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Selecting your first Lathering Product

How do I select my first shave soap or shave cream?


There are many ways to do this as some would pick the very first product they see, others would ask for recommendations and finally, there's the scientific approach. Either way, you can get a good, ok or poor product. Keep in mind that YMMV when in comes to selecting a first or new shaving soap or shaving cream. You might also ask yourself, what do those word mean or where do I start?[1] [2] So, considering the Review section on B&B, here's a list of what you should be looking for (in no particular order):
  • Price
  • Quality
  • Scent
  • Lather/Latherability
  • Efficacy
  • Moisturizing
  • Packaging
There are two other things that you should look for when considering a product:
  • Reviews
  • Ingredient list
  • Beard Softening
Let's now evaluate each item and understand what they mean to make an informed decision.

Price

The price doesn't always tell you what the cost is. Meaning that you could pay $2.50 for a soap that will only provide 2 weeks worth of lather. So, it might be good to evaluate how much a soap costs you over a delimited period of time. As an example, Soap A costs $10 and last 6 months. Soap B costs $8 but lasts 3 months. Bring the cost of the soap over 6 months and you will see that Soap B costs $16 for 6 months worth. The difference is noticeable and you must ask yourself, if you want to afford that or not. Maybe, considering the price, you are getting more or better shaves for that money.

Then there is the enjoyment factor. Cost per shave is fine for figuring a budget, but if cost were the only thing we'd all be shaving with the cheapest products out there. If you enjoy a cheaper product, that's all right, if you prefer a more expensive one, that's fine too. You shouldn't limit yourself to one or two products either. You could keep those higher end products for special occasions.

The bottom line is, if you cannot tell the difference, then save your money and stick with the cheap stuff. If you can tell the difference, quit cheating yourself and and quit wasting money on cheap stuff.

Quality

The overall quality is subjective. Good ingredients and a product that works for you might be considered high quality. However, it may be offset by a high price. Then there are low quality products that just dont yield good shaves. All this is covered under the other attributes. If the product make you go WOW, you might consider it high quality. On this item, we all have different standards and will probably rate this one differently.

Scent

Scent is something that is very personal. It makes the whole shaving experience more relaxing and enjoyable. Some will consider the product based on the scent alone, other will prefer the performance. Keep in mind that scent is extremely important if you find it truly offensive. Regardless of how good a soap lather, if the scent is repulsive, don't use it.

Another time that scent climbs the importance ladder is when you select products that will match the scents. You might want to create a theme (Rose, citrus, etc), in this case, you might want to select those products in particular.

Finally, you might have an obsession with a scent in particular. That scent could be the decisive point on buying a product. You need to ask yourself, will I enjoy the scent?

Lather/Latherability

The lather is bigger than we think. There's more to lather than just foam or bubbles. There are products that provide very thick lather but have zero slickness. Those product make you wonder why they exists as they are not providing one of the key items to a good shave. Other attributes to look for, the cushion, is your skin protected with this product?

Let's look at the lather itself first, the thick and creamy holds in moisture and warmth. Thin lather allows moisture to evaporate more quickly and can be less lubricating. Thick creamy lather also provides more cushioning. Some people claim that only the layer of lather closest to the skin is doing any good and the rest is a waste. This is a clear YMMV statement. The extra creamy lather layer that gives it that thickness, is also important to the comfort of the shave. Thick lather minimizes drying. Thick lather also provides an insulating layer that holds in body heat, making the shave feel warmer than a thin layer. Finally, thick creamy lather gives a little bit of a cushion effect which I will discuss below.

The lather itself is one thing, but how well does it lather? Thats latherability. Is it quick and easy to generate mounds of creamy, billowy lather or do you have to really work for it? Some soaps and creams just explode into lather with minimal effort. Some of these can be misleading, because you may think you have enough lather before you really do, since the early explosion yields a large volume giving the appearance of rich lather, which may not be fully developed yet. Others might be very difficult to create lather, but could still be a great performer, once the lather is made. Keep in mind that your local water and Shave Brush will influence the latherability of a product. On top of all this, your technique is key to make good lather.

Next, there's the lubricity or how slick is this stuff? This is where you need to read the reviews to find out what people are saying about it, as there is not a grade for this category. Lubricity may not be as important from one wetshaver to another. A straight razor user might want something different than a DE or SE user. You might be looking at something that leaves a microscopic film of lubrication after the blade passes, to allow a slick surface for the razor to glide on. If there is not enough lubricity, the razor will drag as it passes over the skin and can create skipping or blade angle problems which can cause razor burn and nicks.

Next, cushioning can be important for you or not. This is the slight resistance that a lathering product might provide against an aggressive razor. Improving your technique will do more to protect your face than any lathering product.

Efficacy

Efficacy is another one of those things that gets argued about from time to time. You can define efficacy as the products ability to do what it does. Do you need half a table spoon or will a pea sized amount get the job done? Can you get three passes out of one batch of lather?

Moisturizing

It is nice to finish your shave and have your face feel smooth, calm and well moisturized. You would probably consider an aftershave splash or balm anyways but if your skin feels great at the end, this one is a success.

Packaging

Who cares about packaging, right? Well, it can be important at times. The type of package is more critical than the numerical grade a package might receive. Does this cream come in a tube or tub; is it plastic or a metal one? Will the package protect the product for its useful life?

Many people complain about the cap on the metal Proraso tubes, stripping or becoming cross threaded, even by careful users. If a tub lid doesnt seal well the cream may dry out before it is all used. If you want to display your lathering products, instead of hiding them in a cabinet, how will they look on the shelf when company visits? Does the shipping/display package protect the actual product until you get it home? A bunch of metal tubes tossed randomly into a box would not be very appealing to me, as it would cause denting and maybe even rupturing.

Reviews

At some point in time, you have to jump in and try something. When you think you know which attributes are best for you, try one that has favorable reviews for those characteristics. If it works, great, take note of which members gave the most accurate description to your experience. You might want to try some of the other soaps or creams that these members like. If it doesnt work, again, take note of which members gave the most accurate description to your experience. If a product gets enough reviews, eventually someone will not like it and say why they dont like it. This can help you avoid additional bad purchases.

Ingredient list

This one can be a bit controversial or not. Often, a wetshaver will look for "natural ingredients", others might prefer a vegan product. Some might not care in the ingredient list and will love the product and that's all right too.

There's one ingredient that keeps coming back on the watch list, it's olive oil. Now, it's a great product but in a shaving soap, it often cause issues. Not all shave soaps that have olive oil have issues. However, the lather probably won't be as great because of this one. So, if there's olive oil, please verify if there's a review on the product before buying it.

Beard Softening

Last item, beard softening. This is an attribute that does not get graded in the reviews section. You might find that beard softening is very important. It might provide you with a smoother shave since your beard is considered very tough. If you have a very light beard, beard softening may not be important to you. You can consult the Pre-shave prep page in wiki. It will provide a method that will help you understand how beard softening works. Most products will provide some sort of beard softening, especially when coupled with a warm towel treatment.

Conclusion

You don't need to consider all those items to buy a product. However, it should help you making a more informed decision for your first or next product. Also, if you like or dislike a product, share your experience on the forum and please, review it.[3]

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