Welcome!

Most artisan soap comes in plastic tubs - though some sell refills (Stirling being among them), which you can store however you like.

I would recommend getting a few samples from Stirling (which are 1 ounce sized): they are good value, and you can test a bit what kind of scent you like. You can also look a bit around here what soaps people are using. I would just recommend avoiding Ariana & Evans, whose soaps have a tendency to provoke fragrance burns.

For beyond basics, I don't know – maybe try witch hazel as an after shave?

I second giving Stirling a go. They have tons of scents to pick from which can be overwhelming, but that's a good thing. Grab a few samples and see what you like.

Proraso is decent soap, but nothing special. The "sensitive skin" aspect is purely marketing.

If you think you have sensitive skin, our wiki has a section about it. https://wiki.wetshaving.social/en/sensitive_skin

For me, even once I started wetshaving it took me a couple of years to realize I should skip going against the grain on my neck. That stopped the irritation for me.

I still get frag burn sometimes -- Stirling Barbershop for example. That's another benefit of getting samples.

Blades are the other thing that makes a difference for me. A lot of people like Feather and Astra SP, but both of those blades bother me.

Hi, welcome to our little corner of the fediverse!

I'll assume you're located in North America given that you started with a Maggard set.

One great artisan soap maker that sells shave soap in pucks is Stirling Soap Co. They sell their soaps in the forms; tubs with 5.8oz, refill pucks of 4.5 oz, and (probably best for you, given you're wanting to try new stuff), 1 oz sample pucks.

They have two soap bases, the regular beef tallow base, and the sheep tallow base. Soaps in sheep tallow are a little more expensive, but not much.

The are loads of other artists, too, and Maggard sells samples of many of them. I suggest you start with Stirling, if you find something you like. It's great value and great quality.

But if you get bit by the soap bug and want to try more, check out the recent March Madness event on our parent sub. Those are the 16 most popular soap makers of 2024 in a community that prides itself on using only the best quality products.

When it comes to upping your game, that's a broad question. You could get a higher quality razor, a fancy badger brush, a shiny straight razor, try a single edge safety razor? The options are endless. Do you have something in mind?

I'd suggest that the two "beyond basic" things to do are to learn to develop a wet, slick lather, and to learn how to get a very close shave with low pressure. These are two technique features that help minimize skin irritation while still creating great shaves. And these techniques give you access to using very aggressive razors comfortably; including straight razors.

I think that you are on the right track by thinking of branching out with a different soap. I will second what others have said about Stirling. However, there are artisans known for creating soaps that benefit the skin. Wholly Kaw, Zingari Man, and Barrister and Man immediately come to mind. All of these soaps compare favorably to Proraso. All come in a plastic tub, but you can buy samples at Maggard's.