I have Kell's Arabian Spice. That's an excellent soap.
What do Glycerin soaps lack?
- Thread starter Korn8
- Start date
Great info here everyone! Glycerin soaps have taken a back seat these recent years due to the sheer number of new artisans on the scene and some people feel many M&P soaps are not true "Artisan" soaps. But I have had success with many glycerin based soaps and still use them from time to time. They are best known for strong scents and ease of lathering, but as some have mentioned, they lather does have a different texture to other type of soaps, but this does not mean it's lacking in performance just that it's different. Same goes for French style soaps or tallow based ones, variety of the spice of life and there is room for all types IMO.
Great info here everyone! Glycerin soaps have taken a back seat these recent years due to the sheer number of new artisans on the scene and some people feel many M&P soaps are not true "Artisan" soaps. But I have had success with many glycerin based soaps and still use them from time to time. They are best known for strong scents and ease of lathering, but as some have mentioned, they lather does have a different texture to other type of soaps, but this does not mean it's lacking in performance just that it's different. Same goes for French style soaps or tallow based ones, variety of the spice of life and there is room for all types IMO.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I used Gentleman's Groom Room Malt 'n' Myrtle today, made by Shetland Soap Company. It's a glycerine soap, and gave me a very nice shave indeed. No supplemental post shave required. It's not my best performer, but it's perfectly adequate to give me a shave I'm happy with. For some folks, that isn't enough 
I bought a bunch of Mama Bear's when I started this hobby a decade or so ago. Back then, she was an "artisan."
In any event, still have a bunch left and they shave as good today as the day I bought them. Scent remains as well. I've tried dozens more soaps since, but she still has some that hit my favorites list, Autumn Afternoon being particularly enjoyed.
In any event, still have a bunch left and they shave as good today as the day I bought them. Scent remains as well. I've tried dozens more soaps since, but she still has some that hit my favorites list, Autumn Afternoon being particularly enjoyed.
True of some iterations of Glyce.
However, Glyce has gone through reformulation multiple times;
have seen a version which has glycerin, albeit a modicum of it (low on ingredients list).
After trying so many super-fatted artisan soaps, I've been interested more on the simple artisans. My only glycerin soaps is the VDH luxury soap and while it works, I don't like some of the ingredient and it does not lather as well. I'm planning on buying couple of Mama Bear soaps and Humphrey's Homemade soaps to test and see if I can get good shaves with them. I'm not sure about the post-shave features but as long as they do not dry my skin and lather well, I'll be a happy camper.
I still like most of the VDH 'glycerine' lineup (Deluxe and Luxury). Took a spin with a Conk's Amber 'way back when' that was certainly nice, though the Lime never agreed with my skin for some reason. Stretched a stick of Ogallala's Sage and Cedar out over a number of years and just finished it during the 2020 sabbatical ( love the scent ). I even 'made' my own once with a M&P base from an internet soap company ( I think I still have 1/2 pound of that in a box somewhere ). I don't hesitate to grab one when I want to, and they are certainly economical so it doesn't hurt to have a few around. I probably should get another Ogallala's soon.
If they 'lack' anything it's usually the superfats or things like lanolin if you are into those things. That said some of them do include additional goodies like Shea butter if you check the ingredients.
If they 'lack' anything it's usually the superfats or things like lanolin if you are into those things. That said some of them do include additional goodies like Shea butter if you check the ingredients.
Owen Bawn
Garden party cupcake scented
I've been working on a puck of Mama Bear's faux Old spice soap on and off for a few years, and I have 2 more pucks of her soap in the hold. I never got much Old spice scent off it, just that good clean smell of glycerin soap, which is a scent I really like. The soap has always performed well. As with any good soap, don't be shy with the water and you'll have a nice slick lather.
I also just remembered that I have an unused puck of Colonel Conk Bay Rum scent around here as well. Perhaps when this Mama Bear is finally finished... I try to limit myself to 2 mugs- one for Williams, and the other for, well, for 2 years or more it's been for Mama Bear. I don't want a third mug going.
I also just remembered that I have an unused puck of Colonel Conk Bay Rum scent around here as well. Perhaps when this Mama Bear is finally finished... I try to limit myself to 2 mugs- one for Williams, and the other for, well, for 2 years or more it's been for Mama Bear. I don't want a third mug going.
- Thread starter
- #30
I got curious about Glycerin soaps after trying out mostly tallow/milk based soaps so I grabbed a couple of Humphrey's Homemade soaps. It felt really slick on the hands and seemed like it'd do well. When lathering, the soap doesn't load easily because it's fairly hard. I took about 40 seconds loading with a synthetic when I usually load for 10 sec. When bowl lathering, it took quite a bit of water but it also took a while to get to what I like. The end lather was fairly creamy but still light compared to other soaps I tried. I think it'll work well in an actual shave.
Glycerin soaps are thirsty. Other than that, they are perfectly usable. They don't make fluffy lathers, but that isn't that important in terms of performance.
tallow...
- Thread starter
- #34
Elaborate.... (Haha)
I think the difference is minimal at best between glycerin and tallow. I've used both in non-artisan offerings and they both work just fine. Proraso doesn't have any tallow but is still very functionable for the price. It doesn't make as 'fluffy' of a lather but it is still slick and cushioning without being greasy or oily. Arko on the hand, works flawlessly every time I use it. Easy to lather, lathers into slick, fluffy lather and is extremely cheap. It seems to be an outlier in performance for price though. There are obviously differences between the two types but I think most people overlook the fact that most glycerine products are cheaper and more often than not, easier to acquire than tallow based products. Artisan products where I am, cost at least 3 times the price of products like TOBS, 4 times proraso and 20 times arko. They cost more because they use higher quality product (hopefully) and they produce less. This should lead to better performance and ease of use...(who would pay more for a worse product??) The question becomes, how much more are you willing to pay for this boost in performance and perhaps better formulation. I think the difference comes down to marketing bs that this community has eaten up and then placed huge mythology around like it does with basically everything. In my experience, very few products are truly worth the extra money we pay but we pay and pay exorbitantly. I wouldn't be surprised if the mark-up these sellers make is well over 100%. At the end of the day, they both work just fine imo. Glycerin are vegan, less oily/greasy but subsequently less moisturising post shave. They are also significantly cheaper on average. Tallow are not vegan, more moisturising and protective but quite heavy on the face...unideal for acne prone skin imo.
^^^^^^^^^^^
What Rudy said.
What I found I gained with glycerin (probably a better term: "non-tallow") soaps was the ability to melt them with a little (very little) microwave energy into any microwave-proof container and refresh the surface or add to them (Ogallala being a prime example, which I have stored in wooden tubs). Performance of vegan soaps for me has collectively been "OK" to excellent, whereas tallow soaps in general have been good to outstanding.
Apparently it just lacks love from most of the audience.
This times 10000! (and they're often way cheaper, so they don't have as high quality ingredients). If you buy expensive glycerin soap/cream...I reckon it'll be just as good as similarly priced tallow soap/cream.
I always thought SRD glycerin soaps were as good as any of my tallow soaps. When Straight Razor Designs out of business, I hoped that the formula would come out under another brand name. I loved SRD Opus X and West Indies Bay.
@psfred - adding more water than I would’ve thought it needed made my Mama Bear soap experience feel like using an unscented stick of ARKO!. Thanks!
