Thread: Soap that dries out

I bought two cakes of soap from a small time maker of scented soaps who is just getting into making shaving soap. I tried it and found that it dries out too quickly on the face. Does anyone know what the ingredient is to prevent drying out of the soap? I would like to help them if I can. Mack

What's in the soap already?

If it's a true handmade soap and not a melt and pour, many people make the mistake of skimming off the glycerine produced in the saponification process. Keeping the glycerine allows for better lather, glide and moisture retention.

I have no idea what all is in it. People keep their formulas secret, but I just thought that if there are any soap makers here they would know what was missing.

Add your own glycerine or just use more water and shave with a wetter lather.

Originally Posted by mackie

I have no idea what all is in it. People keep their formulas secret, but I just thought that if there are any soap makers here they would know what was missing.

There is no magic ingredient that will suddenly change the soap unfortunately.

UI would say start by adding some grape seed oil and coconut oil. Those both help with cushion and glide. My soap has never dried up so I think it would help.

hello friends,

I could never get the bars to stick together either! Maybe it's because we live in a dry climate? When we buy soap, I immediately take it out of the packages and store them in the open air so they can dry further. The I Coloniali takes a bit more brush work and at least as much water as Tabac to make a lather that reminds me of Tabac's. I've found that Tabac dries out somewhat and flakes a little, if I tend to take a little too much time. I Coloniali hasn't dried out like that. I face lather it, and while I'm not dealing with mounds of whipped cream lather, I have stiff lather left over in the badger brush when I finish a multi pass shave.

Have a great day!!
Andrea

Originally Posted by mackie

I bought two cakes of soap from a small time maker of scented soaps who is just getting into making shaving soap. I tried it and found that it dries out too quickly on the face. Does anyone know what the ingredient is to prevent drying out of the soap? I would like to help them if I can. Mack

First try to hydrate the lather slowly. But since I know you've been at this for awhile I'm thinking that the soap is more likely at fault, rather than you lather making abilities. Feedback is your friend. You need to bring your complaints to the makers, otherwise they will never improve their formula.

Originally Posted by Mastershake

I would say start by adding some grape seed oil and coconut oil. Those both help with cushion and glide. My soap has never dried up so I think it would help.

Some good advice for the maker. But for the end user that seems like a lot of work to make a soap lather correctly. There are simply too many great quality products out there, why would anyone bother with adding ingredients to an underperforming product?

Thank you all for your comments and yes I have been at this for a long time. Long time member here. I just got to talking to these people at the craft show and told them I would give them feedback on their product. The husband wants to get into straight shaving. They are really nice people and I wanted to help them out with their product. They make a great hand and bath soap but are just getting into shaving soap. There must be something their formula is missing or does not have enough of to keep the lather from drying out. They told me the ingredients and here they are.
Olive, coconut, palm and caster oil, Shea butter, Steric acid and clay.