Soap Powder

When I was a kid my grandfather would sprinkle some mysterious powder or soap flakes into a mug, add hot water, and work it for a minute. I was always amazed as to the amount of lather that would result from so little soap. He had the thickest beard I have ever seen and used to shave twice a day.

Anyone have any idea as to what this substance was.

Could be something like this. I'm sure other companies have done this, but this is the only one that comes to mind at the moment.

There is a indian online seller in the uk who sells shaving powder and i have always wondered what this was.

taffy said:

There is a indian online seller in the uk who sells shaving powder and i have always wondered what this was.

Click to expand...

Might want to be careful with that one. Most products listed as "shaving powder" are chemical depilatories that "melt" the hair, then the "shaving" is done by scraping the hair off with a plastic spatula type of thing.

The soap powder I remember had a nice, sweet "ivory-like" smell to it. My grandfather seemed to have an endless supply of the flakes most likely from a barber shop.

ackvil said:

The soap powder I remember had a nice, sweet "ivory-like" smell to it. My grandfather seemed to have an endless supply of the flakes most likely from a barber shop.

Click to expand...

You could probably recreate the experience by grating your favorite soap on the finest side of a box grater. Store the resulting flakes sealed and dry and they should work the same as you remember your grandfather's working.

could the flakes have been a type of existing soap like Borax?

Desdinova said:

could the flakes have been a type of existing soap like Borax?

Click to expand...

It was most likely a soap flake sold for the purpose of shaving. I would imagine more soap companies used to offer that as an option.

From: Soap-Making Manual; Thomssen, Edgar George; 1922
http://www.archive.org/details/soapmakingmanual00thomrich

"Shaving powder differs from the soaps just described in being pulverized, usually adding up to 5 per cent, starch to prevent caking. Any of the above soaps, dried bone dry, with or without the addition of tallow base make a satisfactory powder for shaving."

I like the idea behind shaving powder. I'd imagine it makes a thick lather quickly, just due to the increased surface area.

I wonder if the combination of fat and starch makes a roux.

MrGuy said:

Might want to be careful with that one. Most products listed as "shaving powder" are chemical depilatories that "melt" the hair, then the "shaving" is done by scraping the hair off with a plastic spatula type of thing.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the warning

SiBurning said:

I wonder if the combination of fat and starch makes a roux.

Click to expand...

only in a frying pan...

ackvil said:

The soap powder I remember had a nice, sweet "ivory-like" smell to it. My grandfather seemed to have an endless supply of the flakes most likely from a barber shop.

Click to expand...

Ivory had a product called Ivory Flakes. Maybe that is what it was. They may still make it.

I think Ivory Flakes is a laundry detergent.

Colgate made a shave powder in the early 1900's. Here is the address for an ad:

http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/shaving-ads

Williams produced a shave powder (soap), too. I've seen a lot of adverts for it, pre-1930. Sprinkle it on a wet brush, then face lather.

-- John Gehman