Hopin' for a jet-black soapin'

September 18, 2009 9:38 PM

I'm looking for soap bars colored black...

I'm looking for soap bars colored black (though not Black Soap, which is a special type of soap).

More:
- I'm trying to replace a bar soap once made by Crabtree & Evelyn for men. (no longer listed). It lathered up white for shaving.
- neutral scent or no scent is best. Otherwise a scent made for men.
- oval bar is better than a brick bar.
- not crazy expensive. Under $8 ?
- nope to Halloween trick soap! Nope to soap on a rope.

Any ideas?

posted by anonymous to clothing, beauty, & fashion (12 comments total)

Lush Coalface.
posted by elsietheeel at 9:43 PM on September 18 [4 favorites has favorites]

You could try Etsy (just one example of what came up when I searched for "black soap"). If nothing currently available rings your chimes, you could work with a soapmaker to get a bar customized to your preferences.
posted by katemonster at 9:45 PM on September 18 [1 favorite has favorites]

I've bought soap from Savor at Etsy - she's sold a hella lotta soap. She makes a luscious black shaving soap called Dread Pirate Roberts which smells fantastic. It's not oval, but is rounded. I'm sure she would make you custom bars if you wanted them shaped differently.
posted by iconomy at 9:45 PM on September 18

I use this first one, the Black Shea Butter bar, but not for shaving.
posted by Weighted Companion Cube at 9:49 PM on September 18

Searching for black soap on Etsy gets 58 pages of options.
posted by elsietheeel at 9:51 PM on September 18

Magno Soap from La Toja, Spain
posted by plokent at 9:57 PM on September 18 [3 favorites has favorites]

In the event that the Companion Cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice.

Sorry Cube, the first one is African Black Soap, which the OP specifically doesn't want.

Although I have to say African Black Soap is pretty awesome. Maybe not so much for shaving though.
posted by elsietheeel at 10:01 PM on September 18

Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap. It's lovely stuff, though I've never used it for shaving. Smells like Lopsang Souchong, about as manly as scent as there is. Only comes in bar shape though.
posted by Jawn at 2:08 AM on September 19

The main reason that Magno lathers up so well is that it is essentially a glycerin soap. Go to your local pharmacy/drugstore/supermarket and get Neutrogena Facial Cleansing Bar Fragrance Free from the women's cosmetics section. it's an inexpensive glycerin soap that lathers up well with a shaving brush. But if you really want that old barbershop quality shaving treatment, use Proraso Shaving Cream.
posted by plokent at 2:34 AM on September 19

Anthony Logistics for Men Exfoliating Bar is a few dollars more expensive than what you're looking for at $12.50, but it lasts a long time, and is an excellent soap. It also sounds a lot like the soap you're trying to replace. The fellow I bought it for loved it, and it worked really well for his skin.
posted by katemcd at 4:25 AM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Erno Laszlo's classic Sea-Mud Soap, made famous in Annie Hall, is still out there.

But Pine Tar is awesome (albeit brown). I use it anytime a mammal is itchy or has greasy-oily hair or skin. It's also a useful antimicrobial and antifungal and seems to do a lot for mild dermatitis - such as when a dog has ant bites on his belly and they are inflamed, or when someone gets a forearm rash above the glove line from pulling weeds.

Even as we speak, I am plotting to shave a man with it. Going to go try my legs right now, because I suspect the power of pine tar will prove out. (Thanks, Jawn, would never have crossed my mind to shave with pine tar soap.) According to the box, it's coconut and palm oils, water, pine tar oil, and vegetable glycerin. That might not be enough glycerin for a smooth shave, but perhaps the coco oils will help.

It is cheap cheap cheap.

There is a strong scent while you lather. However, it does not have a lingering scent.

Even if you don't end up shaving with it, get a couple of bars and keep them around the house. It's like vinegar or lemon juice - you are bound to need it for something.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 8:51 AM on September 19

Erno Laszlo's $39 a bar Sea-Mud soap.

For $39 a bar I'd want it to massage my face, shave it with a straight razor, and then wrap it in a steaming hot towel.
posted by elsietheeel at 10:16 AM on September 19 [1 favorite has favorites]