Monsavon Shaving Soap

rum said:
I wonder if this has been reformulated... I had some stinging sensation when I used it last year for a bit.
It was back in 2009-10 when I got my hands on it and used it quite regularly. It worked a treat. Hence my suspicions...
Click to expand...

In 2009 Unilever bought the 'beauty' products division from the Sara Lee Corporation including the Monsavon range. If there was going to be any reformulation I guess it would have been some time after that. No idea if they did or not but while I was in holiday in France last week I found a pot of the stuff still branded Sara Lee so I'll soon be able to see if there is any difference.
 

Another one bites the dust then... Unilever I suppose aren't as bad as say P&G, who have butchered every company they bought starting with Art of Shaving...
 
Some people in France, mix Monsavon with essential oils they like.

Here is a recipe from Le Père Lucien, the French artisan soap maker (he was not glad with Monsavon, so he improved it)
http://www.rasage-traditionnel.com/...partir-du-monsavon?highlight=recette+monsavon

A quick translation by your humble servant:

- leave the soap dry for one month, it will shrink to 25%
- add either 6 grams of palm oil (cheapest oil to fry that can be found in supermarket), or coco oil/copha, or shea butter, or kokum, to improve the glide
- add 2ml of glycerin for hydration
- add 1ml of vetiver essential oil for the smell and to sooth the skin
- then dry and mix/knead again, and voilà!
 
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I may give this a go, if it is good enough for Le Pere Lucien....
 
Lavender in the bowl and more "cinnamony" on the face. As others mentioned, I also got a slight burning feeling that I have never had before with any shave soap. In defense of the soap, I was using a blade new to me (vintage Gillette Super Thin Mejorada) and did an ATG pass on the lower cheeks that perhaps was the cause(?).
 

I decided to give this recipe a whirl and after a week mine is dried out at least 25% if not more. I grated it into smaller pieces and dried that one day. I then added the glycerin, oil (I chose canola) and a double dose (accidentally ) of Lemongrass essential oil. Weak it ain't!! I kneaded it all together and back into the bowl and into the windowsill it went. We shall see.
 
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