Tabac Bar Soap - Disappointing

[Feldgrun]

I recently purchased Tabac bar soap, thinking it was perhaps the same formula as the shaving soap, and have been using it for shaving. I'm hoping it's not. I've tried both lathering in a bowl, and face lathering, with the same results. The smell isn't great, but I can deal with that. It's the performance, or lack thereof, that I'm having a problem with. It lathers up beautifully, but the lather is really weak/thin. By the time I get the razor near my face, most of the lather has dissipated within 10 seconds. I've tried more & less water, with no real difference. There is no slickness or cushion, like my Haslinger or Razorock XXX soaps. I'll have to admit that I really dislike this Tabac soap.

Based on my experience, is this the same Tabac that has been getting so much praise, or perhaps a different formula? I could just buy a shaving stick of it, but would rather not if it's the same thing.

ar

 

[luvmysuper]

Bar soap or bath soap very rarely has the same properties as shaving soap. Different needs altogether, so different properties designed into the product.
There are folks out there who shave with bar soap - but... that's not what it is meant for.
You can shave with dish soap and you can shave with car wash soap, but that's not what they are meant for.

The old tallow version of Tabac was a stellar performer. The "new version" of Tabac isn't Tabac at all.
They changed the scent, they changed the formula, they eliminated tallow as an ingredient.
The only thing that the old and the new have in common is the name Tabac.
Some folks like the new version, but I can tell you categorically in my opinion it is not as good as the old tallow version.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great veggie based shaving soaps, and there are some pretty terrible tallow based shaving soaps - but the new Tabac doesn't hold a candle to the old version.

 

[Steve56]

That bar isn’t Tabac shaving soap.

 

[luvmysuper]

For reference:

Old tallow version

New non-tallow version

 

[samhain666]

Well it does say "soap" not "shaving soap" so I don't know what did you expect from it?
I have this soap too, it is my shower soap. Scent for me is same as the shaving soap and I love it.

 

[borwish]

The Dove Men+Care 3 in 1 makes a decent shaving soap, but it is designed to be an all in one. It definitely isn't as good at the dedicated Tabac shave soap though.

 

[Lane101]

For reference:

Old tallow version

View attachment 1631817

New non-tallow version

View attachment 1631818

Interesting that my puck of the new version, while having the exact same ingredients as above, looks more like the off-white version of the old tallow formula. The old formula, that I've never tried, must be awesome as I've been pleased with the performance of the new version. Have seen the many posts regarding the varying views on the new version.

@Feldgrun , Here are the ingredients of the Tabac bath soap:

Sodium Palmate, Sodium Cocoate, Water, Fragrance, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Coconut Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Cl 77492, Cl 77491, Cl 77499, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Isoeugenol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate.

A key difference is that the fatty acids are only saponified with sodium hydroxide with nothing saponified with potassium hydroxide. The latter is what helps provide the more stable lather that is a desired feature of good shaving soaps. With all the other differences you can see how these are very different soaps.

If you are still using the bath soap for shaving one thing that may help is to first wash and rinse your face thoroughly and then apply the soap again to create lather. This is per some 1920's instructions for shaving with Ivory soap that others have found helpful.

 

[Feldgrun]

I’ve since bought Tabac shaving soap. Similar scent but otherwise very different. Excellent lather and performance.

 

[Lane101]

I’ve since bought Tabac shaving soap. Similar scent but otherwise very different. Excellent lather and performance.

I was also impressed by the new tallow-free formula for similar reasons. No issues with the scent that I enjoy, especially after it mellows a bit when left in an open container for a couple of days.

 

[malocchio]

Two excellent bar soaps for shaving are :

 

[Kurkahn]

Well it does say "soap" not "shaving soap" so I don't know what did you expect from it?
I have this soap too, it is my shower soap. Scent for me is same as the shaving soap and I love it.

AMEN

 

[nemo]

Two excellent bar soaps for shaving are :

I wasn't very impressed with the Granado -- especially when compared to the magnificent Mogno.