First use of tallow based soap : an epiphany!

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ConcertinaBrian

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I have been DE wet shaving for around 6 months and it has been quite a journey. Until now I have stuck with vegetable based soaps. I just didn't like the idea of tallow. I have tried Proraso (White, Blue, Red), MdC (Original and Agrumes (samples)), Haslinger (Seaweed (sample)), Palmolive, Proraso Pro (all three (samples)). I wanted to try a soap with a stronger, longer lasting scent. Tabac came recommended for this in the forums. Even though it was a tallow based soap I decided to give it a go. I bought a shave stick refill (£4.99) and grated and pressed it into a jar.

Result : Never had a better shave. Fantastic post shave feel. Superior slickness (initial and residual). Better even than the lauded MdC soaps. Secondarily I loved the scent.

My question is : Are all tallow based shaving soaps a cut above the vegetable ones. Are there even better functioning soaps. Should I keep searching.
 
I'd say no but soaps are subjective. You're basing your experience on the use of samples which don't really give a true reflection of a soap's performance. There's no shortage of excellent Vegan and Tallow soaps out there. A scroll through the SOTD section will show you a few of them.
 
ConcertinaBrian said:
I have been DE wet shaving for around 6 months and it has been quite a journey. Until now I have stuck with vegetable based soaps. I just didn't like the idea of tallow. I have tried Proraso (White, Blue, Red), MdC (Original and Agrumes (samples)), Haslinger (Seaweed (sample)), Palmolive, Proraso Pro (all three (samples)). I wanted to try a soap with a stronger, longer lasting scent. Tabac came recommended for this in the forums. Even though it was a tallow based soap I decided to give it a go. I bought a shave stick refill (£4.99) and grated and pressed it into a jar.

Result : Never had a better shave. Fantastic post shave feel. Superior slickness (initial and residual). Better even than the lauded MdC soaps. Secondarily I loved the scent.

My question is : Are all tallow based shaving soaps a cut above the vegetable ones. Are there even better functioning soaps. Should I keep searching.
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For me, it's the quality of the soap that matters; whether tallow or vegetal. You may be basing your experience on what is a very good, respected soap. Does the presence of tallow render it as such? I don't know.

Some advocates of tallow-based soaps have thrown their hands up; aghast if some soap manufacturers cease using tallow, and boycott them.

So, the presence of tallow in my soaps is a non-issue. I enjoy all the ones I use (tallow and non-tallow) and I feel I get excellent results with most and very good with others. Is the presence (or otherwise) of tallow a deal breaker for me? Nope.
 
ConcertinaBrian said:
I have been DE wet shaving for around 6 months and it has been quite a journey. Until now I have stuck with vegetable based soaps. I just didn't like the idea of tallow. I have tried Proraso (White, Blue, Red), MdC (Original and Agrumes (samples)), Haslinger (Seaweed (sample)), Palmolive, Proraso Pro (all three (samples)). I wanted to try a soap with a stronger, longer lasting scent. Tabac came recommended for this in the forums. Even though it was a tallow based soap I decided to give it a go. I bought a shave stick refill (£4.99) and grated and pressed it into a jar.

Result : Never had a better shave. Fantastic post shave feel. Superior slickness (initial and residual). Better even than the lauded MdC soaps. Secondarily I loved the scent.

My question is : Are all tallow based shaving soaps a cut above the vegetable ones. Are there even better functioning soaps. Should I keep searching.
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A good soap is a good one irrespective of whether it has tallow or not.

There might be a reason why Tabac performed so well for you, it is a truly exceptional soap and from the 50 or more different soaps I have tried/have in my rotation I find Tabac to perform in the top few, for all around performance but for a dense thick lather I can't really think of any other soap which produces a lather like Tabac.

If you like Tabac stick, then it's worth checking out the Speick stick as well. Milder in scent and the lather isn't as dense but it's also superb. Mitchell's Wool Fat & Vitos are other tallow based soaps, not as strong in scent but produce delightful lathers with exceptional post shave feel.
 
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For me, Tabac performs beyond it's price point. Is it the tallow that makes it work so well ? . . Maybe. Either way, it's a quality product that has stood the test of time.

Wickham 1912 Vegetal soaps perform just as well, as do some other tallow/non tallow soaps, such as the humble Palmolive and (new vegetable and older tallow) Lea Sticks.

@ConcertinaBrian , if you like the Tabac scent pick yourself up some Tabac Aftershave - you won't regret it
 
I have never gotten along with vegetable based soaps. I have couple left and try and use them with my DE razors. For straight shaves I use strictly tallow based soaps for protection, slickness and post shave feel.
I use the Tabac as well and find it exceptional in terms of consistent slick and protective lather. I absolutely love it. You would be hard pressed to find a soap that is as good. Mind you other artisan soaps smell better, but they might not necessarily perform better...
 
Boycie83 said:
I seem to remember someone mentioning that the Fine Accoutrements hard soaps use the same formula as Tabac? Is that true?
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The ingredients on Fine look very similar to the ones on Tabac

Tabac - Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Potassium Tallowate, Potassium Cocoate, Aqua, Sodium Tallowate, Parfum, Sodium Cocoate, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77891, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Courmarin, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Evernia Prunastri (Oakmoss) Extract, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Citral, Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract.

Fine Snake Blend Soap – potassium stearate, sodium stearate, potassium tallowate, water, potassium cocoate, sodium tallowate, fragrance, sodium cocoate, glycerine, potassium hydroxide, tetrasodium edta, tetrasodium etidronate, sodium hydroxide.

Tabac however is made in Germany whilst the Fine soaps are possibly made by Vergulde Hande in Holland.
 
donnie_arko said:
The ingredients on Fine look very similar to the ones on Tabac

Tabac - Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Potassium Tallowate, Potassium Cocoate, Aqua, Sodium Tallowate, Parfum, Sodium Cocoate, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77891, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Courmarin, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Evernia Prunastri (Oakmoss) Extract, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Citral, Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract.

Fine Snake Blend Soap – potassium stearate, sodium stearate, potassium tallowate, water, potassium cocoate, sodium tallowate, fragrance, sodium cocoate, glycerine, potassium hydroxide, tetrasodium edta, tetrasodium etidronate, sodium hydroxide.

Tabac however is made in Germany whilst the Fine soaps are possibly made by Vergulde Hande in Holland.
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Thanks Shubs. I never really see much about the Fine soaps. I wonder if they're another sleeper?
 
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