I like Harry's shave cream a lot.

Harry's

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Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

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Originally posted by DoubleAdobe:
One word fellas. Tabac. You will be pleased. Tobacco and leather, beautiful scent. These things are arbitrary,but this is perfect to me.

I quit smoking nine years ago. Tobacco scent isn’t a selling point for me. *shrug*

It doesn't really smell like tobacco. It smells like soap with notes that depend on your imagination. Think snobby wine taster.

I will use Musko Royal creme when I'm in a hurry and blurry eyed. Prefer to go with a tallow based soap and a brush tho. Been using Shannon soaps but will be breaking into a kilo block of Cella soon.

You shave on weekends?

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Originally posted by LBTRS:
Cremo seven days a week

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Originally posted by dsiets:

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Originally posted by clayflingythingy:
I started my safety razor experience some years back by purchasing a Merkur razor, badger brush, and Omega hard shave cream in the tub. After using the Omega for a while I ventured into the world of glycerin shave soaps.

Is Omega shave soap tallow based? If it is, is it the only tallow soap you've used? I'm a soap guy who spent too much time on glycerin soaps before discovering the tallow soaps.

Omega is glycerine. I've seen the Omega referred to as a "croap".

In performance I consider it to be more shave cream than soap.

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Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Did you try any tallow-based soaps? I like Stirling quite a bit. Haven’t tried any glycerine soaps yet, but when I do, I’ll start with Col. Conk’s lime.

Cremo is great stuff. If menthol isn’t your thing, their citrus and sage is very good.

I haven’t tried Proraso, but at some point I’ll feel like I have to, given how prolific it is. Same thing with Arko and Taylor of Old Bond Street, at different ends of the scales price-wise.

I didn't try lard soaps. I used glycerine only.

I used the Col. Conk almond and lime IIRC. It was "OK".

My experience with Proraso is it doesn't live up to all the hype. YMMV

I use Billy Jealousy super slick shave cream. It works really well.

I can't use creams from a tub. Most all of them have Triethanolamine to help maintain consistency. It gives me what could almost be called a chemical burn.

Seriously, try the tallow based soaps. Cella with a boar brush is a magic combination. The key is to really work it up, don't be stingy with product, and add plenty of water. Or...if too thin, more product. The answer is always more!

ETA: I reread your post. No wonder you're frustrated. A badger brush isn't stiff enough for glycerin soaps. Get an Omega boar brush.

It takes on less water than Badger, so let it soak while you're taking a shower. When you first start using it, it will feel like a housepainter's brush. Don't worry, as you use it for a couple of weeks, the ends will split slightly, making it feel much softer. Best ten bucks or so you'll spend.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sigalert,

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Originally posted by sigalert:
Seriously try the tallow based soaps. Cella with a boar brush is a magic combination. The key is to really work it up, don't be stingy with product, and add plenty of water. Or...if too thin, more product. The answer is always more!

I find Cella soap to require a lot more work to build a good lather than Proraso soap, but once it gets there it is very nice. Cella does have a POWERFUL almond scent. It doesn't really linger after the shave, but it can be overwhelming while your face is lathered. If you don't like almond scent, avoid Cella.

I'll also add that I have been really impressed lately with the current crop of synthetic shave brushes from outfits like RazoRock. I have used high-end, expensive Simpson badger and Semogue boar brushes in the past. When my most recent badger brush fell apart after a couple of years, I bought an inexpensive synthetic brush to tide me over while I figured out what new brush to buy - and the synthetic brush was so good I'm just going to stick with it! It doesn't soak up water worth a darn, but it loads with soap and builds a lather faster than anything else I have used and still feels pretty soft.

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Originally posted by LBTRS:
Cremo seven days a week

This but only 3 times a week for me. Tried this stuff about 3 years ago and it is amazing. Gave 3 tubes away for Father's Day presents and they say they are completely converted.

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Originally posted by clayflingythingy:
I didn't try lard soaps. I used glycerine only.

I highly suggest taking a look a good tallow soap at some point before you write off soaps completely in favor of creams.

https://www.stirlingsoap.com/collections/shave-soap

Pretty much all of those have beef tallow, lanolin, and shea butter. Some have mutton tallow and beeswax. Every soap I've gotten from them has been impressive. Super slick, great smell, good price, made in the USA. Oh, and it's a husband and wife owned business, both veterans. Good stuff.

When I feel like getting ridiculous, I use a little Cremo as a pre-shave, bloom a puck of Stirling and add a few drops of vegetable glycerine to my lather bowl. Lather like you wouldn't believe.

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Originally posted by clayflingythingy:

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Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Did you try any tallow-based soaps? I like Stirling quite a bit. Haven’t tried any glycerine soaps yet, but when I do, I’ll start with Col. Conk’s lime.

Cremo is great stuff. If menthol isn’t your thing, their citrus and sage is very good.

I haven’t tried Proraso, but at some point I’ll feel like I have to, given how prolific it is. Same thing with Arko and Taylor of Old Bond Street, at different ends of the scales price-wise.

I didn't try lard soaps. I used glycerine only.

I used the Col. Conk almond and lime IIRC. It was "OK".

My experience with Proraso is it doesn't live up to all the hype. YMMV

If you want to try a great but inexpensive tallow shave soap, I can recommend Palmolive Shave Stick.
I'll also recommend sticks if you have a soft brush. Shave sticks are great alone or for making a super lather by combining them w/ a shave cream.