Thread: using glycerine shaving soap

Spike uses 2 different milled soaps, one from Trumpers - http://www.trumpers.com/shop_detail.cfm

and the other is from Crabtree & Evelyn - http://store.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk/bin/venda?ex=co_wizr-xapian&bsref=crabtreeevelynuk&xptpl=wz_xapian_adva nced&ARG_DEFAULTOP=AND&searchfld=&searchpage=0&sea rchinvt=1&searchstry=0&searchicat=0&searchlike=1&t hreshold=50&searchcat=&carryfields=line%2CE%2Csort name%2Csortprice%2Csearchcat&srchopt=line%2CE%2Cso rtname%2Csortprice%2Csearchcat&E=&itemsperpage=10& perpage=10&searchex=shaving+soap

I use Mama Bears unscented soap for the more sensitive areas. I struggled getting a decent lather using a boar brush and have only really started getting better results since using my Silver Tip.

Definitely don't discount the glycerin soaps. I use Honeybee Soaps (have since I started with a DE) and they work really well. If you find the lather disappearing too quickly, you probably need to check your technique. When you load the brush - load it really well. Secondly, don't be afraid of a little work in making your lather. If my lather dries up on me it is normally because I either didn't have enough soap to start with or I didn't really work the lather, adding a little more water as needed. Hope this helps a little.

BJ

Originally Posted by English

No problem if you wish to disagree.

I'm not a chemist but I have read other forums were this issue has been discussed at length by soap makers.
They said that using lye in your back shed and the chemical reactions that take place in the soap making process is not something you would want to be doing in your back shed. You should also check out the price of Sandalwood EO and you might change your or mind on why it is rarely found even in the more expensive perfumes, scents and cosmetic products.

I think someone is trying (sucessfully) to buffalo you; this is exactly how soap was made for many years, in the back yard. Really, the chemistry is quite simple. first you put lye into water (always add lye to water not the other way around). This is not really chemistry, just dilution. You do the same thing everytime you use liquid drain cleaner. It does produce some fumes, so you need adequate ventilation, and you need to wear gloves and goggles, but again, you should wear these when ever you use drain cleaner as well. If you are particularly clumsy and get splashed with lye solution, use vinegar to neutralize.

Then you put the lye solution into the fat (again, lye into fat, not the other way) and stir. This is the actual chemistry part, the lye reacts with the fat, breaking out the glycerine and forming a sodium salt of the fatty acid - aka soap (the technical name for this reaction is saponification). The reaction takes time, seveal weeks infact, which is why soap must be cured. There are more exact instructions and recipies available at seveal locations on the internet. Soap

I've been fiddling with soaps for a while. She Who Must Be Obeyed is sensitive to most perfumes so I've been trying to find something that gives a good shave but doesn't have much smell to it. Mail order is pretty much out because I can't smell it before I buy it.

We were discussing the issue one day and my wife mentioned that when she used to use the Nutragena Facial Bar that it lathered quite readily and maybe it'd be worth a try. The worst that could happen was it wouldn't work and maybe it would.

It took a bit of fiddling to get the right water/soap proportion but I've been pretty happy with the results thus far. The lather lasts in the bowl long enough for me to get a three-pass shave in and gives pretty good protection. I'll be sticking with this stuff for a while.

To anyone complaining that their lather dries up, where is it written that you only lather one time???
I lather and then lay my badger brush in my soap cup until I need to re-lather. Then I soak my brush with hot water, shake out the excess and soap it up again. Then I re-lather and continue shaving. Lather as often as you like and enjoy the time it takes you to shave. Shaving is an event, not a chore........