Tallow-Based Soap: A Compendium
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
I like bologna, mustard and cheddar cheese sandwiches.
I didn't like arko. The lather was ok. Williams actually gives me good lather. Since it costs $1/oz for me vs $3/oz for Tabac, the difference in price isn't enough that I need to buy any more of it, but if Tabac and MWF weren't to my taste, I'd probably keep Williams around. I certainly don't consider it "slumming". It's a good soap that a lot of people have trouble lathering. Or it's a bad soap that a few people can magically lather well. I don't care which, it's the same for me either way.
But if I want to create MY compendium of soaps, I'll start my own thread. There's no need to breath down Jim's neck to make him add soaps he doesn't like to his library of soap. And I doubt arguing on a forum will change any one's opinion on something they have personally used and liked or disliked. We aren't five years old. We can't be tricked into eating our veggies if you mime eating them for us and make yummy sounds.
I didn't like arko. The lather was ok. Williams actually gives me good lather. Since it costs $1/oz for me vs $3/oz for Tabac, the difference in price isn't enough that I need to buy any more of it, but if Tabac and MWF weren't to my taste, I'd probably keep Williams around. I certainly don't consider it "slumming". It's a good soap that a lot of people have trouble lathering. Or it's a bad soap that a few people can magically lather well. I don't care which, it's the same for me either way.
But if I want to create MY compendium of soaps, I'll start my own thread. There's no need to breath down Jim's neck to make him add soaps he doesn't like to his library of soap. And I doubt arguing on a forum will change any one's opinion on something they have personally used and liked or disliked. We aren't five years old. We can't be tricked into eating our veggies if you mime eating them for us and make yummy sounds.
Here's something I've been wondering lately...
If companies are in business to make money, and if to make money, those companies want to provide the products that their customers desire, then why don't more companies go back to using tallow?
Are we not doing our job of telling them we want tallow back? Is it just too expensive to use? Regulations against using animal fat in some parts of the world?
What's the rub here?
If companies are in business to make money, and if to make money, those companies want to provide the products that their customers desire, then why don't more companies go back to using tallow?
Are we not doing our job of telling them we want tallow back? Is it just too expensive to use? Regulations against using animal fat in some parts of the world?
What's the rub here?
One word: over-regulation.
Because the EU heavily regulates the cosmetic industry in Europe, companies must prove where their tallow is coming from (among other ridiculous requirements). This alone makes it too much of a pain for companies to use tallow, hence why they are removing it.
figured it was government getting in the way...
What's the point of proving where the tallow came from? I'm lost on this one!
Mad cow disease.
Wouldn't any kind of impurity be removed during the rendering process? Also, what about other kinds of animal fat...wouldn't sheep (MWF) or another animal work just as well?
Cooking does not kill the BSE agent, so rendering it would not do anything, unless commercial soapmakers have figured out some new way that is not available to us artisan soapers. Tallow comes from four animals: bear, cow, deer, and sheep (if there are more, they are only being used by a very, very small amount of soapers). All four can be used for soap, however, beef tallow is the best.
Unless MWF renders their own tallow (doubt it) and therefore wants to use up the entire animal, they are most likely using beef tallow and lanolin, which comes from sheep.
Wow. Great resource! Thank you.
my skin seems to really enjoy Tabac and so does my girlfriend. Didn't know its tallow based. I am happy to know that, makes choosing another soap easier!
JCinPA
The Lather Maestro
I'm new enough to this that I did not know there was a rash of 'reformulations' going on due to mad cow disease. I also see this started in 2008.
Is there a short list of classic soaps that have NOT reformulated, that are the same as they were decades ago? I must admit to trying a Trumpers soap in a bowl recently and being TOTALLY unimpressed. I would definitely not buy it again.
I use and love Tabac, so I have no problem to solve, I am just curious if there are soaps that are still made like they were decades ago? I also have some vintage Old Spice, and I agree that was great soap, too.
Is there a short list of classic soaps that have NOT reformulated, that are the same as they were decades ago? I must admit to trying a Trumpers soap in a bowl recently and being TOTALLY unimpressed. I would definitely not buy it again.
I use and love Tabac, so I have no problem to solve, I am just curious if there are soaps that are still made like they were decades ago? I also have some vintage Old Spice, and I agree that was great soap, too.
I thought Burma Shave is a brushless cream - I seem to remember adverts about not needing a brush?
Any idea when Yardley ceased production of the shaving soap? Must be in the late 1980s or early 1990s as I was given a soap and bowl from around that period (unused so far!! - no its not for sale!).
Any idea when Yardley ceased production of the shaving soap? Must be in the late 1980s or early 1990s as I was given a soap and bowl from around that period (unused so far!! - no its not for sale!).
I think "rash of reformulations" is a bit of exaggeration. Most of the crying you see on here about reformulations where the tallow has been taken out gets back to a few high profile companies...mainly Floris and Penhaligons. Both came out with reformulated shave soaps awhile back that had trouble making shaveworthy lather at all for a large group of users...I do not know if that was corrected in subsequent formula tweaks. A lot of soaps that had formerly been tallow were already non-tallow for awhile when I joined in '08 (C&E, Trumper's, etc.), so I'm not sure when the trend of reformulation started.
To your second point, that is probably a very short list...even your beloved Tabac probably contains "modern" ingredients that would not have been in there decades ago. If you must have old-style soap, just troll ebay for vintage soap. Unopened bowls and sticks of vintage shaving soap are fairly common...if it was a decent soap to begin with the only problem you'll have is that the scent will be long gone.
To your second point, that is probably a very short list...even your beloved Tabac probably contains "modern" ingredients that would not have been in there decades ago. If you must have old-style soap, just troll ebay for vintage soap. Unopened bowls and sticks of vintage shaving soap are fairly common...if it was a decent soap to begin with the only problem you'll have is that the scent will be long gone.
Jim--
This is amazing. Great work. Can you tell me when the reformulations took place? I have a turn of the century Crabtree and Evelyn Lavender that never quite makes it to the next to try list. Is this worth using?
This is amazing. Great work. Can you tell me when the reformulations took place? I have a turn of the century Crabtree and Evelyn Lavender that never quite makes it to the next to try list. Is this worth using?
- Thread starter
- #118
Yes you should do so- the reformulations have always been happening as companies have been sold and plants close.
In the late 90's and early 00's some of our favorites started to change. This also happened to the creams which were soft soaps at the time.
Similar thing happened with Pears soap in the UK. Originally it had very few ingredients and was marketed as hypoallergenic. The factory was closed and production shifted to India, and the current soap is like any other bulk mass produced soap with all the additives and bears little resemblance to the original product.
Jim,
Nice job. You've listed tallow-based triple milled soaps. Would you be so kind as to make a list of non tallow based triple milled soaps? You see, I've found triple milling to be a very important criteria in soaps as these soaps last longer than non triple milled.
George
Nice job. You've listed tallow-based triple milled soaps. Would you be so kind as to make a list of non tallow based triple milled soaps? You see, I've found triple milling to be a very important criteria in soaps as these soaps last longer than non triple milled.
George
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