Parts per million

At what point does the sheer number of ingredients in a shave soap render them individually insignificant in improving the shaving experience? I just purchased a soap with 46 different ingredients, each one a quality ingredient that is meant to combine with the others to provide a shave like no other. If I were to use the recommended "almond sized" amount, and apply some basic arithmetic, and recognizing that the ingredients are not equally divisible, I'm probable left with some that would literally fit on the head of a pin.
I owe it to the maker to give it a shot whenever it gets here, and I seriously doubt that it will not be a good shave. I just feel a little silly about the whole thing.

It is an interesting conundrum. I just had to go and count because I just bought a tube of shaving cream I’ve been using for a long time and a list of ingredients is quite extensive. 25. Not quite as much is 46, but it’s still a lot of ingredients.

They are all seemingly quality, beneficial ingredients, and I do love the product which is why I purchased another tube. But it does make you wonder how effective each ingredient can be in such extensive company.

First of all, you’d have to figure that all ingredients would not be created equal depending on a persons skin type and body chemistry. What works for you may not work for me, etc. And, as you said, it makes you wonder how much of the ingredients you’re actually getting when you take all those ingredients, condense them into an almond size dollop, then break that up between two or three passes as well. Plus, there’s also the fact that further down list you go, the less of that particular ingredient there is in the formula.

It is a mystery, but it does make you wonder how many of those ingredients you could remove from the formula and not affect the quality of the product, or the actual shave. The world may never know…..

All of my "high quality" triple milled soaps deliver excellent shaves with a fairly simple ingredient list, but I did have one brand that might exceed 46, and that's when I began pondering this issue.
I'm not trying to start a huge debate, or single out anyones soap for ridicule, merely wondering if anyone else noticed or cared.
I've always felt that refinement was not when there's nothing left to add, rather when there's nothing left to remove.

(01-28-2023, 04:09 PM)Uncas Wrote: All of my "high quality" triple milled soaps deliver excellent shaves with a fairly simple ingredient list, but I did have one brand that might exceed 46, and that's when I began pondering this issue.
I'm not trying to start a huge debate, or single out anyones soap for ridicule, merely wondering if anyone else noticed or cared.
I've always felt that refinement was not when there's nothing left to add, rather when there's nothing left to remove.

Oh, I'm sure you're not. I do enjoy lively discussions on interesting topics. One of my favorite soaps has 8 ingredients plus fragrance. It is a great performing soap and I have never thought, "Hmmm, that needs more ingredients or more skin friendly ingredients." It does make one wonder where the line between necessary and overkill is crossed. You hear similar things in cooking with ingredient quantity. You hear things like learning to "edit yourself." Like you said, "This needs nothing more." Not "Hey, there's more stuff I can add to this." Good lather, good performance, great post feel. What else is there? If you feel you have achieved that, there is nothing more to do/add.

(01-28-2023, 04:33 PM)Mike Distress Wrote:

(01-28-2023, 04:09 PM)Uncas Wrote: All of my "high quality" triple milled soaps deliver excellent shaves with a fairly simple ingredient list, but I did have one brand that might exceed 46, and that's when I began pondering this issue.
I'm not trying to start a huge debate, or single out anyones soap for ridicule, merely wondering if anyone else noticed or cared.
I've always felt that refinement was not when there's nothing left to add, rather when there's nothing left to remove.

Oh, I'm sure you're not. I do enjoy lively discussions on interesting topics. One of my favorite soaps has 8 ingredients plus fragrance. It is a great performing soap and I have never thought, "Hmmm, that needs more ingredients or more skin friendly ingredients." It does make one wonder where the line between necessary and overkill is crossed. You hear similar things in cooking with ingredient quantity. You hear things like learning to "edit yourself." Like you said, "This needs nothing more." Not "Hey, there's more stuff I can add to this." Good lather, good performance, great post feel. What else is there? If you feel you have achieved that, there is nothing more to do/add.

"Learning to edit yourself" I like that one Mike!

(01-28-2023, 04:38 PM)Uncas Wrote:

(01-28-2023, 04:33 PM)Mike Distress Wrote:

(01-28-2023, 04:09 PM)Uncas Wrote: All of my "high quality" triple milled soaps deliver excellent shaves with a fairly simple ingredient list, but I did have one brand that might exceed 46, and that's when I began pondering this issue.
I'm not trying to start a huge debate, or single out anyones soap for ridicule, merely wondering if anyone else noticed or cared.
I've always felt that refinement was not when there's nothing left to add, rather when there's nothing left to remove.

Oh, I'm sure you're not. I do enjoy lively discussions on interesting topics. One of my favorite soaps has 8 ingredients plus fragrance. It is a great performing soap and I have never thought, "Hmmm, that needs more ingredients or more skin friendly ingredients." It does make one wonder where the line between necessary and overkill is crossed. You hear similar things in cooking with ingredient quantity. You hear things like learning to "edit yourself." Like you said, "This needs nothing more." Not "Hey, there's more stuff I can add to this." Good lather, good performance, great post feel. What else is there? If you feel you have achieved that, there is nothing more to do/add.

"Learning to edit yourself" I like that one Mike!

I stole it from a cooking show/competition.