Into the valley of death rode.....Soapalchemist!

Well, I think I'll add my two penny’s worth here as I have now received the 2 nice sized samples kindly sent free of charge by Sharon the Soap alchemist; so thank you very much for those! Well, I was accused of promoting her soap the last (and first) time I left a reply but thankfully, I can safely say, that some of you have beat me to it!

Bearing in mind that this is a ‘natural shaving soap’, none of which will ever match up with the more chemically enhanced types, I was pleasantly surprised. As someone who likes a watery shave and really loved her original soap anyway, my biggest concern (for me personally) was that it would create this huge amount of lather although I’m not sure why I thought it would do that. Funnily enough, I also used a Palmolive stick as a control for test, knowing that it is a reasonably good soap for stable lather. Well, I beat round some Palmolive and spread some on the side of the sink at a similar thickness to what I would apply to my face then whisked a similar amount in a different pot using the Lavender from SA and put that beside the Palmolive. I whisked some more Lavender around ready for an evening shave as I can always shave twice a day but never usually get the time.

I decided I’d test stability first and plastered my face with it, (not my usual technique.) I left it on and wandered around the house for 15 minutes while sustaining all kinds of abuse from my beloved and my offspring (they never see me shaving as that’s my private time, women just don’t get my pedantic little ritual!) Well, after 15 minutes, the lather had dissipated a little but I don’t think there was much in it between SA’s Lavender and the Palmolive. Being born with fingers that can naturally detect lather density :D , I was quite pleased with it really. It wasn’t too thick (for me) and I resisted putting more on before actually shaving. Yes, I would normally brush soap onto every section prior to shaving each part but just wanted to see if the lather would actually last long enough after fifteen minutes to have a shave.

I decided against using one of the straight razors as I seem to nick myself a lot with anyway these days, bypassed the butterfly Gillette and decided on the trusty Mach 3 (Oh don’t gasp in exasperation, it’s actually quite good!) As the lather was nearing it's half life, I went once with the growth all over as I like a bit of stubble for my morning shave and just wiped my face with a towel so I could leave any residue on my face to see if there would be a reaction. I left it on until I showered before bed and my face was smooth and felt great although I did moisturise (sorry, use balm...that's far more macho than moisturiser! :oops: )

I can see that for those chaps who like their lather, it may leave you feeling a bit short changed BUT, that is the nature of natural vegetable soaps I’m afraid. If you want really thick lather, then you need to but the chemical goop. I don’t like chemical stuff personally, as I have such supersensitive skin (think hives with the wrong soap!) So all in all, a great natural soap, well done Sharon! It’s funny really; men’s shaving routines seem to be as different as the women we choose, so no one soap manufacturer will ever be able to cater for us all. Hopefully, that wasn't too much of a commercial break but I like her soap and I don't mind telling people that. :cool:
 
Hi Fatman,
Thanks for the review, and glad to hear you weren't so smothered in lather you couldn't find your way out of the bathroom.
I think it's true that an all natural soap will never compare to those with less natural surfactants etc. added. Less lather may be the sacrifice people have to make IF they want as natural a product as possible. Which they may want for either ethical reasons, or because they have a bad reaction to less natural soaps. And it does seem from most of the reviews, that the skin feel afterwards, and the actual quality of the shave are good.
I've tried to increase and add further stability to the lather (yet again), so will be anxious to hear what the Spanish amigos have to say in a couple of weeks when they get the newest effort. For the 'big' lather lovers out there (of which there are clearly many), you will no doubt be interested to know that they agreed with the majority view on here regarding the original recipe. So they are probably my last attempt at market research for the time being.
 
Here I am as usual - 5.25am. Slept solidly since 10.30. I get through an amazing amount before breakfast with Ruth at 7.30. When I was working I struggled out of bed just in time to get to work. These days 6am is a lie in.
Encouraging Sharon.
The latest review is really interesting. Will add mine when the mail does its job.
 
Sorry to hear the soap hasn't found you yet Fido; I knew it was too good to be true when the majority of it arrived within 24 hours. I believe that if I could give up the dreaded day joy, I too would leap out of bed at the crack of dawn eager for the day. Not the case now I'm afraid.

NA - I will brave Hollingsworths soon.....the fact that they have to let you in just makes you feel obliged to buy something before you even get thro' the door.
 
PigCat was kind enough to send me the puck he'd tried so I could join in :D

Initially I have to echo the other comments - the lather was excellent in terms of lubrication and effect on the hair, but I did spend longer than usual building it. I stuck the soap to the bottom of the bowl and made the second attempt that way, which was much more successful.

The smell was wonderfully strong as a soap and did have a reasonable scent as a lather, but after a couple of days in the bowl it has lost it's kick somewhat - perhaps I should be covering it up between uses?

Performance wise I was very pleased - the shave was good and my skin felt very soft and moisturised after the shave. Next shave I will have to try the soap with my new superspeed and a stiff brush to see the overall effect. Overall I was quite satisfied with the soap and if the choice of fragrances ends up being broad I'd certainly be interested in a few other options!
 
Thanks for the further review Neocaligatio,
I'm now two batches further along, with a second sandalwood type smelling one. Here is a link to a review of the previous batch from Andy in Liverpool.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=111898" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=111898</a><!-- m --> - pretty reasonable, if not ecstatic. The latest batch is a bit soft for my tastes, but am hoping it will harden up a bit in a week or two.
I have offered to send Fido a little sample, so hopefully he will add his thoughts here. I'll wait a while to see if it hardens up any more or it may be that it is comparable to Henks once water is added....we shall see.
 
Hi Arrowhead,
Well, we'll have to wait and see what Fido makes of it. I want my soap to be hard enough to sell in bars, rather than in jars. Landfill issues and all that. But it's certainly hard enough I think that if put in a cardboard box, it would survive postage.
 
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