Collection: Best Shaving Soap | Sir Hare Artisan Shave Soap
Best Shaving Soap
Handmade in the USA by artisan soap makers to provide an amazing lather, protects your skin while shaving, and lubrication to gently glide your favorite razor for the best shave you have ever experienced. Old school shaving soap with a variety of scents to provide a nice fragrance after your shave. All you need is a shave soap, shaving brush to lather up and get your shave on.
Sir Hare Artisan Shaving Soap smells amazing and provides a great shave making it excellent for those with sensitive skin and prone to razor burn. Both Men and Women have told us that we have some of the best artisan shave soaps on the market. We have shipped our shaving soap to the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, India, Singapore, and many other places around the world. In fact we are rated in the top 10 shaving soaps on Amazon with over 1,000 top Sir Hare Shaving Soap reviews. Your bathroom routine will change from a chore to an enjoyable experience guaranteed.
Top shaving soap brands
Shaving soaps comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and not all are created equal just like most grooming products. Everything from sticks, pucks, bars, refills, some even come in their own bowl like Sir Hare Shaving Soap. We create the very best shaving soaps and our customer reviews speak volumes.
Here is a quick video for you to learn a more about our great shaving soap.
Artisan Shave Soap
An Artisan is defined as a worker in a skilled trade, especially those made by hand. Everything about our brand is Artisan. Amazing artists transformed our idea of the Hare into a beautiful logo. Our soap recipe went through countless iterations until reaching the best handmade shaving soap.
We also believe in Quality and use only the Best all natural ingredients when making our products. Each batch is made by people and not machines. This means each container is filled by hand, each lid labeled and tightened by a person, and of course each package sent with care.
You might call it old fashioned or vintage and that makes us proud.
There is something about hand made that creates character and has soul. It's something that a machine just cannot reproduce. That's us, we are artisan's...
How to use shaving soap
In order to shave with it you'll need to follow a few simple steps. All you really need is a good quality shave soap and a shaving brush. Many of our customers prefer using a safety razor or a straight razor in their shaving routing. Shaving mugs and shaving bowls are optional and not really needed.
The process is quite simple as long as you understand three basic steps. Soak, Load, and Lather shaving soap with a shaving brush. Don't worry, we are going to break down the process and you'll learn some lathering techniques to get a thick lather out of your favorite shaving soap before you know it.
Water temperature when creating lather
There is much debate about using hot water or cold water when shaving. My personal preference is to use warm water when lathering. The warm water will help soften the soap and also open your pores.
Cold water on the other hand is used at the end of your shaving routine when you are trying to close your pores and tighten up your skin.
The best lather will come from using warm to hot water.
How to Lather Shaving Soap
Let's start by explaining what great shaving soap lather is and what makes it good or bad. According to the dictionary Lather is defined as the foam produced by a soap or detergent when agitating with water.
There is a significant difference between regular soap and shaving soap and the lather that they produce. Regular soap produces bubbles that are very thin and airy and make lather dissipate quickly. Shaving Soap is more of a whipped cream like consistency that remains on your face during the shave.
In the case of shaving soaps when combining the brush, water, and soap we will produce a great lather to use with your favorite razor.
The goal is to create a creamy lather to provide a layer of skin protection while shaving. If you end up with a sudsy, bubbly lather that disappears quickly you need to try using a different technique.
How to use shaving soap and brush
Go and grab your favorite shaving soap so we can get started. I'm biased so I'lll be using Sir Hare products.
Soak the Shaving Brush
The shave soap is probably dry and so is the shave brush, so our first step is to get it hydrated. Everything we do with water will be done using warm water. Fill up your sink or a bowl with the warm water and drop your brush in it.
Showering also helps to soften your hair and give you a better shaving experience. The reason we soak the brush is to hydrate the badger hair on the brush. The water on the top of the soap will also soften it up and prep it for loading the brush.
More recently we switched to synthetic shaving brushes. The brush bristles don't hydrate the same as a badger brush, but the process followed is the same.
How to load a Shaving Brush
Now it's time to start loading the brush. Pull the brush out of the water and squeeze any excess water from the bristles. You want it moist and hydrated and not a soaking wet brush. When you load the brush you are trying to get a thick layer of soap on the brush. We are NOT trying to lather at this time.
Hold the shaving soap with one hand and the shaving brush in the other.
Take about 1 minute to circle around the soap and fill the shaving brush with a good amount of soap. There isn't a perfect way to do this so change direction, go up down, left right, applying light pressure, but get the soap on and into the brush. When it is ready the bristles of your brush will matte together.
Lather Shaving Soap
It's lather time, are you ready?
Some people lather straight on their face, others use their hands, a shaving bowl, or mug is another popular option to build up a good lather. We are using a shaving bowl in this example.
I actually prefer lathering directly on my face, but it's easier to show the shaving bowl so we will use it.
Take your loaded brush and sprinkle a few drops of water on the bristles. All of that soap you loaded into the brush now needs to be extracted from the brush, mixed with water, and whipped up into a creamy lather. By using a circular motion circle around the bowl with the brush like you are painting with it. The soap and water will start mixing and you will see a rich lather beginning to take form.
Keep circling and trying to mix it up as much as possible, adding a few drops of water at a time to get the right consistency. Be careful because too much water will turn it into a thin mess and not enough will prevent the lather from reaching the full potential.
The perfect combination of mixing like a mad man, water, and soap will provide you a good lather. 1-2 minutes will be plenty of time to get a good lather that is sufficient for shaving.
Now it's time to break out your favorite razor, we happen to like the Sir Hare Safety Razor.
It's an art and science experiment all in one, but with a little practice on your technique and you'll be whipping up barbershop quality lather in no time. Now pick out a good shave soap and give it a try. Let us know if this helps you out.
How does shaving soap work
Shaving soap works by creating a lather that provides a layer of protection between your skin and the razor blade. The lubrication assists in gliding across your face, and the tallow based soap provides some of the moisturizing properties to soften your hair allowing them to be cut easily with a sharp razor. All in all a good shaving soap will provide you a very high quality and close shave.
Where Can I Buy Shaving Soap?
Scroll up and you'll find some of the best handmade shaving soap on the market
## Frequently Asked Questions About Artisan Shaving Soap
What makes artisan shaving soap better than drugstore brands?
Artisan shaving soaps use premium natural ingredients like tallow, shea butter, lanolin, and essential oils to create a superior lather that protects and moisturizes your skin. Unlike mass-produced commercial soaps that contain synthetic detergents and harsh chemicals, our handcrafted artisan soaps are made in small batches by skilled soap makers who focus on quality over quantity. The result is a richer, slicker lather that provides better glide for your razor, reduces irritation, and leaves your skin feeling hydrated rather than dry and tight.
How long does a puck of shaving soap last?
With proper use, one 4oz puck of quality shaving soap typically lasts 3-6 months with daily shaving, providing 100-150 excellent shaves. The key is loading your brush correctly - swirl your damp brush on the soap for 20-30 seconds to load enough product, then build your lather in a bowl or directly on your face. You'll find that a little goes a long way, making artisan shaving soap surprisingly economical. A $15 puck that lasts 4 months costs just $3.75 per month - far less than cartridge razors or canned foam.
Do I need a shaving brush to use shaving soap?
Yes, a quality shaving brush is essential for building proper lather with shaving soap. Unlike canned foam or brushless creams, traditional shaving soap requires a brush to create the rich, protective lather that makes wet shaving superior. We recommend badger hair brushes for their excellent water retention and soft feel, or boar bristle brushes for a firmer backbone and great value. Synthetic brushes are also excellent - they dry quickly, require no break-in period, and work beautifully with all our artisan soaps.
Can shaving soap work with hard water?
Absolutely! While hard water can make lathering more challenging, quality artisan shaving soaps are formulated to perform well even in hard water conditions. For best results with hard water, use slightly warmer water, load a bit more product onto your brush (30-40 seconds of loading instead of 20-30), and add water gradually while building your lather. Many of our artisan soap makers specifically formulate their recipes to handle various water types. If you have very hard water, consider using distilled water for shaving - it's inexpensive and makes a noticeable difference.
What's the best shaving soap for sensitive skin?
For sensitive skin, look for shaving soaps with these characteristics: gentle, moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and lanolin; minimal or no fragrance (or naturally-scented with essential oils rather than synthetic fragrance); and soothing additives like aloe, oatmeal, or chamomile. Tallow-based soaps are often excellent for sensitive skin due to their natural moisturizing properties and superior cushion. Start with unscented or lightly-scented varieties to minimize potential irritation, and always use a sharp blade with proper technique - the best soap can't compensate for a dull razor.
How do I know which scent to choose?
Choosing a shaving soap scent is personal, but here are some guidelines: **Classic scents** like bay rum, sandalwood, and barbershop work well for traditional preferences. **Fresh scents** with citrus, mint, or aquatic notes are invigorating for morning shaves. **Earthy scents** featuring woods, leather, or tobacco suit evening routines. **Seasonal scents** like pumpkin spice or pine are fun to rotate. Many shavers keep 3-5 different soaps in rotation to match their mood or season. Don't be afraid to try something new - part of wet shaving's joy is discovering new artisan scents. And remember, unscented options are always available for those with fragrance sensitivities.
How should I store my shaving soap?
Proper storage extends your shaving soap's life and maintains its performance. After each use, shake excess water from the soap puck and leave the container lid off for a few hours to allow complete drying - this prevents the soap from becoming mushy and prolongs its life. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and humidity. If your soap came in a tin or jar, that's perfect for storage. For wooden bowls, ensure good airflow to prevent moisture buildup. Never store damp soap in a sealed container - this can lead to mold growth. With proper care, quality artisan shaving soap will maintain its lather and scent throughout its entire 3-6 month lifespan.
Can I use shaving soap to shave my head?
Yes! Shaving soap is excellent for head shaving. In fact, the rich, protective lather from quality artisan soap is ideal for the large surface area and contours of your scalp. Use a brush to apply lather evenly across your entire head - this not only creates a protective cushion but also helps lift hairs and exfoliate your scalp. For head shaving, you'll use more lather than face shaving, so load your brush generously (30-40 seconds). The slick lather allows your safety razor to glide smoothly over curves and helps you maintain a consistent angle. Many head shavers prefer unscented or lightly-scented soaps to avoid fragrance near the eyes, and moisturizing formulas with shea butter or lanolin work wonderfully for scalp care.
