Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Grooming

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Here’s Why You Should Consider Using Shave Soap

Katie Dickens
By

shaving soap
Image used with permission by copyright holder
If you’re a fan of the local barbershop, you know that shearing off facial hair should involve more than a quick pass with your drugstore razor. It deserves the removal ritual that’s often left to the pros but is totally possible to do at home. One thing that sets a barber’s shave apart from the typical at-home regimen is shave soap. Yes, it’s more labor intensive and requires more accouterments than a tube of shaving cream but it’s worth it.

Here, Imperial Barber co-founder and professional barber Pedro Zermeno helpfully provided easy-to-follow step-by-steps for shaving with shave soap:

  1. Start by soaking the shaving brush in warm water for fives minutes, allowing enough time for the bristles to fill up with moisture. (This is a great time to either take a shower, or wash your face.)
  1. Shake out your brush two to three times in the sink to get the excess water out, and then run it over your shave soap using quick circular motions. Continue until you work up a nice thick lather. Note: If the texture is more paste-like, add a little more water and keep working at it.
  1. Splash your face with warm water. Take your brush and apply the lather to your face, again in circular motions to massage the beard and help lift the hairs to prepare them to be cut. Do this until you’ve got a thick and even layer of lather covering the area you’re going to shave.
  1. Shave. Reapply soap with brush as needed. Rinse your face with warm water in between razor passes and keep your face moist to avoid irritation.
  1. After you’ve finished shaving, rinse off excess soap from your face with warm water followed by a splash of cold water to close your pores and refresh your skin.
  1. Always rinse any remaining lather thoroughly out of your brush. Empty excess water from your soap container and cap it off until you shave again.
Recommended Videos

The Manual’s Top Picks for Great Shave Soaps

Imperial Glycerin Shave Soap $11

imperial
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re looking for shaving soap options, Imperial Barber makes an excellent all-natural version that’s very wallet-friendly ($12!) and loaded with extremely hydrated Glycerin, Vitamin E, and a blend of Safflower, Palm and Coconut Oils to help the blade glide without turning your face into an oil slick.

Related

Dr. Harris Windsor Shaving Bowl and Soap $38

drharris
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Of course, this OG British grooming brand offers an old-timey shave soap as part of its luxury regimen. The triple-milled formula is infused with the signature masculine blend of citrus, leather and pepper and is contained in a handsome wooden bowl.

The Art of Shaving Unscented Shaving Soap $50

art-of-shaving
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Those with sensitive skin and noses may prefer to slather their faces with a soap sans fragrance, like this excellent option.

Hudson Made Citron Neroli Beard and Shave Soap $22hudson

This handmade soap works up a creamy lather that’s perfect for either cleansing your beard or shearing if off. Either way the invigorating scent of petitgrain, grapefruit and neroli are an excellent wake up call in the morning.

Carthusia Salone de Barba Olive Bowl with Soap $150
carthusia

You can pretend you’re a very fancy Italian gentleman when shaving with this insanely luxurious soap, not only because it smells like said man, but it’s also contained in a hand-carved olive wood bowl that would look right at home in a Tuscan villa.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Katie Dickens
Katie Dickens
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Katie Dickens is a Manhattan-based beauty and grooming writer. She has held staff positions at Glamour, In Style, People…
Does beard growth oil work? What you should know
Man putting beard oil on his beard.

Growing the perfect beard is a lifelong quest for some, and though there are plenty of tips to help you grow a beard, sometimes you can benefit from a little outside intervention. You might have seen adverts for beard growth oil and wondered if that would help you grow a thicker and more lustrous beard, along with various other oils for softening or brushes and other tools to help maintain your skin.

There's a lot of options when it comes to the world of facial hair grooming, because for your beard to look full and well groomed, you need to not only trim it to the right shape but also make sure that both the hair and the skin of your face are well looked after and in good condition. You might also just need to be patient, as it can take some time for facial hair to grow in to the length that you want. The basic advice for growing in a beard that looks great are to give it time and make sure you're taking care of your health -- like getting enough sleep, eating a health diet, and taking exercise. But we all know we're supposed to do those things anyway, and there are some products that can help give your beard a nudge along the way.

Read more
How often should you change your razor blades?
Razor being rinsed under water.

It's a hassle and an annoyance, but when it comes to your daily shaving ritual something that you absolutely don't want to skip is changing out your razor blade. Trying to shave with a dull razor is bad for your skin and can cause razor bumps, plus creating a higher likelihood of problems like infections, and it will do a poor job of removing hair, resulting in a patchy shave. If you're not up for trying out a straight razor, then you'll need to get into the habit of regularly swapping out the replaceable blades on your razor or using fresh disposable razors instead. Knowing when to swap out your old blades for new ones will help keep your skin happy and your face looking its best, so our guide can help you work out how often you need to change your razor blades.

How often you should change your razor blades
According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, you should change your razor blades or throw away disposable razors after every five to seven shaves. High-quality razor blades should last five to seven shaves if you take care of them properly and keep them clean. However, cheaper disposable razors may wear out sooner.
Signs it’s time to change your razor blades include skin irritation after shaving, a less close shave, patchy areas or spots missed, skin that still feels rough after, dullness of the blades, feeling hairs are getting pulled instead of cut, and excessive friction of the blades across your skin that it feels like you have to drag it over your skin.
Moreover, a razor that has an accumulation of gunk that can’t be rinsed away should be immediately discarded, as this causes nicks and infections by dragging unevenly across your skin and introducing harbored bacteria into your pores.

Read more
Best men’s cologne sales: Save on Tom Ford, Creed, and more
Someone spraying a Tom Ford cologne on themselves.

The best cologne is an important investment for everyone. You might look great but your scent is a great way of endearing yourself to others, whether at a work meeting or on a date. More importantly, you want to feel great about how you smell, right? Learning how to apply cologne is vital before finding the best men’s cologne sales so you can invest in some great new scents. We’ve tracked down all the best men’s cologne sales and listed them below so you can soon find the right aroma for your personal brand.
Today’s best men’s cologne sales
Across the internet, you can find great men’s cologne sales on major brands like Montblanc, Prada, Versace, Tom Ford, and many others. It’s a great idea to stock up on a few different scents so that you have different colognes for different occasions. Here are the best men’s cologne sales around today.

Creed:
Dior:
Cartier:
Clive Christian:
Hermes:
Versace:
Tom Ford:
Givenchy:
Burberry:
Prada:
Montblanc:

Read more