 pm

Shave prep for me is a hot shower.

95% · Post by **95%** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:06 pm

Scott_C wrote:When I shave a customer, I will first wipe the face off with a warm towel to remove any oil or grease. Next, I will apply a thin layer of Noxzema followed by wrapping the face (over the Noxzema) from the bottom up with a steaming hot towel. Before the towel cools I will slowly remove it while removing the Noxzema at the same time and then apply the lather.
I like using Noxzema because it works well to clean the skin and also because it softens the skin so that I can stretch it out really well.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Scott, welcome to the forum! It's good to have a real barber among us.

There's not much mention of Noxzema here, but for many years I used it as an aftershave balm. It served that purpose very well.

I'd be interested to know more about the shaves you give. What sort of razor do you use? Do you use a Lather King or create your own lather and apply it with a brush?

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:13 am

Hey Scott, welcome aboard. What sort of razor do you use to shave them?