Choosing based on ingredients

I was wondering whether any fellow shavers choose a soap based on how they interpret the ingredient list.

For me, if tallow or tallowate is not within the first two ingredients, I just pass it over.  Usually my choices will list stearate followed by tallowate; sometimes tallowate is first.  I have observed that many "French" style soaps gain popularity, but the two I have tried leave me cold [MdC, Catie's Bubbles-usually a dry feeling].

What do you look for in a soap, other than the rave reviews you read on the boards?

I look for no preservatives and harsh chemicals and a mild scent or scent free. Having sensitive skin that flares up when using most soaps I must be extremely careful as to not trigger dermatitis. I even go as far as to Google every ingredient in a soap or cream to see if its safe or a skin irritant.  

So far what works best for me is William's. This believe it or not is after 2 years of searching for a soap that is safe to use and provides great results. I couldn't lather Williams for 2 years. Only recently have I unlocked its secrets.

I also like to read reviews but scent for me is subjective. What smells nice to me smells like butt to another and vice versa. Performance > scent in my eyes.

I used to feel the same with tallow but vegan soaps are killing it now, imho they are out performing the tallow soaps I've used. I really like Caties and feel their protection is very very good, as good as it gets but I do see what you mean with it drying out, was never a big deal to me as I enjoyed using it.

I started five years ago looking for the simplest ingredients in soap and I was extremely fortunate to have found two of the best artisanal soaps, at the time and they are still to this day. Furthermore, they are tallow-based, which I prefer.  
I do my best to avoid soaps with too many synthetic or over-complicated ingredients.

(10-26-2016, 06:45 PM)celestino Wrote: I started five years ago looking for the simplest ingredients in soap and I was extremely fortunate to have found two of the best artisanal soaps, at the time and they are still to this day. Furthermore, they are tallow-based, which I prefer.  
I do my best to avoid soaps with too many synthetic or over-complicated ingredients.

Who is the second one? I know who one of them is as I buy their shampoo bars but our water in Calgary is too hard and could never get her shave soaps to lather.

(10-26-2016, 05:31 PM)Teddyboy Wrote: I was wondering whether any fellow shavers choose a soap based on how they interpret the ingredient list.

For me, if tallow or tallowate is not within the first two ingredients, I just pass it over.  Usually my choices will list stearate followed by tallowate; sometimes tallowate is first.  I have observed that many "French" style soaps gain popularity, but the two I have tried leave me cold [MdC, Catie's Bubbles-usually a dry feeling].

What do you look for in a soap, other than the rave reviews you read on the boards?

i used to focus on ingredients and found the tallow based soaps, particularly the artisans with added superfats like shea butter, lanolin, etc. to be superior.  I bought MDC and had a similar experience.  I sold it.

While many of the tallow based US artisans (B&M, Mike's, MW, Stirling) are very good soaps, I found one product that changed my mind:

Santa Maria Novella (v3)  

This croap is non-tallow, and it's the best shaving product I've used.

Other great non-tallow products I've used include Savon Des Volcans Menthe Stick and Antica Barbieria Colla hard soap.  

I haven't used Savonnerie du Moulin or Saponificio Varesino they are other non-tallow soaps that get a lot of high praise.

So I have come to believe that while it may be easier to make a great shave soap using tallow, ingredients aren't everything.

Just my 2 cents

For me, with dry skin, the soaps post shave is extremely important and I almost always want tallow and lanolin.

I definitely used an ingredient list of things I wanted and/or din't want. This led me to Stirling soaps which I love. However, there are so so many more that I haven't a clue on.

I honestly listen more to the people on this forum combined with 2-3 other forums, and then listen to the guys, whos opinion I trust & value and then base my purchases on a sum of these factors plus I do a little bit of research on the maker and the ingredient list.

If I feel assured the product is great, I usually blind buy 5-8 soaps/creams from the brand, and if they live up to the hype, I buy more.

Thus the reason I now own 30 B&M, 19 CRSW, 18 Caties Bubbles, 9 LPL's, 7 Sapo Varesino, 16 Meißner Tremonia's, 12 Tabula Rasa's, 5 (soon 7) Wickham 1912's, and just now 7 Mike's Natural and next up is, if Mike's Natural live up to the hype, further 4-5 Mike's Natural and a little venture into Stirling shaving soaps soon  

I'm also looking into O.S.P. soaps, and their engredient lists looks promising too

I don't really look at ingredient list, but I do prefer Tallow in my soap, and hopefully with those post shave beast, lanolin, shea butter, kokum butter and etc.

I definitely pay attention to ingredients. I know what combinations work best for me and what doesn't. However, a list of ingredients is only one factor out of several...such as the quality of the ingredients, the actual ratios of each ingredient used (which is proprietary information that is rarely if ever revealed), the skill and reputation of the artisan or manufacturer, and the quality and strength of the scent ingredients, along with the overall end product.

I have family that have been making soap for at least a century so I have a natural curiosity (and knowledge) about the different methods and ingredient combinations used in making soap.


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my ancient eyes don't have time for reading ingredients.  i just wing it and cull the losers

I always look at the ingredients. If I see EDTA in it; I pass on it. I discovered years ago it really messes up my skin in a allergic reaction. I really enjoy Stirling soap.

(10-26-2016, 07:01 PM)iShave Wrote:

(10-26-2016, 06:45 PM)celestino Wrote: I started five years ago looking for the simplest ingredients in soap and I was extremely fortunate to have found two of the best artisanal soaps, at the time and they are still to this day. Furthermore, they are tallow-based, which I prefer.  
I do my best to avoid soaps with too many synthetic or over-complicated ingredients.

Who is the second one? I know who one of them is as I buy their shampoo bars but our water in Calgary is too hard and could never get her shave soaps to lather.

Mike's.

If you are ever curious to revisit the first soap, let me know as we can conduct a Skype tutorial.
I have used that hard Albertan/Rocky Mountain water and I have never had much of an issue with it.

I read ingredients lists religiously.  I like a soap that has a lot of stearic, a lot of tallow, a little bit of castor oil (I think this is quite important to getting the kind of lather I like), and generally not much coconut oil.  I also prefer a list of at least two (and preferably three) "butters" near the end of the ingredients list, like shea butter, kokum butter, etc.  For me, a list like this almost guarantees a lather that I will enjoy.  Then, I can just choose a scent that appeals to me.

Never bothered to read ingredient lists. Currently I'm too busy reading the Pout Pout Fish.

(10-27-2016, 09:05 AM)celestino Wrote:

(10-26-2016, 07:01 PM)iShave Wrote:

(10-26-2016, 06:45 PM)celestino Wrote: I started five years ago looking for the simplest ingredients in soap and I was extremely fortunate to have found two of the best artisanal soaps, at the time and they are still to this day. Furthermore, they are tallow-based, which I prefer.  
I do my best to avoid soaps with too many synthetic or over-complicated ingredients.

Who is the second one? I know who one of them is as I buy their shampoo bars but our water in Calgary is too hard and could never get her shave soaps to lather.

Mike's.

If you are ever curious to revisit the first soap, let me know as we can conduct a Skype tutorial.
I have used that hard Albertan/Rocky Mountain water and I have never had much of an issue with it.

I may take you up on that, I still have one sample left !

(10-27-2016, 04:40 PM)iShave Wrote: I may take you up on that, I still have one sample left !

Whenever you like.

I don't even look. If it works well for me, I'll use it!

I narrowed my 30+ collection down fast once I started going for ones with least amount of synthetic ingredients. My search ended with Mike's, CRSW, and B&M being the only remaining.