Do you remember your grandfather using a brush to foam up his soap puck before shaving? Maybe you remember this ritual from old Hollywood films? Well, think it’s time to bring back the shaving soap, and it’s not out of nostalgia!
Switching to a shaving soap can give you a much better shave, and it comes with a ton of other benefits. No matter which body part you’re shaving, here are 7 reasons why we think you could use a shaving soap in your life.
1. It Softens Hair
A shaving soap makes shaving so much easier, and one of the big reasons for that is that it softens your hair. When combined with water, the alkalinity of the soap helps open up the hair cuticle, making the hair much softer. This way, every stroke of the blade cuts it more easily, for a cleaner, faster shave!
At Moss Hill, we also add a dose of hydrating glycerin to our shaving soap. This takes the soap’s hair-softening effects a little further and also helps prevent dryness.
2. Excellent Cushion
Unlike regular soaps, shaving soaps are formulated with rich plant-based fatty acids that create a very unique foam. Also known as a “lather,” this foam is fluffy and creamy with a lot of stability.
When you apply it to your skin, it acts as a cushioning layer that helps your razor blade glide more easily over the skin without causing cuts or irritation. It’s essential for protecting your skin while you shave and preventing razor burn.
If your skin is especially dry or sensitive, you can also layer your shaving soap over a pre-shave oil in a matching scent, for even better lubrication.
3. Leaves Your Skin Feeling Great
A well-made shaving soap will include moisturizing ingredients to help restore your skin barrier after you’ve shaved. Shaving is pretty harsh on the skin - it often removes natural oils and some of the top layer of dead skin.
Shaving soap with humectants like glycerin and sorbitol will help reinforce the skin with added moisture, to prevent dryness and irritation. It’ll help your skin feel great rather than tight and dehydrated.
4. Amazing Scents
With some shaving soaps, shaving can double as an aromatherapy treatment. Today’s shaving soap makers create unique and exciting scents that can improve your mood and leave you smelling amazing, even before you’ve applied any cologne or aftershave.
At Moss Hill, we’re always experimenting with fragrances so that our customers can find a scent that fits their style. Currently, our shaving soaps come in two unique scents:
Blue is a clean, refreshing scent with notes of musk, sandalwood, and lemon which work all year round. Bathe in Bourbon® is a little warmer, which we like for winter. It has notes of bourbon and vanilla with a woodsy twist - it’s the perfect winter scent.
5. It’s More Fun
Compared to shaving cream in an aerosol, using a shaving soap requires a little more technique, but that’s a big part of the pleasure.
To use a shaving soap, you need to have a shaving brush on hand. You soak the brush in water and swirl it over the soap to pick up some product. Then, you swirl it some more to create that creamy lather - you can do this in a bowl, in your hand, or even directly on your face!
It’s a really fun process to see how the soap transforms into a fluffy, luxurious foam.
6. More Eco-Friendly
Shaving soaps are great for the environment because they create minimal waste. Unlike creams that have to be kept in canisters or tubes, shaving soaps come in hard pucks that are easy to wrap in just a bit of paper.
If you already have a shallow jar at home, you can upcycle it as your soap holder, or you can buy a shaving soap that comes in a jar the first time, and then switch to purchasing refills. This keeps packaging out of landfills, and as a second bonus, it also saves you a bit of money since refills are so affordable!
7. Supports Artisans
Shaving soaps have been around for centuries. They’re traditional products with an amazing history. While there are some big corporations that produce them, the market largely belongs to artisans.
Switching to shaving soap allows you to buy from small businesses that are often family-run, just like Moss Hill. As a small business, we are able to support and celebrate our community in Louisville by promoting our culture and creating jobs.
Manifold Benefits
With so many benefits to your skin, your mood, and the world around you, we think it’s hard to say no to shaving soap. What do you say, are you ready to add one to your life?