Why Artisans don't make shaving creams?

[DaveHStone]

It somehow struck me the other day... artisan makers for the most part produce shaving soap of various hardness, usually some variety of "croap".

Some, not many (like SV) make hard triple milled soaps. Still, I couldn't think of one artisan that makes a truly soft cream in a tube, like the regular Proraso, Nivea, Palmolive, TOBS, etc... creams.

So, I'm wondering why is that...?

 

[Whilliam]

I've often wondered the same thing, but figured that the added manufacturing and packaging costs would be prohibitive to artisan-scale soap makers.

I don't really see this as an issue, though, as the artisan soaps that I favor (mostly Stirling) make it easy to build generous globs of lather. I'm sure many others would agree.

 

[DaveHStone]

I've often wondered the same thing, but figured that the added manufacturing and packaging costs would be prohibitive to artisan-scale soap makers.

I don't really see this as an issue, though, as the artisan soaps that I favor (mostly Stirling) make it easy to build generous globs of lather. I'm sure many others would agree.

I don't see it as an issue, either. I'm just plain curious about it.

BTW, I don't consider Stirling an artisan. They now ship worldwide and their sales volume is certainly not a "small batch". Good soaps nonetheless and quite a variety of scent profiles.

 

[Atlantic59]

I'm guessing shaving soap is a traditional product used with a brush and the whole shaving ritual bit, where shaving cream was originally created as an industrial product to make shaving more convenient, brushless and quick.

Artisans don't want to make products that seem industrial. Oil and water.

 

[DaveHStone]

I'm guessing shaving soap is a traditional product used with a brush and the whole shaving ritual bit, where shaving cream was originally created as an industrial product to make shaving more convenient, brushless and quick.

Artisans don't want to make products that seem industrial. Oil and water.

You could be onto smth. here. That never crossed my mind. Now that you've said it, it actually makes a lot of sense.

 

[gsurko]

Maybe they don’t want to invest in the machines needed to fill tubes.

 

[DaveHStone]

Maybe they don’t want to invest in the machines needed to fill tubes.

It could be!

 

[kingfisher]

Creams go rancid much more quickly than soaps. If you are an artisan, especially a start up, you don't know what your sales are going to be. If you made creams instead of soaps, you might have to throw away a bunch of unsold merchandise.

I suspect that to get a good cream consistency, you would also have to use more emulsifiers and other ingredients whose purpose is to make the cream smooth and/or shiny so that it looks good and maintains the same consistency throughout the tube or tub, which would also create more expense.

An artisan would likely never be able to offer a cream in a tube, but they could offer tubs. But why would they do that, given increased cost and decreased shelf life?

Finally, soaps can be sold by themselves, not prepackaged in plastic containers, perhaps wrapped in recyclable materials. A cream could never be sold that way. So the carbon footprint is also lower with soaps.

Imo, soaps generally also offer a better lather, and they last a lot longer.

 

[DaveHStone]

Creams go rancid much more quickly than soaps. If you are an artisan, especially a start up, you don't know what your sales are going to be. If you made creams instead of soaps, you might have to throw away a bunch of unsold merchandise.

I suspect that to get a good cream consistency, you would also have to use more emulsifiers and other ingredients whose purpose is to make the cream smooth and/or shiny so that it looks good and maintains the same consistency throughout the tube or tub, which would also create more expense.

An artisan would likely never be able to offer a cream in a tube, but they could offer tubs. But why would they do that, given increased cost and decreased shelf life?

Finally, soaps can be sold by themselves, not prepackaged in plastic containers, perhaps wrapped in recyclable materials. A cream could never be sold that way. So the carbon footprint is also lower with soaps.

Imo, soaps generally also offer a better lather, and they last a lot longer.

Makes sense, tnx.

 

[sarimento1]

Al makes up a great artisanal shave cream, real lather bomb!
His forte is scenting and he does custom batches.
It might be easier for him to do a small order of a custom scented cream than doing a croap or hard soap.

 

[DaveHStone]

Al makes up a great artisanal shave cream, real lather bomb!
His forte is scenting and he does custom batches.
It might be easier for him to do a small order of a custom scented cream than doing a croap or hard soap.

View attachment 1216679

That's an outlier!

 

[sarimento1]

That's an outlier!

not really, quite honest and easy to do business with.
he made up a custom canoe scent for me, shaves great.

 

[DaveHStone]

not really, quite honest and easy to do business with.
he made up a custom canoe scent for me, shaves great.

View attachment 1216681

Outlier in a sense that cream is not commonly produced by artisans.

 

[dfoulk]

The reason I generally don't choose to purchase shaving creams is because they go bad a lot faster than soaps do. So if I buy a cream I'm basically committing to using it frequently until it is gone so that it doesn't go bad on me. Main reason for me is that I like to have a large variety of different scents and not use the same thing every day. So while I can have a rotation of a hundred or more soaps, if I choose to do so, if I were to do creams I'd be looking at maybe two or three to rotate through so that they aren't going bad while they sit. That's way too boring for me.

In addition, (in my opinion) currently the very best creams are a significant step backwards in terms of performance from the very best soaps.

 

[sarimento1]

Outlier in a sense that cream is not commonly produced by artisans.

well, i don't think that is a fact.
perhaps you need to define 'artisan', which is a murky term.
how about castle forbes, captains choice, xpec, spencer devon (albeit defunct), fitjars, st james, cyril salter, caties bubbles and probably several more...

 

[corlay]

So, I'm wondering why is that...?

Because, at a low-volume, artisan level of sales,
offering cream in a tube probably is cost-prohibitive?

There ARE "artisans" out there that offer very good creams, though.
Stone Cottage Soapworks (USA-NJ) is the first that comes to mind...
(sold in a screw top lid canister container, similar to soaps)

 

[sarimento1]

The reason I generally don't choose to purchase shaving creams is because they go bad a lot faster than soaps do. So if I buy a cream I'm basically committing to using it frequently until it is gone so that it doesn't go bad on me. Main reason for me is that I like to have a large variety of different scents and not use the same thing every day. So while I can have a rotation of a hundred or more soaps, if I choose to do so, if I were to do creams I'd be looking at maybe two or three to rotate through so that they aren't going bad while they sit. That's way too boring for me.

In addition, (in my opinion) currently the very best creams are a significant step backwards in terms of performance from the very best soaps.

David, I've got creams over 40 years old with great scent and performance.
Like you, also my opinion, overall soaps have an edge up in performance while creams have an edge up in fragrance.

 

[Avi]

If castle Forbes is a cream surely one can just redefine all these soft soaps as creams?

 

[dfoulk]

David, I've got creams over 40 years old with great scent and performance.
Like you, also my opinion, overall soaps have an edge up in performance while creams have an edge up in fragrance.

View attachment 1216720

Yeah, I've had a few creams separate on me before and turn into an oil. I'll use one every so often but not frequently though I don't have, nor have I every used any 40 year old shaving creams.

As always, really, really nice pics there. Wow, you take the very best pics I've seen here. Beautiful work.

 

[Ivo4u2]

Most artisans stay clear of preservatives which are used in creams.
Even for small batches you will need mixers maybe dispergators. Want it in tubes you need to fill and seal them.
You might even get mandatory laboratory testing of everything is clean and to code.
And it is way more sensitive to deteriorate.
And oh boy then someone asks to put the same stuf in a can.... brrr

If I was in their place why the hassle?

They made a name with classic stuff there is sufficient stuff from others for the cream and cans.