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Dusted down the Mama Bear

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
At one time Mama Bear's glycerin soaps were all the rage. She was probably one of the first "artisans," properly styled. 4 or 5 years ago people lost interest as new artisans with all sorts of soap bases appeared on the scene. I have 3 pucks of her soap that I've had for yonks- one is her fake Old Spice, another is a barbershop scent, and the third is some sort of amber. I hadn't used any of them in a year or two until just now. I think I used the amber, but it might have been the barbershop, which I remember having an amber scent not unlike the Campbell's lather machine lather scent. In either case, the soap rehydrated quickly and came back to life. I loaded the brush with lather and then rinsed it out in some probably mistaken notion of sanitation. Then I rinsed the puck, dropped it back in the mug, loaded it like I hated it, and made a really nice face lather with an Emperor 3. Two comfortable passes and plenty left for touch up. Her soaps were never heavily perfumed, but the scent was still there. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the clean scent of glycerin soap, which is also present in all of her offerings. It was a really lovely shave. Finished up with some vintage Gillette Sun Up after shave and some CeraVe moisturizer.

I'm trying to dedicate myself to finishing some soaps. I've been rotating between Cella and Santa Maria del Fiore all summer. This Mama Bear puck may see some action as well. I had forgotten how much I liked it.

I just checked her website and she's still making soap; her prices look really good and she has all sorts of scents. If you've never tried a glycerin soap you might give her a try.
 

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
I've been a big fan of Mama Bears for quite a number of years; often ordering by the pound when restocking. Sue has sold her business and the new owners use the same formulae and, to my understanding, Sue helps out when needed as well. It's good to see that what she has built is still going.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
I've been a big fan of Mama Bears for quite a number of years; often ordering by the pound when restocking. Sue has sold her business and the new owners use the same formulae and, to my understanding, Sue helps out when needed as well. It's good to see that what she has built is still going.
I didn't know she sold the business- thank you for that. I was happy to see it is still a going concern. You really don't hear much about it anymore, which is too bad. They are excellent soaps.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
At one time Mama Bear's glycerin soaps were all the rage. She was probably one of the first "artisans," properly styled. 4 or 5 years ago people lost interest as new artisans with all sorts of soap bases appeared on the scene. I have 3 pucks of her soap that I've had for yonks- one is her fake Old Spice, another is a barbershop scent, and the third is some sort of amber. I hadn't used any of them in a year or two until just now. I think I used the amber, but it might have been the barbershop, which I remember having an amber scent not unlike the Campbell's lather machine lather scent. In either case, the soap rehydrated quickly and came back to life. I loaded the brush with lather and then rinsed it out in some probably mistaken notion of sanitation. Then I rinsed the puck, dropped it back in the mug, loaded it like I hated it, and made a really nice face lather with an Emperor 3. Two comfortable passes and plenty left for touch up. Her soaps were never heavily perfumed, but the scent was still there. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the clean scent of glycerin soap, which is also present in all of her offerings. It was a really lovely shave. Finished up with some vintage Gillette Sun Up after shave and some CeraVe moisturizer.

I'm trying to dedicate myself to finishing some soaps. I've been rotating between Cella and Santa Maria del Fiore all summer. This Mama Bear puck may see some action as well. I had forgotten how much I liked it.

I just checked her website and she's still making soap; her prices look really good and she has all sorts of scents. If you've never tried a glycerin soap you might give her a try.

I have those same three! Came in a cigar box; gift from the kids.

The Old Spice copy is in an OS mug, where it belongs.

They're in rotation, but I agree, Owen! The rotation has grown! They got used more when there were less wonderful choices. Now they're all good!


AA
 
I just discovered Mama Bear soaps a couple of months ago. They really are top-notch for scent, performance and customer service. When I sent some email questions in I'm pretty sure that Sue replied.
 
I used her soaps when I first got into wet shaving but theres better options out there now. I stopped using her soaps for personal reasons and now that I hear she sold the business, maybe I will give Mama Bear another look.
 
I think Sue used a melt and pour base, similar to Brambleberry's, or it may have even been Brambleberry's base that she started with, and then did scenting, coloring, and added some other ingredients to that base.
I went through several of her soaps back in the day and quite liked them.

It seems like there came a time when people kind of rebelled against these types of soaps and they really fell off the radar. I do remember getting good shaves from them, though. Unlike what was mentioned upthread, my recollection is that her soaps were pretty much always heavily scented.

I also remember that there was a pretty devastating fire at some point that destroyed some of her stuff and some of her inventory, too. If I recall correctly, she had to move or rebuild.

Another soaper from back then that made similar soaps but with more interesting scents and better packaging was Colleen at The Gentleman's Quarter. I can't be the only one who remembers those soaps, can I?
 
At one time Mama Bear's glycerin soaps were all the rage. She was probably one of the first "artisans," properly styled. 4 or 5 years ago people lost interest as new artisans with all sorts of soap bases appeared on the scene. I have 3 pucks of her soap that I've had for yonks- one is her fake Old Spice, another is a barbershop scent, and the third is some sort of amber. I hadn't used any of them in a year or two until just now. I think I used the amber, but it might have been the barbershop, which I remember having an amber scent not unlike the Campbell's lather machine lather scent. In either case, the soap rehydrated quickly and came back to life. I loaded the brush with lather and then rinsed it out in some probably mistaken notion of sanitation. Then I rinsed the puck, dropped it back in the mug, loaded it like I hated it, and made a really nice face lather with an Emperor 3. Two comfortable passes and plenty left for touch up. Her soaps were never heavily perfumed, but the scent was still there. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the clean scent of glycerin soap, which is also present in all of her offerings. It was a really lovely shave. Finished up with some vintage Gillette Sun Up after shave and some CeraVe moisturizer.

I'm trying to dedicate myself to finishing some soaps. I've been rotating between Cella and Santa Maria del Fiore all summer. This Mama Bear puck may see some action as well. I had forgotten how much I liked it.

I just checked her website and she's still making soap; her prices look really good and she has all sorts of scents. If you've never tried a glycerin soap you might give her a try.
Mama Bear Soaps is now under new ownership. Sue retired.

Clayton

Sent from my SM-A705U using Tapatalk
 
I always loved her Dragon's Blood scent. It performed well a made for a great shaving experience.
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
I always loved her Dragon's Blood scent. It performed well a made for a great shaving experience.

That was mine as well. still have one tub unopened. Wishing Sue a happy retirement, I recall she once made a special soap for "the Gentlemen of Badger & Blade", I'm foggy on the details, but maybe Diogenes Club?
 
I think Sue used a melt and pour base, similar to Brambleberry's, or it may have even been Brambleberry's base that she started with, and then did scenting, coloring, and added some other ingredients to that base.
I went through several of her soaps back in the day and quite liked them.

It seems like there came a time when people kind of rebelled against these types of soaps and they really fell off the radar. I do remember getting good shaves from them, though. Unlike what was mentioned upthread, my recollection is that her soaps were pretty much always heavily scented.

I also remember that there was a pretty devastating fire at some point that destroyed some of her stuff and some of her inventory, too. If I recall correctly, she had to move or rebuild.

Another soaper from back then that made similar soaps but with more interesting scents and better packaging was Colleen at The Gentleman's Quarter. I can't be the only one who remembers those soaps, can I?

I remember those days. I was here in ‘06.

Colleen Relaunched tgq last year, but I’m not sure if it really took off again. I think there’s still a glycerine stigma these days.
 
I remember those days. I was here in ‘06.

Colleen Relaunched tgq last year, but I’m not sure if it really took off again. I think there’s still a glycerine stigma these days.
Yeah. She actually sent me a beta-formula cream and aftershave to test out about a year or so ago. I think she, at least at that time, was attempting to get back into the game.
 
I had a, as it turned out, short-lived start at DE shaving back in 2007. Thanks to B&B, my initial set-up included a Mama Bear soap, Giovanni’s Tuscan Memories. I used that for one of my first shaves when I went back to wet shaving a couple of weeks or so ago. Still smells as great as ever and none the worse for wear from its 13-year hibernation (sorry, couldn’t resist). Glycerin soap really is great stuff.
 
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