The Obie Memorial First Tier Soaps and Creams Thread.

[niftyshaving]

Regarding tallow...
Soaps are made by reacting an organic acid with a base (saponification).
The acid can be tallow or any of a massive list of oils and fats each with different results.
The differences in soap for shaving are subtle but important.

We want good skin care and feel, we want a lasting stable lather, we want
it to work with our water, we want our soap maker to get the chemistry correct.
Slightly alkaline can soften whiskers too much burns the skin.

Saponification Table and Characteristics of Oils in Soap

Some of us with crazy hard water might appreciate a coconut oil based bar soap like Kirk's. Some of us
need a great cleansing soap to sort out the grime of the day. All different...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap#Effects_of_fats

Some laundry bar soap can be very alkaline and harsh to the point that I need gloves.
Sadly olive oil based Aleppo soap from Syria may be in short supply (very harsh but interesting).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleppo_soap

There are good but hard to find vegan shave soaps (no tallow).
There are good soaps without pork fats: kosher, hallal.

The adventurous can grate and mill together this and that making a blend. Perhaps...
10% Kirk's, 80% Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile, 5% Dove, 5% bar soap from Palmolive.
Grate, mix, spritz with enough water to shape, press, dry.
Grate, mix, spritz with enough water to shape, press, dry.
Grate, mix, spritz with enough water to shape and press. <--- I wonder if this is triple milled like.


What the Heck is Triple Milled Soap Anyway? And Why Should You Care? - Baudelaire

If we look hard at the label we can often discover the organic acid blend used in our favorite hard shaving soap.
Of interest one of my favorites depends in part on Lanolin that is not an organic acid but something different.

I know a soap maker and got schooled... Her shave soap is ideal for her husband and her young men.

Given the differences it pays to get sample or 'refill' pucks to try. The worst shaving soap I ever found was coaxed
into a marvelous lather with a pea size bit of Proraso so try that before tossing. Practice latherin... never toss.

Practicing has turned second rate into first rate once I found the secret.