Thread: Soap Refill vs. Dish

I'm looking into buying some soaps and was wondering if when buying a certain soap for the first time it is necessary/recommended to buy the dish versus the refill. I've read where you can melt the soaps down, grate them and such to fit containers....would this be the bet if I'm looking to buy the most soap for my money? Is the dish just a decorative/nice thing to have or is it necessary? Also, if its not necessary are there any generic containers you guys have found hold soap really well? It's hard to justify paying $30 for a dish if I could just buy the refill and put it in a cheaper container....

Dont try to melt tallow soaps. no good will come of it.

I have my tabac in a wood soap bowl thingy. I just grated the soap, then pressed it into the container.

but... The container does not affect teh performance of the soap in my experience. Having the container makes it easier to swap out pucks though.

Originally Posted by Marlee

I'm looking into buying some soaps and was wondering if when buying a certain soap for the first time it is necessary/recommended to buy the dish versus the refill. I've read where you can melt the soaps down, grate them and such to fit containers....would this be the bet if I'm looking to buy the most soap for my money? Is the dish just a decorative/nice thing to have or is it necessary? Also, if its not necessary are there any generic containers you guys have found hold soap really well? It's hard to justify paying $30 for a dish if I could just buy the refill and put it in a cheaper container....

Marlee, there is NO reason to buy a soap with a bowl, unless you just want to. You can find bowls for your refills for $4 or $6. Or you can do like Brotha Glen and get some of those cheap glass bowls at Wally World (assuming you livce in the States)... work great

+1 on all the above information. I'd just like to add that there are vintage Old Spice shaving mugs in abundance. I see them in antique stores and they can be found on eBay for a few bucks each.

The one I have is perfect for a 3oz. puck; it's wide and shallow with little raised notches on the inside to hold the soap.

It depends. Some soaps are of a specific shape and the bowl is sold only for that brand of soap. I buy my soaps exlusively from TGQ and her soaps fit into standard soap bowls.

Originally Posted by Marlee

I'm looking into buying some soaps and was wondering if when buying a certain soap for the first time it is necessary/recommended to buy the dish versus the refill. I've read where you can melt the soaps down, grate them and such to fit containers....would this be the bet if I'm looking to buy the most soap for my money? Is the dish just a decorative/nice thing to have or is it necessary? Also, if its not necessary are there any generic containers you guys have found hold soap really well? It's hard to justify paying $30 for a dish if I could just buy the refill and put it in a cheaper container....

Absolutely correct. You can reprocess any soap and use this to fill the container of your choice. In reprocessing he soap, be sure to heat it evenly and gently. This is difficult to do in a microwave. A double boiler or some other indirect heating method works best.

Are lids necessary for soap if I just buy a refill and put it in a dish?

The only soap bowl that is woth getting is the Mitchell's Wool Fat ceramic one. Just cause it's cool!

Originally Posted by Marlee

Are lids necessary for soap if I just buy a refill and put it in a dish?

Most lids on soap bowls are not airtight anyway, but lots of people just leave their soap in a mug or small bowl. But I stick mine in a Pyrex with a rubber lid, I think it helps retain the scent.

As to paying for bowls, I don't - except for Tabac which is only a few $ extra for the bowl. A lot of the wooden ones have no depth or lip, so you end up soaping all over them. That's why I like Pyrex, the soap sits low and I can work it on the brush with minimal mess.

At one time, I ddin't know there was such a thing as a soap bowl, as I was only familiar with soap mugs. I spent a good deal of time on e-bay until I found a mug I liked and most of them were going for more than I could afford. I soon discoverd that most of them were no different from what I drank my cofnee out of. And they worked just fine.