On the buying of local craft soaps...

[Ranyart Finn]

A cautionary tale on buying shaving soap.

Imagine... You’re out and about at a summer craft fare, farmers market, fete, or just antiquing, and you come across a range of attractively packaged, locally produced soaps and unguents, all claiming ‘natural’, ‘lovingly made by a caring artisan who lives not far from here’, and, wanting to support local crafts, you buy some. It’s not especially cheap either, but you feel good and wholesome and fuzzy, and eat a vegan burger to celebrate and show you genuinely are the caring type.

Next day you leap into the bathroom, eager to try your latest purchase. You do your shaving pre-op, bloom your soap, soak your brush, and set to in the lather making phase. Looks promising: but the second you get this stuff on your skin, it’s clear that it’s foam rather than lather, and evaporating faster than Usain Bolt on a victory lap. You try adding more soap, more water. You work that lather like Sweeney Todd’s deranged older brother. Yet all you get is weak, vanishing, nice smelling suds that have fewer lubricating properties than sand.

So beware locally produced shaving soaps. Like that celebratory vegan burger, they look and smell great, are virtuous as hell, but ultimately a concoction devoid of meat or any real nutritional value, and likely assembled by someone who, while well-meaning, hasn’t really ever shaved with a proper shaving soap or cream that creates a thick, slick, lasting lather.

This is my second disappointment with a craft shaving soap; I shall stick to those producers genuinely dedicated to the art of making good shaving soap from now on.

Posed by the model. But that's the offending article, centre frame.

 

[Cornish]

I had the same experience here a month ago. The scent was amazing and the seller boasted that it contained a host of natural oils and butters.

When I tried to get a decent lather, all I got were light bubbles, which dissipated really fast. I’m pretty sure they probably used the same recipe for hand soap as the shaving soap.

It didn’t cost much and I wanted to support a local business, but it taught me to pay more attention to the ingredients next time.

 

[nemo]

This is my second disappointment with a craft shaving soap; I shall stick to those producers genuinely dedicated to the art of making good shaving soap from now on.

Yup, been there, done that. I now stick pretty much to classic soap makers, non-artisan.

... it taught me to pay more attention to the ingredients ...

Watch out for that olive oil, the dreaded lather killer in most cases.

 

[BigJ]

Sorry! I have had very similar experiences.

Shaving soap is a very different animal that most ‘artisan’ soap makers have trouble producing.

 

[DesertIguana]

Well this is reason that sometimes it good to stick with know product, it may not be sexy, smell like some holy grail, but it works like it has for ever. Poroazo is a brand with history of working, not the cheaters, not the most pricy. But it works, and has a following of loyal users, and buyers.

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

hasn’t really ever shaved with a proper shaving soap or cream that creates a thick, slick, lasting lather

That was also my conclusion when trying some shaving soaps from local makers. Since then, I stick to traditional shaving soap manufacturers or artisans which proved they know what they are doing.

 

[DesertIguana]

Well I do a lot of Farmers Markets, Craft Fairs near where I live. Everyone thinks they are Salsa or Hot Salsa Kings, or they are Artist. See a lot of people spinning their wheels, who will never make it in real world.

One guy I remember recently was selling bread, cookies, and badges. he had sample of the bagels I tried, and asked you build these? They were like bought rolls, he said yes. Then. said what do you think, I said I am originally from Queens NY. Your bagels are not to my liking.

See a lot of Bar Hand Made Soap, I use old reliable from Trader Joes. I know what it smells like it works, and is not $7.00/bar.

 

[Ranyart Finn]

Follow up on this story.

I contacted the maker via their website and had a swift, informative (I think) reply.

The advice was to use less water (not that I used much anyway, but okay...) and because the soap doesn't contain palm oil, to expect different results to other shaving soaps and creams. The maker also said her husband uses it, and lathers one side of the face only, then lathers the other side knowing that it would have dried out completely had a traditional all-over lather been used.

So I think my cautionary tale holds true. 'Natural' doesn't necessarily mean 'best' or 'effective'. And when you're shearing off hairs with wet metal, I'd rather have comfort and protection rather than a product that's little better than a layer of dish soap.

 

[silverlifter]

The maker also said her husband uses it, and lathers one side of the face only, then lathers the other side knowing that it would have dried out completely had a traditional all-over lather been used.

The maker's husband obviously knows better than to complain about the quality of the soap!

 

[TheBurgh]

I certainly agree with the premise and conclusions in this thread.

There are small, family-type artisans who participate in local merchandising events and also have established an interweb niche shaving audience. The one example I'm most familiar with, and whose bath soap, shampoo and shave soaps have earned my repeat business, is Mystic Waters.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Local artisans are a real mixed bag. There are some good melt and pour shaving soaps available to them if they choose. Most of the time, though, they take their bath soap recipe and add ingredients like bentonite clay and shea butter, then voila -- it's not really shaving soap, it's bath soap, despite what they claim on the label.

 

[SalS]

It is even worse with home brewed hair styling products. Hipsters love the stuff but with few very exceptions, horrible.

 

[Ranyart Finn]

Local artisans are a real mixed bag. There are some good melt and pour shaving soaps available to them if they choose. Most of the time, though, they take their bath soap recipe and add ingredients like bentonite clay and shea butter, then voila -- it's not really shaving soap, it's bath soap, despite what they claim on the label.

My first run-in with a deficient craft-fayre soap was bentonite clay infected. This latest one wasn't, but shea butter is most certainly involved. Now, I won't have a word said against shea butter, because I have a tub of the raw stuff, and it makes a great post-shave balm. But in the stuff to slick my shave? Yeah, nah.

Still, lessons learned.

 

[Roy]

I've tried a few craft type soaps,and they seldom work. Light disappearing lather. I avoid any with olive oil. Shame as most have promising ingredients.

 

[Brutus]

Nothing new here.

Remember Many are called but few are chosen?


Years ago I figured out this equation:

Craft = Artisan = Often made by amateurs who don’t know what they are doing.


But, as the definition of “artisan” ranges from “charlatan” to “true expert with a small scale operation”, I have nothing against those artisans who have established a reputation for solid quality.

Just don’t ask me to be the individual some “artisan” tries his latest kitchen or basement concoctions on (and then expect me to pay for that honour). I’ll leave that to people who crave such discoveries more than I do.



B.

 

[gpjoe]

Yeah, I've read enough horror stories to steer clear of soaps at farmers markets and craft shows, though the impulse buy is always looming.

There are plenty of established brands to try/use. Enough to keep me busy for my lifetime without throwing my money away.

 

[blethenstrom]

I make my own shave soap, but I am in no way a professional at it. I agree what have been said in this thread so far. However, not to miss any great local artisan soap maker we have to educate ourself a bit on the type of ingredients that "should" be in a decent shave soap. Unless there is stearic acid, tallow or fully hydrogenated soybean oil as the first ingredient don't even buy it. There may be some that has palm oil as the first that might be ok as well. These fats are what gives you the creamy lather and not bubbly. Coconut oil should be at the most the 2nd ingredient, but further down the list is probably better. This is the "bubbly" ingredient. If you see butters like shea, cocoa or something like that high up on the ingredient list good. Creamy lather stuff. If you see castor oil you know, they know, what they are doing, since that makes for a long lasting lather. You can get by without it, but it certainly gives the longevity a boost. They may or may not have a clay like bentonite or kaolin, but it is not a must. Also if you see olive, canola, vegetable, corn, peanut oil high on the list I would be cautious as well. These can reduce the lather, but lower on the list they may help with not feeling dry post shave.

Yes I have encountered several so called "shave soaps" at farmers markets and chain soap stores that are definitely not suitable to bear that name. Unfortunately, we have to be informed and know a bit of what it should have in it.

 

[pellidon]

I haven't tried artisan shave soaps but found some "shave soaps" from new or brands not known for shave soaps don't make good ones either. Good hand soap fortunately.

 

[Noodles]

I think the last artisan I spoke to at a market was McDuff's, which was raved about here recently, so not all is junk. I'm lucky they are semi-local. OTOH, I have about 15 years worth of MWF and MdC, so I may never actually try McDuff's.

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

Unless there is stearic acid, tallow or fully hydrogenated soybean oil as the first ingredient don't even buy it. There may be some that has palm oil as the first that might be ok as well. These fats are what gives you the creamy lather and not bubbly. Coconut oil should be at the most the 2nd ingredient, but further down the list is probably better. This is the "bubbly" ingredient. If you see butters like shea, cocoa or something like that high up on the ingredient list good. Creamy lather stuff. If you see castor oil you know, they know, what they are doing, since that makes for a long lasting lather. You can get by without it, but it certainly gives the longevity a boost

I think you are spot on with this. My (recent) favorite artisan soap/croap/cream (everyone’s definition is different) is Officina Artigiana Milano. It lathers easily and create a very rich cream which lasts for a long time. I find it superior to other soaps which are in similar price range or even more expensive. They do use most of the products you mention, although I can imagine it is not a perfect base and they can be criticized as well.

Here’s the ingredient list they use:

Aqua (Water), Stearic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Castor Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Parfum (Fragrance), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil , sodium hydroxide, linalool