Bar soap vs shaving cream

[vavavroom]

I get really soft water too. I used to check water softness for an aquarium setup, and it was quite soft without being excessively so. But all it takes is a little bit of magnesium/calcium for soap scum. I did look up what soap scum is, and it's the result of calcium and magnesium ions interacting with stearic acid in soap. So if there's stearic acid in many commercial shave creams in a can, but that will be in a mixture that contains mineral free water.

I also looked up your product, and here's the ingredient list. You know what that is? It's mostly soap. However, I'm guessing you're not wetting it with tap water.

Does regular soap contain triethanolamine? It's a surfactant and may make the product rinse more cleanly. It's not in the bar soap I used for the test, and I don't think it's a common ingredient in bar soap. It is however a common ingredient in shaving soaps and creams - probably for a reason.

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castille Bar Soap contains: Organic Coconut Oil*, Organic Palm Oil*, Sodium Hydroxide**, Water, Organic Olive Oil*, Mentha Arvensis, Organic Hemp Seed Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Mentha Piperita, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Tocopherol

 

[billt460]

I almost never bought Edge (might have bought it once), but I remember getting samples several times somewhere when I was a kid and older. I think they might have even just been mailed for some reason as a promotion. But even when I was too young to shave, I played around with the gel and always thought it was cool to see it expand once it was agitated. Then there was playing around with the vent at the bottom of the can. I would only eject the propellant through the vent hole.

I think the 2 worst things that came into the shaving scene were gel shaving creams, and those stupid, ridiculously over priced multi blade, "Shaving Systems". First it was 2 blades, then 3.

Now I can't count how many there are in those silly things. And NONE of them shave any better, (and most not even as good), as a good, sharp double edge razor. All they do is collect hair and scum between the blades. And you end up wasting time and hot water trying to rinse all the hair and crap out of them. They remind me of what you always find when you clean out a clogged drain trap.

 

[BISCUT]

Residue is disgusting. A breeding ground for bacteria. The residue makes the blade less slippery and hastens corrosion. The white stuff on the new blade is protectant, probably wax, they put on the blades before wrapping them individually. The coating glues the blade to the wrapper so that the edge of the blade does not rub against the wrapper. Most blades have such coatings. Personna and at least some Merkur blades are free of any coating. Many people use DE razors. Less costly and superior with less waste than multi-bladed disposable razors, they still are in production. I'm using my dad's old razor. It's older than I am.

Does anybody here use a straight razor, and if so, do you use it on yourself?

Alcohol rinse works well to release the residue and keep the blade clean.

 

[CharBaby]

When I shave, I only use whatever shower soap we have. And because I shave clean(no beard/mustache/goatee), I just shave it in the shower.
Now & again, I keep that rough couple of days growth look 'cause my wife likes it.

 

[atikovi]

Whenever I forget my shaving cream and I use some other soap/bodywash and I notice the buildup within a couple of days.

Unless you're a germaphobe, why is this an issue? It doesn't affect the performance of the razor. Maybe switch to disposable razors and have a clean one every few days? Or rinse off the blade better after using soap. I'd be more concerned of the soap residue left on your skin after a shower than what is left on your razor blade. I've used bar soap for decades and it never even occurred to me that soap residue on the blades was a problem. (It's not for me.)

 

[y_p_w]

I think the 2 worst things that came into the shaving scene were gel shaving creams, and those stupid, ridiculously over priced multi blade, "Shaving Systems". First it was 2 blades, then 3.

Now I can't count how many there are in those silly things. And NONE of them shave any better, (and most not even as good), as a good, sharp double edge razor. All they do is collect hair and scum between the blades. And you end up wasting time and hot water trying to rinse all the hair and crap out of them. They remind me of what you always find when you clean out a clogged drain trap.

Not sure. I use an electric - a Norelco (Phillips). I know it's not perfect, but I don't get razor burn and I've never gotten cut by it. The most annoying thing though is the possibility of ingrown hairs because it's designed to shave closer by lifting up the hair first, although I believe that's more or less the mechanism that multi-blade razors use. If I have to use a hand razor, I prefer a Bic Sensitive.

 

[Malo83]

When I shave, I only use whatever shower soap we have. And because I shave clean(no beard/mustache/goatee), I just shave it in the shower.
Now & again, I keep that rough couple of days growth look 'cause my wife likes it.

Been shaving in the shower since I don't know when, have a mirror that hangs in the shower and use the wife's disposable Bic razor blades, never a problem with soap buildup, give it a good rinsing after use.

 

[CharBaby]

In regards to razor blades, I prefer the Gillette Mach3(3 blades) or Fusion(5 blades). They are extremely sharp blades and just seem to last forever(subjective). IMO, they are expensive for a disposable product. However, I think that they're worth the money because they last so long.

The blade head is angled in such a way that I never cut myself. I can press harder to get those difficult to shave parts of my neck & jaw line without slicing myself.