Mens soap that doesn't leave oil on skin

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lunablue

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Hi, all. I'm looking to find answers on creating a men's soap that is a cleansing bar that won't leave oil on the skin. My BF thinks my soaps are too oily/girly (I only superfat at 5% normally). His current fave (not one of mine) is one that actually has sand in it! He said it's probably a little too abrasive, but I was thinking coffee grinds and superfatting at 2%.

Any ideas out there? :think:
 
That's so weird! Do you use soapcalc? If he wants something more cleansing you could just add more coconut oil, like instead of using 15% use 25% or something like that. My husband's manly bar is in his team colors (blue and yellow) and scented with tobacco and bay leaf.
 
Strange, a soap superfatted at 5% shouldn't feel oily. Mind sharing your recipe? I'm curious!

If your boyfriend likes feeling "squeaky clean", you'll probably want a recipe slightly higher in coconut oil - somewhere between 20-30% would work well.

I'd recommend a recipe like this:

40% lard/tallow/palm (whatever you prefer or a combo)
30% olive oil/avocado/sweet almond/HO safflower/HO sunflower (straight OO or your preferred combo of soft oils)
25% coconut oil
5% castor oil

3% superfat
30% lye concentration

As for additives - when I think "men's" bar, I think activated charcoal, clays and ground pumice (if he likes a bit of scrub). My fiance is a big fan of my salt bars as well.
 
Well, when I enter a sf amount on a lyc calculator, I consider the purity level of my lye as well as the sf level I want. A 95% pure lye adds more sf to the amount you enter on the calculator. The lower the purity level of my lye, the lower I sf the recipe.

You bf might like a higher co oil soap, but if the sf remains the same he may still experience that oily feel. He also just may be used to the dry skin feel that many store bought soaps provide because they have no sf, and contain no glycerin.
 
I told him a lot of it had to do with installing a soft water unit about the same time he tried my soap the first time. I noticed a huge difference.

The first one I gave him was a charcoal and beer that had 62.2% olive oil, 24.5% coconut oil, 8.9% cocoa butter and 4.5% almond butter. I use soapcalc now, but followed a recipe for this one... https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/charcoal-cedar-beer-cold-process-soap-tutorial/

Then I gave him one I made with 25% coconut oil, 25% olive oil, 20% palm oil, 15% shea butter, 8% beeswax and 7% castor oil. Still too 'greasy' for him, but he uses it for shaving in the shower. It's marbled with activated charcoal, hibiscus flower powder, and chamomile flower powder. It has a superfat/discount of 5% with .63 oz essential oils.
 
My husband kind of has the same feeling about my soaps- I think it's a mental thing.

Anyway, his favorite recipe (so far) is the Soap Queen's Lots of Lather Bar. I added some powdered walnut shells (also from BB)- I personally think they are a bit too scratchy, but he loves them. He says it helps him feel like he's really scrubbing the dirt off. :)
 
Yes, he's definitely used to grocery store soap. He used Irish Spring for years. Not sure what the 'sand' one is. Said he doesn't want oil left on his skin. Tough guy. ;)
 
Maybe I'll try the Lots of Lather with coffee beans and maybe swirls of cinnamon and cocoa. Almond meal might be a good 'exfoliator' as well.
 
lunablue said:
I told him a lot of it had to do with installing a soft water unit about the same time he tried my soap the first time. I noticed a huge difference.

The first one I gave him was a charcoal and beer that had 62.2% olive oil, 24.5% coconut oil, 8.9% cocoa butter and 4.5% almond butter. I use soapcalc now, but followed a recipe for this one... https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/charcoal-cedar-beer-cold-process-soap-tutorial/

Then I gave him one I made with 25% coconut oil, 25% olive oil, 20% palm oil, 15% shea butter, 8% beeswax and 7% castor oil. Still too 'greasy' for him, but he uses it for shaving in the shower. It's marbled with activated charcoal, hibiscus flower powder, and chamomile flower powder. It has a superfat/discount of 5% with .63 oz essential oils.
Click to expand...
If only you knew how close I came to asking you if your water was softened. :crazy:

If he's not used to softened water, that's the problem 100%. He's looking for the "squeak" of soap scum, and nothing you can do with a soap recipe is going to give him that with softened water.
 
The one he's using actually feels like a rough grade sandpaper. It hangs on a rope. Looks like it has activated charcoal in it too since it's black.
 
toxikon said:
Strange, a soap superfatted at 5% shouldn't feel oily. Mind sharing your recipe? I'm curious!

If your boyfriend likes feeling "squeaky clean", you'll probably want a recipe slightly higher in coconut oil - somewhere between 20-30% would work well.

I'd recommend a recipe like this:

40% lard/tallow/palm (whatever you prefer or a combo)
30% olive oil/avocado/sweet almond/HO safflower/HO sunflower (straight OO or your preferred combo of soft oils)
25% coconut oil
5% castor oil

3% superfat
30% lye concentration

As for additives - when I think "men's" bar, I think activated charcoal, clays and ground pumice (if he likes a bit of scrub). My fiance is a big fan of my salt bars as well.
Click to expand...

Thank you, toxikon! This is worth a try. Salt bars are a good idea, too.
 
lenarenee said:
Well, when I enter a sf amount on a lyc calculator, I consider the purity level of my lye as well as the sf level I want. A 95% pure lye adds more sf to the amount you enter on the calculator. The lower the purity level of my lye, the lower I sf the recipe.

You bf might like a higher co oil soap, but if the sf remains the same he may still experience that oily feel. He also just may be used to the dry skin feel that many store bought soaps provide because they have no sf, and contain no glycerin.
Click to expand...

All true, lenarenee. And good point about the lye purity. Thanks!
 
BrewerGeorge said:
If only you knew how close I came to asking you if your water was softened. :crazy:

If he's not used to softened water, that's the problem 100%. He's looking for the "squeak" of soap scum, and nothing you can do with a soap recipe is going to give him that with softened water.
Click to expand...

Yep, maybe sandpaper quality soap will have to be the replacement. haha!
 
I use fine pumice in soap. You can feel the gritty but not in a bad way. Its not scratchy or irritating at all. If you do use coffee grounds, go to the grocers and grind your own, use the finest setting on the grinder so it won't be too scratchy.
 
Obsidian said:
I use fine pumice in soap. You can feel the gritty but not in a bad way. Its not scratchy or irritating at all. If you do use coffee grounds, go to the grocers and grind your own, use the finest setting on the grinder so it won't be too scratchy.
Click to expand...

I second the suggestion about coffee, and grinding it as fine as possible if you decide to use that. I used pre-ground espresso grind in some soap and it's really scratchy. Wasn't nearly so rough just by itself.
 
Thanks, Obsidian and Kittish. Pumice is an idea. I've used coffee grinds before. I make espresso, so I usually grind it very finely and I like it in the soap I've made. Definitely better than sand!

I'm thinking a salt bar might be a good idea, too.
 

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