My father used a safety razor and always used soap to produce a lather with a shaving brush. That's a little while ago now, he died in 1984, but proprietary shaving creams were already starting to become big business. The thing about ordinary soap is that it will often dry up on your skin while you're shaving and you'll get what I call 'judder' - the blade fails to glide, sticks and bounces and ouch. If you're trying to use a safety razor this is bad news; if you're attempting to use a cutthroat as I've attempted (see this entry) then you're going to cut yourself, possibly quite badly. Many dedicated shaving creams are glycerin-based and will therefore stay fluid for longer. Essentially the cheaper they are, the faster they'll dry up.
This coconut oil cream is distinctly pleasant to use. It doesn't dry up, although if you're using a cutthroat for the first time then I'd do an area of your face at a time as it takes ages while you're learning. The razor glides nicely and it has a very subtle scent while you're using it. My usual cream, Coates' Shaving Cream, is a 'limited edition' and therefore isn't being made any more. Once stocks run out I could see myself urging the guys at my barber to start stocking this as an alternative - I'm very likely to be using it again.
P. S. Following the mention of my cutthroat razor I should mention that three days ago I managed to use it without cutting myself once - with a fresh blade, too, so it was definitely sharp. Now, if I can just get it to the stage where I look as though I've actually shaved, too, I'll have mastered it!
Declaration for clarity: I have no affiliation or other link with either Niven and Joshua or Geo. F. Trumper - this is strictly independent commentary.
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