[fpessanha]

Hi there!

I was browsing throuh some of the threads looking for a way to make your own shaving soap, but I guess I can't find anything on the topic.
I read on other threads that some of you gentlemen make your own shaving soaps and creams. Therefore I was wondering if any of you might like to share a recepie for home made shaving soap.
I looked around on the web and, despite the fact that I found dozens of ways to make soap, none of them was specifically shaving soap. I did find what seemed to be shaving cream... but I couldn't trust it because it was said to be "shaving foam" (in brazilian portuguese... looks like Brazil is a haven for many strange and ecological things...).
So, if you care to help I will be much obliged and will report back to you.

[Mike_ratliff]

There is a handful of members here who make soap, unfortunately, most of them sell soap...
Anybody who has worked on a shave soap recipe, and gotten it right has most likely spent a significant amount of time on it, and just isn't going to give that away.

[fpessanha]

Sure! It figures... people spend time on it, I get it...
But I sure wasn't asking for a very special recepie... As I said, I surfed around on the web and found a lot of soap making methods. But none were shaving soaps.
So... let me rephrase my question (and thanks for pointing ir out for me...): what do I need to add to a "normal" soap recepie so it can be "shaving soap"? The rest of it I can figure it out... I ain't lazy!

Thanks for the hint...

[Utopian]

Stick a brush into the soap, lather it up, and smear it on your face.
If it shaves well, you have shaving soap.

[clrobert60]

I googled "shave soap" and came up with this - I make no claims to its veracity:
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/so...vingrecipe.htm
It's my understanding that clay is what makes it slicker than regular soap.

[fpessanha]

Originally Posted by clrobert60

I googled "shave soap" and came up with this - I make no claims to its veracity:
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/so...vingrecipe.htm
It's my understanding that clay is what makes it slicker than regular soap.

Thanks! I read through the thing and I will give it a try. When I do, I'll report back!
One thing that makes me confident is that, apparently, there is no animal fat involved... that's what freacked me out on other soap recepies: the use of lard! I don't want to put lard on my face!
Now it's time to try and find the ingredients... and that's the hard part, I guess...

And on the "put the brush into it" thing... well... I guess I'll also give it a go. Nest time I go shopping I'll get me a cake of glycerin soap and see what happens. Not too confident, though... Do you have positive experiences on that "go for it... and if it shaves..." method?

[SithWithNoName]

jockeys made some soap. here's the link: Homemade Soap Misadventure

I made some soap simular to jockeys, but used shea butter, clear olive oil, and white glycerin soaps combo.
Link: http://www.soapplace.com/our-products.html

Add bentonite clay and fragrance, extra glycerin and your done. Works great. Bought the melt and pour soaps at Michaels craft store. $10.00 per 2 pound brick. Look for 40% off coupon in Sunday sale paper. Good Luck.

[joke1176]

My wife makes lye soap. I use it all the time for shaving. IMHO it works a lot better than that melt and pour stuff. The lather is a lot denser, slicker and more protective without drying.

As far as being freaked out by lard: when you mix it with the lye it saponifies it so it's not just a blob of fat anymore. You can use any oil really.

My wife uses Jojoba and shea butter and avocado and a few other things I can't recall.

I think the clay doesn't really make much difference though, having used soaps with/without for several months. As long as the lather is good, it's good for shaving!!

If you guys really want a recipe that works well, I can post the base ingredients, and the total quantity of essential oils for fragrance/feel per pound of soap.

Just reply here or PM me or whatever you want to get my attention.

[fpessanha]

If you guys really want a recipe that works well, I can post the base ingredients, and the total quantity of essential oils for fragrance/feel per pound of soap.

Just reply here or PM me or whatever you want to get my attention.

Please, do! I am very interested in making my own soap. I already make my own strops so... I figure it's a natural step!

Thanks! And thank your wife for me... I take it that it's her own recepie. By the way... can I get my hands on one of your home-made-by-wife soaps? I'll pay for it and also pay for the shipping costs half-way around the globe... PM me if you are willing to send one out for me. Thanks again!

[joke1176]

Originally Posted by fpessanha

If you guys really want a recipe that works well, I can post the base ingredients, and the total quantity of essential oils for fragrance/feel per pound of soap.

Just reply here or PM me or whatever you want to get my attention.

Please, do! I am very interested in making my own soap. I already make my own strops so... I figure it's a natural step!

Thanks! And thank your wife for me... I take it that it's her own recepie. By the way... can I get my hands on one of your home-made-by-wife soaps? I'll pay for it and also pay for the shipping costs half-way around the globe... PM me if you are willing to send one out for me. Thanks again!

I just talked to my wife and she would sell you a bar; cost depends on what you want scent-wise and base ingredients-wise. She estimates initial cost at about 5-6 dollars "american" per bar. The bar I have been using contains hydrogenated vegetable oil, but she makes an all natural bar for a little more cost. To me, the one with hydrogenated oils lathers just as well, so I would go for the cheap stuff I wonder if we could send it via USPS??? We have never shipped any soap, and we have definitely never shipped anything out of country! Sorry to be so vague, but there are a lot of variables when it comes to cost, and you customize it any way you want! Also, I can send a copy of the recipe that works pretty well, that part is free of course. Heck, I think I may just scan it in and post it here in this thread.

[joke1176]

wow, all the spaces and smilies disappeared from my post. Sorry about the dense text

[Huskysibe]

I cant wait to see the recipe, sounds like a fun saturday project.

[Mike_ratliff]

Originally Posted by clrobert60

I googled "shave soap" and came up with this - I make no claims to its veracity:
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/so...vingrecipe.htm
It's my understanding that clay is what makes it slicker than regular soap.

This looks like a good recipe, the castor oil will give it a good lather and slip. although use caution with the scents, 1 ounce can hurt you if you have sensitive skin. I add my bentonite and EO very late in the process, and after the lye has already run it's full coarse.

Just keep in mind, this is not a quick easy project, you have to be careful, the lye can easil;y burn you, and if you mess up your weights on anything, you can end up with either caustic, or rancid soap.

It's not like putting a cake in the oven either. you really need to do some research before you make your first batch.

[headdoc]

This works well and not particularly expensive. I took a bar of Neutragena, some clay masque bought at WallMart, body lotion unused by my wife, olive oil, and lavender oil. I cut the soap in small cubes, melted it in the microwave, squeezed a good bit of the masque in, added @ 1TBs of olive oil, squeezed a little lotion in, and added a small bit of lavender in. I think I also squirted in some anticeptic soft soap. I poured it into a small container and let it set for a couple days.
This stuff worked Great, I mean slick and moisturizing with great lather. It seems to last forever (given its in a large rotation).
I did it due to a post I read in B&B months ago.
Give it a try as an experiment. The Neutragena was about @2.00, the clay masque was about another $3.00 and the rest was just laying around.
Headdoc

[Kenrup]

Originally Posted by clrobert60

I googled "shave soap" and came up with this - I make no claims to its veracity:
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/so...vingrecipe.htm
It's my understanding that clay is what makes it slicker than regular soap.

This is recipe that I use. It works great and the clay makes a world of difference. Colleen and Mama Bear are in no danger from my efforts. I still buy from Colleen when I want special soaps.

[jockeys]

as Sith has pointed out, I've done this. If you use the melt-n-pour stuff from the craft store, it's very easy and not messy at all, plus does not take very long. If you add some EO and glycerine to the melted soap, it performs very well, about on par with Col Conk soaps. The next batch I make will have bentonite in it to make it slicker, my favorite shave soap (Chelsea's Soap Garden) has bentonite in it and is fantastically slick.

[fpessanha]

Originally Posted by joke1176

I just talked to my wife and she would sell you a bar; cost depends on what you want scent-wise and base ingredients-wise. She estimates initial cost at about 5-6 dollars "american" per bar. The bar I have been using contains hydrogenated vegetable oil, but she makes an all natural bar for a little more cost. To me, the one with hydrogenated oils lathers just as well, so I would go for the cheap stuff I wonder if we could send it via USPS??? We have never shipped any soap, and we have definitely never shipped anything out of country! Sorry to be so vague, but there are a lot of variables when it comes to cost, and you customize it any way you want! Also, I can send a copy of the recipe that works pretty well, that part is free of course. Heck, I think I may just scan it in and post it here in this thread.

Thanks, Joke1176! And sorry for the delay in answering the post, but I had trouble with my internet conection. And also, please thank your wife for me; it's very nice of you. Would you mind posting the recepie?... I'd be willing to give it a try... but I would like to have some comparison, therefore I am willing to buy one from you. If you don't mind, I'll PM you so we can discuss the shipping, payment and stuff... Ok?

And I am also very interested in trying out all these recepies. I guess I'll have a new disoreder: AOHTMSD - ask others how to make soap disorder!... I'll try your recepies when I get the chance. And believe me... I will! And guess what... My girlfriend also has a disorder: TTFWOMSSFMMD - trying to find ways of making shaving soap for my man disorder...

Thanks to all of you! The gentlemanly cortesy of this comunity never ceases to amaze me!...

[joke1176]

Just so all the folks who are PM-ing me and what not... I am really slammed with work and homework right now. I will be done with classes on the 9th so this is the last push.

Anyhow, I will be posting the recipe as soon as I get a chance. Since I am taking so damn long, I will post methodology for making lye soap too.

[Mike_ratliff]

I'm really impressed... well, since you guys are being so generous, I'll throw some knowledge in as well.
Bentonite clay, is the primary "slick" for my soap, when adding it, you want to wet it first to make a paste, and then whisk it in so it doesn't clump, or settle.
Also keep stirring your soap as it cools so the clay doesn't settle to the bottom of your molds.
The next question i expect to see asked, and one I had a very hard time finding anywhere is how much to add...

1 to 3 teaspoons per pound of finished soap.

I hope this helps...

[cstewart]

Any soapmakers have experience adding shea butter to their soaps? I'm finding I prefer HBS and Pre de Provence to other brands and their common denominator seems to be shea butter. If I try this some time down the road I would definitely want to include it.