A sodium stearate based gel comprising:(a) water; (b) about 1 to about 30 parts of sodium stearate per 100 parts water (by weight); (c) an amount of a phenol compound of the formula: ##STR14## wherein R2 and R3 are each independently, an alkyl substituent of 8 to 15 carbon atoms, R is an ethyl or propyl substituent, and n is from about 50 to 200, wherein the amount of phenol is from about 1% to ab