The shaving forums (here for example) are all abuzz that The Art of Shaving’s excellent shaving soap is apparently in the process of changing from a tallow-based formula to one based on palm oil. I’m frankly surprised its taken this long for Proctor and Gamble’s accountants to make themselves known, but there you have it. I’ll have to try the new formula soon and report back. Trumper’s tried doing something similar with their Eucris shave soap and while the results are acceptable it is not nearly as luxurious as their tallow soaps. Stay tuned….
Meanwhile, if you want to see if you can get a puck of the old stuff, Art of Shaving is having a “Friends and Family” sale this weekend at their stores (be sure to look at the ingredient list so you know what you’re getting: the original formula will list sodium tallowate). The sale will probably be online as well–it’s worth looking at their website this weekend to see though of course there’s no way of telling whether you will get the old formula or the new).
Don’t buy palm oil products! They burn rainforest in Indonesia for palm oil farms…
While it is true that over harvesting of palm trees in developing nations has endangered orangutan habitats, it is possible to purchase products that contain palm oil from renewable/sustainable sources.
Are there any good tallow based hard soaps left?
@Justin DR Harris soaps are still left. You can buy a puck for $15 with the 15% discount/shipping at west coast shaving.
Quite frankly, I’m not surprised at this. $50 for a soap puck? P&G knows there will be sheep who follow the company and will continue to buy their overrated and low- quality products. It’s sad to see a company like Aos and be bought out and destroyed from within.
Sure. Off hand I can think of Prairie Creations, Strop Shoppe, and Queen Charlotte from the artisan crowd. DR Harris and Trumper’s still make some tallow soaps (though they are starting to make the transition away from tallow as well).
Trumpers does? I have been looking and I haven’t been able to find any that have been made with tallow. Any suggestions on where to look?
Whoops! My bad…looks like Trumper’s have changed their formulations as well. Some are now glycerin and some are palm oil like Art of Shaving.
I feel like I finally got an invite to the Prom only to find out the dance is over.
What about do it yourself? Some caustic soda from homedepot, some fat, some oil, some scent and voila…..
And suddenly you have a lot of friends “do you have one left of your soaps?”
I’ll have to ask our resident expert, Al, about that.
you have to translate the website with google.
http://www.naturseife.com/Seifenrechner/default.htm
the calculator shows you the amount of ingredients to make soap of it
Don’t forget Mike’s Natural Soaps! My personal favorite tallow based shave soap.
I have one of Mike’s soaps and love it!!! Is in considered a hard soap? I am still fairly new at this traditional wet shaving gig.
Here is the ingredients list from their site for soap:
Sodium Tallowate, Aqua (Water), Potassium Palmitate, Potassium Stearate, Sodium Palmitate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Cocoate, Potassium Cocoate, Fragrance, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Lecithin, Petrolatum, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil , Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide
Sodium Tallowate is listed first which is good as ingredients are listed in order of their percentage in the product BUT Potassium Palmitate and Sodium Palmitate are also listed.
And I don’t agree that their products are “overrated and low- quality.” In fact, IMO, they are some of the best ones out on the market…..Their shaving cream – for example – is superb and costs more or less the same as most others in its class. One tub lasts me for months and months. I like their pre-shave oil and aftershave balms/gels as well. And if you wait for their sales you can get them at a quite reasonable cost. YMMV…
And a puck costs $30 NOT $50! It is $50 ONLY when you also get a wooden bowl. So…bsmyn0708 be as critical as you want BUT please at least get your facts straight when you post!
Oh yes, spend $30 for a REFILL puck of soap, when there are CHEAPER AND BETTER options out there. But, for people like you, AOS has done it’s job of creating the ultimate illusion that, “If you want a good shave, you have to spend $$$$ to achieve it” toolbag that you are.
While you’re at it, you should do AoS a favor and keep buying the same Merkur razors that cost at least $20 less, at other online merchants.
Also, there’s nothing wonderful or “best” about Art of Shaving. Their creams and other products have been reformulated with lesser quality products, while increasing the price. You’re basically getting less for more! Eat it up, sheep!!
@bsmyn0708: Glad to see facts still don’t have any impact on you. A great way to go through life…and it shows..
Anyway, speaking to the more intelligent readers here..I like AOS because of its performance NOT its label! In fact, my two favs are AOS Lemon Shave Cream and Palmolive’s Shave Cream in a green tube that I get in Europe for about US$2. Shave creams are all about YMMV. That is, what you love others may dislike. While that is apparently a novel and totally frightening concept to bsmyn0708 the rest of us can at least appreciate it. In fact, I have so much pity for the “socially challenged” that I won’t even mention I was clearly referring to the Creams NOT the soaps in my posts. As I said, facts apparently are not a major area of concern for you. And I can see why, I imagine it’s way easier being totally obnoxious without facts and critical analysis getting in your way….
No surprise! If I want to clean the floor or the “s” bend in the toilet P&G are my go to products. Shaving? Are you kidding!
To answer your question Justin, Mike’s is considered a hard soap. Far superior to AOS’ soap in my oppinion. Just compare the ingredient list…
Arko is tallow based.
Tabac is tallow based as well
Another one bites the dust. At least I have my mountain of Palmolive and Arko sticks, as well as a few of the old school soaps to keep me happy.
It’s incredible that the last few years have seen a resurgence of traditional shaving (thanks to the internet and sites like these) only to see the demise of one shaving product after another. Depressing or what.
I have to agree that the tallow artisan soappers have outperformed AoS tallow soap IMO. This includes, the Strop Shoppe, Mike’s, QCS, and Mystic Waters. The reformulation doesn’t really affect me at all b/c I’m so much more happy with the above mentioned artisans.
So no update on trying it out yet? All the reports from people who have actually used the new soap (novel idea) have been very positive.
I have used it a few times since. Decent performance, much better than the previous CM products. But just not a personal favorite so I don’t use it all the time.