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I guess I was really vague. It is hot process dual lye. Not including various additives, the base is 40% stearic acid, 20% tallow with the rest butters/oils. I do let it cool down before adding fragrance

I have a shave soap that I'm very happy with. I've been making it in very small test batches. I need to ramp up production to a significantly larger batch size. The problem\question I have is with packaging. I'm currently using an ice cream scooper to plop a glob into the jar and bang the jar...

I'm in the clay is beneficial camp. If you look at the most talked about shaving soaps on other forums, they all have clay. Bentonite is an amazing lubricant that holds a ton of water - which is a great thing to have in a shaving soap. As for dulling blades? Not buying into that line of thought...

If I mix the oils, butters and SA and use a 60/40 dual lye, I absolutely have no control over the saponifications and the levels of the resulting postassium and sodium salts can and will vary wildly from batch to batch. By pulling the SA out with just KOH, and mixing NaOH with the oils\butters...

While the specific saponification cannot be guaranteed, by splitting them apart I can ensure that MOST of the Stearic Acid will end up as Postassium Stearate salts. As for why, the Potassium Stearate is MUCH more soluable in water then Sodium Stearate and produces a better lather. It also...

I want the soap to have Potassium Stearate, Sodium Tallowate, Sodium ... If I combine the lyes, I’d have Potasium Stearate and Sodium Stearate, Potassium Tallowate and Sodium Tallowate, etc. not what I’m trying to accomplish.

My basic recipe is: Stearic Acid 40% Tallow 30% Butters 18% Castor/Coconut oils 12% I’m using KOH for the stearic and NaOH for the rest. I combine them after the lye has done its job. I do add glycerin (15%) and sodium lactate during the cook. I have a number of additives added after. The...

I've noticed some highly-rated shaving soaps list Glycerin as the first ingredient (or second to water) before stearic acid. I've typically added 15%. How high can glycerin be added before it bogs down the lather and becomes sticky? I'd play around with it, but thought maybe someone else has...

It’s Wickham 1912.

A highly-regarded shaving soap has an LOI of: Potassium Stearate, Aqua, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Cocoa Butterate, Sodium Palmate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Sodium Avocadate, Parfum, White Kaolin, Allantoin, Glycerine. I'd like to recreate the recipe to make some modifications to it...

I know they are different when used in a recipe. The saponification values are different. I was really wondering if anyone used both and if they act different as a skin conditioner.

When used as a SF, is there is difference between mango oil and mango butter? I'm really just looking at adding it for the post shave skin feel in a shaving soap. Thanks!

I thought that was a novel way of adding the SF. :)

The lanolin is 2% added with 3% shea butter as the SF. I'm fine dropping the lanolin. I added it in since it was part of the ingredients for a commercial soap I have (Stirling).

My current recipe is mainly stearic, tallow and coconut oil. Using Shea, almond oil and lanolin at low percentages. Glycerin is 15%. 70/30 duel lye. Overall, I think the soap performs well, but it’s lacking the residual slickness that I get with some other shaving soaps I’ve tried. Any ideas...

I've been tweaking my shaving soap recipe a few more times. Fortunately I've been making small batches. I'm happy with where it is, but I'd like some feedback. I have a few small sample tins (1 oz) that I'd be more than happy to send to anyone who wants to try it and tell me what you think...

I settled on combination of stearic acid, tallow, coconut oil, shea butter, almond oil & lanolin. KOH/NaOH, H2O/aloe juice, glycerin and sodium lactate. I think. Maybe after a couple more shaves with it I'll decide for certain.

Hello everyone. I'm Tim from Denver, CO. I've been a home brewer for years. I specialize in German style lagers. I've also been a straight razor enthusiast for some time. There is something invigorating starting the day off with a sharp blade heading for your throat. To this day I still have...

I've been a wet-shaver for years. What started off as a slight interest in how shaving soap was made, turned into "Hey, I think I can do this and it might be fun." After watching countless videos, and reading 100's of pages in the (in)famous thread here, I opted to make a batch following the...

While Everclear works, I prefer using Perfumers Alcohol.