Van Der Hagen Luxury Scented Shave Soap Review

But I do want to make something clear — just because it’s cheap in price doesn’t mean it’s cheap quality. Van Der Hagen’s shave soap is a really good shaving soap. I just think it’s very basic and doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles other soaps have.

Bottom line, it does a great job of protecting your face and being slick. It is made with great ingredients and Van Der Hagen customers seem to really like it and give it great reviews. But is it the best shaving soap for you? Let’s see.

Key Features

Very Affordable, Budget-Friendly Shave Soap

Van Der Hagen’s luxury shave soap is one of the cheapest soaps on the market, yet it’s still very high quality. It might be incredibly basic, but it still gets the job done.

I do find it kind of funny that they call it their “luxury” soap, but that’s really because it’s slightly more premium when compared to their “deluxe” shave soap which is even more cheap and basic.

So, no this is not a premium shave soap like a Lather & Wood or Henry Cavendish. But it’s still a really good option. And if you’re working with a really tight budget, this is really a great option.

Very Mild, Citrus Scent

Van Der Hagen luxury soap is scented, unlike their unscented deluxe shave soap, but they don’t really describe what the scent is. They just market it as a “fresh” and “lightly scented” shave soap without getting into any more detail.

In my opinion, it has a citrusy fragrance to it. But it definitely is very mild. Overall, I like the scent and it’s so mild I don’t think it should really bother any users.

That said, if you’re looking for a very specific scent like sandalwood or bay rum, you’re probably going to want to keep looking.

Bare Bones Packaging

Van Der Hagen does a really good job of keeping costs down on their soap which is one of the reasons why they can sell a shave soap for so cheap.

For instance, their soap comes in a very basic thin plastic container. So I wouldn’t recommend trying to load or generate lather in the container it comes in because it would get very messy and probably wouldn’t be very effective. Which brings me to my next point...

Good Lather, But Might Take A Little More Effort

Van Der Hagen luxury soap develops into a really good lather, but it does take a little more time and effort in my opinion. I highly recommend bowl lathering. First of all, the packaging makes it messy to lather in what it comes in. Secondly, the bowl just makes it much easier to load and lather.

So yes, this is a soap that lathers really well into a nice thick, rich lather — but it might take you just a little longer.

Good Enough Slickness

Van Der Hagen is a pretty slick soap, but it is probably a little below average when compared to other soaps that I’ve used. If slickness is your most important feature, I recommend probably shopping around a little more.

I don’t want to undersell Van Der Hagen because it really is a slick soap and provides really good lubrication. I just know several other soaps I’ve used (Proraso, Lather & Wood, RazoRock XXX, Colonel Conk) offer a more premium slickness.

Also, Van Der Hagen doesn’t seem to leave residual slickness after a pass. Some soaps you can get another pass or touch ups without having to reapply, but I wouldn’t recommend that with Van Der Hagen. I would always reapply to avoid razor burn and make sure you’re adequately protected.

Easy to Buy In Stores

Sometimes it can be hard to find good quality shave soaps in stores because most shaving products you find at drug stores and retail are the typical shaving gems and aerosol cream . Yes, Amazon has most available to buy, which is where I buy most of mine, but some guys just prefer buying in store.

And I’m happy to say Van Der Hagen is available at Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens and CVS. So if you need to buy this in store, it’s easily available.

Who Do We Recommend Van Der Hagen Soap For?

Van Der Hagen luxury scented shave soap is great for the wet shaver that wants one of the cheapest and most basic but still high-performing shaving soaps on the market. Overall, Van Der Hagen luxury soap is a really good soap. It smells good, it lathers well and it is slick and protective when applied.

Another thing I like about Van Der Hagen luxury soap is that it’s also really easy on the skin. It’s made with really good ingredients and doesn’t have anything that should irritate your skin.

So if you’re limited budget or just want a cheap shaving soap for whatever reason, Van Der Hagen luxury scented shaving soap is one of the best.

What Are Some Other Shaving Soaps & Creams To Consider?

Proraso shaving soap

If you’re not familiar with Proraso, they are an Italian company that makes some of the best shaving products on the market. In fact, their shaving soap might be the most popular soap on the market.

They have multiple lines of their soap that are slightly different in regards to ingredients and scent. But overall, all of their soaps are very similar in performance.

I like Proraso because it is a softer soap that is almost like a soap/cream hybrid. So if you’re new to wet shaving and a little intimidated by shaving soaps, this is a great one to start with.

Taylor of Old Bond Street Shaving Cream

New to wet shaving and not totally sure you want to use a shaving soap? Think you might want to stick with a shaving cream? Then check out Taylor of Old Bond Street.

TOOBS is one of the most popular shaving creams on the market. It is an incredibly rich creamy soap that is also a slick protectant when applied. TOOBS makes their shaving cream in a number of scents so there shouldn’t be a problem finding exactly what you’re looking for.