I was on the fence about this soap when it was announced in mid-June. I’m not a huge fan of gourmand type-scents as a general rule, however, I am a HUGE fan of apple pie. When Peter started explaining that he made sure there was more going on than just the apple pie notes, I knew that this was going to be a purchase. He was releasing it for the 4[sup]th[/sup], though due to my location, I was didn’t get it until afterward. Packaging is nice, though not quite to the level of Ariana & Evans. The labels are glossy, with a small (possibly waterproof) label on the bottom listing the ingredients. There is a side label, and it comes in a nice wide tub. Scent off of the tub is directly reminiscent of a freshly baked apple pie, however, you can get a sense that there is going to be more going on once you get it lathered. The strength is about a 2-2.5/5, so right about middling. Speaking of the scent, here are the notes:
Green Apple, Red Apple, nutmeg, brown sugar, sandalwood, oakmoss, with a light floral backdrop
This is the same goat milk formula that is found in all of the Ariana & Evans soaps which have been released in the past 2 months. Peter is also going back and re-releasing all of his previous soaps in this formula. If you’re interested in getting a tub, make sure to check the ingredient list prior to buying. If it matches the below list, it’s the newly released version. I’ve gone over the great skin food that’s found in this soap base, but if you’re reading for the first time, or have forgotten, here is the ingredient list:
Stearic Acid, Tallow, Goats Milk, Shea Butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Kokum Butter, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Mango Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Lanolin, Bentonite Clay, Sodium Lactate, Beeswax, Fragrance & EO's
This soap, like all other A&E / The Club soaps that I’ve used, lathers up very quick. A 20 second load was all that was needed to provide plenty of lather for a three pass shave. The soap’s properties, once properly hydrated, give it phenomenal cushion, stability and slickness, and near elite level slickness and residual slickness. The scent once lathered blooms out to about a 3/5, maybe 3.5. Not too bad, as any stronger would start to get cloying and annoying. The scent does stay with you through the shave, though I have to admit that I was getting a little nose blind to it as the shave progressed, a sign that it might be a tad too strong; at least to my nose, that is. The apple pie scent is indeed backed up by the sandalwood and floral notes quite nicely however. They keep it from being a straight gourmand scent, which I very much appreciated. Of course, the residual slickness is more than good enough for some water-only clean-up if you choose, and the moisturizing is definitely elite level.
Here are the scores (as always, strength of scent and preference aren’t included since they’re so subjective):
Lathering: 10/10
Cushion: 10/10
Slickness: 9.5/10
Moisturizing: 10/10
Residual Slickness: 9.5/10
Stability: 5/5
Total: 54/55
Comparable soap bases from a performance standpoint:
Declaration Grooming Project Icarus (55/55)
Declaration Grooming Bison Tallow (54.5/55)
Wholly Kaw Donkey Milk (52/55)
WSP Formula T (51/55)
Eufros (51/55)
Conclusion: Another great soap from Peter at The Shaving Shop Club and Ariana & Evans. Since this is a “The Club” branded soap, it’s only available to VIP club members on their website. Wholesalers only have access to the Ariana & Evans line of soaps, which is the retail line of soaps. The Club soaps are Peter’s opportunity to get a little riskier with his scent choices, as well as get more creative with his labels. But the performance is just as good since it’s the same formula. The price point is nice as well, with a tub running just short of $14 for 4oz of soap. That comes in at just shy of $3.50/oz for a soap that performs just short of Declaration Grooming, and outpaces other elite soaps such as Noble Otter and Wholly Kaw Donkey Milk. The moisturizing properties which this soap imparts to the skin is phenomenal, and doesn’t require a post-shave product, even if you have overly dry skin. (I still use post-shave stuff, just purely out of habit) As far as the scent is concerned, there is more going on than just apple pie, though that is still the primary feeling you get from the soap. All in all, a very nice soap that really does speak to the desert that is “All-American”…because nothing is as American as apple pie. And I love pie….
https://youtu.be/f4aqzR58dr8
Green Apple, Red Apple, nutmeg, brown sugar, sandalwood, oakmoss, with a light floral backdrop
This is the same goat milk formula that is found in all of the Ariana & Evans soaps which have been released in the past 2 months. Peter is also going back and re-releasing all of his previous soaps in this formula. If you’re interested in getting a tub, make sure to check the ingredient list prior to buying. If it matches the below list, it’s the newly released version. I’ve gone over the great skin food that’s found in this soap base, but if you’re reading for the first time, or have forgotten, here is the ingredient list:
Stearic Acid, Tallow, Goats Milk, Shea Butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Kokum Butter, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Mango Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Lanolin, Bentonite Clay, Sodium Lactate, Beeswax, Fragrance & EO's
This soap, like all other A&E / The Club soaps that I’ve used, lathers up very quick. A 20 second load was all that was needed to provide plenty of lather for a three pass shave. The soap’s properties, once properly hydrated, give it phenomenal cushion, stability and slickness, and near elite level slickness and residual slickness. The scent once lathered blooms out to about a 3/5, maybe 3.5. Not too bad, as any stronger would start to get cloying and annoying. The scent does stay with you through the shave, though I have to admit that I was getting a little nose blind to it as the shave progressed, a sign that it might be a tad too strong; at least to my nose, that is. The apple pie scent is indeed backed up by the sandalwood and floral notes quite nicely however. They keep it from being a straight gourmand scent, which I very much appreciated. Of course, the residual slickness is more than good enough for some water-only clean-up if you choose, and the moisturizing is definitely elite level.
Here are the scores (as always, strength of scent and preference aren’t included since they’re so subjective):
Lathering: 10/10
Cushion: 10/10
Slickness: 9.5/10
Moisturizing: 10/10
Residual Slickness: 9.5/10
Stability: 5/5
Total: 54/55
Comparable soap bases from a performance standpoint:
Declaration Grooming Project Icarus (55/55)
Declaration Grooming Bison Tallow (54.5/55)
Wholly Kaw Donkey Milk (52/55)
WSP Formula T (51/55)
Eufros (51/55)
Conclusion: Another great soap from Peter at The Shaving Shop Club and Ariana & Evans. Since this is a “The Club” branded soap, it’s only available to VIP club members on their website. Wholesalers only have access to the Ariana & Evans line of soaps, which is the retail line of soaps. The Club soaps are Peter’s opportunity to get a little riskier with his scent choices, as well as get more creative with his labels. But the performance is just as good since it’s the same formula. The price point is nice as well, with a tub running just short of $14 for 4oz of soap. That comes in at just shy of $3.50/oz for a soap that performs just short of Declaration Grooming, and outpaces other elite soaps such as Noble Otter and Wholly Kaw Donkey Milk. The moisturizing properties which this soap imparts to the skin is phenomenal, and doesn’t require a post-shave product, even if you have overly dry skin. (I still use post-shave stuff, just purely out of habit) As far as the scent is concerned, there is more going on than just apple pie, though that is still the primary feeling you get from the soap. All in all, a very nice soap that really does speak to the desert that is “All-American”…because nothing is as American as apple pie. And I love pie….
https://youtu.be/f4aqzR58dr8
