Shaving Cream/Soap Samples – Lessons Learned, A Ton of Empty Jars and Process Results

IT'S JUST SHAVING !!!

Says the guy who owns 500 soaps

IT'S JUST SHAVING !!!

Says the guy who owns 500 soaps

Even though I own many creams & soaps, I don't need to put their specifications and abilities into a matrix

IT'S JUST SHAVING !!!

Says the guy who owns 500 soaps

Even though I own many creams & soaps, I don't need to put their specifications and abilities into a matrix

I got ya Claus, I was just having a little fun. By no means do I begrudge the fact that you have such an extensive collection. I think its pretty cool actually! I just wonder how on earth you decide what to use every morning! LOL.

And I partly agree with you about grim's approach. Let's just say he's VERY thorough. I'm enjoying this thread though and appreciate the lengths that he's going to in his evaluation of different soaps. I think his findings will be interesting and a benefit to the forum members as a whole.

Says the guy who owns 500 soaps

Even though I own many creams & soaps, I don't need to put their specifications and abilities into a matrix

I got ya Claus, I was just having a little fun. By no means do I begrudge the fact that you have such an extensive collection. I think its pretty cool actually! I just wonder how on earth you decide what to use every morning! LOL.

And I partly agree with you about grim's approach. Let's just say he's VERY thorough. I'm enjoying this thread though and appreciate the lengths that he's going to in his evaluation of different soaps. I think his findings will be interesting and a benefit to the forum members as a whole.

Agreed. I am more of a just "shave" guy although I do enjoy trying different things, I just don't put much structure around it until I discover that thing worth sharing then collect thoughts and post.

Kudos to those that have the analytical bent and wherewithal to put it together and share. I do think it is helpful, particularly for those just starting out.

Thank you guys who don't think its a waste of time. In the end, I got myself some data. At worst, maybe the process helps a new guy out

I've learned far more than I ever thought I would. Continue tomorrow.

I do appreciate the effort grim

Validation

In the end, its fine to talk about attributes but ultimately, none of that matters if you don’t get a close shave and the journey to the end result was not pleasant. Some days you have good days.    Some days you have bad days.    You always don’t get a close shave with pleasant scents wafting through the room and soothing background music. However, the probability of that occurring, and this is clearly my opinion shaded with actual experience, was this – which is an educated wag.



Or said simply, the experience I had with the Elite through Very Good groupings of soap, time and time again, was superior to the ones I pass on. So now I need to look at value again. The average cost/brand (NOT the cost/shave) per oz was this, and this is retail and there is the oz isn't a oz thing etc but its close enough to see a trend. The actual numbers don't matter. The relative difference between cost does.



So how could I validate my findings? Other reviewers opinion won't do it other than to see general trends. Scents are personal. Their roses could be my garbage.  Some people review things I don't care about and vice versa.  The only way for me to validate my beliefs are quick referrals back to previously used soaps. For items below the pass line, I either used them, tossed them, or gave them away. For a handful of items within the heart of the normal curve, for scents I thought interesting, I kept them, and in some cases, reordered samples, to go back and verify if I really liked the scent. A few stood out. By going to back to these scents that I might find intriguing, and still being in the range of something I considered acceptable, this allowed further comparisons. I looked forward to retrying some intriguing scents and continue to do this now. They are a diversion.

Below it what I think of as my validation. Most of the validation soaps were within the heart of the normal curve.



Sadly, time and time again I wondered why I kept any of them. The scent might still be intriguing. I enjoyed the brief change. But there was simply no contest, IMO, in overall experience. The Elite soaps, in back-to-back comparisons, were simply superior.

Life is short. I saw no purpose in keeping them. The frugal police in the back on my head would say – NO NO! Use it up!.     It’s money!

But the "Life is to Short Devil" in my head would say – Meh, toss them.  


Regardless, I enjoy a brief excursion using up scents I found intriguing but when they are gone, they will be gone and not replaced. For now, the Frugal Police win    But my validation remains.

Some soaps are simply superior, IMO, to others and there is just no way around it.

ok time to share with us your elite soaps!

It would be interesting to see how you rank some of the brands. I have found that opinions vary dramatically on what constitutes a top tier soap. Some will view the soap as what clouds must be made of in heaven, while others suggest that it undoubtedly made of horse manure or that while it "seems" good, it contains chemicals that will instantly cause melanoma.

I’m adding my voice to the previous requests. Grim, we know and fully acknowledge that this was a test you did to discover what works best for you, and we all know that different products work differently for different people.

That being said, anyone who has read your findings has to be dying to know which soaps passed your assessment with flying colors. We are talking about some real, tangible suspense here, grim! Please don’t leave us hanging…