Shaving soap not slick enough

[JackofallShaves]

My shaving soap recipe is as follows:

42% Stearic Acid
25% Coconut Oil
25% Cocoa Butter
8% Avocado Oil

70/30 KOH/NaOH
15% Vegetable Glycerin
5% Super Fat (Shea butter)
1 tsp ppo Sodium Lactate
5-8% FO based on the FO I am using

The soap produces amazing lather that is creamy and stable and I like that. However, lather is not slick enough. I am trying to do a vegan recipe so not trying to add tallow or lard for now, I am also not trying to add any clay as that will dull my straight razors edge.

What else can I do to add some slickness to this soap? Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[SoapDaddy70]

Never made shave soap but you might want to look into Tussah silk or some sort of silk fibers. I have read that silk gives an added slip to soap recipes. I do not think you can use certain silks and still claim your soap is vegan because some silks are derived from moth/butterfly cocoons. I think there might be a vegan alternative silk out there though.

 

[violets2217]

I think there might be a vegan alternative silk out there though.

Corn Silk

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/tussah-silk-alternative.81204/#post-861773

 

[amd]

I'm wondering if the 25% cocoa butter is holding up the slick feel. When I used to make shaving soap, I found jojoba oil to be a nice addition over butters.

 

[JackofallShaves]

Corn Silk

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/tussah-silk-alternative.81204/#post-861773

Thank you, I will look into this!!

 

[JackofallShaves]

I'm wondering if the 25% cocoa butter is holding up the slick feel. When I used to make shaving soap, I found jojoba oil to be a nice addition over butters.

@amd Can you shed a little more light on why 25% cocoa butter might be holding up the slick feel? I am a new soap maker and still learning.

 

[earlene]

Never made shave soap but you might want to look into Tussah silk or some sort of silk fibers. I have read that silk gives an added slip to soap recipes. I do not think you can use certain silks and still claim your soap is vegan because some silks are derived from moth/butterfly cocoons. I think there might be a vegan alternative silk out there though.

I second corn silk. I have used it. One can purchase powdered corn silk (I think WSP sells it), but I just gather it when I husk the corn, then let the silk dry & keep it in a baggy until ready to use.

 

[privatekane]

I wish I made it in order to truly help, but would a small amount of castor oil help?

 

[amd]

a little more light on why 25% cocoa butter might be holding up the slick feel?

I used cocoa butter at around 10% in a shaving soap, while I didn't mind it as a woman, my male testers didn't like it, they preferred the other shave soaps without the cocoa butter. It makes sense in my thinking that more cocoa butter would be liked less. Testers said the shave soap felt sticky (compared to the other one that I gave them to try). Keep in mind that just because an oil or butter is nice to use in it's "raw" form, in soap it changes.

 

[JackofallShaves]

Thank you everyone, I will be trying these suggestions in my next recipe!

 

[Tinkerbelle]

This is my simple recipe for shave soap that I concocted after reading lots of recipes. I also added 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin.
My two testers, who are picky shavers, report excellent slip.

 

[AliOop]

This is my simple recipe for shave soap that I concocted after reading lots of recipes. I also added 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin.My two testers, who are picky shavers, report excellent slip.

This would be really drying for me, esp at that low superfat. Have they reported any skin dryness or tightness? If not, do they tend to have oily skin?

 

[Tinkerbelle]

This would be really drying for me, esp at that low superfat. Have they reported any skin dryness or tightness? If not, do they tend to have oily skin?

I’ve asked them about dryness and they are not getting dry or tight but they both have oily skin, I didn’t think about that!
Back to the crockpot!

 

[user 49910]

What else can I do to add some slickness to this soap? Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Try adding some White Kaolin clay to the mixture. Use 1 teaspoon per pound of oils and you should be good to go.
I add the Kaolin to the lye water after it's cooled somewhat. This allows it to rehydrate.

Try it, you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[DMack]

I second corn silk. I have used it. One can purchase powdered corn silk (I think WSP sells it), but I just gather it when I husk the corn, then let the silk dry & keep it in a baggy until ready to use.

I grew corn on the cob this year, are these the same silks you’re speaking of? I am going to plant more next year so I could try this if so

 

[violets2217]

I grew corn on the cob this year, are these the same silks you’re speaking of? I am going to plant more next year so I could try this if so ☺

Last time I bought , I kept the silk and dehydrated and ground it in a spice grinder and used it that way. I thought about growing corn for this reason and also we love fresh . But yep! That’s the same silk!

 

[DMack]

Last time I bought , I kept the silk and dehydrated and ground it in a spice grinder and used it that way. I thought about growing corn for this reason and also we love fresh . But yep! That’s the same silk!

Wow that’s fab. I got a great harvest this year and just threw all the silks in the compost bin I shall know better for next harvest. I love this forum!

 

[user 49910]

I now use Argan Oil in the end of trace superfat process and I also now use Tussah Silk dissolved in the lye solution. Tussah silk really adds great glide.

 

[earlene]

I grew corn on the cob this year, are these the same silks you’re speaking of? I am going to plant more next year so I could try this if so ☺

Yes, the strings in the corn when you husk them, that's the stuff. I dried them and kept them whole in a baggy, unlike @violets2217. Grinding up after dry would save some time later, but I just cut the dried strings into little bits as I held it over the water. Same as I do with regular silk.

 

[Johnez]

I now use Argan Oil in the end of trace superfat process and I also now use Tussah Silk dissolved in the lye solution. Tussah silk really adds great glide.

Man why do you have to tempt me?! I have 7 items in my cart at FNWL and am trying not to hit the purchase button lol!