What's new

Introduction to Areffa Soap

A few weeks ago, I read about a Ukranian artisan soap on a German site. The soap maker, Alesia Arefieva, produces a range of cosmetics, most of these shaving materials. Since people in her country suffer greatly from the war, I decided to support her work and acquire some of her products. I had no idea what to expect, but I would not have minded if the soaps I ordered would turn out mediocre.
Little did I know that my "good deed' would be rewarded with products, that far exceeded my expectations. In fact: Areffa Soap impressed me so much, I decided to share my impressions.

Below are the products I write about:

0D0B9CDB-BB7E-465E-9985-B10A662BA84B.jpeg


Sometimes I read soap reviews that are uncomprehensible to me because of the elaboration on the nuances and ingredients of the scent. Not a bad word about the writers, but those reviews make me aware I am in no way a scent connaisseur. In fact: I use some excellent soaps that smell unattractive. I don't mind, as long as these soaps deliver what they are intended for: a good shave. You will understand I will not write much about the scent of my Areffa Soaps. Let me just say one soap and the cream smell great to me, with scents that linger only lightly after the shave. I am referring to the Total Black soap and the Kentucky Bourbon cream. The second hard soap, Time Dragon is growing on me. During the first shave, I could smell the tallow a bit, but that scent was gone during my second shave with it. All three products have a very agreable, almost mysterious scent, but very different from each other. Those who are better skilled at analysing scents can find the ingredients on Alesia's website. I will, however, write something about the Time Dragon lotion, which I bought in a package deal with the soap. My wife told me this lotion makes me smell very masculine, yet gentleman-like. Again: the website offers information about the ingredients.

Let me continue and get to what is by far most import about soaps: their shaving qualities and I'll get to the point immediately. We are talking superb quality here. Glide and protection are excellent. Post shave skin care and skin feel are very, very good. On par with my Martin de Candre Fougere. And the badger (!) tallowed Kentucky Bourbon is even better and easily the best soap as far as skin feel and care are concerned. What a magnificant experience this cream offers. I can not find words to explain how this cream feels after a shave, but I am confident other users wil be taken aback too.
As far as lathering goes: I face lather and like my lather dripping wet. All three Areffas lathered like top notch soaps. But since I know many members lather in a bowl I lathered the Time Dragon in a bowl, so that those members can judge that aspect of the soap.

The first picture is of the fresh lather. The second was taken about an hour later. By chance, I didn't clean the bowl and brush right after the lathering and when I wanted to, I found the lather was still looking good to me. I cannot judge what this says about the quality of the soap, maybe nothing, but I thought it might be useful to others to know.

A261B8BF-8A7E-420F-9F86-254C89B2CED0.jpeg916BA76A-AD10-42D2-A550-51C664D834F8.jpeg
 
Last edited:
The scents are excellent and the performance is up there with the best. Others have mentioned that the scents aren’t strong enough, but I like them as they are as I generally wear an EDT/EDP fragrance and don’t like super strong scented soaps/AS.
The Kentucky Bourbon has a great scent and it lingers, longer than the hard soaps I have. The Time Dragon lotion is great, though. Subtle, but present.
 
Top Bottom