Reddit reviews Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Soap in a Wooden Bowl, 3.5 oz.

I am a sweaty person. I have tried all the name brand antiperspirants/deodorants. After years of crusted yellow/white stained shirts, I realized that my body seemed to compensate with more sweat, plugged up under the arms, it surfaced on my back and head. Clinical/prescription strength antiperspirants only added to the problem, and my white tees took the damage. Later I found out people, myself included, actually use too much, you only need a super thin amount applied to your underarms, don't go about it like frosting a cake.

Also thinking about the potential harm of aluminum based antiperspirants (you absorb everything through your skin), I moved on to some natural deodorants (brands like Toms) but they just didn't seem to work so well, but i did notice when I applied less deodorant, or didn't altogether, my sweat began to lessen in severity. Anytime I actually smelled (like after yardwork or a any long day in the sun), it was time for a shower anyways. After I was properly applying a thin coat, I settled on Arm & Hammers Essential Deodorant that began to alleviate my problems, notably with my clothing. No more yellow crusty shirts!

But how about some deodorant that will last you several years? Try a Thai Deodorant Stone, I've had this baby for a year now and I can attest that it works great. Nowadays I apply this to my underarms from time to time and lightly powder my feet and groin with a mix of cornstarch and talc. Life is much better now.

TLDR: Use less antiperspirant and try a deodorant stick without aluminum, like Arm & Hammer Natural Essentials, or try a Thai Deodorant Stone cause it rules. Also try applying talc/cornstarch to areas you get moist

And while we're on the topic of saving money on everyday hygienic activities, consider a safety razor (refill blades are $10 for 100 compared to $20 for 8) some nice sandalwood shave soap (I've had this bowl for a year and it doesn't really look like any is gone) and a nice aftershave (I get lots of compliments on the particular scent of this one from those who get close enough to smell it) I always use an after shave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging...

Before I started shaving like this, I had a bit of an acne problem and some parts of my face where I would get spots of dry skin, it's gone now. My skin is mostly clear. You're gonna get a much better shave that doesn't irritate your skin and save a ton of money when you think about the cost of Gillete Quadruple edged razors, plus how much more badass is it to shave like this? This is how your grandpa shaved. The upfront investment is a badger brush, which I called an investment because a good one will last you a lifetime.

That's my hygiene ramble.

Cancel everything but the soap and get this list

Frank Shaving Bagder Hair Brushs are both low priced and high quality.

Taylor of Old Bond Street (TOBS) Sandalwood Shaving Soap In A Wooden Bowl smell great but doesn't leave much of a sent on your face

Double Edge Safety Razor Blade Variety Pack - 22 diffrent Blades Every face is different so what is a great blade for one person may be the worst for another

Edwin Jagger De89L Razor is the razor i started with it is balanced and has a good weight to it, it also is a medium aggressive shave

Bloc Osma Natura Alum Block is an antiseptic and analgesia, It will stop weepers and reduce pimples and chance of infection. Wet it and rub it over the shaved area after you finish.

Ogallala Bay Rum Bonanza Sampler is a great aftershave that soothes and moistens it also reduces how oily my face feels after washing and shaving

The Merkur's have poor QC, the new slant I got from them has some molding marks left on it and there have been reports of the chrome flaking off of them. The tweezerman has the same issues with QC and there have been may reports of the hairs falling out as well as the whole brush. You really need to get a sampler as the feathers may not work for your face right away.

Watch our fearless leader Betelgeux's videos, he has a bunch of videos on shaving with and care of SE razors, I just watched them all on the 23rd in preparation for my SE from whippeddog to get here.

Edit: also get better soap, I don't know what you would want you have to test and decide on your own, I do recommend TOBS to start with, I like my TOBS sandalwood puck.

You'll want to use a good shaving cream, too. Not the shit that comes in a can, but the kind you whip up from a cake with a brush. I prefer Taylor of Old Bond Street because it lathers up well and my wife loves the sandalwood scent.

However, you might also look into Vikings Blade. They provide a full range of shaving products: safety razor, blades, shaving cream, and badger brushes. If I hadn't purchased my shaving gear piecemeal (Merkur razor, Omega brush, Taylor soap), I might have gone with Vikings Blade myself.

I noticed that AOS and TOBS both sell shave soap in the exact same bowl, which makes me suspicious that the AOS is just rebranded TOBS.

http://www.theartofshaving.com/Shaving-Soap-with-Wooden-Bowl/00670535450030,default,pd.html?start=3&cgid=sandalwood&prefn1=skinTypeFragrance&prefv1=Sandalwood%20Essential%20Oil&navid=search

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Sandalwood/dp/B00158S4RM

Thanks for all your information. I had read about the outsourcing here in a couple threads. I'm gonna keep the cream in mind though, as I do enjoy the scent still for TOBS. And should I ever decide to try the vegan soaps, I'll also keep your recommendation in mind.

To you point about whether my TOBS is new or old, I can't really tell without the box. I can tell you I have been at this since the summer, and purchased the TOBS around August or September. So, I'm pretty sure I have the new one from Soapworks, which might be why it does not perform as well as the artisan ones. I believe, but Im not sure, that this is the product link I purchased from.

I have two favorite shaving soaps, that I alternate between:

One is Tabac, the other is Taylor of Old Bond Street. Either of these tubs will last about 4~6 months of regular use, and are much better than, for instance, Edge shaving gel, which I take when I travel.

I think he's just talking about loading soap onto the brush then making a lather on directly your face.

Edit: I have a hard soap and that takes fair bit longer to load onto the brush than my tub of TOBS shaving cream.

I can't recommend Taylor of Old Bond Street enough. I bought this Sandalwood shaving cream while in London. It is the greatest.

It's on Amazon too. Here it is for $13 no soap.
This one is $12 no soap.

and finally this one is $25 and it comes with soap. All a lot cheaper than that AOC one. It looks like a generic mass produced one so I bet you could find it somewhere for even less.