One advantage of bowl lathering (which I discuss in my Guide) is that it makes it easy to experiment: you can continue working the lather as you periodically add small amounts of water until the lather is clearly too loose/wet. Along the way, you can observe lather at each stage of development and figure out (by look and by (literal) feel, by rubbing some lather between your fingers) the ideal lather. Doing that sort of experiment on your face is pretty much impossible — it requires a bowl. I use a bowl for only a few shaves, but I found that when I returned to lathering on my face, I was getting better lathers. The bowl lathering had helped me improve my lather process: I loaded the brush better, and I knew better the optimal amount of water — and what a good lather looked/felt like. Another common debate rages on, about “tallow-based” vs. “vegetable-based” (or perhaps “animal” vs. “vegetable”) shave soap foundations. The process of making either type of soap is the same. The only difference is the fatty acid profile that results from the oils and fats used. Despite the “conventional wisdom,” it is technically not appropriate to call non-tallow based soaps “glycerin based.” Shannon’s Soaps is an artisan sometimes overlooked in the enthusiast community…to the community’s loss. Here is Sharpologist’s review of their Botanica shave soap.

Oh sure, you could find a hardy artisan toiling away in their kitchen–if you knew where to find them. But they were few and far between (one notable “old-timer,” Emsplace, is still around, having stayed in business largely by word of mouth). Now So what are the “best” shaving soaps? To be sure, there are many excellent shave soaps, mostly from artisans making products in small batches with quality ingredients. But artisans come-and-go, they often have limited availability, and their formulations tend to change more often. So let me propose a set of criteria for determining what rises to the top: Cold process may also use a heat source but it’s used to liquefy solidified oils for mixing. The real saponification comes from an exothermic heat reaction between the fatty acids of the oils and and a lye (“base”) they’re mixed with. Cold process soaps take about a day to “cook” and take several weeks to cure. Extra ingredients are added early on and the soap’s texture has a smoother look. A traditional soap that is kindness itself MITCHELL’S WOOL FAT SOAP was first produced in the early 1930’s by Bradford chemist Fred Mitchell who realised that the natural lanolin content of wool fat, which kept the hands of local sheep shearers and wool sorters so exceptionally soft, could also be beneficial to delicate complexions and sensitive skins. A simple and natural product, this soap is still made to Mr Mitchell’s original formula, based on a recipe from the turn of the century and incorporating lanolin from the wool fat as the key ingredient.“

This change is reflected in this article’s list with the inclusion of several Italian shave soaps. How Do You Make Shaving Soap? The Anatomy Tallow + Steel has been around for a few years and their tallow soap base is definitely in the “best” range. Their scents evoke exotic destinations with names like “Himalaya,” “Madagascar,” and “West Indies” but the real focus should be the performance: most everyone comments on the lubrication ability of these soaps. Post-shave feel is also noteworthy. Availability is not as widespread as other names on this list though so it may be more difficult to obtain. There are a number of other shave soaps that I’m keeping an eye on for possible inclusion in a future update. Some are new to the market. Others have had a recent change in their business circumstances. Some have recently changed their soap formulation. And some are here simply because I don’t have enough information for a full evaluation yet. You may also see the terms melt and pour or glycerin. The term “melt and pour” defines the soap base as a ready-to-use item as opposed to someone saponifying fats and oils themselves: in effect, the most difficult and time-consuming aspects of the process are already complete. Some artisans then add additional ingredients and/or fragrances. Most of the time the prepared bases are made in large production facilities using specialized equipment. You may also see it referred to as a glycerin soap. This is a misnomer however for all shave soaps contain glycerin–it’s a by-product of saponification. Animal Tallow vs. Vegetable The internet abounds with conspiracy theories, rumors, and smears. If you have some specific charge or complaint, that’s one thing. Repeating scurrilous rumors is another.

Glycerin is a byproduct of saponification but it is not typically the main base ingredient in a non-tallow based shaving soap. The main ingredient in vegetable based soaps is most likely Stearic Acid which can be derived from various vegetable sources including Palm Oil, Kokum Butter, Mango Butter, and Cocoa Butter. Stearic acid, when combined with Potassium Hydroxide makes lather. Additional ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter can enhance the ingredient mix. Recently one of my blog readers urged me to try bowl lathering (load brush with soap, move to a bowl to work up the lather, adding driblets of water as needed). I have done bowl lathering, but not for some years (countertop real-estate issue), but I’m open to trying things. Ease of lathering with a shaving brush using water with a variety of mineral content (in other words it works well in both “soft” water and “hard” water). Now there are shave soaps covering the entire range of price, performance, and scent. And a lot of shave soaps perform solidly–if not exceptionally–and can provide a close, comfortable shave indeed!Lothur (Løthur) Grooming is a relatively new artisan out of the UK, with limited availability in North America, but they are making waves in the wet shaving enthusiast community with their shave soap formula that contains Dimethicone. Here is my review of one of their soaps, “Tears.” Let’s look at this “embarrassment of riches” to try to determine which are merely really good and which are the top 12 shaving soaps. The Fall Of The English And The Rise Of The Italians?