St. Charles soaps

[Bk124tt]

Guys,
I just acquired a tin of SCS via a bst deal. My question is, Is the soap in the tin supposed to be smaller than the tin in diameter? Also is the consistency of the soap supposed
to be somewhat jello like?
Thanks!

 

[SmoovD]

The diameter of the puck is smaller than that of the tin. The soap is somewhat soft but not gelatinous. Think more along the lines of a dry Feta cheese.

 

[Bk124tt]

So softer than most soft soaps is how it is supposed to be I guess.....

 

[TheVez2]

Just smash the puck into the bottom of the tin.

 

[SmoovD]

So softer than most soft soaps is how it is supposed to be I guess.....

It is not close to being as hard as a triple-milled soap but yet firmer than creamy softsoaps.

 

[Bk124tt]

So i had my first shave with St Charles almond. It seemed to burn slightly when applied. Not enough to discourage me from using it again, but a burn just the same. I found it next to impossible to lather up(and i can lather MWF and Mystic Waters) . I applied it as a thick layer of soap. It did stay wet long enough to shave my whole face on all three passes with my Futur. It had a nice strong up front but not long lasting like Cella Brick.
Rate 6.5 out of 10

 

[TheVez2]

I find it to be slightly easier to lather than mystic water, and I have no problems with either.

 

[Bk124tt]

Vez, I am sensing that i may have picked up a slightly aged tin of St Charles being that is seems more gelatinous than SmoovD describes! I am not sure if this would effect the latherability though.

 

[kingfisher]

St Charles Shave shaving soaps are not particularly hard to lather. Their creams are notoriously difficult, however. Maybe you got a cream that has dried out a bit, rather than a soap? I don't find the soap's consistency to be unusual at all.

 

[TheVez2]

I always though the soaps had kind of a wierd spongy texture to them. And when I smash them into a bowl it seems kinda dry and breaks up a little, but once you work it all in the bowl it is good to go. Awesome lather from SCS!

 

[rickboone1]

I've always had them lather pretty darn easily. Maybe you got a bum puck?

 

[SmoovD]

Can you post a pic?

 

[Bk124tt]

Will do, tonight.

 

[Bk124tt]

 

[mctmatt]

That looks to be just a bad batch. It probably looked good when she packaged it, but in between that point and you receiving it something in the soap broke down probably due to heat I suspect. Contact the vendor and just let her know what happened or show her this pick and I am sure she will handle it properly.

 

[SmoovD]

I agree with Tom. That doesn't look right. At all. (And unless it is an old puck, that doesn't even look like shape of an SCS puck.)

 

[Rockminer]

When you recieved the soap from the BST, was it described as "NEW"? Seems like a different soap or maybe someone tried to melt it. Hard to believe that SCS would ship something like that.

 

[Wendy]

View attachment 285335

Please do not use that. I am not sure what is in that tin. Is the soap the same thickness top to bottom rather than a pyramid shape? Do you know what is in the tin other than soap? Maybe it is just the photo but it looks like there is something brown in there.
As far as a burn, Almond is notorious for a burn if you have sensitive skin, whether it be a soap direct from my shop or something like the photo, I would avoid Almond.

 

[Bk124tt]

Hi Wendy,
I sent you an email re: this issue. The shape is of a puck not a pyramid. It looks as if when the puck gelatenized the run off fell to the bottom. As i stated above the burn was nothing that would keep me from using the soap again, but i guess the jello like substance is.

Ps. Do think what is in the St. Charles tin is something other than St Charles soap?

 

[Wendy]

Hi Wendy,
I sent you an email re: this issue. The shape is of a puck not a pyramid. It looks as if when the puck gelatenized the run off fell to the bottom. As i stated above the burn was nothing that would keep me from using the soap again, but i guess the jello like substance is.

Ps. Do think what is in the St. Charles tin is something other than St Charles soap?

I asked if it was shaped as a pyramid because from the picture it did not appear to be. Many years ago, we used a different soap mold that made the soap the same diameter top to bottom. These old soap molds were used before I even became part of SCS. I recall them very well because I would have to go to my Mom's house to help her get them out of the molds after my father passed in early 2006. I started as a full time partner January 2007, so that tells me the soap is approaching 5 years old, if not older. Since I have been a part of SCS, we have not used those molds and we have changed the recipe of the soap several times also.The only way it would be a soap in that form would be if it were a special order for Almond soap to fit a wooden bowl, it would not have come packaged in a silver aluminum tin though, it would have been a brown, paper bag colored box. I still can not understand what the brown substance is in the tin.

About two weeks ago, I did have a gentlemen who had as issue with Oakmoss Lavendula soap being quite soft, this was clearly an issue of "bad soap" I believe it was too much fragrance oil on my part though, I tend to get a little scent heavy, especially when I am making multiple things at one time, my nose gets confused : ). This situation you are describing appears to be a really old soap or something mixed in it. Generally the tins are just for packaging not for lathering, many people do lather in them though and do not have problems. Just to give you an idea, the soap I use daily is shave soap, I use it as a bath bar. I take leftover short pours and mix them up into a hodge podge of pucks and shower with them. I do keep them in a tin in the shower. My daughters who are 4 & 6 hop in the shower with me often and imagine the water that gets into the soap tin, it never turns to jello.