Thread: Tallow soaps

Originally Posted by rum

Incorrect. It's stearic acid based, meaning it is not a vegetable soap

Interesting, considering MdC's own website states otherwise:

"It is really a "soap", that is a paste that we realise entirely in the factory as from the saponification between 100% vegetable oils (olive, coconut) and with potasse (Alcali)....."

That being said, I did take quick look at my jar of MdC and saw the reference to stearic acid (and glycerin too), so I'm guessing that it could be considered a hybrid soap.

BTW - thanks for the link. I was very aware of what stearic acid is.

just tried Monsavon.... OMG, you really have to give this a go!!!

Originally Posted by rum

Incorrect. It's stearic acid based, meaning it is not a vegetable soap:
Stearic acid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks for the link, as I read it, steric acid can come from vegetable like cocoa butter and Shea butter that have a higher % of steric acid than animal fat. So, as my understanding, just because the word steric comes from the Greek word tallow, it doesn't mean necessarily that the stearic acid in the product comes from animal. Making MDC a pure vegetable soap like they advertise in their web site. Please correct me if my understanding is incorrect. Thanks Double O

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Interesting, considering MdC's own website states otherwise:

"It is really a "soap", that is a paste that we realise entirely in the factory as from the saponification between 100% vegetable oils (olive, coconut) and with potasse (Alcali)....."

That being said, I did take quick look at my jar of MdC and saw the reference to stearic acid (and glycerin too), so I'm guessing that it could be considered a hybrid soap.

BTW - thanks for the link. I was very aware of what stearic acid is.

MdC's website (which is very informative by the way) is believable, so I will tend to agree. As I haven't been on their site recently, can I ask if they state where they source theirs from, i.e. where it physically comes from? I suppose if they're saying 'vegetable', then there is no chance it is animal-based, but going on the basis of how many companies know where their suppliers source materials from, I have made this comment - I am speaking based on experience through my own employer's suppliers... (nothing to do with soaps I might add!).

Originally Posted by uk_HBer

just tried Monsavon.... OMG, you really have to give this a go!!!

Indeed. Used mine today. You'll be depressed when this one runs out. And it does disappear quickly!!

Originally Posted by Double0757

Thanks for the link, as I read it, steric acid can come from vegetable like cocoa butter and Shea butter that have a higher % of steric acid than animal fat. So, as my understanding, just because the word steric comes from the Greek word tallow, it doesn't mean necessarily that the stearic acid in the product comes from animal. Making MDC a pure vegetable soap like they advertise in their web site. Please correct me if my understanding is incorrect. Thanks Double O

OK, to get one thing straight - 'stear' that is mentioned on the link above is in fact from Ancient Greek. It may mean meat, and not tallow as the site suggests (Wiki is full of these minor inaccuracies). In the modern language, this actually translates to 'steak'.

I am not doubting the fact that this can be synthesised, but here's another link (this time from Imperial College, a top class UK university) which I hope is equally useful: Stearic Acid

Attention is specifically drawn to the second paragraph.

Hope this helps.

Tabac, MWF and Cella, with the last being my favorite. It lathers the best in my water by far, and provides the most cushion, too.

Playing with Vito's Red now and it seems to be up there with Cella.

Bob

Tabac seems to be doing well here. In the years of shaving I've not tried it.

Mikes natural