Brambleberry melt and pour shave soap

[breadstick]

I was looking at the Brambleberry melt and pour shave soap, but I can't find any real reviews of it. Lots of people mention it to someone that posts for a melt and pour shave soap, but there isn't a lot said about it otherwise. Has anyone used this? Would you recommend/not recommend it? What else did you add to it when you did?

Any help would be great.

 

[breadstick]

Nobody?

 

[Sue]

About a year ago, I bought a small amount for grins and used it as a secondary test soap puck along with an SCS puck. Had both in the same fragrance for trial.
Sue

 

[Dink]

I have used it, still have about two pounds of it. It is nice soap, I think it is what some of the artisan soapers on here use. I just added a bit of clay and some fragrance oil, it is slick stuff, shaves very well.

Cheers,
David

 

[breadstick]

Thanks for the replies. What did you think about it, Sue? Did it do OK for you?

 

[Sue]

At the time there had been a lot of discussion and I purchased it to see for myself. It's mentioned many of the artisans use it. SCS does not and hasn't at any time. YMMV .
Sue

 

[guitarslinger]

Honeybee Spa
Mama Bear

both of them = Brambleberry.


After using 40-50 different soaps over the past 3 years, I pretty much only use HBS at the moment.

So, yes, I think Brambleberry is about as good as it gets. I thought about buying ten pounds and making my own Bergamot EO soap.

IMO, The Brambleberry-based soaps have been underrated vs. all of the overhyped, foreign tallow soaps.

My $.02

 

[kingfisher]

Honeybee Spa
The Gentleman's Quarter
Mama Bear

All of them = Brambleberry.


After using 40-50 different soaps over the past 3 years, I pretty much only use TGQ and HBS.

So, yes, I think Brambleberry is about as good as it gets. I thought about buying ten pounds and making my own Bergamot EO soap.

IMO, The Brambleberry-based soaps have been underrated vs. all of the overhyped, foreign tallow soaps.

My $.02

I don't think the Gentleman's Quarter utilizes the Brambleberry base. From the website:

"The Gentlemen's Quarter" shaving soaps are made from the finest quality base on the market today and are unique in that they are soap, not just a glycerin base filled with detergents. Our shaving soap is 100 % natural with added Kosher glycerin from a vegetable source. We add no synthetic detergents, chelators, foaming enhancers or artificial colors to our base. "

Pretty sure the Brambleberry base fits the description I highlighted, above. Seems to me that Colleen is trying to imply that she DOESN'T use Brambleberry base.

 

[guitarslinger]

^^ hmm, that's cool. I edited my post.

 

[breadstick]

Got the soap (1lb) and bay rum and sandalwood vanilla fragrance oils today. I don't know how much to put in the soap, so I asked brambleberry and am awaiting the answer. If I don't hear anything by tonight I'm probably just gonna wing it. I cannot WAIT to try this stuff. From what I read, I after it's blended I should freeze it for a half hour and let it sit out for a day to harden, so I'll probably lather up with it on Sunday. I found a recipe for aftershave balm that seems to work pretty well, so I'll probably make some matching aftershave balm to match. I'll report the findings when I'm done.

 

[guitarslinger]

I don't think the Gentleman's Quarter utilizes the Brambleberry base. From the website:

"The Gentlemen's Quarter" shaving soaps are made from the finest quality base on the market today and are unique in that they are soap, not just a glycerin base filled with detergents. Our shaving soap is 100 % natural with added Kosher glycerin from a vegetable source. We add no synthetic detergents, chelators, foaming enhancers or artificial colors to our base. "

Pretty sure the Brambleberry base fits the description I highlighted, above. Seems to me that Colleen is trying to imply that she DOESN'T use Brambleberry base.

BTW,

Here is some info on the Brambleberry base.

Detergent type ingredients would be SLS or SLES (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate) which are used to make suds.
The shaving soap base that Brambleberry carries contains 100% natural ingredients, no added chemicals or detergents. And btw, that base is available at many other suppliers, not just Brambleberry.


If the ingredient list is as follows:

"Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerine (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifer), Soy bean protein (conditioner), Wheat Protein (conditioner)"


It is the brambleberry base which IS soap, and a very good shaving soap at that.

 

[NE_Sue]

Just to clear up any possible confusion, Honeybee Soaps use 100% natural ingredients in our shaving soaps...no detergents, no propylene glycol.

Breadstick, good luck with your soapmaking. The freezing recommendation is only if you have trouble unmolding your soap after it's hardened. So pour first, let set, then unmold. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Sue

 

[kingfisher]

BTW,

Here is some info on the Brambleberry base.

Detergent type ingredients would be SLS or SLES (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate) which are used to make suds.
The shaving soap base that Brambleberry carries contains 100% natural ingredients, no added chemicals or detergents. And btw, that base is available at many other suppliers, not just Brambleberry.


If the ingredient list is as follows:

"Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerine (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifer), Soy bean protein (conditioner), Wheat Protein (conditioner)"


It is the brambleberry base which IS soap, and a very good shaving soap at that.

isn't that interesting? So, of the Sues (with Colleen thrown in for good measure), the only one that doesn't use brambleberry base is Sue at Saint Charles Shave, I guess.

 

[breadstick]

I think I must have gotten a bad chunk of soap. I tried it a few times and it foams up very well but the lather is gone by the time I get to my throat. It didn't seem to work for me, but I can't say it isn't great since so many speak so highly of it.

 

[Mama Bear]

isn't that interesting? So, of the Sues (with Colleen thrown in for good measure), the only one that doesn't use brambleberry base is Sue at Saint Charles Shave, I guess.

I am not.. don't think any of us are actually......

 

[breadstick]

I think I must have gotten a bad chunk of soap. I tried it a few times and it foams up very well but the lather is gone by the time I get to my throat. It didn't seem to work for me, but I can't say it isn't great since so many speak so highly of it.

I melted the rest of what I got from Brambleberry last night and I was definitely wrong about what I posted the first time. I mixed in some tobacco fragrance oil from a local scent shop and some bentonite clay and made my lather this morning. It lathered greatly and provided a slick and comfortable shave. I will probably be ordering some more of this when what I have runs out.