There are basically two ways of making artisan-style soap: hot process and cold process. They each have their advantages and disadvantages: When discussing soap, especially shave soap, a lot of terms get thrown around: hot process, glycerin, tallow, triple-milled, etc. But what do they really mean? And is one ingredient or process inherently superior to another? Let’s look at a general overview. Processes

Oh sure, you could find a hardy artisan toiling away in their kitchen–if you knew where to find them. But they were few and far between (one notable “old-timer,” Emsplace, is still around, having stayed in business largely by word of mouth). Now Not too many years ago there were a few high-quality, old-school, tallow-based (more on that below) men’s shaving soaps from the established high-end names (Trumper, Taylor Of Old Bond Street, Truefitt & Hill, DR Harris, etc.) that were familiar to those who use a safety razor; and some low-end, every-man products like Williams Mug Soap, Burma-Shave Soap, and (a little later) Van Der Hagen. Mitchell’s Wool Fat Soap, is a very gentle soap, particularly soothing to sensitive skins, or for frequent hand washing.Lothur (Løthur) Grooming is a relatively new artisan out of the UK, with limited availability in North America, but they are making waves in the wet shaving enthusiast community with their shave soap formula that contains Dimethicone. Here is my review of one of their soaps, “Tears.” You may have heard the term “tripled milled” (or perhaps “French milled”). These are products that have been passed between large steel rollers, squeezing more air and water out of the soap (and it also provides some additional mixing of the soap, making it more uniform). Because more air and water have been removed, triple milled soaps are denser and last longer than un-milled soap. “Croap” So what are the “best” shaving soaps? To be sure, there are many excellent shave soaps, mostly from artisans making products in small batches with quality ingredients. But artisans come-and-go, they often have limited availability, and their formulations tend to change more often. So let me propose a set of criteria for determining what rises to the top: I use a bowl for only a few shaves, but I found that when I returned to lathering on my face, I was getting better lathers. The bowl lathering had helped me improve my lather process: I loaded the brush better, and I knew better the optimal amount of water — and what a good lather looked/felt like.

Tallow + Steel has been around for a few years and their tallow soap base is definitely in the “best” range. Their scents evoke exotic destinations with names like “Himalaya,” “Madagascar,” and “West Indies” but the real focus should be the performance: most everyone comments on the lubrication ability of these soaps. Post-shave feel is also noteworthy. Availability is not as widespread as other names on this list though so it may be more difficult to obtain. Chiseled Face shave soaps enjoy an excellent reputation, particularly within the enthusiast community. Ghost Town Barber, their take on the ubiquitous barbershop scent, is a particular stand-out. Cryogen is another highlight among “menthol heads” for it’s extreme cooling (OK, freezing) properties. Declaration Grooming There are a number of other shave soaps that I’m keeping an eye on for possible inclusion in a future update. Some are new to the market. Others have had a recent change in their business circumstances. Some have recently changed their soap formulation. And some are here simply because I don’t have enough information for a full evaluation yet.Zingari Man came on the wet shaving artisan scene in 2019 and after a bit of a shaky start have been surprising shave enthusiasts and reviewers with some outstanding shave soaps that produce a really rich lather formulated with their “Sego” base. Here is Sharpologist’s review of one of their shave soaps, Wanderer. Honorable Mentions Glycerin is a byproduct of saponification but it is not typically the main base ingredient in a non-tallow based shaving soap. The main ingredient in vegetable based soaps is most likely Stearic Acid which can be derived from various vegetable sources including Palm Oil, Kokum Butter, Mango Butter, and Cocoa Butter. Stearic acid, when combined with Potassium Hydroxide makes lather. Additional ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter can enhance the ingredient mix.