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Just wondering what shaving specific soaps are out there that are made with 100% organic ingredients.
For the last few years I've been using Classic Shaving mug soap but my wife clued me in on some not so natural ingredients i.e. titanium dioxide, Cocamidopropyl Hdyroxysultaine (surfactant), etc.
Any suggestions are welcome. :beer2:
Not a soap as such, but a shave cream, 'Gaia for men' is 100% all natural, works like a charm and is also a 100% Australian product. So even if you live in Europe or the US you can at least say you aren't supporting a sweathouse, slave labour, asian type factory, not that all asian factories are sweat house's but you surely know what I mean. If it wasn't for a little bit of SAD I would even consider using this one exclusively myself.
Mick
I've tried Herban Cowboy and Natural Grooming (or something like that). They are both soaps and they are not very good. They smell alright, but don't make a good lather. The lather also dries very quickly on your face, increasing friction.
"Pre de Provence" soap is very nice. I use it often. I don't recognize any weird chemicals on the ingredient list, no parabens, or other major offenders. It has a nice herbal scent, makes a good lather and is reasonably priced. They also make a cream in a tube, but i haven't tried it. I just use the soap.
I can't remember off the top of my head and I'm on my phone so I'm not looking it up right now, but iirc Mama Bear has a good selection if organic stuff.
I have Mama Bears Organic Soap pucks and I am very pleased with them and their service.
Pabster
Maybe Mitchell's Wool Fat ??? If the formula is really as old as it's supposed to be, it shouldn't have too much unpronounceable stuff.
Mitchell's Wool Fat - The Shave Den
Charles
I didn't know this existed: DR Harris Naturals Shaving Soap is is 99% natural, 98% Certified Organic. [I don't know what constitutes the 1-2 % left]
Thanks so much for the responses. I'm going to order up a few pucks of Mama Bears and DR Harris's.
I noticed my post could lead to confusion: The natural DR harris are a different product litterally called: DR Harris Naturals Shaving Soap. All DR Harris do not pretend to be natural.
mama bear or tade- it's French with laurel oil and olive oil i think. i have very sensitive skin and they work great. in general i try to avoid creams b/c they seem to all have more chemicals to keep the bacteria colonies at bay- they tend to itch and irritate.
No worries. I noticed that as I was looking through their products.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredo456
It seems from the reviews here and on B&B that the Mama Bears is the best of the "all natural" soaps. I'll order up a few of the Mama Bears pucks to see which fragrance I like best.
Portland Oregon, company called Escential
link
Escential Lotions & Oils: Perfume, Aromatherapy, Essential, and Massage Oils, Skin Care and Gifts since 1979
I have used their Himalaya shave soap and the Shea, White Tea shave cream in an Uberlather since HornM/Michael gave me some last year, it is incredible...
I do not know how "Pure" / "Organic" it really is because I am not into that but I thought I read it was. I do know they work and they work really really well check it out...
Hello, 8man:Quote:
Originally Posted by 8man
Do you mean L'Occitane's Cade shaving soap? If so, that is quality stuff, and, to my knowledge, all natural.
Regards,
Obie
the only thing about mbs that some of the scents in my opinion are very strong. what's really great about the mb site is you can order samples for $1.00 - you get 1 or 2 shaves out of each. i ordered a dozen and then later bought 3 that were most mild to me since i get allergic rxns to many soaps and scents. i settled on the unscented, the orange orange and the myrrh. hope this helps.Quote:
Originally Posted by garth
its tade. i like it b/c it doesn't irritate. i get mild allergic reactions to many soaps and creams out there-esp with heavy fragrance, menthol or florals , but this one doesn't give me a rash . i like the scent but my wife says it smells like hippies. here's a link if you're interested. Tadé Pays du Levant • Shaving Soap • Shaving ? Men • Pure Source Barbados
ps ill have to try the cade when i get the chance- it seems to be a highly regarded one
Well some products have Dihydrogen Monoxide so you haveQuote:
Originally Posted by garth
to be very cautious when reading the label.
Cocamidopropyl Hdyroxysultaine ... I might pass this one by.
Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Titanium dioxide, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium
and is also known as titanium white and is used in almost
all paint pibments. It makes shave soaps white -- I would rather
they use kaolin (clay) because clays can improve the shave
quality a bit more and I care less about a soap being white
than I do about the save. It is a do not care for me...
Compounds like Sodium tallowate are simply classic soap.
One might list tallow and wood ash as more 'organic' but
the reaction product (saponification) is going to be the same.
Castile soap is made from saponified vegetable oils (commonly
olive oil) instead of animal fats. Coconut oil is a
common 'fat' that along with castor oil helps build
a rich stable lather.
Many of the 'organic' fragrances and skin friendly oils
need preservatives to not go rancid and have a shelf
life longer than a month. Eliminating all preservatives
will limit your product choices perhaps for the better.
Strong fragrances and skin conditioners mostly do
not need to be in a shave soap.
So your wife is a smart gal!
If you cannot find the ingredients
for a product online ask the vendor!
Then look behind the Dihydrogen Monoxide
like chemist friendly compound names
as you do your research.
I did see some of my favorites in previous postings
+1 to those....
So I wasn't particularly looking for a new soap but I am a sucker for menthol. I thought my proraso and MB Lime Ice were high in it but after seeing the plug for Al's soap (the Chillwhip, to be exact) I had to pick some up. I found out it's a custom soap, so just choose that option if you need to try it out.
It is amazing. I'm still having some issues with hard water and I'm darn thankful for Al's reminder that mentholated soaps require more water. Took me q bit to get it right. But hot Damn! This Chillwhip is amazing. The scent is spot on Noxzema. The lather is superb. Ample cushion and glide. Plenty of moisture. I normally only do two passes and call it a night but this stuff felt so good I went for a third and went atg. No irritation! I missed a spot so I did another atg pass. Still no irritation and I know babies who wish their butts were as smooth as my face is right now.
MB lathers great. I don't have a single bad thing to say about it. But Al's is amazing.
I can't quite quantify why, but it's a more luxe product. I'd still pick up the MB soaps, but next time you've got a spare Jackson, pick up something from Al. He sent me a couple samples that smell amazing. Clary Sage was one. I can't remember the other one but it was a something Vetivier. It has a distinct anise/fennel smell that I like. Gah, there's too many good soaps to try...
Not necessarily. Many essential oils are are antiseptic by nature .Quote:
Originally Posted by niftyshaving
Also Vitamin E is a natural antoxidant which may be an additive in some soaps.
Preservatives aren't necessary unless you are looking for extra long shelf life.
I know the Mama bears EO soaps I bought in the past have lasted 2-3 years without any spoiling.
Be careful with lavender tho if you have sensitive skin. It can be a skin irritant.
I like that! I would say I would agree with that statement and add...'As opposed to antiseptics that are man made!' :pQuote:
Originally Posted by onimaru55
Mick
I never knew lavender was an irritant. I still haven't ordered any soap. :)
I was reading through mama bear's site and there were some ingredients that were on the "bad list".
I found Soaptopia which looks to be all natural: Extra Moisturizing Natural Shaving Soap
as well as...
awild soapbar:
Natural Sassafras Shaving Soap with Organic Aloe
I'm going to buy both and I'll give a shave/lather report after.
According to Fight Club some of the best soaps are made from human body fat. Organic.
What are the "bad" ingredients in MamaBear's soaps ? I was unaware of any.Quote:
Originally Posted by garth
If you can find it, I hear Biotique Bio Palmyra Shaving Cream is top notch Indian vegan soap. I tried ordering from a vendor online and had no luck. It's cheap as dirt in India.
Garth, have you checked out http://www.alsshaving.com/ ? It ain't cheap but it is phenomenal stuff. I swear the container I got said it is all natural. The clary sage and Chillwhip are awesome.
Hey, the lady at Scentuallyyours.com has certified organic shaving whip that most of the guys in my family use. It comes unscented or you choose the essential oil of your liking. Great stuff!
Quote:
Originally Posted by garth
There are two types of natural lavender.
One is less kind than the other. Package
labels are often unclear which is which. That
in turn makes it hard to discover which is an
irritant to you.
Do not confuse antiseptic and oils turning rancid.
The chemical decomposition of fats, oils and other lipids
can happen with or without bacteria.
Rancidification - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Machine shops can have trouble with cutting
oil turning rancid. Then then machinists
break out in a rash depending on the product.
So some but not all. The addition of anti-oxidants
correct storage and compounding can greatly
increase the shelf life.
I agree with "minATX", I tried the organic "herban cowboy" organic shaving soap and was dissapointed...
Bodyshop range: Mens Face Care - SkinCare - The Body Shop UK
and in USA: Skin Care Products, Men's Skin Care Accessories | The Body Shop ®
They carry a synthetic brush as well.
I prefer TBS before became part of L'Oréal group, the shaving cream is made by Creightons, the same company that makes the TOBS, T&H, Trumpers,....shaving creams, it is not bad, but not very "natural " products, the aftershave contains parabens even. The oils and components have not traceability. In UK is better to use the Nanny's Silly soft shaving soaps, made from oils from organic farms. Or the Martin de Candre, made with only 5 ingredients and traceability and respect of the environment as company goalsQuote:
Originally Posted by Kees
Try the soaps at Handmade Naturals by Deb . I have the frankincense soap and it lathers up beautifully.
What makes you say so?Quote:
Originally Posted by du212
nothing, it's a mistake, but for me it's inconsistent that they use paraben and raw materials from non sustainable sources in some products. Even they have been used chemical products that have been tested in animalsQuote:
Originally Posted by Kees
Anyway the company do a great effort in the social compromise and the employees relationship and energy efficiency
You will never find a cream or soap that is 100% organic or natural. Yes, some are USDA certified 100% organic or natural, but that does not change the fact that they are not. To make cream or soap, you need lye, which cannot be found in nature (i.e. is not organic or natural).
Titanium dioxide is a colorant, which is safe to use. Many soapers use it.
Lye of organic origin is easy to make: just burn some plant material, add some water, stir and remove the unsoluble bits and you have lye. Quality will be inconsistent though.
Glycerin is an organic base for shave soaps as well.
Here is a link for "Otoko Organics" It is made around the corner from us in Queensland.
Have a look at a review:
Otoko Organics Wet Shave Essentials — BruceOnShaving.com
www.otoko.com.au
We do stock it in our eStore.
It is solid in the tub and lathers with a brush which I find needs loads of water. Not the best in hard water but still acceptable. We have been sending it worldwide as it's popularity is growing.
If anyone has any questions about it that I can not answer I will get the information for you directally from Jamie (the developer).
Sam
Here is a link for "Otoko Organics" It is made around the corner from us in Queensland.
Have a look at a review:
Otoko Organics Wet Shave Essentials — BruceOnShaving.com
www.otoko.com.au
We do stock it in our eStore.
It is solid in the tub and lathers with a brush which I find needs loads of water. Not the best in hard water but still acceptable. We have been sending it worldwide as it's popularity is growing.
If anyone has any questions about it that I can not answer I will get the information for you directally from Jamie (the developer).
Sam
ROFL! I love it...anyone who lists water by its chemical name on an ingredients list would make me run the other way just because I'd be terrified of what else they were adding :)Quote:
Originally Posted by niftyshaving
Great info on all of these replies, though. I hope to be able to try some myself.
Thanks du212 for your suggestions of Nanny's Silly and Martin de Candre natural soaps. I will check them out. The shaving cream I like from our area has it's ingredients listed on the web site. ...The organic shaving whip is designed for use with a straight razor or double-edge blade.
Ingredients: Certified Organic Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, water, potassium, myristate, potassium stearate, sodium myristate, sodium stearate, glycerin, Certified organic helianthus annus (sunflower seed oil), Certified organic butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit, Certified organic oleifera (green tea), camellia sinensis (white tea), althea officinalis (marshmallow root), calendula officinalis flower, avena sativa (oat kernal), chamomilla recutica (matricaria), lavindula agustifolia (lavender), trifolium pretense (clover) extracts, vitamin E acetate, vitamin A polmitate, vitamin D, vegetable oil, sorbic acid, hydroxyethylcellulose. The pre-shave oil contains Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Shea Butter, and Organic Grapeseed Oil. You can save alot by buying them together at Scentually Yours - supplier of essential oils, body oils, and therapeutic oils - plus incense, burners, pewter designs, necklaces...