Where is the Tallow?!

[RayClem]

I thought that too, but oakmoss is still used in the EU (e.g. C&S No.88 edc/edp).

Although it has been blacklisted in the EU, it is still possible to use up to 0.1% in fragrances. However, for an ingredient that has been fundamental in many famous fragrances, this limitation changes the scent of the fragrance.

Chemists/perfumers have learned how to distill oakmoss to remove the offending ingredient that causes the rashes in sensitive individuals. Thus, it may be that the fragrance you reference may be using the "refined" oakmoss. Apparently, celery seed is added to make the refined oakmoss smell more like the original. My point is that this was a modification driven by governmental regulation rather than by customers.

Customers who are sensitive to oakmoss could simply choose not to use products containing that scent, just like I choose not to purchase products with a high concentration of lime, lemon, grapefruit, mint, clove, and cinnamon. I do not go to the government and demand that products with these scents be removed from sale because I have an issue with them. It would be one thing if many people had life-threatening allergies to the ingredient, but a skin rash is not life-threatening.

 

[Rrose Sélavy]

Can't wait for the Tallow VS Non Tallow Tabac Threads.

Also, the used Tallow pucks will now be $35 in the BST

I was thinking that as well, but unless there is way to ensure that someone hasn't taken a new puck and put it in an old box (e.g. a different stamp on the soap), I think that the prices will probably stay pretty reasonable.

 

[luvmysuper]

I was thinking that as well, but unless there is way to ensure that someone hasn't taken a new puck and put it in an old box (e.g. a different stamp on the soap), I think that the prices will probably stay pretty reasonable.

I agree. Generally speaking, that's behavior you'd more likely find on eBay rather than the BST.
I'd expect that at B&B in the future, you'll see guys PIFing the old Tabac pucks as is the current state of kindness and generosity here.

 

[Rrose Sélavy]

I agree. Generally speaking, that's behavior you'd more likely find on eBay rather than the BST.
I'd expect that at B&B in the future, you'll see guys PIFing the old Tabac pucks as is the current state of kindness and generosity here.

And just to be clear, I certainly wasn't implying that B&B members would defraud other members in that manner. I was referring to one trying to buy tallow Tabac on the "open market".

 

[luvmysuper]

And just to be clear, I certainly wasn't implying that B&B members would defraud other members in that manner. I was referring to one trying to buy tallow Tabac on the "open market".

Yes, I got that, I knew you meant the open market.
But, there are always going to be some who are not really part of the family and will try to scam others, even here!

 

[old_school]

This might be a controversial statement, but over many years I’ve found that the skill of the maker and the quality of the ingredients have more to do with the quality of the soap that simply if it contains tallow or not.

Most of us have a mix of veggie and tallow soaps and would agree with you that a fellow can get exceptional shaves from either type of base. I think Tabac is the bomb and SV a nipping at the heels runner up.

The issue is why. Cella can make tallow soap, Arko can make tallow soap, a huge pile of US artisians PROUDLY make tallow soap. So the question is what's wrong with Tabac as it is. I'm not making a run stocking up because I'd rather give them the bird instead. If they can't man up and support the folks that have been supporting them like Shania Twain says; "I'm outta here".

Just ordered a sample of Mike Natural Shave Soap. Pretty sure it's going to be a flop for me because of the extra grease and lanolin needlessly added but I'll give it a shot. If it's not any greasier than Tabac I might have a replacement. Unless Valobra comes back online of course. A truly beautiful neutral high quality soap.

Contact Proraso if you'd like to see Valobra return. Good timing.

 

[Steve56]

You might try Stirling @old_school - it does have lanolin, which I also do not care for, but it’s a lighter touch and feels pretty good in their formulation, kind of like shea butter which I also do not care for in excess.

I like Tabac after it’s aired out and loses some of the funky notes, but it’s just too powdery and strongly scented for my preferences. It’s a good soap, but to me there’s nothing really exceptional about it.

 

[old_school]

You might try Stirling @old_school - it does have lanolin, which I also do not care for, but it’s a lighter touch and feels pretty good in their formulation, kind of like shea butter which I also do not care for in excess.

I like Tabac after it’s aired out and loses some of the funky notes, but it’s just too powdery and strongly scented for my preferences. It’s a good soap, but to me there’s nothing really exceptional about it.

Thank you for that. Do you have some favorites? I've read the samples are worth while.

 

[Steve56]

The samples are great, large and well priced, so grab a few that sound good to you. They’re cheap enough to experiment.

Stirling generally make good copies of classic scents, so it all depends on what you like. They also make many soaps that are too intensely scented for me, and many that are fine. Something for everyone. I’m not a ‘powdery’ guy, I’m a lavender/balsamic/rose/agrumes person.

Their Piacenza is a competent AdP clone, their grapefruit, lime and in summer especially, coconut lime are nice. Coconut lime is one of the few sweet scents that I like, it reminds me of the beach. I also like their Stirling Green (if you like Polo Green).

Coincidentally, earlier today I ordered the tangerine on sale and the AdP Fico de Amalfi clone - just curious about the latter. They make solid soaps and they’re excellent straight razor soaps, but not all of the scents or scent strengths are for me.

People who are more into it than me like the mutton base, though it’s offered in few scents.

Good hunting @old_school !

 

[martym]

Just so y’all know: None of my pucks of Tabac are for sale and neither is my freezer. I will PIF some here and there but no sales. I am going to finish off this last PIF and then start using up the remaining “other than Tabac” soaps and then finish my life using only Tabac. I am almost 57 so I figure another 40 years or so of shaving myself and then a few years having my wife shave me and then another 10 or so having a pretty young provider shave me and after that I’ll just grow a beard. Then y’all can have what’s left.

 

[VerbaVolant]

Sounds good, just don't let your wife know how you plan to spend your last 10 years...

 

[Zen Shaver]

I’m glad that I picked up a few extra Valobra pucks when that news broke. I doubt that I’ll regret having some extra Tabac on hand.

 

[old_school]

I’m glad that I picked up a few extra Valobra pucks when that news broke. I doubt that I’ll regret having some extra Tabac on hand.

Zen I doubt you will regret it too. I wouldn't either if I already had it on hand. Good man and good foresight.

I'd rather see Martelli smash M&W in the teeth and Valobra alive and vibrant given the opportunity vs horde a faithless by choice zombie. FWIW I'm 2nd gen US 1/2 German.

Already have a response from Proraso regarding Valobra. Asked for permission to copy and paste, awaiting a reply.

Here's a reminder of what your missing out on. And here's a link to ask for a return.

Gents, the squeaky wheel gets the grease...

 

[Zen Shaver]

Zen I doubt you will regret it too. I wouldn't either if I already had it on hand. Good man and good foresight.

I only have a couple decades left to travel around Sol. I don't care that much anymore. I'd rather see Martelli smash M&W in the teeth and Valobra alive and vibrant given the opportunity vs horde a faithless zombie.

Already have a response from Proraso regarding Valobra. Asked for permission to copy and paste, awaiting a reply.

Here's a reminder of what your missing out on. And here's a link to ask for a return.

Gents, the squeaky wheel gets the grease...

Nice @old_school!, I’ll be interested in hearing more about that.

When i was in college my mom gave me a Fatboy razor that she’d found at an antique shop. She said, “you can save money this way”. I was incredulous at first, but not for long. I did save money too. For my first decade of de shaving, I could count all of my shaving gear on one hand. Tabac and Proraso were my two soaps.

Now I’m way in the red on my shaving ledger and I’d have to borrow all of my neighbor’s digits to count my shaving gear. There is a lot of good soap out there, but Tabac will stay in my rotation until my little stash runs out. I may have a bit of nostalgia with Tabac but it’s exceptional performance is what makes it a classic.

 

[old_school]

@Zen Shaver

Will do in another thread. This is distracting from Tabac and the grand reformulation.

 

[macintoshBR]

It seems they replaced BOTH tallow and coconut oil (even though I’m reading that Lauric Acid makes up 49% of coconut oil, but it can also be derived from other plants)

I tend to read the ingredient lists before buying products, and lauric acid is not commonly used. I am no soap maker, but I can’t see how the performance of this new soap can be better than the tallow/coconut formula

just in case I have bought a few extra pucks to stock up.

 

[rbscebu]

Does Tabac have a use by or best before date?

 

[luvmysuper]

Does Tabac have a use by or best before date?

It may as prescribed by the manufacturer, but to be honest if kept in a cool dry place there's no reason hard soaps wouldn't last a lifetime.
I have soaps in my rotation that were made in the 1960's and they perform perfectly well, including Old Spice vintage, Williams Tallow first version, etc.
Scent may decrease over time, but I've not seen any evidence that efficacy is affected.
I can't say if this is true of soft soaps or creams, having no experience in that matter.

 

[Atlantic59]

It seems they replaced BOTH tallow and coconut oil (even though I’m reading that Lauric Acid makes up 49% of coconut oil, but it can also be derived from other plants)

I tend to read the ingredient lists before buying products, and lauric acid is not commonly used. I am no soap maker, but I can’t see how the performance of this new soap can be better than the tallow/coconut formula...

What this means is they have chemically split the coconut oil/palm oil/palm kernel oil into the individual fatty acids making them up. Lauric acid is a saturated fat. The idea is to more closely emulate a tallow-based soap using vegetable oil ingredients.

 

[rbscebu]

It may as prescribed by the manufacturer, but to be honest if kept in a cool dry place there's no reason hard soaps wouldn't last a lifetime.
I have soaps in my rotation that were made in the 1960's and they perform perfectly well, including Old Spice vintage, Williams Tallow first version, etc.
Scent may decrease over time, but I've not seen any evidence that efficacy is affected.
I can't say if this is true of soft soaps or creams, having no experience in that matter.

Sorry, I should have asked does Tabac shave soap stick (which I consider a soft soap) have a use by or best before date?

I am currently looking into sourcing a 10 year supply of Tabac shave soap sticks.