Glad you liked it Howard. Their website claims it does not dry out skin, and at least to me it's not as bad as Ivory, but you might try this as a great alternative mugsoap. If you go to Pat Catan's or other craft shop, you can buy a large block of glycerin soap that the craft makers melt down, add some stuff to, and recast. I've had a block hanging around the house that the wife bought but never used. I just take a knife, cut off a square that will fit the mug, and boy, it really works well. And pretty cheap to boot. Bear
Please be careful. I can personally attest to the fact that rubbing Kirk's Castile soap in with a stiff VDH boar on your face may produce a fine shave, but when I tried that not twenty minutes later I broke out in red bumps all over my face and was in sheer agony. I then took a tub of Vicks Vapor Rub and smeared it all over my face, went to my room with the ac running on maximum, and about an hour later I was able to get an inkling of relief. However, it very well could have been a personal allergic reaction on my behalf, but still I would approach this endeavour (Fels Naptha or Kirk's Castile) with trepidation.
OK...then it may be best to avoid it...but for those who like glycerin, those big blocks are inexpensive and will last a l-o-n-g time... Anybody ever try Dove? Bear
No Pat Catan's around New England that I know of but Michael's sounds like the equivalent. I've wanted to try soapmaking because most of the biscuit soaps available are drying to my skin and I think I can do better. I'm thinking about adding stuff like Vit E and Tea Tree Oil and maybe something to buffer the pH. We grow lots of lavender here so I'm thinking of scenting it with that (wife likes the scent). Never tried Dove.
Fels Naptha Shaving: Case Report Subject: Howard Schechter Razor: TPE 6/8 full hollow stropped on leather pasted with CrO (4 passes) Prep: hot shower, hot water on the face, fels soap solution rubbed into face Notes: good shave, not a great shave but nothing dire happened, no face burn, no breakouts, biggest problem is no foaming! It's more like a lubricant for the face and a pretty good one at that. I think I'd relegate it to "survival shaving" perhaps in a post-apocalypse Zombie scenario. A bar of Fels will go into the bugout kit.
I figured that since it was a laundry soap that it would be "geared" ingredient wise to foam heavily. I think I will get some for the laundry use.
I don't think it's meant to foam up because it's used as a spot stain remover, Zote probably will suds up I would think.
It has as the primary ingredients as Zote and Zote tends to suds up. I think it is used as a pre-treat by rubbing the moist bar against the stain. Maybe there is not enough water to cause suds when used that way?
Don't know if Fels could be made to foam or not and am not even sure that foam is necessary. A number of the creams and soaps I've tried on my face don't foam and it doesn't hurt the shave. One of my favorites was a Tom's of Maine tube of shaving cream that almost looked like their spearmint toothpaste. It didn't foam. I used it by putting some in the mug on top of the cake and brushed it up and applied to my face. Unfortunately, Tom's was sold to Unilever and they no longer sell shaving cream.
Tom's of Maine didn't foam?!?! Man, I get a fantastic lather out of Tom's of Maine. Serious. Put about an inch, inch and a half in the bottom of my mug, hit it with a wet brush - BOOM! Some fantastic lather.
You guys got me curious. Here is what Wiki says about Fels Naptha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fels-Naptha I knew it had some petroleum based solvent. They call it "Stoddard solvent", or "mineral spirits" or "petroleum distillates." The main thing I take-away from this is not to inhale its fumes. Therefore, for that reason alone I would not shave with it. Shaving with this strikes me as trying to shave with paint thinner or kerosene. Might work for shaving-as long as you hold your breath.
O.K. here is the current MSDS sheet for Fels Naptha Soap. http://www.monsterjanitorial.com/msds/cleaningmsdssheets/docs/28/2889/2889032.pdf
Now Tom, you are going about interjecting logic into this conversation! What were you thinking? However, I am now using Zote to boost my detergent and it does leave the clothes softer without using so much fabric softener. So take that Heloise! We will get out hints from The Shave Den!
Here is some more on Fels-Naptha and other similar soaps. http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-fels-naptha http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-colgates-octagon-soap http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-kirks-original-coco-castile-bar-soap (Star Trek - Ancestor alert on this one!) http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-dr-bronners-classic-liquid-soaps This has been an interesting thread to learn and laugh as well. Thanks Howard!
