incoming... A review thread of UK small batch / artisan soap producers.

edbluetooth

edbluetooth

Messages
20
Hi all,

After browsing ebay and etsy etc and seeing many individuals and small bussiness making and selling shaving soap,
I decided that I would perform some public service, and start reviewing them.

I imagine that I will use each soap for about a week trying different brushes, face lathering, bowl lathering etc to see what works best. I will update this thread with my findings as time goes by.
Of course I can't describe the quality of the soap / lather under different hardnesses of water, because that would be insane

To start with, I will list the UK based soaps that I have, and that are on their way. This will include more mainstream ones but they will be there to plug the gap if any future shipping gets delayed.
Feel free to suggest and link others which I haven't included / don't know about.

Soaps I own already:
1, Hampshire Lanolin:
Shop link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354124857685
This soap has 3 scents, I own them all, but scent 2 are 3 are in storage. I think they scents are pretty similar.
2, Highland Soaps Juniper shaving soap.
Shop Link: https://www.highlandsoaps.com/products/juniper-shaving-soap-175g
I got this on holliday as a beginner to wet shaving. I didn't do a good job of lathering it then. Be interesting to see
if that was due to this soap or inexperience.
3, Little Soap Company Eco Warrier Shave soap:
Shop link:https://www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk/p/eco-warrior-mens-edit-shaving-bar-100g/
Shop link:https://www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk/p/eco-warrior-shaving-bar-100g/ (same soap but with a neutral lime smell)
3, Mitchells Wool Fat
Shop link: not required
Pretty main stream really, but included because it is british, and for completeness. Plus I want an excuse to use it for a full week. :D
4, TOBS Sandlewood and Scent Free
Shop link: not required
Also pretty main stream, but it may fill a gap if the shipping doesn't work out.

Small Batch soaps which are on their way:
1, Friendly Soap - Orange and Lavender Shaving Bar
Link for purchase(others available im sure): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363921803853
I saw the shampoo and bath soap at my local waste free shop, thought I would see what this is like. Scent free version also available.
2, CosyCottage Pathouli & lemongrass Round shaving soap
Shop Link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164865717225
Was having a good browse on ebay, found this.
3, Essentials Boutique Lavender and Tea Tree
Shop Link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154030747413
same as 2, was browsing and found it.
4, Jingle Culture Charcoal and Black pepper Shaving soap bar
Link for purchase (others available im sure): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203851877534
same as 2, was browsing and found it.
5, Urban Vanity Citrus burst Shaving soap
Link for purchase (others available im sure): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363703719169
same as 2, was browsing and found it
6, Funky soap Shop Citrus and Aloe Vera Shave soap
Shop Link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323944748070
7, Folksoap Shaving soap with Antibacterial Sandlewood
Shop Link: https://www.folksoap.co.uk/shop/traditional-shaving-soap-bar-refill-with-sandalwood/

I did order quite a lot I do accept. I had a bit of a christmas bonus and I thought I would contribute to the community.
I hope that my reviews of the products I think are quality encourage others to purchase them also to reward the hard work
of the soap makers.

Others I have spotted since. They likely will be included, but my christmas bonus can only be stretched so far:

For the future:
labarbiera.co.uk

Multipack of Solid Shaving Soaps by La Barbiera

We are proud to announce our new shaving soap line, with good performance at great value, always keeping an eye on the best bang for your buck! A multipack of all four of our solid shaving soaps, each in a 60g refill puck: Classic Fresh Lemon Sweet Orange Summer Fruit The soaps are a great...
labarbiera.co.uk

Feel free to suggest others you are aware of, and they may well appear on this thread.
I may also cross post this thread to the Bed and Breakfast Forums, although I imagine there will be less interest as they are primarily US based.
Fun fact, I am also following Decemboar this month. I think if I do test lathers with Synths etc, no rules will be broken, as long as I don't apply it to my face. ;)
 
edbluetooth said:
Hi all,

After browsing ebay and etsy etc and seeing many individuals and small bussiness making and selling shaving soap,
I decided that I would perform some public service, and start reviewing them.

I imagine that I will use each soap for about a week trying different brushes, face lathering, bowl lathering etc to see what works best. I will update this thread with my findings as time goes by.
Of course I can't describe the quality of the soap / lather under different hardnesses of water, because that would be insane

To start with, I will list the UK based soaps that I have, and that are on their way. This will include more mainstream ones but they will be there to plug the gap if any future shipping gets delayed.
Feel free to suggest and link others which I haven't included / don't know about.

Soaps I own already:
1, Hampshire Lanolin:
Shop link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354124857685
This soap has 3 scents, I own them all, but scent 2 are 3 are in storage. I think they scents are pretty similar.
2, Highland Soaps Juniper shaving soap.
Shop Link: https://www.highlandsoaps.com/products/juniper-shaving-soap-175g
I got this on holliday as a beginner to wet shaving. I didn't do a good job of lathering it then. Be interesting to see
if that was due to this soap or inexperience.
3, Little Soap Company Eco Warrier Shave soap:
Shop link:https://www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk/p/eco-warrior-mens-edit-shaving-bar-100g/
Shop link:https://www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk/p/eco-warrior-shaving-bar-100g/ (same soap but with a neutral lime smell)
3, Mitchells Wool Fat
Shop link: not required
Pretty main stream really, but included because it is british, and for completeness. Plus I want an excuse to use it for a full week. :D
4, TOBS Sandlewood and Scent Free
Shop link: not required
Also pretty main stream, but it may fill a gap if the shipping doesn't work out.

Small Batch soaps which are on their way:
1, Friendly Soap - Orange and Lavender Shaving Bar
Link for purchase(others available im sure): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363921803853
I saw the shampoo and bath soap at my local waste free shop, thought I would see what this is like. Scent free version also available.
2, CosyCottage Pathouli & lemongrass Round shaving soap
Shop Link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164865717225
Was having a good browse on ebay, found this.
3, Essentials Boutique Lavender and Tea Tree
Shop Link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154030747413
same as 2, was browsing and found it.
4, Jingle Culture Charcoal and Black pepper Shaving soap bar
Link for purchase (others available im sure): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203851877534
same as 2, was browsing and found it.
5, Urban Vanity Citrus burst Shaving soap
Link for purchase (others available im sure): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363703719169
same as 2, was browsing and found it
6, Funky soap Shop Citrus and Aloe Vera Shave soap
Shop Link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323944748070
7, Folksoap Shaving soap with Antibacterial Sandlewood
Shop Link: https://www.folksoap.co.uk/shop/traditional-shaving-soap-bar-refill-with-sandalwood/

I did order quite a lot I do accept. I had a bit of a christmas bonus and I thought I would contribute to the community.
I hope that my reviews of the products I think are quality encourage others to purchase them also to reward the hard work
of the soap makers.

Others I have spotted since. They likely will be included, but my christmas bonus can only be stretched so far:

For the future:
labarbiera.co.uk

Multipack of Solid Shaving Soaps by La Barbiera

We are proud to announce our new shaving soap line, with good performance at great value, always keeping an eye on the best bang for your buck! A multipack of all four of our solid shaving soaps, each in a 60g refill puck: Classic Fresh Lemon Sweet Orange Summer Fruit The soaps are a great...
labarbiera.co.uk

Feel free to suggest others you are aware of, and they may well appear on this thread.
I may also cross post this thread to the Bed and Breakfast Forums, although I imagine there will be less interest as they are primarily US based.
Fun fact, I am also following Decemboar this month. I think if I do test lathers with Synths etc, no rules will be broken, as long as I don't apply it to my face. ;)
Click to expand...

You said you couldn't get a lather with one of the ones at the top, IMO it's an olive oil based soap which are well known for producing stable lathers.

A few others lower down on the list look like olive oil soaps as well, I myself would avoid a few of those but YMMV.
 
donnie_arko said:
You said you couldn't get a lather with one of the ones at the top, IMO it's an olive oil based soap which are well known for producing stable lathers.

A few others lower down on the list look like olive oil soaps as well, I myself would avoid a few of those but YMMV.
Click to expand...
Yes, I struggled with the Highland soap.

But for the sake of science (and this thread) , I will persevere.

You said there are some you would avoid. It is likely that I will come to the same conclusion, so we will have that recordede here for posterity.

Some soaps claim that they are slick even though they are none lathering. Like erasmic gel. Or Cremo (which I haven't tried)

It will be hard, because I do enjoy a good lather; but if a soap has a sh!te lather, but still provides a slick, smooth shave I will say so.

Not that any of us will use it, due to our rich lather obsessions.
 
edbluetooth said:
Are you a fan of the Hampshire wool fat?
Click to expand...
Yes, I like them a lot! So far I've tried No.1 and No.2 - although not extensively yet, I am still quite new to this wet shaving business. A good thick slick lather, and I like the scents as well - No.1 is sort of "fresh" (I suppose that's the patchouli), and No.2 is just neutral clean - for me.
 
exists said:
Yes, I like them a lot! So far I've tried No.1 and No.2 - although not extensively yet, I am still quite new to this wet shaving business. A good thick slick lather, and I like the scents as well - No.1 is sort of "fresh" (I suppose that's the patchouli), and No.2 is just neutral clean - for me.
Click to expand...

OK, I havn't opened the second / third one, only the first. Although I did store them together. For me they smelled very similar. There must have been some cross contamination of scents on the packaging. I am reluctant to open the others until I finnish the first.

But as a pre review I really like them. It seems to palm lather better than it bowl lathers for reasons I don't yet understand.

If I was gifted a shaving set which included this soap, I would quite happily use it every time.
 
culcreuch said:
You really should add some offerings from Signature Soaps In my opinion ....probably the best UK Artisan range currently available
Click to expand...
I think they were just comparing very small makers e.g few dozen soaps made in someones kitchen and listed on etsy/eBay.

Otherwise of course there is Wickham Soap, Phoenix and Beau, Lothur, Signature Soaps and many more UK soap makers that have already been reviewed thoroughly.
 
Shaveguru said:
I think they were just comparing very small makers e.g few dozen soaps made in someones kitchen and listed on etsy/eBay.

Otherwise of course there is Wickham Soap, Phoenix and Beau, Lothur, Signature Soaps and many more UK soap makers that have already been reviewed thoroughly.
Click to expand...
You are mostly right. Someone has to try the unknowns and share an honest opinion.

But i am delighted so many others have been shared / suggested. If at some point the future I am running out, then I have an excellent reference right here.
 
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