I make shave soap. I color my shave soap as well. I do a dual lye and hot process too. I make pucks like yours and I also make them in bail jars for customers. When I first started soaping my husband begged for shave soap but it took me about a year before I came up with a shave soap recipe that he loves. I love your energy and this soap turned out great! I love watching your video's!
I've never done a men's shaving soap and I will try this and I want to thank you for your recipe. Japanese peppermint is one of my favorite and that dark patchouli. people don't even realize when you put those together how amazing they are. They are some of my favorites and I use them all the time in different lines.
I love love love Japanese Peppermint. I initially hated patchouli (and I'm still not a huge fan of it by itself) but it does great things when combined with other fragrances. Hope your shaving soap goes well!
Wow, so many ingredients. It looks like mashed sweet potatoes. I just made my first M&P soap. I am loving it. I also made my own lip gloss, lotion bars and whipped butter.
I’m with you on using a liner. It’s so much easier. Two hours is a long time. Did it take that long to get to vaseline stage? I like long cured soap also. I color mine so that I can tell what batch it is.
Thanks Kevin! I love your videos and really appreciate the time you take to share them and your recipes. I'm going to try this one. I have everything but the kokum butter so I'll have to research a substitute for that. I have a couple of guys in my family who shave their heads so this will be for them. Christmas presents??
So, I made your recipe with a couple changes. Used deer tallow instead of beef tallow, shea butter instead of mango butter and I didn't use potassium hydroxide, just all sodium hydroxide and I used different fragrances. I'm sure it's a harder bar with only the sodium hydroxide but it's a fantastic lather! If I ever need to make another batch I may try to add some bentonite clay, but as is it's my favorite shave soap by far!
A lot of serious shavers won't want clay in their shaving soap as the belief is that it dulls the blade, adding the potassium hydroxide should also provide for a more stable lather.
Hi Kevin, curious, what do you find different about the soap after a 6 month cure? Also, what is the minimum time to cure this soap? Lastly, do you mix the potassium hydroxide and the sodium hydroxide with the water all at the same time in the same container? Great vid as always :)
I have tried a 2" PVC pipe (which is close in size to the pringles can) and I just like 3" better. 2" seems to small, 4" seems to big...3" is the Goldilocks of the shaving puck world :) :) :)
Thanks for uploading! Trying to get all of this information together is a real scavenger hunt, as others have commented. May I ask, where did you find that cutting board? And how many months cure would you recommend for more of a croap texture? Thanks in advance!
The soap cutter is from Essential Depot. For shaving soap...longer is better but I think two months is a good enough starting point (and I'm usually too impatient :) )
Thanks Kevin, this is amazing. My recipe is more or less the same! One question, why use hot process when you let the soap cure for a long time? Usually I dump my lye mix in and stir with a whisk and then dump it very quickly in my mold. I never line my molds but I let them sit overnight in the freezer once they're cooled. Usually the soap comes out nicely if put the mold under hot running water a bit.
I use hot process only because the stearic acid has such a high melting point, I've tried it cold process but I find it harder to get into a round mold and have the soap look good. It's the only time I do hot process really...so it's like once a year :)
Ah yes, that makes sense Kevin. That is why I use a little bit of a fluid oil, like almond and I melt the stearic with the rest. No expensive butters like kokum. Then my mix is very hot, I let it cool a little bit, dump FO's and my lye, stir like crazy and plop in the mould.. ;)
Hi Kevin! Thanks for this video and I've been wanting to make this so I'm going to try this recipe. I'm wondering also why both kinds of lye are used? What makes each lye different? Thanks! I know you know this technical stuff 😉😆❤
The dual lyes help to create a stable long lasting lather, which is something you really want in a shaving soap. The dual lyes also help to create a softer soap which is advantages when shavers are using brushes to create the lather. Potassium stearate is also more water soluble helping to contribute to that great lather you want in a shaving soap.
The plastic sheet inside the PVC tube is just a sheet of acetate I think I got from a craft store and the cap I believe is called a "quick cap" they should be right next to the pipes (at least they are in Lowes).
Could you make a quick video of you lathering up a bar of your shave soap? I'm really curious what it looks like lathered up. I made a shave soap not long ago and I'm really disappointed in the lather. I'm trying to find a better recipe with a nice thick and creamy lather
Kevin Devine thank you very much! That helps a lot! I've had issues with buying stearic acid directly since I love the idea of using mostly unprocessed fats and oils, rendering my own tallow, etc. But, I think I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and just get some stearic acid. Much appreciated!
Hi Kevin, Have found your videos inspiring. I am a hot processed soap maker. If you get a chance check out Shalebrook hand crafted soap channel. I use this method in a double boiler on the stove using a modified ingredients list as some of the oils etc are not easily available in country south Australia. What i have found in making hot processed soap is that adding things like: warmed reconstituted yoghurt and goatsmilk powder ( I use some of my water allocation to reconstitute)etc will increase the fluidity of the soap making it possible swirl and pour into round moulds with no effort. I have not tried it but as you have increased the water content in this soap you could hold some H2O back heat it up and add it back just prior to moulding. Cheers Bronwyn
I believe you are asking if you can triple mill soap. The act of "milling" is to force the soap through rollers...so while it may be possible to do something similar in a home setting, it is my understanding that industrial milling is done with a significant amount of force (which would not be able to be replicated in a home setting) and that force imparts a smoothness to the finished product. I am certainly no expert in milling soap, but just what I have read/seen about the process.
I believe this is incorrect. When done at home the process is usually called "re-batching" soap although I have seen some people refer to this as "hand milling". This usually involves already made soap being grated into small pieces, reheated (sometimes other things are added at this point as well) and the resulting reheated soap then placed into molds. So "hand milling" isn't really a correct term. "Milling" is the process of grinding or crushing something, and in the soap making industry this is typically done with steel rollers. A link to an encyclopedia passage describing this: books.google.com/books?id=t4jjBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA2876&lpg=PA2876&dq=milling+change+crystal+shaped+soap&source=bl&ots=QVrQ4t6PVh&sig=SZcjaCIPj9P6DvuVyOdc6iKiLiI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWzJzph7DYAhVRRN8KHYXJBbEQ6AEIRjAJ#v=onepage&q=milling%20change%20crystal%20shaped%20soap&f=false
If you add 2-3% of sodium lactate it will make it more fluid and also makes it harder. If you decide to use it, make sure you add it to the lye water. I make shaving soap and sell it on www.skullbustersoaps.com.
Thanks, I actually was going for a slightly softer soap then I normally make which is why I upped the KOH a tad but I like the idea of using the sodium lactate to keep it fluid, thanks! (I looked at your site, your soaps sound really great!)
I make shave soap. I color my shave soap as well. I do a dual lye and hot process too. I make pucks like yours and I also make them in bail jars for customers. When I first started soaping my husband begged for shave soap but it took me about a year before I came up with a shave soap recipe that he loves. I love your energy and this soap turned out great! I love watching your video's!
Thanks very much!
I've never done a men's shaving soap and I will try this and I want to thank you for your recipe. Japanese peppermint is one of my favorite and that dark patchouli. people don't even realize when you put those together how amazing they are. They are some of my favorites and I use them all the time in different lines.
I love love love Japanese Peppermint. I initially hated patchouli (and I'm still not a huge fan of it by itself) but it does great things when combined with other fragrances. Hope your shaving soap goes well!
You are so kind to share your process and recipe with all of us! I wish I knew someone who wanted to use shaving soap, this looks like a great recipe!
Thanks!
Wow, so many ingredients. It looks like mashed sweet potatoes. I just made my first M&P soap. I am loving it. I also made my own lip gloss, lotion bars and whipped butter.
Great!
That is an awesome shaving soap! I love the properties lanolin adds to soap, I use it in all of our personal soaps.
Thanks!
Yeah, I use it in mine also. I really like it.
Excellent instructions. Thank you from the UK.
Hello Kevin, I loved this video! I wanted to ask you what to do if I wanted to make it a shaving cream instead? What ingredients should I use?
Thank you for sharing your recipe you are so very kind 😍I love this soap ❤️the lanolin adds that special touch to this soap
You're welcome!
Thanks Kevin! Finally I know now! Have a good rest of the weekend!❤
Sure thing!
I really like the speckled color. I want to learn more hot process soaps.
Thanks!
how can I accurately figure out how much sodium and potassium to use? I really want to try to make one for my hubby and father. Thanks for the video
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! Im trying to learn this and how to add it to the calculator. Can i use this recipe with CP?
I’m with you on using a liner. It’s so much easier. Two hours is a long time. Did it take that long to get to vaseline stage? I like long cured soap also. I color mine so that I can tell what batch it is.
Love your video. Thanks!!
Thanks Kevin! I love your videos and really appreciate the time you take to share them and your recipes. I'm going to try this one. I have everything but the kokum butter so I'll have to research a substitute for that. I have a couple of guys in my family who shave their heads so this will be for them. Christmas presents??
Thanks for the nice comments, glad you enjoy the videos. Let me know how your shaving soap goes!
Hi Kevin! Great video! Where can you get the cutting tool?
This cutter is from Essential Depot.
So, I made your recipe with a couple changes. Used deer tallow instead of beef tallow, shea butter instead of mango butter and I didn't use potassium hydroxide, just all sodium hydroxide and I used different fragrances. I'm sure it's a harder bar with only the sodium hydroxide but it's a fantastic lather! If I ever need to make another batch I may try to add some bentonite clay, but as is it's my favorite shave soap by far!
A lot of serious shavers won't want clay in their shaving soap as the belief is that it dulls the blade, adding the potassium hydroxide should also provide for a more stable lather.
Hi Kevin, would you please make a video on shaving so we can see the lather
Hi Kevin, curious, what do you find different about the soap after a 6 month cure? Also, what is the minimum time to cure this soap? Lastly, do you mix the potassium hydroxide and the sodium hydroxide with the water all at the same time in the same container?
Great vid as always :)
Hi Kevin , you should try a clean Pringles potato chip can. They work great for shaving pucks. It looks great.
I have tried a 2" PVC pipe (which is close in size to the pringles can) and I just like 3" better. 2" seems to small, 4" seems to big...3" is the Goldilocks of the shaving puck world :) :) :)
Lol true. It's great seeing you again making soap videos.
Great video, I use freezer paper for my pvc mold. Have you tried that?
yes, it works very well as well.
was the lanolin included in the oils to be saponified? or is that an additive? Looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
You add it along with the oils and is included when calculating your lye amount.
Thanks for uploading! Trying to get all of this information together is a real scavenger hunt, as others have commented. May I ask, where did you find that cutting board? And how many months cure would you recommend for more of a croap texture? Thanks in advance!
The soap cutter is from Essential Depot. For shaving soap...longer is better but I think two months is a good enough starting point (and I'm usually too impatient :) )
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for the helpful videos.
I'm wondering if you prefer HP to CP for your shave soap and if so, why.
HP, but only because the stearic acid has such a high melting point it's really difficult to do it soley as CP.
Is your mold, just a PVC pipe?
Thanks Kevin, this is amazing. My recipe is more or less the same! One question, why use hot process when you let the soap cure for a long time? Usually I dump my lye mix in and stir with a whisk and then dump it very quickly in my mold. I never line my molds but I let them sit overnight in the freezer once they're cooled. Usually the soap comes out nicely if put the mold under hot running water a bit.
I use hot process only because the stearic acid has such a high melting point, I've tried it cold process but I find it harder to get into a round mold and have the soap look good. It's the only time I do hot process really...so it's like once a year :)
Ah yes, that makes sense Kevin. That is why I use a little bit of a fluid oil, like almond and I melt the stearic with the rest. No expensive butters like kokum. Then my mix is very hot, I let it cool a little bit, dump FO's and my lye, stir like crazy and plop in the mould.. ;)
Hi Kevin! Thanks for this video and I've been wanting to make this so I'm going to try this recipe. I'm wondering also why both kinds of lye are used? What makes each lye different? Thanks! I know you know this technical stuff 😉😆❤
The dual lyes help to create a stable long lasting lather, which is something you really want in a shaving soap. The dual lyes also help to create a softer soap which is advantages when shavers are using brushes to create the lather. Potassium stearate is also more water soluble helping to contribute to that great lather you want in a shaving soap.
Thanks Kevin! What purpose does the lanolin serve?
It acts as a barrier agent helping the skin to retain moisture and has an overall softening effect.
Looks like it would be amazing! Did u superfat it?
Yes, 5%.
Hey, sorry but I can't make out the word for the plastic you put inside the pvc tube. What is it? Also, what is the cap you use to close it off?
The plastic sheet inside the PVC tube is just a sheet of acetate I think I got from a craft store and the cap I believe is called a "quick cap" they should be right next to the pipes (at least they are in Lowes).
cheers! i managed to get something similar :)
Can you use the lanolin Oil? or does it have to be the gooey stuff?
Hmmm, I'm not familiar with lanolin oil...I would check the label and make sure it is 100% lanolin, if it is I wouldn't see why not.
What does your drying rake look like?
Just a standard metal rack with wire shelving to allow for airflow
At what temperature do you add the fragrance?
No specific temperature.
since its a hot process soap why can't you use it right away? Love the soap by the way
You can, but even hot process typically benefits from a cure period.
You can, but even hot process benefits from curing.
Kevin your soap will stay more liquid for you if you put some cling wrap over the pot before you put the lid on during the cook.
Thanks!
What is your actual batch cost?
Never calculated it, sorry.
Next time instead of the liner oil the inside with olive oil or even spray cooking oil
I don't think I understand what you are saying.
I'm thinking he/she means instead of using a liner, use olive oil or similar.
Trent Rowland if he use a oil to liner , the oil have a reaction with the hot soap and pass to be an ingredient, oliva oil is not good to shave soap
Could you make a quick video of you lathering up a bar of your shave soap? I'm really curious what it looks like lathered up. I made a shave soap not long ago and I'm really disappointed in the lather. I'm trying to find a better recipe with a nice thick and creamy lather
This video shows the lather: th-cam.com/video/8Hh0Pi-ym1k/w-d-xo.html
Kevin Devine thank you very much! That helps a lot! I've had issues with buying stearic acid directly since I love the idea of using mostly unprocessed fats and oils, rendering my own tallow, etc. But, I think I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and just get some stearic acid. Much appreciated!
What's the superfat on this, btw?
5%
Hi Kevin, Have found your videos inspiring. I am a hot processed soap maker. If you get a chance check out Shalebrook hand crafted soap channel. I use this method in a double boiler on the stove using a modified ingredients list as some of the oils etc are not easily available in country south Australia. What i have found in making hot processed soap is that adding things like: warmed reconstituted yoghurt and goatsmilk powder ( I use some of my water allocation to reconstitute)etc will increase the fluidity of the soap making it possible swirl and pour into round moulds with no effort. I have not tried it but as you have increased the water content in this soap you could hold some H2O back heat it up and add it back just prior to moulding. Cheers Bronwyn
Thanks for the comment Bronwyn! Happy Soaping!
It's time for a new video about shaving soap)
If you ever want to send me some, I’d be glad to use it and give my opinion.
That slim slice looked like a slice of bologna
Haha!
I can not hear you
Not sure why...no one else has reported any audio issues.
Could you triple million own soap
I believe you are asking if you can triple mill soap. The act of "milling" is to force the soap through rollers...so while it may be possible to do something similar in a home setting, it is my understanding that industrial milling is done with a significant amount of force (which would not be able to be replicated in a home setting) and that force imparts a smoothness to the finished product. I am certainly no expert in milling soap, but just what I have read/seen about the process.
Kevin Devine It's called French milled soap When you do it at home
I believe this is incorrect. When done at home the process is usually called "re-batching" soap although I have seen some people refer to this as "hand milling". This usually involves already made soap being grated into small pieces, reheated (sometimes other things are added at this point as well) and the resulting reheated soap then placed into molds. So "hand milling" isn't really a correct term. "Milling" is the process of grinding or crushing something, and in the soap making industry this is typically done with steel rollers. A link to an encyclopedia passage describing this: books.google.com/books?id=t4jjBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA2876&lpg=PA2876&dq=milling+change+crystal+shaped+soap&source=bl&ots=QVrQ4t6PVh&sig=SZcjaCIPj9P6DvuVyOdc6iKiLiI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWzJzph7DYAhVRRN8KHYXJBbEQ6AEIRjAJ#v=onepage&q=milling%20change%20crystal%20shaped%20soap&f=false
If you add 2-3% of sodium lactate it will make it more fluid and also makes it harder. If you decide to use it, make sure you add it to the lye water. I make shaving soap and sell it on www.skullbustersoaps.com.
Thanks, I actually was going for a slightly softer soap then I normally make which is why I upped the KOH a tad but I like the idea of using the sodium lactate to keep it fluid, thanks! (I looked at your site, your soaps sound really great!)