I've had issues lathering glycerin based soaps like VDH, Ginger's Garden, HTGAM, and probably similar ones. I can't seem to get a slick lather. It's also pretty airy and doesn't have staying power. What could be wrong? I soak my Turkish #6 Brush while I shower, shake off excess water, swirl my brush on the soap until I think I have enough, apply the lather to my face, and add water. I get no issues lathering soaps like Mike's Cella, Tabac, Razorock, Stirling, Arko, or Palmolive. All those have tallow. Well, the Razorock only has specific kinds that have tallow. But nonetheless, I have no problems lathering the non tallow Razorock.
Synergy isn't a glycerin based soap. I've had no trouble lathering it I just found I needed to load a little more than usual with it and didn't add too much water. I would just put them up for sale/trade- they're probably not worth the effort when there are plenty of good performing tallow soaps around.
Synergy isn't glycerin? My bad. I should have pointed out that I can get a lather that looks good, but looking good is as far as it goes.
I had the same issue with Synergy: big piles of lather, but no good for shaving. I traded mine to fram773, who as he said had no trouble with it, and we're using water from the same source, so who knows what my issue was. I have other non-tallow soaps that work great for me, though: Tiki Bar, Barrister & Mann Tre Citta, and Cella doesn't have tallow, does it?
Cella does have tallow. Actually those guys JUST reformulated their soaps as well, Cella now contains Tetrasodium EDTA. So far ItalianBarber has only seen it in the small red tubs, I haven't heard about the 1kg bricks but I doubt they'll maintain 2 formulas.
Most tallow (Not all - some can be vegetable based however you'd have to email manufacturers for their sources) for soaps comes from animals. There are those that prefer not to use them, and will look for other alternatives like vegetable based ones. Edit - Also there are many fine soaps that don't use tallow, some of the RazoRock offerings for instance.
Like I have said still kinda new to all of this I do know that aos soaps are all natural best to my memory I believe VDH is glycerin based and ARKO is animal tallow? However on my first shave ever with Arco no razor burns or bumps that is a major Improvement for my face,with all your knowledge is it a possibility tallow based soap is more forgiving.g?
Not necessarily. I forgot which RazoRock soaps were vegetable based but they were a large hit as well because they lathered very easily and had excellent glide/cushion. They just can't compete with Arko on a price level, not too much can.
IMO tallow soaps have more cushion (layer of soap that provides protection from the harsh blade) so yes you can say they are more forgiving. I am kind of weirded out I am applying the remnants of a dead animal on my face but I stick with strictly what works morals or weirdness be damned. Sure there are excellent non-tallow soaps out there but I think even the best ones fall ever so slightly short to the average tallow soap. A non-tallow soap you can get for very cheap is 3P (also very good) which can be bought by the brick. Oh and also keep in mind there are non tallow soaps that are not glycerin based. Those should be a massive improvement over a glycerin soap such as VDH because they have more cushion.
IMO, Synergy is a thirsty soap. It gets curd like easily. If it's airy you don't have enough product, if it's curd like you don't have enough water. If you get the ratio correct you'll find it to be a good soap, slick with good after shave skin feel.
The Razorock Classic is non tallow and it works great. It does have Tetrasodium EDTA though. I have no idea what that is. Hopefully it's not bad.
This is really important with a lot of soaps, getting the water/soap ratio down. it can take time to hit the right sweet spot.
EDTA binds to minerals in your water, making hard water act more like soft water. Good stuff to have in shaving soap.
