Best Shaving Soap? - Make your Own
- Thread starter LBussy
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- #22
I lied ... was Bergamot Coriander. Coriander in this application (just like in beer) has an orange smell/flavor. I got it from Sweetcakes.
Thanks. I might look into trying it.
Really enjoyed this thread. I may try this myself sometime. Especially if anyone comes up with a good way to add menthol. Seems like this would turn out similar to (and maybe even better than) Valobra Menthol which is becoming a favorite of mine.
I've found the best way to add menthol is just to add the crystals to your base oils as you heat them up, as that dissolves them easily, and distributes the menthol evenly throughout the soap. Menthol isn't overly expensive, so you can just add more to offset any offgassing, and to get the level of face freeze you want. You do have to exercise caution/common sense when making a high strength menthol soap, as you may find yourself mentholating your workspace in the process.
It's a matter of trial and error, but it's well worth the effort to have a decent soap that you've made yourself.
Lee, I have to take my hat off to you. The amount of time and effort it must have taken for you to put together all of those instructions. Never mind all the work you did figuring how the process all worked...truly a labor of love. I don't have near enough time right now in my life to attempt any of this but it is nice to know that someone took the pains to lay it all out for just anybody to be able to follow.
A big thanks to you sir!!
Thanks also for sharing your family history with us. You didn't have to, but you did. It made the article all the more interesting for it.
A big thanks to you sir!!
Thanks also for sharing your family history with us. You didn't have to, but you did. It made the article all the more interesting for it.
Thank you for sharing this. Its is well written. Hopefully I'll have the time to make this soap someday. For now I use soap melts that I add clays and essential oils to.
Fascinating stuff, Lee! Not sure that I have the patience needed to actually do this, but reading your articles certainly made me feel as though I could. Perhaps some day. Either way, thanks for your hard work and a fascinating read.
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- #29
Thanks for the tips John. It's because of "mentholated myself" that I was trying to use it in the superfat.
And of course thanks again for all the help and answering my stupid questions.
I'm glad you found it informative. I would not have even thought canned goo could be improved upon had I not found Badger and Blade a few years ago so it all starts here.
It takes a tiny bit more time than using M&P and the results are worth it. IMHO of course
You definitely can. If you can make Mac and Cheese you can do this I think.
Very interesting read and I would love to try this one day. However, I don't think my SO will be pleased to see me treating the kitchen in our 600 SF NYC apt like a soap-making lab.
I got a chance to read through all three posts and want to express my thanks as well.
Have you done any experimenting with other oils that you could share? How did you finally rest on this recipe?
I notice castor oil in a lot of the soaps that I really like. I've also read that palm kernel oil can perform like coconut without the initial frothing that you get with a lot of water and coconut oil soap. I think j-mt wrote that when he was describing coming up with his soap formula.
Maybe you didn't intend for this post to go into details like that, sorry if I'm getting off topic.
Have you done any experimenting with other oils that you could share? How did you finally rest on this recipe?
I notice castor oil in a lot of the soaps that I really like. I've also read that palm kernel oil can perform like coconut without the initial frothing that you get with a lot of water and coconut oil soap. I think j-mt wrote that when he was describing coming up with his soap formula.
Maybe you didn't intend for this post to go into details like that, sorry if I'm getting off topic.
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- #32
That's quitter talk!
It's a decision that's unique to every individual. I can share though that aside from the raw ingredients (which all fit into a box the size of a copier paper box) you can do it with just what you have in the kitchen already. Most kitchens anyway - you have an SO so I going to assume someone cooks. See the part about the food storage containers for the Bain Marie.
I have, and I always will. My current experiments are with Argan Oil and Cocoa Butter (separate batches). Argan seems like a strong contender but there's some risk of getting a counterfeit or adulterated product. It's pretty expensive as well and the counterfeits are not cheaper so a guy could get fleeced. The whole thing seems like the issue with trying to buy saffron. The Cocoa Butter is up for shave testing next. Both of these are a replacement in my recipe for the Lanolin and Shea.
Well I really covered it in the articles. I knew what I wanted and I was damned if I was going to make a little thing like not knowing how to make soap stop me. I got one that to me combined what I like about Tabac and XXX, with the ease of lather of MdeC, so I called that recipe "done."
I need to be careful here or I'll start alienating people (even more). Castor oil is good for lather in small amounts. It is high in ricinoleic acid which can get a little on the slimy side for my tastes. It's not needed for a shaving soap generally and to be honest it speaks to me more as a regular soap that a soaper adapted to be a shaving soap, rather than a purpose-built shaving soap. I'll probably be forced to eat my words, and some soapers I respect do use it with pretty good results. I just don't like it. Fords and Chevy's and all that.
Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) could be a replacement for Coconut oil - it's not a drop-in so the recipe would have to be re-figured for that. I don't tend to care for it which is strange since the patty acid profiles are so close. Some folks fear that coconut oil makes a drying soap - and it darned sure can, but this soap is made to not be drying. Have a look at the top classic shaving soaps and you see CO there, not PKO. There's got to be a reason. I also don't think the "frothing" is bad. The coconut is very important I feel for a good lather and if you go at it with a slightly dryer brush (adding a little water later) you will not have so much of that.
I love talking about it! If you have questions, just fire away!
Thanks.
What draws me to the castor oil is that I suspect it contributes to the feeling of more slickness which is something I really like. Slimy doesn't really sound bad to me in a shaving soap, what's the difference between slimy and slippery or slick?
My issue with the coconut frothing has to do with my city having fairly soft water and my house also having a water softener. I get lots of air in my lathers if I'm not careful. From the description of PKO (from that one artisan) I thought maybe that would suit my somewhat unique situation better.
For both I know I should just make a small batch of each and see what I think. It's just that I don't have PKO yet so would have to get some. I do still need to line up the KOH so will just try to find a vendor that stocks both to save some shipping.
This is also "someday" stuff for me. I've already got a lot of soap and a lot of hobbies, so I need to be respectful of my family since this would add to both categories.
What draws me to the castor oil is that I suspect it contributes to the feeling of more slickness which is something I really like. Slimy doesn't really sound bad to me in a shaving soap, what's the difference between slimy and slippery or slick?
My issue with the coconut frothing has to do with my city having fairly soft water and my house also having a water softener. I get lots of air in my lathers if I'm not careful. From the description of PKO (from that one artisan) I thought maybe that would suit my somewhat unique situation better.
For both I know I should just make a small batch of each and see what I think. It's just that I don't have PKO yet so would have to get some. I do still need to line up the KOH so will just try to find a vendor that stocks both to save some shipping.
This is also "someday" stuff for me. I've already got a lot of soap and a lot of hobbies, so I need to be respectful of my family since this would add to both categories.
I think I have tried one of your soaps. Three wise men. Incredible soap.
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- #35
All snot is slippery, not all slippery things are slick.
It's just not a pleasant feeling for me. In small amounts I imagine it would work well if your recipe were lacking the lathering qualities of the CO. Me, I keep it simple and use the CO. Just depends on which side you approach it from I guess.
I do understand that. I have tried this soap with distilled water all the way up to harder than Burton-on-Trent water (used Epsom Salts to simulate). While there certainly is a level at which the soap will just give up and die (as will any real soap), frothing is just a matter of a tiny bit less water. If I get a little too much I just wipe the brush in the bowl and keep loading. When I get to the bowl it's not an issue to just sort of "tamp" it down and keep going.
Essential Depot has both I'm 99% sure, and their prices for KOH are in the top two (for me and shipping here). Keep in mind Palm Kernel Oil and Palm Oil are two different things.
I call it "air soaping" (homage to air guitar). I plan things I will never have time to do. Keeps my mind sharp.
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- #36
Yes sir, that was mine (and me, I assume you were at the KC meet?) . Three Wise Men was a Frankincense and Myrrh fragranced soap. Reminded me of Church as a kid.
No I was lucky and a fellow wetshaver that shared. It's Excellent.
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- #39
Yes sir. For the most part, when talking about percentages and soap, they are given as related to the total oils content.
There's not many men that don't love fireworks, is there?
Yes, "home made" but I want to be clear I don't make them in the house and safety is paramount. There is a national guild that puts on a convention every year where people go to compete, watch shows, and attend seminars- many are hands on, make this device today and fire it off tonight seminars. It's called the Pyrotechnics Guild International (PGI) and the website is http://www.pgi.org . The current president of the PGI (and a fine judge in Bourbons) is a member here as well.
There are also a number of local clubs where people get together and share knowledge (and stories). If you are interested in one of those PM me and I can see if I know of one local to you.
Different states have different laws, but with some restrictions this is perfectly legal at the Federal level.
Re: PGI, do they have events all over? I know there's one in Fargo, ND every other year that I've been to a few times. It's so awesome to see and even cooler when you realize somebody made those shows with their bare hands.
