Hi everyone. First a little about my shaving experience then will cover experiments with low cost shave soap blends that led to a preferred mix of Williams, Van Der Hagen Deluxe and Ivory soap I've called Ivan Der Williams (IDW) blend #3 below.
I started as a DE shaver in college using a Gillette Adjustable and canned foam for about 5 years before converting to an Norelco triple header for convenience. Returned to DE shaving about a year and a half ago. Started with a puck of Williams as my grandfather used this as well as the now discontinued Colgate pucks. Also Williams is sold locally at Wegmans for 99 cents a puck. Achieved decent shaves from the excellent slickness provided by Williams. Love the "old school" Williams scent. Next tried the Van Der Hagen Deluxe (new formulation) and Van Der Hagen Luxury. The VDH Deluxe provided excellent thick and long lasting lather though with much less slickness than the Williams while the Luxury VDH provided a better overall shave. Also experimented with tallow based bar soaps, Ivory, Dial, even Zote (just once) and, similar to experience with hotel soaps when I forgot my regular shaver, achieved a passable shave from the slickness provided. Currently use a Weishi long handle razor. Rotate between Derby, Astra and Dorco blades. Favorite brush is a Razorock 26mm Monster synthetic. Also use a basic boar brush on occasion.
Based on the above, and posts from others who achieved great results by blending soaps, I decided to experiment with different blends using the above soaps as ingredients to achieve an optimal balance of lasting lather, cushion and slickness. The primary hypothesis was to add just enough Van Der Hagen Deluxe so that its foaming agent, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, would enable a rich stable lather without compromising the slickness from the tallow based Williams. Also experimented with adding bar soap (mostly Ivory) to the mix for added slickness. Second hypothesis here was that the added Ivory tallow could shift the Williams ingredient mix back towards the vintage "tallow first" formula that others have indicated works so well. The results so far are as follows:
Best Overall Blend To DateIvan Der Williams #3):
After experimenting with different blends the best results come from a mix of roughly 40% Williams, 40% Van Der Hagen Deluxe (VDH) and 20% Ivory by weight. Use a cheese grater on the Williams and Ivory, mix them together, then melt and mix in the Van Der Hagen. Press the mix tight into the shape of a soap puck. Translating to soap bars/pucks the mix is one puck of Williams, 2/3'rds puck of Van Der Hagen and 1 ounce (1/4 of 4oz bar) of Ivory. Name based on the Van Der Williams created by others on this forum. Really rich long lasting lather/cushion with excellent slickness from the Williams and Ivory. Slickness definitely enhanced from a simpler 60% Williams/40% VDH blend noted below. Slickness just as good as Ivan Der Williams (IDW) blend #2 below with no relathering required. This is my new go to blend. Also rate this above the VDH Luxury alone. Getting more shaves per blade with this blend. Much easier to lather than Williams alone.
Runner Up Blends:
Ivan Der Williams #2 - Roughly 1/3 each of Williams, VDH and Ivory. Great slickness and good lather though lather not as long lasting as IDH blend #3 above. Occasional relathering required on a single pass.
Van Der Williams #1 - 60% Williams (one puck) and 40% VDH Deluxe (one half puck). Lots of good stable lather and good slickness - similar to excellent results achieved by others on who pioneered and named this type of blend. Definitely better than either soap alone. Did find that adding an ounce of Ivory and increasing the VDH to 2/3rds of a puck (to keep close to the 40% ratio) for IDW blend #3 above provided similar lather with better slickness.
Ivan Der Williams #1 - First attempt to maximize slickness with minimal amount of VDH to create stable lather. Roughly 40% Williams, 40% Ivory and 20% VDH. Result was a really slick shaving experience with poor lather that dissipated quickly with frequent relathering required within a single pass. Ivory and VDH are softer soaps making initial lather creation easier than with Williams alone.
Zote Blend - Similar to IDW blend #2 with roughly 1/3 Williams, 1/3 VDH Deluxe and 1/3 Zote. Shaving characteristics were similar IDW#2. Problem was the strong Citronella smell of the Zote comes though even when diluted in this blend is a negative. Was worth a try given Zote appears to be the purest bar of Tallow soap out there. After soap sat on the shelf for a few months the scent did dissipate and no longer unpleasant. Will stick to Ivory for future bar soap blends.
Blending Method: Tallow based Williams and bar soaps are grated in a cheese grater and mixed together. VDH is melted in the microwave and then mixed with the tallow soaps. Final product is presses into a puck shape. Find that allowing the final product to rest for a few weeks prior to use works best.
Possible Future Experiments:
1)VDH/Ivory only blends to see if the Ivory alone can provide sufficient slickness and if the VDH sodium laureth sulfate alone provides strong lather without help of the Potassium Stearate in the Williams.
2) Push Ivan Der Williams #3 blend to at least 50% VDH to see if even stronger lather is achievable while delivering needed slickness.
3) Addition of an essential oil to the blend for improved scent
4) Comparisons to higher end soaps
Bottom Line: Low cost soaps can be blended to make an excellent shaving product with excellent lather and slickness. Not surprising given that many of the core ingredients between low cost and high end soaps are similar.
As YMMV curious as to others recent experiences with similar or different blends of shave soaps. Also, I've not focused on scent, an important element for many. How have you improved the scent of your soap blends?
I started as a DE shaver in college using a Gillette Adjustable and canned foam for about 5 years before converting to an Norelco triple header for convenience. Returned to DE shaving about a year and a half ago. Started with a puck of Williams as my grandfather used this as well as the now discontinued Colgate pucks. Also Williams is sold locally at Wegmans for 99 cents a puck. Achieved decent shaves from the excellent slickness provided by Williams. Love the "old school" Williams scent. Next tried the Van Der Hagen Deluxe (new formulation) and Van Der Hagen Luxury. The VDH Deluxe provided excellent thick and long lasting lather though with much less slickness than the Williams while the Luxury VDH provided a better overall shave. Also experimented with tallow based bar soaps, Ivory, Dial, even Zote (just once) and, similar to experience with hotel soaps when I forgot my regular shaver, achieved a passable shave from the slickness provided. Currently use a Weishi long handle razor. Rotate between Derby, Astra and Dorco blades. Favorite brush is a Razorock 26mm Monster synthetic. Also use a basic boar brush on occasion.
Based on the above, and posts from others who achieved great results by blending soaps, I decided to experiment with different blends using the above soaps as ingredients to achieve an optimal balance of lasting lather, cushion and slickness. The primary hypothesis was to add just enough Van Der Hagen Deluxe so that its foaming agent, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, would enable a rich stable lather without compromising the slickness from the tallow based Williams. Also experimented with adding bar soap (mostly Ivory) to the mix for added slickness. Second hypothesis here was that the added Ivory tallow could shift the Williams ingredient mix back towards the vintage "tallow first" formula that others have indicated works so well. The results so far are as follows:
Best Overall Blend To DateIvan Der Williams #3):
After experimenting with different blends the best results come from a mix of roughly 40% Williams, 40% Van Der Hagen Deluxe (VDH) and 20% Ivory by weight. Use a cheese grater on the Williams and Ivory, mix them together, then melt and mix in the Van Der Hagen. Press the mix tight into the shape of a soap puck. Translating to soap bars/pucks the mix is one puck of Williams, 2/3'rds puck of Van Der Hagen and 1 ounce (1/4 of 4oz bar) of Ivory. Name based on the Van Der Williams created by others on this forum. Really rich long lasting lather/cushion with excellent slickness from the Williams and Ivory. Slickness definitely enhanced from a simpler 60% Williams/40% VDH blend noted below. Slickness just as good as Ivan Der Williams (IDW) blend #2 below with no relathering required. This is my new go to blend. Also rate this above the VDH Luxury alone. Getting more shaves per blade with this blend. Much easier to lather than Williams alone.
Runner Up Blends:
Ivan Der Williams #2 - Roughly 1/3 each of Williams, VDH and Ivory. Great slickness and good lather though lather not as long lasting as IDH blend #3 above. Occasional relathering required on a single pass.
Van Der Williams #1 - 60% Williams (one puck) and 40% VDH Deluxe (one half puck). Lots of good stable lather and good slickness - similar to excellent results achieved by others on who pioneered and named this type of blend. Definitely better than either soap alone. Did find that adding an ounce of Ivory and increasing the VDH to 2/3rds of a puck (to keep close to the 40% ratio) for IDW blend #3 above provided similar lather with better slickness.
Ivan Der Williams #1 - First attempt to maximize slickness with minimal amount of VDH to create stable lather. Roughly 40% Williams, 40% Ivory and 20% VDH. Result was a really slick shaving experience with poor lather that dissipated quickly with frequent relathering required within a single pass. Ivory and VDH are softer soaps making initial lather creation easier than with Williams alone.
Zote Blend - Similar to IDW blend #2 with roughly 1/3 Williams, 1/3 VDH Deluxe and 1/3 Zote. Shaving characteristics were similar IDW#2. Problem was the strong Citronella smell of the Zote comes though even when diluted in this blend is a negative. Was worth a try given Zote appears to be the purest bar of Tallow soap out there. After soap sat on the shelf for a few months the scent did dissipate and no longer unpleasant. Will stick to Ivory for future bar soap blends.
Blending Method: Tallow based Williams and bar soaps are grated in a cheese grater and mixed together. VDH is melted in the microwave and then mixed with the tallow soaps. Final product is presses into a puck shape. Find that allowing the final product to rest for a few weeks prior to use works best.
Possible Future Experiments:
1)VDH/Ivory only blends to see if the Ivory alone can provide sufficient slickness and if the VDH sodium laureth sulfate alone provides strong lather without help of the Potassium Stearate in the Williams.
2) Push Ivan Der Williams #3 blend to at least 50% VDH to see if even stronger lather is achievable while delivering needed slickness.
3) Addition of an essential oil to the blend for improved scent
4) Comparisons to higher end soaps
Bottom Line: Low cost soaps can be blended to make an excellent shaving product with excellent lather and slickness. Not surprising given that many of the core ingredients between low cost and high end soaps are similar.
As YMMV curious as to others recent experiences with similar or different blends of shave soaps. Also, I've not focused on scent, an important element for many. How have you improved the scent of your soap blends?