Do peoples really BUY lard soap nowadays??? Hate to switch back to palm

[Kari Howie]

I don't know about lard, but here in California, where people are grossed out by using animal fat, tallow soap is having a moment. I've been selling a lot of tallow soap and tallow body butter. That has totally surprised me.

Do they know where tallow comes from?

 

[bookworm42]

Tallow has been making a bit of a comeback recently. Tik toc and Instagram have been talking up how beneficial it is for the skin.

 

[Christa10]

Do they know where tallow comes from?

I think a lot of people don't know, but I make sure to tell them when they express an interest.

 

[MGM]

I don't know about lard, but here in California, where people are grossed out by using animal fat, tallow soap is having a moment. I've been selling a lot of tallow soap and tallow body butter. That has totally surprised me.

To me there's such a difference between "a fat as an ingredient in a soap when the final product is a hard, lathering bar with pretty swirls" and "an emollient you rub on the skin." I would think that 99 people out of 100 wouldn't balk at a bar of soap but would at a body butter. That being said, the first time I touched tallow (only about a year ago), I found it so *interesting*. It just wasn't like any other grease I'd encountered. I haven't full-on used it as a body butter, but I definitely rub my hands on dry body parts if there's excess on my fingers

 

[Christa10]

To me there's such a difference between "a fat as an ingredient in a soap when the final product is a hard, lathering bar with pretty swirls" and "an emollient you rub on the skin." I would think that 99 people out of 100 wouldn't balk at a bar of soap but would at a body butter. That being said, the first time I touched tallow (only about a year ago), I found it so *interesting*. It just wasn't like any other grease I'd encountered. I haven't full-on used it as a body butter, but I definitely rub my hands on dry body parts if there's excess on my fingers

I know what you mean. I've been on this forum now for several years and people from all over the world rave about tallow and lard, even in products like a body butter. I always thought that here in California there would be no market for it, so I never tried it, but I was always curious because so many people raved about it. Then, this year, I got a request for both. I sell much more of the body butter, surprisingly, than I do the soap.

 

[akseattle]

Lard - Adeps Suillus. Tallow - Adeps bovis

@lucycat , why don't you call it Adeps Suillus, that sounds extremely high end. If nothing else, you'll engage your customer in conversation and by then, they will realize how dedicated you are to your craft, how beautiful you soap is and definitely buy some

 

[lucycat]

@lucycat , why don't you call it Adeps Suillus, that sounds extremely high end. If nothing else, you'll engage your customer in conversation and by then, they will realize how dedicated you are to your craft, how beautiful you soap is and definitely buy some

I don't mind using palm and like my soap with it. I have a lot of regular customers so changing up things a lot isn't something I am interested in after 20 years of soapmaking.

 

[akseattle]

I don't mind using palm and like my soap with it. I have a lot of regular customers so changing up things a lot isn't something I am interested in after 20 years of soapmaking.

@lucycat , I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it! You sound like you have ALOT of experience!!

 

[KimLynn]

Yes, I've only met one person who cares. Honestly, I want to move back to my regular recipe. The new one just isn't as good. But the prices have gone up so much that I just can't. And yes, my original recipe had palm oil in it. And I really want my olive oil back. I had to substitute most of it for rice bran oil due to cost.

I have two primary lines, the largest one with lard, FOs, and “non-natural” colorants like micas, and a much smaller one with plant/seed butters, EOs, and natural colorants for my friends who are vegetarians/vegans.

 

[melinda48]

My customers buy my soap; some have lard, some have tallow, some do not. They don’t seem to care and show no preference. I think they are more driven by sudsiness (is that a word?) and design.

 

[Firefly24]

My customers buy my soap; some have lard, some have tallow, some do not. They don’t seem to care and show no preference. I think they are more driven by sudsiness (is that a word?) and design.

My customers love Fragrances and designs.