Valobra. Is this what tallow love is all about?

[jrhudgins]

Today I shaved with my Muehle R89C and a new Crystal blade. I tried a sample of Valobra shave soap (compliments of Bull Goose) and had my best BBS (WTG/XTG/ATG) shave ever. The Valobra lathered easily and provided lubrication, moisture and cushioning. No nicks and the alcohol AS barely tingled. Wonderful stuff.

So is this what the tallow craze is all about? Are there others available still besides this and MWF(which I am going to try next).

 

[guitarslinger]

the stick or the soft stuff? almond or menthol?

did you cut a piece out and lather in a bowl? Or did you use the soft stuff like a regular soap in a dish?

Out of the soft soaps, P160 duro is my favorite thus far.

 

[heirkb]

There's some English Fern still floating around. I think Erasmic has tallow. Cella had tallow I think, don't know if they still do...

 

[jrhudgins]

The sample was the soft stuff, of which I used about a 1/4 tsp to lather in a scuttle(using a Rooney 3/1 super). Although it is not labeled, I assume that it was the almond version, which is the only one I see on his website. But I couldn't detect much, if any, scent---and I don't like almond scents, so it couldn't be strong.

 

[tlanning]

Tallow, really? are you sure?

 

[jrhudgins]

No, I am not sure, but that is what I saw in reviews. Their website talks about it being made in the OLD FASHIONED way of boiling, etc., although in a section about their other soaps, it talks about coconut oil. So I ask for other more knowledgeable than me about this specific.

 

[The Nid Hog]

While I might be wrong, I don't think that Valobra shaving soaps contain tallow. Also, if you don't smell the almond, it's probably the menthol. The almond has a fairly distinct scent--like marzipan. If you want to get the tallow experience, do yourself a favor and get a puck of Tabac. While you're waiting for it to arrive, you might want to pick up some Williams and give that a shot. You can find it just about any drugstore in the $1-2 range. Much-maligned and much-loved around here.

Here's the Valobra ingredients from "Details for men:"

Acqua (water), Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Palmitate, Potassium Stearate, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Cocoate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Palmitate, Sodium Stearate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil), Parfum (Perfume).

http://www.detailsformen.com/8018726011028.html

 

[gollum83]

Only the sticks are made with tallow. They make the soft soap from coconut and palm oil, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Plenty of quality soaps are made using those ingredients. It just isn't tallow, that's all.

 

[jrhudgins]

Thanks for the clarifications. I was pleased with the soft soap and will ask BullGoose to be sure what they sent. Now I need to try the stick, but think one couldn't improve on the soft soap/vegetarian experience of that.
Trying Tabac shave soap tomorrow...

 

[tlanning]

There literature is all about there Vegetarian mixtures. I just received a shave stick from West Coast Shaving yesterday, and It does not contain Tallow. I think it smells great, (menthol and something) I tried to read the ingredients with no success, all in Italian

 

[Klopstick]

Tabac or Cella are your best choices in tallow these days (well, MWF too, but it doesn't agree with me for reasons unknown). Both inexpensive, too.

I'm waiting for Krissy's tallow based soaps to arrive, and I hear they are good, but can't speak firsthand (yet!). Got my fingers crossed.

 

[gollum83]

There literature is all about there Vegetarian mixtures. I just received a shave stick from West Coast Shaving yesterday, and It does not contain Tallow. I think it smells great, (menthol and something) I tried to read the ingredients with no success, all in Italian

Really? I was under the impression that the shave sticks were. Many of the places that sell them list sodium tallowate as the first ingredient.

 

[Bertilak]

Tabac or Cella are your best choices in tallow these days (well, MWF too, but it doesn't agree with me for reasons unknown). Both inexpensive, too.

I'm waiting for Krissy's tallow based soaps to arrive, and I hear they are good, but can't speak firsthand (yet!). Got my fingers crossed.

I can speak first hand and Krissy's Prairie Creations (PC) shave soaps work great!

I shave with a straight and either it is inherent in straight shaving or is due to my relative novice status but I am very aware of how well a soap works for shaving. For me the PC soap works at least as well as MWF and Cella. PC soap does feel different and I think it might be due to the clay which is not in MWF nor Cella. PC is the only soap I've used that lists clay as an ingredient so I may be way off on that analysis.

 

[jkh]

Really? I was under the impression that the shave sticks were. Many of the places that sell them list sodium tallowate as the first ingredient.

Gentlemen, Matt is 100% correct. The Valobra hard shaving stick most definitely contains tallow. I am looking at the box from a stick I bought just weeks ago from WCS and the first ingredient is, and always has been, Sodium Tallowate. In my opinion, this is one of finest shaving soaps currently available

 

[tlanning]

Really? I was under the impression that the shave sticks were. Many of the places that sell them list sodium tallowate as the first ingredient.

I could be wrong, just going by the brochure that came with the stick and other soaps. Now the brochure is lots of languages. But like I said the stick, (2oz, very small) I just got is all in Italian.

 

[jkh]

There literature is all about there Vegetarian mixtures. I just received a shave stick from West Coast Shaving yesterday, and It does not contain Tallow. I think it smells great, (menthol and something) I tried to read the ingredients with no success, all in Italian

Valobra makes a hard triple-milled shave stick and a soap/cream. The soap/cream comes in two flavors - almond oil and menthol - and evidently doesn't contain tallow. The hard shaving stick comes in one flavor - Valobra flavor (mostly unscented, but has a hint of vanilla) - and without a doubt contains tallow.

The confusion stems from discussing two different products.

EDIT: for information on tallow soaps - read Jim's tallow sticky

 

[BullGoose]

The sample was the soft stuff, of which I used about a 1/4 tsp to lather in a scuttle(using a Rooney 3/1 super). Although it is not labeled, I assume that it was the almond version, which is the only one I see on his website. But I couldn't detect much, if any, scent---and I don't like almond scents, so it couldn't be strong.

It was the almond version. It just smells like soap to me (I do not detect any almond scent either). I am glad you enjoyed it.

 

[bbsupersport]

Thanks for the clarifications. I was pleased with the soft soap and will ask BullGoose to be sure what they sent. Now I need to try the stick, but think one couldn't improve on the soft soap/vegetarian experience of that.
Trying Tabac shave soap tomorrow...

Try the Valobra stick...you will love it! It's one of my favourites. Hard to describe the scent, it just has a simple, clean, Italian soapy smell and lathers up amazingly providing a nice, rich, slick lather. Mmmm!

 

[waxwing23]

Hey Everyone, I used the Valobra hard stick today and it is definitely a great tallow shave.I usually face lather with a tallow base and just a small dab of cream to add fragrance. Today was Valobra with 1805. A great shave and perfect for a cheap bastard like myself. Everyone should try the Valobra stick.

 

[ProphetNoir]

AOS soaps are also tallow based. I recently bought a puck of AOS Unscented soap - along with the wooden bowl - as my first ever soap. I also got several AOS cream samples along with it and I have used them to make superlather for my last three shaves. I cannot foresee myself shaving any other way for the near future, the lather is just silly good. It is unbelievably dense, creamy, and moisturizing. I have very sensitive skin, so I am cautious about trying new soaps and creams. Still, I will be buying more pucks of AOS unscented soap and probably try the Penhaligon's English Fern since tallow based soaps are on the decline. This is similar to my reaction when I heard that Gillette "Swedes" had been discontinued. I know what I like, and I don't want to be without it.