# use soap!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 18, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162 "2003-03-18T00:48:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/1 "2003-03-18T00:48:05Z")
I was in a hurry this morning, so I shaved the lower half of my legs without putting any soap or even water on them. owwwwww Now there are bright pink dots all over them. Doesn’t feel good. Cannot take bath tonight because they will sting in the hot water). So…ladies (and gents) ALWAYS soap up before shaving!!! This message was brought to you by The Society To Prevent Sore Skin. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/2 "2003-03-18T03:56:49Z")
Hah! I’ve done that before. But I’ll take it one step further. When I first learned to shave, my mother was convinced that shaving cream was completely unneccesary. She’d learned to shave with soap, and always preferred using an electric razor. I hated electric razors. For years I struggled with those painful pink dots on my legs, even using soap. Nothing like the results of shaving dry, of course, but still itchy and painful. Then one day I got a sample of some sort of shaving cream in the mail. I’ve never looked back. Shaving cream is a thousand times nicer than soap. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/3 "2003-03-18T04:00:57Z")
I thought this was going to be a rant about Computer Science majors. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/4 "2003-03-18T04:09:16Z")
Hmmm, I use soap and I don’t have a problem. I too once shaved my legs dry. I was in a hurry to get to school, and noticed that I missed a spot right above my knee. I grabbed my dad’s razor out of the medicine cabinet and shaved off the hair. Five minutes later my leg was bright red and I was in agony. ---
**Author:** ![phraser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e4f/32.png) [@phraser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phraser)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/5 "2003-03-18T11:50:34Z")
in my world, SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective, Assesment, Plan… a diagnostics acronym. I thought this thread would be about sick animals lol _silly me_ ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/6 "2003-03-18T13:13:49Z")
I thought this was going to be about co-workers who pretend to wash their hands after going to the bathroom. You know, the ones who do the fingertip rinse-off and think they’re fooling everyone? ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/7 "2003-03-18T13:18:29Z")
I thought this was a suggestion to the 94.5% of men’s restrooms in the country. Oh, and PAPER TOWELS TOO, not just air blowers or those weird rotating cloth things. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/8 "2003-03-18T13:24:42Z")
Soap? If you want silky smooth, try hair conditioner. No, really. Since it’s the pit, use Felching[sup]TM[/sup] conditioner - now with added aromatics 😃 ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/9 "2003-03-18T14:39:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FranticMad \* > \*\*I thought this was a suggestion to the 94.5% of men’s restrooms in the country. > > I do NOT go into men’s restrooms!! > > \*\* ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/10 "2003-03-18T14:45:40Z")
I’ve always gotten a better shave with soap than shaving cream. I may try hair conditioner next time, though. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/11 "2003-03-18T14:51:58Z")
I have never tried shaving cream. I suppose its about time. Ladies, whats the best brand? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/12 "2003-03-18T15:02:03Z")
I’m currently using [this stuff](http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=39051&catid=33692&trx=PLST-0-CAT&trxp1=33692&trxp2=39051&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-CAT), but since you only want _ladies’_ opinions, I’ll keep quiet. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/13 "2003-03-18T15:08:36Z")
Well, I meant cream specifically made for ladies. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/14 "2003-03-18T15:32:13Z")
Hmmpph… I’ll take my silky thighs elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/15 "2003-03-18T16:38:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*I have never tried shaving cream. I suppose its about time. > Ladies, whats the best brand? \*\* I use the gel-type on my legs. I prefer it over soap. I don’t have a brand preference, but I just like the gels over the foamy variety. ---
**Author:** ![swingchick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@swingchick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swingchick)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/16 "2003-03-18T19:12:56Z")
I sometimes shave with just a wet face cloth. Sometimes it’s fine and sometimes it hurts a bit after. Same with shaving dry. I find as long as my legs get creamed right after it’s not so bad. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/17 "2003-03-18T19:22:22Z")
Right now I’m using a gel, which I like. I’ve never noticed a difference in “men’s” shaving cream and “women’s” shaving cream apart from what it said on the label. So I use the cheapest brand, which is usually Colgate around here. Though that may change–the gel I’ve been using lately is Gillette Satin Care (for sensitive skin, with aloe and vitamin E!) and I like it a lot. And since I work from home, I only ever shave in the summer anyway, or on those few occasions I absolutely have to wear a skirt, so I might as well treat myself when I do. ---
**Author:** ![Sionach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Sionach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sionach)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/18 "2003-03-18T19:23:46Z")
Lotion also works quite well as a shaving lubricant. It’s especially nice if the only shaving creams available in your area are scented for men. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Venoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Venoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venoma)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/19 "2003-03-18T19:25:43Z")
I use pears glycerine soap on my legs - I actually find that it gives me fewer ingrown hairs than using shaving cream, even if it doesn’t leave my skin as soft (I prefer less-soft skin to soft and redspotted skin, thank you!) ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162/20 "2003-03-18T20:22:06Z")
I thought everyone knew you needed to shave with some sort of lubricant. I use shampoo sometimes, and I also use my shampoo as body wash. I think it’s basically the same shit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-soap/162162.md?page=2)