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Old Mennen Shave Stick.

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
image.jpeg Greetings, I was rummaging around under the bathroom sink on the weekend. I found a few Mennen Shave Sticks that I purchased from my workplace many, many years ago. I reckon it would have to be close to 15 years. I thought should or shouldn't I. I finished up grating them into a small container and I added a few drops of water and flattened down the soap. I tried the soap this morning after letting it dry out. It lathered up well, smelled as I remember it. I applied the lather to my face, put the brush down, picked up my Gillette Adjustable out of the sink and prepared to take the first pass, in this brief amount of time the lather had disappeared. I ran a finger over my face and I could feel a slickness there but the lather had disappeared almost before my very eyes. I loaded up the brush again and the same thing happened. I repeated this for about 4 attempts. The shave in the end was average. The water in the sink was that slippery I could hardly hold the razor. Has anyone else experienced this ? I have heard of others who have used old soaps with no problems. Maybe this soap just doesn't hold up to the test of time.
 
That's a great find. It's like a gift from your past self.
I've never used Mennen soap so I can't help.
Perhaps someone else can chime in.
How does it smell, by the way?
 

Legion

Staff member
I’ve used soap sticks from the 40’s and they worked great. Soap doesn’t stop “working” through age.

The problem is probably that that soap works best when face lathered.

Is that the tallow mennen or palm oil?
 
Soak the stick briefly in hot water....Then rub the stick thoroughly over your entire beard....Using a slightly damp brush work up the lather on your face , adding water only if necessary....Give it a few minutes to thicken up....
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
Hello, and thanks for some feedback.The ingredients of the Mennen Shave Stick are as follows: Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Potassium Stearate, Stearic Acid, Water, Glycerin, Palm Kernel Acid, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Pigment Green 7, Pigment Yellow 1, CI 77266. To SWMBO and myself we seem to think that it smells a little like Sunlight Soap. That's the best that we can come up with. I will have a go at rubbing the stick over my face as suggested by malocchio, possibly on the weekend.
 

Legion

Staff member
OK, that is pretty much the same as the modern Aussie Palmolive stick. Not the greatest performer, but it works ok when you face lather.

For a while there was some Mennen going around that was made in Fiji, and it had tallow. That works much better, IMO.
 
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