This page is part of the Interactive Guide to Lathering. The intention is to clarify the differences between a shaving stick and a round (puck) shaving soap.

To understand what we are up against, we need to know what we are dealing with first.

If you are using a shaving stick or a tub, puck, refill shaving soap, you are using a shaving soap. The difference is in the shape of the product. If you use the product the way that the manufacturer intended to, you would either rub the shave stick on your face to apply the product or charge the shave brush on the puck before you build your lather. If you need further help on how to build lather, please consult the Lathering tutorials. You may use the product a different way and that's fine. Some would even transform their shaving stick into a puck while other will transform their shaving soap into a shaving stick.. Regardless on the shape, the product has been around for quite some time![1]

The short answer is, it depends on the product[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]. Some manufacturers will sell their product in both form and will contain the exact same ingredients, Tabac comes to mind[7] [8]. Others will have variations of their products, Erasmic comes to mind [9], Wilkinson Sword[10] and LaToja [11].

Some will claim that the shape of the product makes it better over the other one[12]. It still depends if we are talking about the same product (same ingredients), the lathering technique of the individual will also influence the results[13].

The bottom line is that most users will have a preference to one of the two products. Some will prefer shave sticks, other shave soaps and some will use both (some won't and will simply use shave creams. The key is to look at the ingredients and transform the product if you don't like the shape!

1. ^Puck vs. Stick: Historical perspective
2. ^Puck vs. Stick Formulations
3. ^Puck vs. Stick
4. ^Soap vs. Shave Stick vs. Cream
5. ^Stick or Puck?
6. ^Stick vs. Puck/Tub
7. ^Is the Tabac shaving stick soap the same as the Tabac puck soap?
8. ^TABAC stick and puck are they different?
9. ^Erasmic Puck vs. Stick
10. ^Wilkinson Blue Bowl (non-tallow) vs. Wilkinson Stick (tallow)
11. ^Does La Toja stick = La Toja in the bowl?
12. ^Shave stick lather "thicker" than puck soap?
13. ^Newbie question : Rubbing face with stick vs. rubbing face with puck or bar