- Saponificio Varesino Beta 4.3
- Cella Extra Extra Bio
- Haslinger V2
- Pre de Provence N°63
-MdC
-La Toja
These are great soaps and don't have tallow. I don't get as deep in the weeds as some, if it's a great soap I like it.
Tallow vs Lanolin vs Tallow/Lanolin - does it matter? Are Beef fat/Bison Fat/Duck Fat more or less the same? Silk?
- Thread starter desrgrl
- Start date
- Cella Extra Extra Bio
- Haslinger V2
- Pre de Provence N°63
-MdC
-La Toja
These are great soaps and don't have tallow. I don't get as deep in the weeds as some, if it's a great soap I like it.
The university of Frostbite Falls has conducted extensive research on this subject. The findings prove that Moose Fat contains anti-lathering agents that make it useless for shaving Soap. On the other hand, Squirrel Fat is extraordinarily effective in providing superior glide and protection.
B&M Omnibus is a tallow-based soap.
Ah, I stand corrected. I reread the write-up, and see that Omnibus is Lanolin free, but includes tallow. Either way, it’s my favorite base right now, by far. And it’s made many tubs of soap in my den obsolete.
I have a tub of it in the Nordost scent...I have to use it soon. I've heard so many good things about it.
As others have explained earlier in the thread, "soap" is a result of a chemical reaction between fatty acids and a strong base, usually potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. Any kind of fat or fatty acid can be used. For example, you can make soap out of nothing but olive oil reacted with lye. This produces a gentle soap that works pretty well for use in the shower, but the lather qualities would not work for shaving.
All shaving soaps, at their core, are nothing more than a group of fatty acids reacted with a strong base (this reaction is known as "saponfication," which just means turning something into soap). Tallow happens to have a pretty good mix of fatty acids that generally work well for the formation of shaving soap, but like others have said, you can make a pretty bad soap that has tallow in it, and you can make a really good soap that does not have tallow.
All other ingredients in shaving soap aside from the saponified fatty acids are better considered as additives. Lanolin is one of these. The sebacious glands of sheep make it in order to protect their wool from water. For cosmetic uses, sheep are shorn and a machine separates the wool from the lanolin. Lanolin is a moisturizer that also helps to keep moisture in the skin, so it is popularly used. Some lipsticks are as much as 15-20% lanolin (it also tends to impart a shine). It is meant to stay on the skin to help keep moisture in the skin; therefore, when you rinse your face after using a soap with lanolin in it, it may feel like it is difficult to "rinse the soap off." For some people, this is a plus. Certainly in the dead of winter in a cold, dry place, it probably helps keep your skin from drying out too much. For others, the sensation of not being able to "rinse off the soap" is unpleasant, and for this reason they may dislike soaps that contain lanolin. The last thing about lanolin is that some people have a sensitivity to it; for these people, they have to check labels and make sure that no lanolin is contained in any soap they are purchasing.
All shaving soaps, at their core, are nothing more than a group of fatty acids reacted with a strong base (this reaction is known as "saponfication," which just means turning something into soap). Tallow happens to have a pretty good mix of fatty acids that generally work well for the formation of shaving soap, but like others have said, you can make a pretty bad soap that has tallow in it, and you can make a really good soap that does not have tallow.
All other ingredients in shaving soap aside from the saponified fatty acids are better considered as additives. Lanolin is one of these. The sebacious glands of sheep make it in order to protect their wool from water. For cosmetic uses, sheep are shorn and a machine separates the wool from the lanolin. Lanolin is a moisturizer that also helps to keep moisture in the skin, so it is popularly used. Some lipsticks are as much as 15-20% lanolin (it also tends to impart a shine). It is meant to stay on the skin to help keep moisture in the skin; therefore, when you rinse your face after using a soap with lanolin in it, it may feel like it is difficult to "rinse the soap off." For some people, this is a plus. Certainly in the dead of winter in a cold, dry place, it probably helps keep your skin from drying out too much. For others, the sensation of not being able to "rinse off the soap" is unpleasant, and for this reason they may dislike soaps that contain lanolin. The last thing about lanolin is that some people have a sensitivity to it; for these people, they have to check labels and make sure that no lanolin is contained in any soap they are purchasing.
- Thread starter
- #48
In other research, duck fat has been considered premium, but some studies disagree and say rabbit fat is the best. Since there is a great deal of confusion over when duck and rabbit hunting seasons actually are, there has been a lower yield of either and they are hard to find.
- Thread starter
- #49
I did take a look at the CK-6 soaps. I didn't go through all of them, but the vast majority would be in a scent range I'm not interested in. They sound phenomenal, don't get me wrong, but I want something that is in the traditional 'feminine' scent or 'neutral' scent range... though something very mild, just edging from neutral towards 'masculine' might work. I'm not the most traditional woman out there, but that would be something where I'm likely to stay middle/feminine end of things. So, CK-6 does have some scents that seem they'd be in that territory, but not many.
I kind of liked the idea of trying Catie's just because I'd heard a lot of people talk about it, and the larger tub size seemed like an idea. I'm curious though, when you say "Seriously?" is that just a bit of exaggeration, or you really don't like the soap? Even people that have said it isn't' there thing, generally still regard it positively. Just curious.
I'll not need soap again for a dogs age, but presuming things go well with Top of the Chain (I've not ordered from them before) I'll maybe take a look through all the CK-6 soaps, and if I find one that seems promising, add it to the wish list. I'm not aiming to collect, so it will be quite some time before I'd need it. It has competition to, as I already have a couple of Haslingers on the list.
It's been pretty cool that all the chemistry folk have come out and enlightened me on the whole soap making process. I knew a tiny bit, but its been fun to learn more.
What?! no one has mentioned the bear fat soap. The Kodiak base from Murphy and McNeil. This is the one to shave with outside in a snow storm with a straight razor.
If you like it, and it works for you, then that's really all that matters. I'm a certified Bay Rum nut and I have Catie's Bubbles Bay Rum. It's ok...nothing wrong with it at all...the scent as far as Bay Rums go is spot on, but the performance for me was just ok. PAA CK-6 as far as vegan soaps go...I'm floored by the slickness and protection. I have a pretty good selection and have tried a great number of their aftershave samples. I'll look through and see if anything fits the bill you described.
Took a quick look. So...Honeysuckle or Honeysuckle Bay Rum...which is a mashup...mix of two scents. Coconut Bay with Lime. They also have Scentless.
Happy Shaves!
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- Thread starter
- #52
No no, because that is the one that smells like a hard working lumberjack soaked in sweat drinking rum out of the bottle and smoking a cigar, out in the middle of the boreal forest. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just not the scent for me, or perhaps more technically correct, on me.
- Thread starter
- #53
I don't know yet, I haven't put in the order yet. I decided to wait until a brush from elsewhere arrives, because depending on its suitability, I might add a brush to the order. I did take a look at the CK-6 soaps again, just to double check. I saw the scentless, but I do want a scent, and don't want to have to try and add scent to the soap. There were a couple that looked like they might be okay, but I'm looking for more than okay... Et tu.. was probably the best fit, so I put it on the wishlist, just to keep track of it. As mentioned, given that I have about a 1/3 of a tub of Proraso green, and then getting a tub of Declaration Grooming and Catie's Bubbles, and a bar of Arko, I'll be set for a long time. I do wish people did more sampler packs, though I do see how it isn't really that cost effective for the company. Maybe not samplers to try to shave with, just stick a paper strip with some soap smeared on it, in a little plastic wrap, so that you can get to smell it.
Immortal Peach is nice. And they just re-released Honeysuckle. I've never smelled that one but it might be up your alley.
I've split the difference and grated Arko & Mitchell's Wool Fat and jammed it into a twist up container for my own Woolko shaving sticks.
Arko lathers easily from the shave stick, MWF also when rubbed on face lathers ok so the combination should be fabulous... am away on an oil rig using up some Clinique shave Cream (oh, the horror.. but a one pass with the grain shave to keep stubble in control is good enough for t'oilfield ;-) ) so will confirm just how good this is on my return home. Only need to get the refill puck of MWF, grate mix and jam into container.
ps Any roast potato fanatic will tell you Goose fat is the one, whereas the chip (french fry) experts in Belgium/Holland/UK will always use beef fat (Tallow).
Arko lathers easily from the shave stick, MWF also when rubbed on face lathers ok so the combination should be fabulous... am away on an oil rig using up some Clinique shave Cream (oh, the horror.. but a one pass with the grain shave to keep stubble in control is good enough for t'oilfield ;-) ) so will confirm just how good this is on my return home. Only need to get the refill puck of MWF, grate mix and jam into container.
ps Any roast potato fanatic will tell you Goose fat is the one, whereas the chip (french fry) experts in Belgium/Holland/UK will always use beef fat (Tallow).
Dapper Doc is nice, in CK6
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- #57
Well that is an easy one to count out, though I'm sure many people would urge me to try, straight razors are not my thing.
- Thread starter
- #58
If you're still doing rig work this summer/fall I'm wishing you safety... as you probably already know, given the line of work, the Atlantic Hurricane season is going to be pretty wild. Maybe you can cook up a batch of soap to be called "Hurricane".
- Thread starter
- #59
As mentioned, it will probably be forever before I'm out of soap, but since there was such love for CK6 that I bookmarked a few, Daper Doc was one of them. I also tossed in Et Tu, Dab, Enigma Machine, Copalli, The Beach. Floral, some spices, citrus, grasses, that kind of thing is what usually I'm looking for, with things like bay, pine, menthol, tobacco, moss, woodsy being mostly deal breakers. I also have a couple of Haslingers on the list, but diving deep into uber-girlie land, its probably as much for the really cute tins as it is for the wonderful reviews on it.
If you're still doing rig work this summer/fall I'm wishing you safety... as you probably already know, given the line of work, the Atlantic Hurricane season is going to be pretty wild. Maybe you can cook up a batch of soap to be called "Hurricane".
Well, I'm over in Asia in the Gulf of Thailand - mind you, we do get the odd Typhoon over here too. Only had to disconnect from the platform and get towed away on our tender one time so far in 10 years or so.
ps If you're around Bangkok here's the place to go for braised Goose - Chua Kim Heng
Chua Kim Heng · 117/6 Bangkok-Chon Buri New Line, แขวง ทับช้าง Saphan Sung, Bangkok 10250 - https://goo.gl/maps/QRrLmw9yznGCHL4s7
