Ethos, GD, Sebum

My perspective is that this thread really should be recast so that all soaps may be discussed and labeled for use as a general reference resource for discussion of all makers going foreward. Hitherto we have had a plethora of threads addressing the subject from an industry wide perspective but none has had the staying power of a signature thread to rival SOTD type threads going thousands of pages deep; it would be quite rewarding for somebody to undertake such a challenge in my opinion.

Wouldn't forum members be better served having one general reference thread discussing all the soaps such that new shavers could easily find a reference of which are the best to focus on in finding the right characteristics for their preference and skin type?  I was fortunate enough to serendipitously encounter dfoulk years ago, having previously aimlessly wandered the seemingly endless landscape of soaps with mixed results.  David provided a formal education into the parametres of soap evaluation as well as reasoned empirically based recommendations regarding which soaps might work best for my skin type: severely damaged and extremely sensative.

As this thread stands, the usual members are all making the expected comments, as will I:

Understand that I am not a hobbyist and detest shaving - my sole goal is getting a clean and pain free shave which has been a lifelong journey starting with a straight razor in youth and having tried every method known until now.  My skin is severely damaged from injuries and extremely sensative from birth having been under dermatologist care since a child.

Have tried the Sebum premium soap and found it to be a good soap, if challenging to lather; it sits just outside the top 10,

Grooming Dept was my number 1 for a long time in various bases and Aion quite good; Mo set new standards for comfort and post shave even if residual post shave ruddiness of neck remains an issue; it still my number 2. 

Ethos has set an entirely new standard by providing superiour cushioning and post shave without any oily residual; but the clincher was eliminating all ruddiness including the neck.  The Skin Food just blows away anything else such that hardly ever use ABC balm these days (hitherto a necessary component of the shave regimen for many years). 

But what we are ignoring is a goodly number of quality soap products in between the currently discussed soaps, including but not limited to: Wholly Kaw, Cutting Edge, DG, Pannacrema, ABC&c&c). 

Placing a discussion that encompasses all soaps in one thread, allowing for advocates and adherents of particular brands to proffer their candidates, requiring that advocates provide rationale for the choice(s) and prohibiting spurious negative commentary would be in service to the community helping us break out of our tribes me thinks.

Gentlemen, I have no doubts that Ethos soap is good. 

There is a lot of just good soap on the market, but there is not a lot of real stable premium, which would include the highest characteristics in all aspects (including a proactive beneficial effect on the skin of the face, a wide range of storage without losing the characteristics of soap, etc.). 

It is interesting to find just such a shaving soap. The best of the best. 
Everything else just good soap - is for fun only )

I really like Sebum and Grooming Dept. These soaps are in my top. I have a lot of their soap and serum.

It is important for me to hear your experience in comparison: that is, you also like Sebum and Grooming Dept and you started using Ethos.


Thanks a lot!

Michael

so there is no such soap in nature. one person sebum as nectar, the other quickly sells and forgets. how many people, how many opinions.
if I suddenly feel that the soap that I used does not give good care, I use balm after shaving, or cream or serum, in mood.
even in the premium segment, recognized by many people soap, it may not be suitable for you, for objective reasons, such as water stiffness, individual skin features, not tolerability of individual components. it's like a razor tie + a blade. there is no consensus, everyone chooses for himself.

I ask forgiveness from English-speaking gentlemen, but the person who created this topic is Russian-speaking, and so as not to use a double translation, I will write this text in Russian.

так не существует такого мыла в природе. одному человеку себум как нектар, другой быстро продает и забывает. сколько людей, столько и мнений.
если я вдруг чувствую что мыло, которое использовал, не дает хороший уход, я использую бальзам после бритья, или крем или сыворотку, по настроению. 
даже в премиум сегменте, признанное многими людьми мыло, именно для вас может не подойти, по объективным причинам, таким как жесткость воды, индивидуальные особенности кожи, не переносимость отдельных компонентов. это как связка бритва+лезвие. нет единого мнения, каждый выбирает себе сам.

My perspective is that this thread really should be recast so that all soaps may be discussed and labeled for use as a general reference resource for discussion of all makers going foreward. Hitherto we have had a plethora of threads addressing the subject from an industry wide perspective but none has had the staying power of a signature thread to rival SOTD type threads going thousands of pages deep; it would be quite rewarding for somebody to undertake such a challenge in my opinion.

Wouldn't forum members be better served having one general reference thread discussing all the soaps such that new shavers could easily find a reference of which are the best to focus on in finding the right characteristics for their preference and skin type?  I was fortunate enough to serendipitously encounter dfoulk years ago, having previously aimlessly wandered the seemingly endless landscape of soaps with mixed results.  David provided a formal education into the parametres of soap evaluation as well as reasoned empirically based recommendations regarding which soaps might work best for my skin type: severely damaged and extremely sensative.

As this thread stands, the usual members are all making the expected comments, as will I:

Understand that I am not a hobbyist and detest shaving - my sole goal is getting a clean and pain free shave which has been a lifelong journey starting with a straight razor in youth and having tried every method known until now.  My skin is severely damaged from injuries and extremely sensative from birth having been under dermatologist care since a child.

Have tried the Sebum premium soap and found it to be a good soap, if challenging to lather; it sits just outside the top 10,

Grooming Dept was my number 1 for a long time in various bases and Aion quite good; Mo set new standards for comfort and post shave even if residual post shave ruddiness of neck remains an issue; it still my number 2. 

Ethos has set an entirely new standard by providing superiour cushioning and post shave without any oily residual; but the clincher was eliminating all ruddiness including the neck.  The Skin Food just blows away anything else such that hardly ever use ABC balm these days (hitherto a necessary component of the shave regimen for many years). 

But what we are ignoring is a goodly number of quality soap products in between the currently discussed soaps, including but not limited to: Wholly Kaw, Cutting Edge, DG, Pannacrema, ABC&c&c). 

Placing a discussion that encompasses all soaps in one thread, allowing for advocates and adherents of particular brands to proffer their candidates, requiring that advocates provide rationale for the choice(s) and prohibiting spurious negative commentary would be in service to the community helping us break out of our tribes me thinks.

in this case, you need to make a list of soap manufacturers and vote.

but I can say now, the last soap that surprised me is Grecian Horse from ariana-evans. I have several soaps of this manufacturer on different bases and with different odors. but this soap gave moisturization to my skin, stronger than the other in the same line.

My perspective is that this thread really should be recast so that all soaps may be discussed and labeled for use as a general reference resource for discussion of all makers going foreward. Hitherto we have had a plethora of threads addressing the subject from an industry wide perspective but none has had the staying power of a signature thread to rival SOTD type threads going thousands of pages deep; it would be quite rewarding for somebody to undertake such a challenge in my opinion.

Wouldn't forum members be better served having one general reference thread discussing all the soaps such that new shavers could easily find a reference of which are the best to focus on in finding the right characteristics for their preference and skin type?  I was fortunate enough to serendipitously encounter dfoulk years ago, having previously aimlessly wandered the seemingly endless landscape of soaps with mixed results.  David provided a formal education into the parametres of soap evaluation as well as reasoned empirically based recommendations regarding which soaps might work best for my skin type: severely damaged and extremely sensative.

As this thread stands, the usual members are all making the expected comments, as will I:

Understand that I am not a hobbyist and detest shaving - my sole goal is getting a clean and pain free shave which has been a lifelong journey starting with a straight razor in youth and having tried every method known until now.  My skin is severely damaged from injuries and extremely sensative from birth having been under dermatologist care since a child.

Have tried the Sebum premium soap and found it to be a good soap, if challenging to lather; it sits just outside the top 10,

Grooming Dept was my number 1 for a long time in various bases and Aion quite good; Mo set new standards for comfort and post shave even if residual post shave ruddiness of neck remains an issue; it still my number 2. 

Ethos has set an entirely new standard by providing superiour cushioning and post shave without any oily residual; but the clincher was eliminating all ruddiness including the neck.  The Skin Food just blows away anything else such that hardly ever use ABC balm these days (hitherto a necessary component of the shave regimen for many years). 

But what we are ignoring is a goodly number of quality soap products in between the currently discussed soaps, including but not limited to: Wholly Kaw, Cutting Edge, DG, Pannacrema, ABC&c&c). 

Placing a discussion that encompasses all soaps in one thread, allowing for advocates and adherents of particular brands to proffer their candidates, requiring that advocates provide rationale for the choice(s) and prohibiting spurious negative commentary would be in service to the community helping us break out of our tribes me thinks.

Well said, Dan.
Last evening I allowed a particularly aggressive post to intimidate me and I subsequently deleted my posts in this thread. I regret doing that. I was motivated by the OP's comment that all other soaps besides the three mentioned in the title were basically a "joke". However, what I should have done was to focus my response on that and trust the motivation of the OP. I didn't and that was "perhaps" wrong. I say "perhaps", because I have been around for a long time on these forums and what I have witnessed time and time again, is when a certain manufacturer has some real success, the knives come out. These knives take many forms and many are cloaked in innocuous threads. The goal of these threads is to garner support for, or incite support against the competition. It's an age-old game. It should be noted that this phenomenon isn't unique to DFS; I was also excoriated over at TSN for the same reason. So let this thread continue, but as Dan stated so succinctly:
"Placing a discussion that encompasses all soaps in one thread, allowing for advocates and adherents of particular brands to proffer their candidates, requiring that advocates provide rationale for the choice(s) and prohibiting spurious negative commentary would be in service to the community helping us break out of our tribes..."

Regardless of whatever format is used you cannot apply objective criterion to something so highly subjective. It's no different than if we were discussing pizza or fried chicken restaurants. After all, it's only shaving and I've yet to read of anyone here dying because they chose the wrong soap or because their razor cost under $400. 

Have been literally avoiding this thread knowing there would be opportunities for civility and really hope to make this my last post.

Regardless of whatever format is used you cannot apply objective criterion to something so highly subjective. It's no different than if we were discussing pizza or fried chicken restaurants. After all, it's only shaving and I've yet to read of anyone here dying because they chose the wrong soap or because their razor cost under $400. 

Stipulated that there is no objective criteria for judging soap; hence why dissent with ranking based on voting or other polling. Rather, as suggested, each of respondents should provide a summary of the factors THEY find important in choosing a soap and the type of skin THEY possess (be it perfect or blessed with issues detailing particulars), then the soaps they prefer specifying the attributes that led them to choose the soaps along with any compromises tolerated. Essentially the output would be a group compiled dfoulk Shave Soap 101 course in a permanently searchable online resource that has been such a blessing for my life (not exaggerating as am truly physically pained to shave).

Without disrespect to anybody, am leaving this discussion henceforth. Thanks for allowing me to share thoughts and hopefully didn't Shanghai the thread

Petrol head. Really enjoyed the old Top Gear 3 car comparisons.

I cannot afford an Aston Martin and probably cannot afford Sebum or Ethos. I have used GD soaps and the one time Laundry release is a top 5 favorite. The comments/reviews of GD soap seem to mirror my opinion. Fun to read the constructive posts on all the soaps.

Also fun to read other posts - always enjoy some emotional comments. Reminds me of older Wolfman ordering system posts.

Legal Disclaimer: some of the GD Donkey Milk and perhaps other animal items comes from a farm under 100 miles from my place

personally I'm not sure these threads make a whole lot of sense these days. everyone has a favorite for whatever reason there is, whether it's the base, availability, scent, brand loyalty, etc...it's all so subjective though. what works good for one, might not be that great for the other. I've not used sebum before but I'd think both ethos & GD are in our dens/shelves..

I think PAA's new vegan formula, CK-6, is up there with the three soaps this thread is about.

personally I'm not sure these threads make a whole lot of sense these days.  everyone has a favorite for whatever reason there is, whether it's the base, availability, scent, brand loyalty, etc...it's all so subjective though.  what works good for one, might not be that great for the other.  I've not used sebum before but I'd think both ethos & GD are in our dens/shelves..

I completely agree with you. I have 15-20 manufacturers that are at the top of the rating. There are many mid-range soaps. I will never single out any one specific manufacturer. Because I respect all manufacturers. I appreciate their hard work. And it is not right to spin (put in the first place) a particular manufacturer (especially if it is a friend or sent several cans for free). I allow myself to put the manufacturer in the top or middle row. At the same time, I always say that this is for me personally. All soap manufacturers can find something interesting. [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Just like the top manufacturers, there are soaps that are not top ones on my personal list.
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