To some people  shaving with soap  might seem strange but shaving soap has been around for hundreds of years. The main thing to understand is that shave soap and regular body soap aren't close to the same product. Mostly these soaps have been replaced by aerosol shaving cream and gel as the standard shaving lubricant. This is unfortunate because the best shaving soap products on the market can easily outperform these creams and gels. Recently there has been a massive resurgence in shaving with soap and many shaving traditionalists have only ever used a quality soap to remove their whiskers. Although it does take longer as well as a little practice to obtain the lather with a brush and a bowl, there are also some big benefits.

Shaving Soaps create a thicker, slicker lather with excellent cushion to give an incredibly close shave.

They are also far less drying on the skin.

They contain far less questionable ingredients and in the case of our natural shaving soap products, no questionable ingredients.

Primitive Outposts shaving soap collection has been designed from the ground up to get you the best shave imaginable. You'll get a thick, slick lather that'll stay for a very long time. As with all shaving soaps, you'll need to work a little harder to dial in the perfect water to soap ratio but it's so worth it. Our soaps are thirsty and can handle a lot of water so don't be afraid to get some H2O into the mix. Actually we recommend it.

If you want the best shave possible at home, you owe it to yourself to try a shave soap with a double edge safety razor. Follow it up with our witch hazel and aloe aftershave (no excessive stinging sensation here) and your face will be in shave heaven.

Shaving soap vs cream has been a debate or in some cases a question for quite some time and to be honest it's valid because in both cases the products are designed to do the same thing; and that's to be the middle man between the blade and your face. Your choice of blade is important but equally if not more important is what you choose to protect your skin.

So here is the story with most young men. They reach an age where they need to start shaving. The most common place and likely the place where their father goes to pick up shaving supplies is the local store. Here there is a massive selection of blades and creams to choose from. All offer to give you the best results and eventually a blade and can of cream are selected. Unfortunately some of the best products aren't even on display there and the young man ends up doing a disservice to his face without even realizing it. What follows is usually red, irritated, and/or dried out skin. Of course being new to the process it's often ignored and though of as the norm.
What you are going to read from here on will change things.

To some people shaving with soap might sound odd. The reality is men have been shaving with soaps for hundreds of years and it is widely considered the traditional and more gentlemanly way to shave. The big thing to understand here is that shaving soaps and body soaps are not even close to the same thing. From the process used to make them to the ingredients composition they are different and thus give very different results. With a body bar you want it to be cleansing and produce a bubbly lather that's easy to wash away. With a shaving bar you aren't concerned with its cleansing abilities. Instead you want a thick, creamy lather that has no big bubbles and is able to last for a long period of time without breaking down. You also want that lather to provide lots of cushion, and it needs to be slick to help the razor glide across your face.

So the most important thing to mention here is that in order to use a shaving soap you'll need a brush and a bowl. You load up the brush with the soap and then add some water to whip it up into a lather in the bowl. There is definitely a bit of a learning curve to get things just right but that is a large part of the appeal and the lather and shave that follows is the best you can get.

When shaving cream is mentioned most peoples first thoughts are of an aerosol can that uses propellants to shoot out a thick foam or gel.

Despite the long list of chemical ingredients these cheaper aerosol creams do not provide the same cushion, glide and conditioning that a true quality cream or soap does. In fact these chemical based aerosol products are often harmful and end up drying out your skin.

What we are talking about here is a thicker cream that comes in a jar or tube. Just like we mentioned above with the shave soap, a brush and bowl are used to create the lather with a shave cream. Like a shaving soap they will often be made with natural oils and butters to offer unsurpassed protection, glide and conditioning.

Placing a quality shaving soap vs shaving cream is really mostly a personal preference. They will have very similar ingredients but the soap will generally have the more natural ingredient list. The cream is of a softer consistency and is therefore easier and quicker to lather. The soap will take a bit more effort but in the end usually create a slightly superior lather.

You can't go wrong with either but we at Primitive Outpost prefer a good shaving soap. Add a double edge safety razor, shaving brush, bowl, preshave oil, and aftershave and you have the makings of one heck of a shave.

To make things even more confusing there are also a couple of other sub-groups of these shaving products.

This is simply a cross between a cream and a soap. It's consistency is soft and spongy and is sold in a container because it can't hold a shape well. It lathers quite quickly.

This is shaped just like any other soap but it is very soft and can be molded and manipulated quite easily. The benefit is it lathers faster than a harder soap.
Primitive Outpost Shaving Soap is what would be considered on the softer side of soap.

We like to use simple ingredients in our shaving soaps. Natural oils are mixed with butters and fats to create the perfect balance of protection and glide. We also add in extra glycerin. As a humectant, glycerin takes moisture from the air and draws it into your skin. When you have that happening on your face it takes the padding and quality of shave to the next level.

You won't find any chemical fragrances in our soap. Just our signature scents in a combination of essential oils, and just enough for an enjoyable scent while shaving.