SMF

Tabac aftershave and soap stick are among my favourites. The scent is timeless and their performance is second to none.

I've liked Tabac since my teens, and I hope it sticks around. I know the soap is now tallow-free, but I've got lots in my stash!

Chris

drmoss_ca wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2024 12:50 am I've liked Tabac since my teens, and I hope it sticks around. I know the soap is now tallow-free, but I've got lots in my stash!

Chris

I didn’t know Tabac had reformulated to tallow-free. When did this happen? How’s the new stuff? My soap stick performs beautifully, but i’ve had it for several years.

It happened in 2021, when the German factory that made soap for Maurer & Wirtz went out of business.

Mantic posted a comparison of the two on his site: https://sharpologist.com/tabac-shave-so ... w-formula/
and we discussed it here: viewtopic.php?t=58001

I've not tried the new stuff and doubt I will ever need to.

Chris

drmoss_ca wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2024 4:54 am It happened in 2021, when the German factory that made soap for Maurer & Wirtz went out of business.

Mantic posted a comparison of the two on his site: https://sharpologist.com/tabac-shave-so ... w-formula/
and we discussed it here: viewtopic.php?t=58001

I've not tried the new stuff and doubt I will ever need to.

Chris

I read Mantic’s review…most distressing. I’m certain that my stick pre-dates the tallow-free reformulation, so I’ll have to husband it carefully. Fortunately my other favourite soap stick, Harris Lavender, still has tallow in it. Any indication thst Harris may go the tallow-free route?

Who can say? I suppose it will depend on the debate they conduct at some level between those execs promoting veganism, and those protecting the environment. Those two often claim to be on the same side, but in this case they are in opposition.
Speick shaving sticks used to contain tallow, but now do not, and of course Palmolive sticks have been discontinued. We are getting into make-your-own territory!

C.

Previously I was brainwashed and crying foul: "Stop the world --- Nothing's better than a shaving soap with tallow regardless of the brand". Translation: Several of the tallow-driven soap-makers were forced to toss the tallow and mix up something mediocre and weak, and several more just threw in the towel. My position now: Own it and move on. Result: I can name at least three soaps that have no tallow and provide outstanding shaving soaps to easily change with the time. If I found three, that tells me there must be dozens of other non-tallow recipes that are making money and looking forward to selling a lot of soap to their happy customers. If I hadn't also started to use more shaving creams, I'd probably have located several more good non-tallow shaving soaps.

As I recall (relying on somewhat volatile memory), when Tim was studying, experimenting, and making his soaps, he found that stearate was the magic ingredient, in first or second place on the ingredient list.

- Murray

I just ordered my second stick of La Toja. Very nice scent, and a good performer - no tallow. If the aftershave smelled the same I would use it, too (but that's another thread).

We're going a bit off-topic, now! Yes, stearate is pretty much the same as tallowate (which is a mixture of fatty acid salts). My soap uses commercial stearic acid and lard, along with some coconut oil and lanolin.

C.

I’ll continue to digress if I may. The TOBS Jermyn Street for Sensitive Skin shaving cream I have lists stearic acid second after aqua, as does The Body Shop Maca Root & Aloe shaving cream, but they perform quite differently. The TOBS is very disappointing in that it is neither slick nor cushioning and doesn’t make a great lather. That’s quite the opposite of The Body Shop.