Tabac 2024 Reformulation

[petr]

This morning I received an email from Bullgoose regarding a new formula Tabac. Here’s what it said:

“Tabac reformulated their shaving soap in 2021 and it was an utter disaster. They saw the error of their ways and reformulated it again in 2024 and by God...this time they got it right. Among the tweaks to the formula, Tabac added palm oil to make the lather creamier and more stable. The performance of the new Tabac in on par with stellar non-tallow soaps such as Arran Aromatics and Floris. Pick up a bowl today; it will be like catching up with an old friend.”

I really enjoyed the new veg Tabac but never tried the tallow version. I’ll try this new new 2024 version. Any thoughts from Tabac lovers? Interested or is Tabac dead to you forever?

I ordered a puck of tabac thinking it was the tallow formula, and received one of the new formulas. Today I decided to lather the new puck and promised to be unbiased about the trial run.

I have been using tabac regularly since 1999.

The first indication was that the lather was different in a veggie base soap kind of way. The scent was more pronounced. Once worked up the lather on my face I noticed my skin burning, which is rare for me. I continued with the shave. The new formula is perhaps more slick. The proof is in the Speick splash application - burned like the fires of hell. I wasn't the worst - thin lather with little blade protection - veggie soap I have used, however this is not something I can use before an important meeting risking irritation. I'll need a day to rest my face before shaving again.

Things change in the shave world, but losing tabac tallow hurts more than most.

 

[pjgh]

this is rather strange that tabac reformulated their reformulated soap from 2021. The 2021 reformulated version at at least to me and some others on here who have used it lathers very good. Has just about the same scent as the tallow version of tabac. Just as good as the tallow version of tabac. The 2021 version of tabac performs just as good if not better than the original tallow version.

I quite agree!

Little mystery, given that there is a regulatory requirement across the EU to remove a certain ingredient and so the reformulation.

There's certainly no "admission of guilt" given it's Bullgoose's spiel, not Tabac's. From Tabac's point of view, it's business as usual ensuring that their soaps meets regulatory compliance and the same expectations from customers.

 

[Bosh Hog]

They should never had stopped making the original. Could have produced the two and let the people decide and then drop one of them. Anyway...

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

They should never had stopped making the original. Could have produced the two and let the people decide and then drop one of them. Anyway...

I really doubt it was their intention to drop the tallow soap. More likely they were forced by different factors (manufacturer, material supply, etc.).

 

[horizon]

I bought the vegan version of Tabac, puck and cream in a tube. The mechanical properties are definitely worse compared to the tallow formula.
The soap isn't bad, but it's nothing special either. In my opinion, on the same level as Proraso, with the difference that Proraso is several times cheaper.
Would I buy it again, of course not. I'd even say that I highly doubt I'll ever use up the quantities already available.

 

[Ckmaui]

Products which contains cheap palm oil products are in every way inferior to the ones with tallow, shea and cocoa butter. This recent reformulation of Tabac is very similar or the same as cheap, massively produced hand soap bars.
BTW 2021 Tabac formula is fine and it's far from disaster.

Yup I here ya
the 99% of mass produced is good will never be great compared to the top tallow the tallow can be good or great

SV though is Great so almost like that exception with no tallow and is in that 1%
I guess the test would be does anyone prefer the 2021 to the old tallow version

overkill analogy
its like certain car companies Hyundai can make a very nice great car but never will be a Porsche or Ferrari etc... it lacks that certain ingredient but more folks will drive a Hyundai

 

[Bosh Hog]

They lost their old school appeal. With that, a lot of their long time customers have gone for good. New customers like me turned to them because of that "old school" soap. Now its an average soap at best.

 

[86-foxtrot]

So there doesn't seem to be a lot of love for the veg Tabac. That's too bad. I have one NOS of Tallow Tabac soap left. It's definitely my favorite soap. I may have to look elsewhere for other Tallow options.

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

So there doesn't seem to be a lot of love for the veg Tabac

There are plenty which are okay with the veg Tabac.

 

[awk_m4]

There are plenty which are okay with the veg Tabac.

82 shaves into Tabac veggie and for me their is no difference between old and new. It’s all Tabac to me. As long as they keeping making it, I’ll keep buying it.

 

[86-foxtrot]

82 shaves into Tabac veggie and for me their is no difference between old and new. It’s all Tabac to me. As long as they keeping making it, I’ll keep buying it.

That's good to know. I'll have to buy the new formulation and compare for myself. Tabac is in my top 3 soaps. I've only ever used the Tallow Tabac.

 

[tallkotte]

Only used the 2021 formulation. Easy to work up a thick creamy lather. Not on par with the top artisan soaps but I'm perfectly happy with it. Finding myself reaching for Tabac a lot lately.

 

[jonwilson]

Only used the 2021 formulation. Easy to work up a thick creamy lather. Not on par with the top artisan soaps but I'm perfectly happy with it. Finding myself reaching for Tabac a lot lately.

agree 100%
no version of tabac touches the artisan soaps you see today. the vegan tabac is just as good as the tallow tabac. there is no difference between the two except one has tallow and one doesn't. Most people on here who have used the 2021 reformulation have said they liked it.

 

[jonwilson]

I ordered a puck of tabac thinking it was the tallow formula, and received one of the new formulas. Today I decided to lather the new puck and promised to be unbiased about the trial run.

I have been using tabac regularly since 1999.

The first indication was that the lather was different in a veggie base soap kind of way. The scent was more pronounced. Once worked up the lather on my face I noticed my skin burning, which is rare for me. I continued with the shave. The new formula is perhaps more slick. The proof is in the Speick splash application - burned like the fires of hell. I wasn't the worst - thin lather with little blade protection - veggie soap I have used, however this is not something I can use before an important meeting risking irritation. I'll need a day to rest my face before shaving again.

Things change in the shave world, but losing tabac tallow hurts more than most.

why does it hurt? I don't understand. As long as a soap performs well, that is all that should matter. Most people who used tallow tabac and veggie tabac wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between the soaps because really, there is no difference. One has tallow and one doesn't. They both perform pretty well I imagine for many wet shavers who use the soaps. If you miss tabac having tallow, there are many artisan shave soaps that have tallow to pick from.

 

[brucered]

agree 100%
no version of tabac touches the artisan soaps you see today. the vegan tabac is just as good as the tallow tabac. there is no difference between the two except one has tallow and one doesn't. Most people on here who have used the 2021 reformulation have said they liked it.

Are you saying the "artisan" soaps are better than all Tabac versions, even the Tallow version.

 

[awk_m4]

That's good to know. I'll have to buy the new formulation and compare for myself. Tabac is in my top 3 soaps. I've only ever used the Tallow Tabac.

That’s a great approach! When I reply to these threads I make a conscious effort to check my bias at the door.
One observation I shared when I first reviewed veggie Tabac is that I find it more thirsty than the Tallow version. Of course it was easily remedied by adding more water. Another was that I found that the peppery note was more prominent.
Bottom line for me is that if I had just one soap to choose it would be Tabac.

When you decide to give the veggie a go, Let us know what you think!

Best wishes
Paul

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

82 shaves into Tabac veggie and for me their is no difference between old and new. It’s all Tabac to me. As long as they keeping making it, I’ll keep buying it.

Same here, to the point where it convinced me to not stock the old tallow, except two which anyway I had to order because I ran out of and would not place an order for only one piece.

But I used about half of the veg one and it is just fine, with a minor difference in scent.

 

[gdawg55]

I’m glad I bought several of the original pucks before they disappeared. I have enough to last several years since I don’t use it that often.

 

[jonwilson]

Are you saying the "artisan" soaps are better than all Tabac versions, even the Tallow version.

to me, yes.

 

[tube_guy]

why does it hurt? I don't understand. As long as a soap performs well, that is all that should matter. Most people who used tallow tabac and veggie tabac wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between the soaps because really, there is no difference. One has tallow and one doesn't. They both perform pretty well I imagine for many wet shavers who use the soaps. If you miss tabac having tallow, there are many artisan shave soaps that have tallow to pick from.

It's unfortunate, but I can tell the difference quite clearly. The tallow version just provides a lot more cushion than the non-tallow reformulation. I get no irritation whatsoever when I use the tallow version and I can't say the same for the reformulation. The shave just isn't as good, at least on my face. I guess it would be the 2021 reformulation that I've tried.

I'm happy I stocked up a bit on the tallow soap when it was available because it's one of my favorites. I think there are certainly soaps that are as good as tallow Tabac that are available, but they all cost substantially more. I was buying tallow Tabac from European suppliers for about 6-7 bucks per refill puck, shipped to the USA. I did buy two pucks of the reformulation, and I've used up one so far. I doubt I'll be buying any more.