I've been keeping track of the soaps I use (mostly non-tallow now) and what the ingredients are and whether there are any common denominator ingredients to the soaps that work best for me. Most important is soaps that leave my face feeling good, not dry, without any irritation or razor burn. Also important is quality and duration of lather, slickness, and feel during the shave. Soaps have included Nuavia, Grooming Department, Holy Black, WSP Rustic, Caties, Siliski, SV, Route 66, Wickham, Soap Commander, Sudsy Soapery, Haslinger, SMN, Razorock, Dr. Jon's. After this very non-scientific study, I've decided that the key ingredient for me, for my skin, is shea butter. That is to say, every time my skin has felt particularly good, non-irritated after a shave without any razor burn or the like, it's been after I've used a high quality soap that has shea butter in it - Nuavia, Soap Commander, WSP Rustic, Siliski. Not the conventional wisdom, and each person is different, but this is what is happening for me, and those are the soaps that have risen to my top tier. Except for Siliski, they all have very simple and short lists of ingredients, but the shea butter seems to make the difference. It could be just a coincidence, but I'm choosing not to think so for the time being. (Maybe it will help me buy fewer soaps.) I wonder if anyone else has an ingredient that they feel this way about?
Do you have a key ingredient?
- Thread starter Music
- Start date
MY key ingredient is beer.
Oh wait, you meant SOAP ingredients. Then I would have to say tallow or stearic acid and aloe.
Oh wait, you meant SOAP ingredients. Then I would have to say tallow or stearic acid and aloe.
I seem to like Tallow, but my non tallow shea butter soaps are pretty good too
@Music, I too have found that my face really likes Shea butter. If I were you, I would add Pre De Provence, either scent, to your collection. It has lots of shea butter and leaves my face feeling wonderful!
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks James! I will check out Pre de Provence. That will be a new one for me.
Tallow for me. Sudsy Soapery is the only exception, it's the only veggie soap that is comparable for me to the top tallow soaps. Even still, it isn't quite the same as WK or Grooming Dept's tallow offerings.
When it comes to ingredient lists. I think that the manufactures wear out a lot of copy machines. The lists are so vague and generic that it is impossible to determine contents, which is exactly what the manufacture wants. To prove my point just read the ingredient list for an all-natural product. It will have every generic name for all the chemicals and scents, no chemical names or trade names. The goal is to use the natural flower names rather that the chemical derivatives.
MM879
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The soaps that I've tried that contain lanolin have produced nice, thick cream and provided a wonderful post-shave feel.
Most of my favorites are in the ‘tallow’ camp. On the other hand, if I see olive oil in the list of ingredients, then I know that one is definitely not for me.
I have an extremely dry face so I actually have many required ingredients for me to even try a soap:
Tallow
Lanolin
Butters (Could be Shea, Kokum, Cocoa, Mango, etc)
Other Moisturizers (such as jojoba oil, avocado oil, aloe, etc)
Tallow
Lanolin
Butters (Could be Shea, Kokum, Cocoa, Mango, etc)
Other Moisturizers (such as jojoba oil, avocado oil, aloe, etc)
Shea butter is derived from a tree nut native to Africa. Tallow is derived from animal sources. However, the fatty acid composition of shea butter and tallow are fairly similar, but not identical. Oleic acid and stearic acid are the two primary components. That is why shea butter can be used in vegan soaps to produce results similar to tallow soaps.
Stearic acid is one of the key ingredients in shaving soap, but from a performance standpoint, it does not matter whether the fatty acid is derived from animal or vegetable sources.
I tend to prefer tallow soaps, but I do have some vegan soaps that perform just as well.
Stearic acid is one of the key ingredients in shaving soap, but from a performance standpoint, it does not matter whether the fatty acid is derived from animal or vegetable sources.
I tend to prefer tallow soaps, but I do have some vegan soaps that perform just as well.
I look for either shea, mango, or kokum butters, soaps with one or more of them seem to leave me with the best face feel. Avocado oil is a big plus too. I have very sensitive skin that seems to get worse the older I get but none of those ingredients has become a problem.
My face is not extremely dry, but pretty much all the best soaps I’ve tried match this list. I also apply shea butter as an after shave balm (usually in the form of Chatillon Lux post shave salves).
Ariana and Evans is a tallow and goat milk soap with nearly all of the ingredients you mention.
Cold River Soap Works Glide does not have lanolin, but has most of the others.
Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations new sheep milk formula has some different ingredients, but is wonderfully nourishing.
Wholly Kaw donkey milk and the new water buffalo milk formulas has some of the best post shave conditioning of any of the artisans.
Although I find it hard to lather with my hard water, Mitchell's Wool Fat soap is one traditional soap with a great post shave.
I forgot to add Ariana and Evans on the list (its probably my most used soap and same exact performance as those in the list)Just a notch below is CRSW select (contains lanolin), also a great soap. Wholly kaw is simply magical!!
This. Tallow is what makes the triple milled hard soaps like Williams, Mitchell's wool fat, Tabac, D.R. Harris, and soft ones like cella, Arko work so good for that slick lather with tremendous glide !
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