Best shaving mug soap

[daddyusmaximus]

Break room has a lot of topics from cute pets to best bourbon under $50, so when I am down to nothing on my shaving mug soap (and I never really was happy with it to begin with) I figured I'd hit the old interwebs and see what say INGO about the subject.

How many here use the good old mug, brush & safety razor, and of those who do... Can you recommend a good soap that has a decent lather?
Looking for the round kind that will fit in a shaving mug.

I know... I could probably use a new mug too, but I've had this one for like 30 years...

 

[INP8riot]

I would put a dollop of Prorasso in a warm mug and work it to a lather after rubbing 6-12 drops of Shave Secret on my face. Never found a solid soap I liked. Those 2 combined gave a great shave with my 59 Gillette Fatboy.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

My wife makes her own lye soap and has a shaving soap blend as well. It's what I use and it lathers extremely thick and smooth. She ships too. She has made a Hoppes #9 soap (literally made from Hoppes) that smells pretty close to it (like oily bananas lol) but doesn't lather quite as well in my opinion.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

My wife makes her own lye soap and has a shaving soap blend as well. It's what I use and it lathers extremely thick and smooth. She ships too. She has made a Hoppes #9 soap (literally made from Hoppes) that smells pretty close to it (like oily bananas lol) but doesn't lather quite as well in my opinion.

Good skill to have should the SHTF real bad... PM me and I'll buy a shaving soap to try.

 

[blain]

If you want hard puck soaps...
Pre de Provence, Bergamot & Thyme or No. 63
Haslinger, Sheep Milk

If you prefer more of a cream type...
Palmolive, Menthol
Cremo Shave Creams, whichever scent profile you like

If you want a liquid that can be whipped into a lather...
Kiss My Face, whichever scent profile you like

I'm a synthetic brush fan, myself.

 

[tomcat13]

Thanks to All on this Thread for making me feel Young!
I consider myself Old School (in my Late 60's).
Never have I used a "Mug & Brush" for a Shave.
Currently using Canned Shave Gel & a 5-blade disposable razor.
Challenge Accepted to Step Up my Old School game!

 

[dekeshooter]

I never liked a soap puck. I use a pea sized dollop of Cremo and whip it to a lather with a badger brush in my mug. It works great for me with my 1931 open comb Gillette. I have had good results with Derby Extra blades.

 

[INP8riot]

Thanks to All on this Thread for making me feel Young!
I consider myself Old School (in my Late 60's).
Never have I used a "Mug & Brush" for a Shave.
Currently using Canned Shave Gel & a 5-blade disposable razor.
Challenge Accepted to Step Up my Old School game!

I'm only in my early 40s but started using safety razors in my 20s. I tried it and I was hooked! Best shave ever and the blades are cheap. Something actually made to last several lifetimes from the days when America was great! They do have modern versions of them though.

No $10, 14 blade plastic shovel with toxic gel (look that one up...those gel strips are loaded with toxins that seep into freshly shaven pores = what an evil plan)

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I never liked a soap puck. I use a pea sized dollop of Cremo and whip it to a lather with a badger brush in my mug. It works great for me with my 1931 open comb Gillette. I have had good results with Derby Extra blades.

Sometimes when I can't get my soap to do what I want, I will squirt some Gillette shave cream into my mug and put it on with the brush... Seams like cheating, but in a perfect world I'd like to find a soap puck to do that.

 

[jsx1043]

I actually ran across a “fancy” soap shop in Nashville (Indiana) when I was shopping with the family down there a couple years ago. Turns out it’s not so “fancy” as it looks from the outside but very down to earth and very friendly. They use all natural ingredients and make everything locally. Very reasonable in price as well and I love the shave soaps.

Shaving Soap

Our Shaving Soaps are an essential that you must have! They are hand crafted with amazing ingredients to reduce razor-burn. Shaving Soap ingredients: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Distilled Water, Sodium Hydroxide (Lye), Soybean Oil, Castor Oil, Olive Oil, Shea Butter, Bentonite Clay, & Essential or...

bathologyjohannalee.com

It’s a puck so it should fit in a wide mouth mug. Now I feel like doofus because I haven’t used my mug and brush for it!

 

[Creedmoor]

I actually ran across a “fancy” soap shop in Nashville (Indiana) when I was shopping with the family down there a couple years ago. Turns out it’s not so “fancy” as it looks from the outside but very down to earth and very friendly. They use all natural ingredients and make everything locally. Very reasonable in price as well and I love the shave soaps.

Shaving Soap

Our Shaving Soaps are an essential that you must have! They are hand crafted with amazing ingredients to reduce razor-burn. Shaving Soap ingredients: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Distilled Water, Sodium Hydroxide (Lye), Soybean Oil, Castor Oil, Olive Oil, Shea Butter, Bentonite Clay, & Essential or...

bathologyjohannalee.com

It’s a puck so it should fit in a wide mouth mug. Now I feel like doofus because I haven’t used my mug and brush for it!

Years ago my ex gave me a Burma Shave mug and Badger brush to use. I think I still have a few of the Burma pucks with it.
It did a nice job even with the old Trac 2 blades.

 

[Basher]

A lot of the old triple-milled soap pucks have gone the way of the dodo, unfortunately. But Haslinger’s Schafmilch has always had top marks, as has Mitchell’s Wool Fat.

If you want a truly fancy and luxurious shave, Saponificio Varesino offers some triple-mill options that give an amazing shave and smell amazing.

 

[chezuki]

I barely shave anymore, but when I did I really liked this:

Amazon.com

 

[Cameramonkey]

While not a mug soap, I have switched to Shave Secret when not using my electric. Love it. Great lube, and smells great. It is oil based, to include clove oil. and it only takes a few drops. massage it into your face, then wet your hands and massage again. Gets slick as heck.

 

[Creedmoor]

I barely shave anymore, but when I did I really liked this:

Amazon.com

Geranium, lavender and rosemary, I always wanted to smell like
The Cola Nut Man.

 

[blain]

Thanks to All on this Thread for making me feel Young!
I consider myself Old School (in my Late 60's).
Never have I used a "Mug & Brush" for a Shave.
Currently using Canned Shave Gel & a 5-blade disposable razor.
Challenge Accepted to Step Up my Old School game!

I went down the safety razor rabbit hole a few years back.
I was so sick of bad shaves with cartridge razors, that I ventured forth.
Long story short, I discovered that the cream/soap I used made a huge difference in the quality of my shaves. I abandoned the canned goo's that I'd been using and have mainly ended up shaving with creams from tubes. I'll "puck it up" occasionally if I'm feeling the need for a nice relaxing, close shave.
As far as razors I'm sold on a single blade. But despite having several safety razors, I've settled into mainly using the Gillette Guard razor/cartridge system (handle required, but is just a few bucks). They're single edge razors that produce quality shaves at a really good price point. I buy 100 packs from ebay sellers in India. I have to allow for some shipping lead time, but never been disappointed once the razors arrived. I'm picky about which sellers I buy from, to keep myself covered. I want a great rating (99% or above), and lots of sales transactions. I don't mind ponying up a few more bucks to achieve that combination. In the long run the Guard cartridges make my shaving life more affordable, comfortable and enjoyable. I usually get 5 or so shaves before I change out cartridges. Sometimes I stretch it out a little longer, but normally regret doing that.
The creams I like are Palmolive Menthol and Proraso Red. I've experimented lately with an Indian shaving cream Patanjali Herbal. It's a very comfortable shave and really fresh scent.
I have a few synthetic brushes, but mostly just face lather and shave in the shower. I know it's low rent, but it gets the mission accomplished.

 

[firecadet613]

Very interesting thread and read, thanks!

Dad always shaved with an electric and I'm doing the same, never learned how to shave with a razor.

I've been thinking about learning how (youtube, most likely) to give my boys options when they begin to shave...

 

[Creedmoor]

I knew it was around somewhere, apparently my ex thought Badger brushes were a consumable. lol
I've had it maybe 30 years.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I knew it was around somewhere, apparently my ex thought Badger brushes were a consumable. lol
I've had it maybe 30 years.

View attachment 362214

They're great for cleaning car interiors

 

[Creedmoor]

They're great for cleaning car interiors

I'll put one in each kids cars then.