Shaving Soap

[MilfordNJGuy]

Greetings Folks!

I am happy to announce that Stone Cottage Soapworks is celebrating its three year store anniversary and on the 19th of September our website has been open for one year!

We specialize in handcrafted, artisan soaps with over 225 different scent varieties! We also carry liquid soap, bath salts and lip balm and soon we will be offering shaving soap and shaving cream!

We are doing our best to offer value and quality in these tough economic times and we are currently running an inventory reduction sale with price reductions on all soaps and 50% off savings on retiring soap scents!

Stop by our website and if you're in town stop by our store in Frenchtown, NJ!

PS. Thanks to the webowners for allowing me to post this ad!

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

Folks,

I just made my fifth batch with a different sent of ingredients! This one I scented with Lavender Essential oil! I am eager to see how this formula comes out tomorrow when I unmold and cut! I am using a much higher percentage of glycerin which acts as an emollient and of course, a humectant. This formula will give me even more options!

How would you like a shaving soap with "Aloe Vera" in it? French Green Clay? There are so many additives that I could include. Please feel free to make suggestions!

Many thanks to you all for your replies!

PS - I will be testing batches 3 and 4 tomorrow!

 

[DunEdinRanger]

I think I am going to have to visit your store this weekend.

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

He's referring to the products Provence Santé, Pré de Provence and Institute Karité. ... You can find ingredient lists of these products fairly easily: just use the search function of this forum.

Cymric,

I have been looking up the ingredients listings of those products you mentioned and have found all but the one for Institute Karité that you mentioned. I will keep looking here and online. (Since soap is not considered a cosmetic by the F.D.A., companies don't have to list their ingredients and ingredient listings can be hard to find much like ingredients for the products from Europe!) If you have the ingredient listing for Institute Karité I would appreciate it as I would like to offer a version of shaving soap with Shea Butter in it. I often use Shea Butter along with another butter in my soaps!

Thanks!

Folks!

I had a wonderful shave this morning with version no. 5! I upped the amount of glycerin and now I will experiment with slight adjustments of some of the ingredients in the formula... I am almost there!

Thanks for your interest and support!

 

[SiBurning]

Just one request. Don't make a consensus product.

If you want to do a tallow/vegetable mix that's as lubricating as a glycerin soap, do the best job on balancing that. If you make a classic tallow, make the best tallow you can, and don't try to make it act like glycerin. Compromise means the product will never be great at anything.

 

[cymric]

I found it here. Not B&B, though .

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

cymric!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

You just earned yourself a free puck of Stone Cottage Soapworks Shaving Soap!....

when it comes out!

Great find! Thanks for sharing it!

 

[cymric]

It will take you a bit more p&p than usual, though... (I live in the Netherlands.)

 

[wimbouman]

Hello!

Welcome aboard!

I like a vegetable soap, but as usual the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
As for scent, I dream of a Dans Te Bras type of smell as this would extend the array of scents (and it is my favorite, also!):

Review here

One of the reasons why I sample so many fragrances, is that ever so often I come upon a fragrance that smells like nothing I’ve ever smelled before. Even more rare are those moments where not only is the smell new, but the overall effect (diffusion, wearability, experience) of the fragrance is brand new also. This happened with Dans Tes Bras – the new scent from Frederic Malle.

 

[joel]

Folks,

I just made my fifth batch with a different sent of ingredients! This one I scented with Lavender Essential oil! I am eager to see how this formula comes out tomorrow when I unmold and cut! I am using a much higher percentage of glycerin which acts as an emollient and of course, a humectant. This formula will give me even more options!

How would you like a shaving soap with "Aloe Vera" in it? French Green Clay? There are so many additives that I could include. Please feel free to make suggestions!

Many thanks to you all for your replies!

PS - I will be testing batches 3 and 4 tomorrow!

Very cool! What's you're current recipe/ingredient list - so we know what to suggest in tandem?

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

Very cool! What's you're current recipe/ingredient list - so we know what to suggest in tandem?

Joel,

Thanks for your reply. In answer to your question, I use the same ingredients as you would find in most shaving soaps and I am open to your suggestions for additives so fire away! You can follow my progress on my blog. Thanks!

 

[Sue]

David,
I just received my soaps and they smell wonderful. It's going to be a tough decision which to use first.

Chcocolate truffle is in the hall bath which the grandkids use, they will love it; I get the rest. I washed my hands with it just now and it lathers great and feels nice to the skin.

Thank you for the fast service!
Sue

 

[Gunky]

I prefer something Glycerin based and NO Hemp oil

 

[joel]

Joel,

Thanks for your reply. In answer to your question, I use the same ingredients as you would find in most shaving soaps and I am open to your suggestions for additives so fire away! You can follow my progress on my blog. Thanks!

The same ingredients used in most shaving soaps? Wow... how terribly uninteresting.

I guess to each their own - i'll stick with the Sue's then.

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

The same ingredients used in most shaving soaps? Wow... how terribly uninteresting.

I guess to each their own - i'll stick with the Sue's then.

Joel,

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear. In answer to your question "The same ingredients used in most shaving soaps?", I have not decided on my final formula so I can't give you a final ingredient list but I am trying the ingredients used in most familiar commercial (a word I left out) products such as Stearic Acid, Palm, Palm Kernal, and Coconut oils as well as the usual "bases" i.e. hydroxides. I wasn't sure if that was what you were seeking in your broad question. I was originally asking about additives, and I'll try to be more clear here as well, such as Aloe Vera, Essential oils, herbs, clays and the like. I would be most happy to hear input on those types of additives. Either way, I'm sure that Sue puts out a wonderful product and no matter who's product you try, I hope you will be happy with it!

 

[Sue]

I prefer something Glycerin based and NO Hemp oil

I don't use hemp oil in my soaps but add hemp to one of my afteshaves as it is a wonderful oil for skin that is non-greasy (a dry oil). I am curious to know if you are allergic or have a sensitivity to hemp?
Sue

 

[alexo]

A few questions/remarks for the vendors/experts:

1. I understood from the tests that some soaps were more fluffy and others more oily. Would it makes sense to make a soap in such a way that one side would be used to slide on a wet beard and leave an oily film while the other side would be used to get by the brush to create a fast lather?

Advantages:
a. The oily film can soften the hair while the lather is being made
b. The lather would be easier and quicker to make with out the oil so it won't get cold by a long preparation process (beyond one minute of swirling can cool the lather a lot)
c. The oily and hydrating soap could be used after the shave as well

2. For international buyers, it would be cost effective to buy large quantity of samplers/small sized soaps (about half of what's available in hotels).

Another option that would be easier to make is soap shavings.

3. I saw on your site (MilfordNJGuy) what seemed to be brick sized soaps before cutting which can reduce the amount of work done. Selling a brick would be cost effective for people who want to cut their own sizes so once they find their favorite scent/s, they can just go ahead and buy the brick sized soaps for long term use.

4. An oil that helped me a lot with skin problems is sea buckthorn oil. Another good source is Papaya fruit and most notably the fruit skin.

 

[Bobtrumpet]

3. I saw on your site (MilfordNJGuy) what seemed to be brick sized soaps before cutting which can reduce the amount of work done. Selling a brick would be cost effective for people who want to cut their own sizes so once they find their favorite scent/s, they can just go ahead and buy the brick sized soaps for long term use.

Krissy made a round log mold out of PVC pipe for her shaving soap, so she could make a log (although I don't think she sells it that way) or cut it to size. The cylindrical puck seems to work better than the rectangular one for most guys.

 

[Sue]

A few questions/remarks for the vendors/experts:

1. I understood from the tests that some soaps were more fluffy and others more oily. Would it makes sense to make a soap in such a way that one side would be used to slide on a wet beard and leave an oily film while the other side would be used to get by the brush to create a fast lather?

Advantages:
a. The oily film can soften the hair while the lather is being made
b. The lather would be easier and quicker to make with out the oil so it won't get cold by a long preparation process (beyond one minute of swirling can cool the lather a lot)
c. The oily and hydrating soap could be used after the shave as well

2. For international buyers, it would be cost effective to buy large quantity of samplers/small sized soaps (about half of what's available in hotels).

Another option that would be easier to make is soap shavings.

3. I saw on your site (MilfordNJGuy) what seemed to be brick sized soaps before cutting which can reduce the amount of work done. Selling a brick would be cost effective for people who want to cut their own sizes so once they find their favorite scent/s, they can just go ahead and buy the brick sized soaps for long term use.

4. An oil that helped me a lot with skin problems is sea buckthorn oil. Another good source is Papaya fruit and most notably the fruit skin.

It's a neat idea but I don't know how a half n' half soap would be made. With saponified oils there is a time period to deal with until saponification is complete. For me personally this would not be a viable option that I would even try. Will be interested in the thought of others.

Full logs are usually available from many soapmakers, generally called a log and less costly than cut bars due to time and packaging savings. Another soap is a cake format. That's on my to do list in four 'flavors' for the holidays. Cold process, decorated with glycerin soap
Sue

 

[alexo]

Sue, one solution to make two soaps into one would be to create two molds, one for each type, so the cold soaps will connect like dovetail connections in woodworking...?

Example of dovetail joining:

I can make a 3d model real quick to show how they would look before and after connecting if you'd like.

Once wet, it's possible to slide one into the other and leave to dry into one double function soap.

Does that make any sense?