Artisan Shaving Soap - Tallow, Lanolin, and Clay

Been searching high and low for artisan soap makers that combine the ingredients of tallow, lanolin, and clay.

So far ... I see Mike's Natural Soaps as the only option out there. At least that's all I'm able to find.

Previously, Stirling Soap was an option, but it appears they have discontinued the use of clay and include shea butter now.

Any suggestions out there besides Mike's? I love Mike's, but I'm looking to add some variety.

Thanks for the feedback!

Sorry I don't have any suggestions for you. However, I am wondering what is the benefit of clay to a shave soap if you don't mind me asking. I love tallow, and I know lanolin is sometimes sought after but have never heard anyone who wanted clay.

The benefits of clay are that it provides slickness to the shave and a nicer post shave feel.

However, I've read how some folks are sensitive and/or allergic to it. That might be partly why it's not more widely used.

At any rate, I really seem to like a soap that combines those three ingredients along with some good oils like coconut.

One of the Ginger's Garden types has it.

I think you have to order the scent you want when you get it. Her website is confusing for me, but if you poke around enough you will find it.

I have to disagree on the cream part. The Stirling pucks are solid. More like soft pucks that can be shaped and pressed into a container, but not like a cream or paste.

I was wrong. The one with clay on Ginger's Garden is glycerine soap.

Her tallow soaps don't have it unless I'm missing it.

One thing I didn't mention and should have is I'm also trying to avoid Palm Oil.

Queen Charlotte has shaving soaps with the trifecta of tallow, lanolin, and clay but ... they also include Palm Oil.

I have some of Gabby's Handmade Soaps ( Tangerine) and (Amber Patchouli).

I think they are good. She uses clay.

www.gabbyshandmadesoap.com

Thanks for the tip on Gabby's. Will request the ingredient list.

Mystic Water is a good call, but they too use Palm Oil in their recipe. Looks like I'm not able to edit the thread title to outline no Palm Oil. Oh well...

ChipNWedge said:

Mystic Water is a good call, but they too use Palm Oil in their recipe. Looks like I'm not able to edit the thread title to outline no Palm Oil. Oh well...

Click to expand...

Mystic Water sources her palm oil from a sustainable source, from what I understand, if that is your concern.

I too like using a soap and cream that has lanolin and clay. The combination is hard to find.

I chose to buy Aztec Secret bentonite clay as additives to add to my bowl when lathering. Aztec Secret can be purchased for under $10 per pound and should last for decades as you only need a very small amount per shave. I use a small coffee stirrer paddle to deliver to the bowl.

There are any number of choices where you can buy lanolin and it is also very inexpensive. You only need 2 drops per shave.

I use the combination with any soap or cream I use. I do feel it improves the slickness of any lather and the face feel after shaving is superb.

I'm with you on the clay as it adds a nice slickness and after shave feel as well.

Try Sudsy Soapery. I'm quite fond of their Peppermint Lavender soap and would rate it in the top 10 and maybe even top 5 of the 400 plus soaps I've tried. It uses high quality clays and is loaded with all of the butters. I believe it's a tallow soap as well, if not it certainly performs like one.

They are a small undiscovered company but their shaving soap is outstanding.

already mentioned, but mystic water for the win!

If your trying to avoid palm oil you will have to avoid almost all soaps with stearic acid as stearic is typically derived from palm and coconut oil.
So you need tallow based palm oil free stearic acid with lanolin and clay. I don't know of any manufacturers that offer that. I'll have to tip my hat to Sudsy Soapery assuming their stearic is palm oil free.

Ingredients:
Saponified Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Castor Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cocoa Butter, Theobroma Cocoa (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Kokum Butter, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Shea Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii, Lanolin Anhydrous, USP. with Rhassoul Clay, Glycerin vegetable, USP, Sodium Lactate, Fragrance*, Bentonite Clay.
* All Natural essential oil blend.

The Palm Oil part is definitely because of the sustainability and environmental impact. Just trying to be more conscious about those kinds of things by acting locally and thinking globally. It's pretty scary really when one sees how much Palm Oil is used in just about everything we use on ourselves. Maybe showing an RSPO source is a step in the right direction, but there are already signs the RSPO is rife with fraud.

Mystic Waters, Queen Charlotte, and Sudsy Soapery seem to be the alternatives to Mike's Natural when considering just tallow, lanolin, and clay together.

deoxy4 said:

I too like using a soap and cream that has lanolin and clay. The combination is hard to find.

I chose to buy Aztec Secret bentonite clay as additives to add to my bowl when lathering. Aztec Secret can be purchased for under $10 per pound and should last for decades as you only need a very small amount per shave. I use a small coffee stirrer paddle to deliver to the bowl.




There are any number of choices where you can buy lanolin and it is also very inexpensive. You only need 2 drops per shave.

I use the combination with any soap or cream I use. I do feel it improves the slickness of any lather and the face feel after shaving is superb.

Click to expand...

I agree, I also use the Aztec clay. Good stuff, I make a face mask with it, but haven't used it for anything else yet, but adding it to the lather is a interesting idea....

Stirling Port au Prince had clay in it I believe. I don't see that they manufacture it anymore though. Razorock Mudder Focker contains Fuller's Earth. No lanolin though with the current formulation.

Honestly, I wouldn't get too hung up on the addition of clay. It really doesn't make a notable difference.

dfoulk said:

Try Sudsy Soapery. I'm quite fond of their Peppermint Lavender soap and would rate it in the top 10 and maybe even top 5 of the 400 plus soaps I've tried. It uses high quality clays and is loaded with all of the butters. I believe it's a tallow soap as well, if not it certainly performs like one.

They are a small undiscovered company but their shaving soap is outstanding.

Click to expand...

Couldnt agree more! I have the Sudsy Soapery Twice Mint, and my goodness - what an amazing soap! I to have many soaps, and this one sits at the top somewhere. Such a thick n' slick lather, so, so creamy, and always leaves a wonderful postshave feel, my face always feels refreshed. A truly hidden gem!