Mish the problem with Shaving Soaps is that it takes a really, really long time to learn how to make them so you will really only get hints here and there by those who have spent the time and money developing them.
When I read Vanessa's response to you she is not suggesting you use the search function, (I think) but rather to do some googling to find info as well. But here is the best advice I can give anyone who wants to develop a recipe for a shaving soap. Buy one of the 'big boy' ones like Mitchell's Wool Fat and look at the ingredient list. Look at the order the ingredients are in, then play with developing something. Make really small batches to start out with.
I keep telling people to watch what their stearic levels are and to try and get them to 60, there's a reason for that. I am one who spent a long time developing a recipe, reading everything I could find, looking at ingredient lists until I finally created one that is well accepted by the shaving community. I spent a lot of money developing it and sending it out to testers across North America. Those testers were not friends or relatives because I didn't want a pat on the back, I wanted honest feedback. I had already been working on the formula for a year before I did this and at the point I was ready for testers it was down to fine tuning.
You will find that this forum is extremely helpful, and that includes to newbies, but what most members are looking for from someone who has just joined the forum is that they are doing some of the legwork themselves. At least with something as complex as shaving soap because those recipes are hard won.
When I read Vanessa's response to you she is not suggesting you use the search function, (I think) but rather to do some googling to find info as well. But here is the best advice I can give anyone who wants to develop a recipe for a shaving soap. Buy one of the 'big boy' ones like Mitchell's Wool Fat and look at the ingredient list. Look at the order the ingredients are in, then play with developing something. Make really small batches to start out with.
I keep telling people to watch what their stearic levels are and to try and get them to 60, there's a reason for that. I am one who spent a long time developing a recipe, reading everything I could find, looking at ingredient lists until I finally created one that is well accepted by the shaving community. I spent a lot of money developing it and sending it out to testers across North America. Those testers were not friends or relatives because I didn't want a pat on the back, I wanted honest feedback. I had already been working on the formula for a year before I did this and at the point I was ready for testers it was down to fine tuning.
You will find that this forum is extremely helpful, and that includes to newbies, but what most members are looking for from someone who has just joined the forum is that they are doing some of the legwork themselves. At least with something as complex as shaving soap because those recipes are hard won.
