Thread: soap that burns

Howdy folks-
Anyone know why a shaving soap burns? Too much fragrance/essential oil? Unconverted lye?

I've had a couple (Cirmes Sapera, _____ Dragon Blood) that burn quite a bit.
i added a couple of drops of veg oil to the mug & that boosted the lather, tho it still did dissipate quickly but did not cure the burn.

Any solutions to this?

thanks

Joe

Some folks are sensitive to certain ingredients and that can vary especially if a allergy is involved. Usually when the burn affects large numbers of people it's the scented oils that do it. Sometimes when small scale operations make soap a batch can too much of something that offends.

Maybe to much acid in it?
Nee, don't think so, you probably just sensitive to some ingredient, but once I actually saw a recipe for soap calling for Sulfuric acid.
The scary part was that they said 2 drops of it and then they had misspelled Sulfuric acid (Svevelsyra instead of Svavelsyra), wouldn't trust that recipe at all!

Maybe the hint is in the name? Maybe it is supposed to burn a bit like Cat O Nine Tails?

No, dragons blood is a scent, it's not supposed to burn. It's probably a mild allergic reaction. I have burning and redness when I use the art of shaving sandalwood cream or aftershave balm. I absolutely love the scent, but I can't use it for that reason.

Essential and fragrance oils are usually the culprits, but it can be any ingredient (or combinations thereof) that can produce reactions for individuals.

IIRC there is a disclaimer on Mama Bear's website about Dragon's Blood soap, warning that it is known to cause skin irritation for those sensitive to FO's. I don't know if it's still there though.

There is a warning at Moma Bear's. There is also a list of ingredients. Are there any commonalities of ingredients between your Dragon's Blood, Moma Bear's and other products that cause you grief?

on the flip side of the coin, I find for my sometimes sensitive skin, the DR Harris lavender soap (mildly scented) is quite gentle on the skin and not irritating at all - the fragrances can be an irritant.

Originally Posted by joeuke

Howdy folks-
Anyone know why a shaving soap burns? Too much fragrance/essential oil? Unconverted lye?

I've had a couple (Cirmes Sapera, _____ Dragon Blood) that burn quite a bit.
i added a couple of drops of veg oil to the mug & that boosted the lather, tho it still did dissipate quickly but did not cure the burn.

Any solutions to this?

thanks

Joe

I think the fragrance is usually the problem. I have used many Mama Bears soaps and one particular scent burned my face. Same soap, different scent.