Thread: Old Fashioned Soap?

So there's plenty of articles and sites about history of razors, and there's even a bit about brushes and mugs. And in general all the hardware ppl used to use 100-200 years ago. My question is then about Soap!

Basically: What kind of soap/cream did people used to use in the 1800s?

I know there are few companies that are over 100 years old that still produce soap today (Pears, D R Harris) and I've seen enough to know that shave sticks were a thing back then. How far back did they have creams? I actually want to try and re-create an 'old fashioned shave' as much as possible, obviously I don't think I'll use a 100 year old soap even if I found one, are there any shaving soaps/creams out there that have existed since 1800s or early 1900s that haven't changed their formula or form?

Mitchell's Wool Fat. On the carton it says "ORIGINAL 1893 FORMULA". It's good stuff.

Lye and lard soap has been around since at least 600 BC. The Babylonians made soaps well before that (since circa 2800 BC) Arguably a kind of fat and some kind of alkaline salt gas been around for at least 5000- 6000 years. People have been shaving for about that long also as far as we know. One only has to shave without some sort of emulcifying preparation once to know that soap of some sort has been used for probably nearly as long. My guess is some kind of fat and an ash derivative.

When I was much younger, my neighbourhood Italian barber used to square off the back neck line with a straight razor. I recall he made a thin lather by sprinkling some kind of soap powder into a mug and then added a spritz of very hot water before working the lather with his brush. It had that typical barber shop aroma, but seemed very watery and thin with almost no glide. I never had him shave me as I got older, so I don’t know if he used the same lather for face shaving. I hope not.

Despite any claims I doubt you would find any soap that is both an old brand and the same exact formula. Even old names are just that having been defunct and bought and again used. Of course many ingredients are simply not used anymore for a variety of reasons.

I would be skeptical of any claims. I'll bet Mitchell's has no relation to the original maker. You would have to compare the formula to determine how true it is to the original.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Despite any claims I doubt you would find any soap that is both an old brand and the same exact formula. Even old names are just that having been defunct and bought and again used. Of course many ingredients are simply not used anymore for a variety of reasons.

I would be skeptical of any claims. I'll bet Mitchell's has no relation to the original maker. You would have to compare the formula to determine how true it is to the original.

That not withstanding, Mitchell's Wool Fat is some good stuff.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Despite any claims I doubt you would find any soap that is both an old brand and the same exact formula. Even old names are just that having been defunct and bought and again used. Of course many ingredients are simply not used anymore for a variety of reasons.

I would be skeptical of any claims. I'll bet Mitchell's has no relation to the original maker. You would have to compare the formula to determine how true it is to the original.

In other words no current soap would meet the OP's requirement. Seems reasonable but why not make life simple and pretend MWF fits the bill.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

In other words no current soap would meet the OP's requirement. Seems reasonable but why not make life simple and pretend MWF fits the bill.

Bob

Perception is 90% of reality

I suspect most modern soaps are far better than soaps from around 100 years ago.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I suspect most modern soaps are far better than soaps from around 100 years ago.

Likely truer words were never spoke. Another point infavour of MWF.

Bob