Soap rotation?

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Being a beginner I have been advised to try and stick to one set up for a week or two in order to learn in a more efficient way, and to be able to better identify what actually happens when one changes eg the blade, or soap etc. But I just can’t. It’s just too fun to vary the blade/soap/cream/AS/balm a bit. :D

Anyway; I try and stick to three soaps that I change in between every other day: Arko, Proraso and P160 (I really do like the cheap Arko stick).

I am curious about what soaps and cream you guys have in your rotation, what makes you choose or change the soap you use in the rotation; do you go for a specifik theme like eg “kill the donkey” (no idea what soap is included here – you tell me) or “lavender month”, or a specifik brand? Do you keep the same set up a week or more? Do you have a particular soap that is always in your rotation - which one?
 
Very interesting topic,I do use the mixture of soaps and creams(too many to mention :oops: ) and to be honest I choose what I wanna use for a day depending on my mood really :shave
 
I do have a few soaps (and creams) in the rotation, as I suppose few others here have as well, but which one to select any one shave day depends on mood, time available to shave, outside weather (e.g. will not use Muehle/EJ Sea Buckthorn cream or soap when the weather outside is sub-zero deg. C) and combination with the brush and/or after shave products I intend to use.

I try to use products that more or less go well together, I find this is important scent-wise - but again I have seen many people going in a different way. There are no limits really. For example if the soap chosen is D.R. Harris Marlborough then the after shave will be something relatively 'masculine' e.g. Floid Suave, D.R. Harris Marlborough or Tabac as after shave lotion and Art of Shaving Sandalwood, Penhaligons Opus 1870 or perhaps even Dr. Henk's Dutch Moss as after shave balm. The cologne or Eau de Toilette that may follow will likewise be along the same lines.

Talking about 'themes', I am not a particular fan of that to be honest. I just try to follow some very general (mostly scent related) guidelines in matching products, although in most cases this is never a big issue as almost any soap/as/asb you may use will be pretty fleeting and not stay on you the whole day. There are exceptions to the rule of course, but generally speaking you can use any combo.

The more you are around the forums and the more you read on products, the more you will want to try. This is a fact. The more of everything, sorry to say, but this is what happens. Eventually everyone establishes at the end his own preferred list of products but given the fact that variety is the spice of life, this list can be pretty long. You will also notice after sampling/trying that some products (say soaps) will work very well for you, while others will not as much. That's where you'll start focusing on what to rotate more frequently and also what to trade or use less frequently.
 
For me the pleasure of shaving start with chosing which soap/cream I am going to use. What I chose depends on my mood, the time of year. I prefer citrusy scents in the summer. Its the same with aftershave.

By the time I've picked a soap/cream, then gone through my razors an smellies, I am running late again. :lol:
 
I found I was quite sensitive to a lot of soaps but still found myself with a 'round the world' theme.

1 x English - Palmolive
1 x Turkish - Arko
1 x Italian - Proraso sensitive
1 x French - Monsavon
1 x American - Mama Bear Sea Buckthorn

Which I use depends on mood and I went very much down the budget route, I could however quite happily be left with just the palmolive or Arko.
 
I own a lot of soaps and creams but really only use D R Harris Almond and Lavender shaving soaps and Acqua Di Parma Colonia shaving cream.

The Almond is the one that I couldn't be without, Lavender is a very close second.

Why? Scent and performance.

I've gone backwards and forwards on Palmolive, Tabac, Mitchell's Woolfat and Arko but after shaving with each of those I've just thought "why waste your time, just use your favourites every day".

No 'theme' for me.
 
Surprisingly, whilst I was learning to shave with a DE, I was very disciplined, and stuck to the same razor/blade/cream/brush/balm for about 3 weeks. Then I went nuts.

I have quite a collection of soaps and creams. If you think that I am going to count them, you are mistaken. Let's just say that my natural curiosity enabled me to gather a few, and they are used in a completely random order. Basically, it's just what I fancy at the time, but once in the bathroom, the soap/cream that I have chosen often gets a run of 2-3 shaves before the next change.

Ian
 
I also forgot to mention I'm extremely edging towards some MdC, only thing holding me back is it's a lot of money for something I may react too. Of course that means the Monsavon will have to be retired.
 
You shouldn't initially rotate products not only so you can identify what works but so you can actually see the early improvements in your technique and not falsely attribute them to something else. 10 - 20 shaves using the same product is hardly a sacrifice.
 
antdad said:
You shouldn't initially rotate products not only so you can identify what works but so you can actually see the early improvements in your technique and not falsely attribute them to something else. 10 - 20 shaves using the same product is hardly a sacrifice.
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Fully agree and admittedly something I have not followed so far...
 
Been pretty much summed up by all the above. Its an uphill struggle to not be dazzled by what's out there and what's being talked about favourably on the boards.

I have after months of reductions via the bin and pif's only now got my stash to a monthly working rotation and even that may be to much stuff.

Good luck fella. :hungrig
 
I think as a beginner it's always a good idea to change one thing at a time e.g. change the blade while keeping everything else constant.

When you become more aware of what you like/what works for you then start rotating like mad with these products! In terms of soaps/creams I rotate these frequently, as there's so many amazing products out there to use. The rest of the shaving kit is pretty much the same every time for me.
 
There's no rhyme or reason to what I use, I pick whatever I feel like on the day.

I regularly use Truefitt and Hill hard soap, T+H Lavender cream, L'Occitane Cade soap, Body Shop Maca root cream and Godrej cream.
 
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