This week I have had the pleasure of shaving with Ballenclaugh Honey & Tobacco shave soap. You won't find Ballenclaugh soaps with their own web page like many of the artisans. I believe they were only selling through Facebook and Etsy until earlier this year when they started pretty much selling exclusively through West Coast Shaving (WCS). It looks as if in the past Ballenclaugh has soaps called Woodsman, Fire & Ice, and Festive Parlor. Currently through WCS I believe the only soaps available are Old Barber Menthe (a classic barbershop scent with mint) and Honey & Tobacco. I did see that a soap called Portals is coming out this month...but I have no idea what that is supposed to smell like.
The soaps seems to come in a standard six ounce screw on wide mouth tub that we have grown accustomed to from most soap makers. The label is a water resistant label adhered to the top of the lid. There is nothing fancy with the graphics....though I really like the simplicity of the design. All in all, everything is functional and it all works together.
This soap is a pretty decent value. They are purchased for $16.00 and at 5.5 ounces, you are looking at $2.91 an ounce. Not too bad as many of the soaps are often in the $3 to $4 an ounce range.
I have to say that I have really been enjoying my soaps that are more on the sophisticated side as far as scent goes. Trying to pull out the various aromas and how they all blend together. And normally I would say that scents on the simpler side aren't my thing, but that isn't always the case. Ballenclaugh's Honey & Tobacco is the exception here. Often when a soap gives us the idea of one or two notes...we get a harmony of scent that all work in unison to accomplish one goal. Not here...and don't get me wrong...this is a good thing! There are exactly two notes in this soap...Honey...and Tobacco. Now I am not really a tobacco type of guy...I like the smell sometimes...but I have never had any soap that is tobacco scented. For me this is a wonderful scent. and like I said...there are two very distinguishable notes. The sweet honey plays on the richness of the tobacco...and it's a pipe tobacco (at least that's what I think it is) not a green tobacco.
The list of ingredients that is put in this soap isn't exactly a short one...but definitely not as long as some. Either way...it looks like there is some good stuff in there.
Ingredients: beef tallow, castor oil, palm kernel seed oil, camellia seed oil, kokum butter, cocoa butter, stearic acid, vegetable glycerin, lanolin, real silk fibers, bentonite clay, titanium dioxide, sodium hydroxide/potassium dioxide mixture and fragrance/essential oils
What I like about the ingredients here is that I know what all of theses items are for the most part.
I'm not going to lie...the first use of this soap I was a tad underwhelmed. It was a face lather with a badger brush. I am starting to realize that when I face lather, my lather is a bit on the thick and rich side...but that also means that it is a little dry. Bowl lathering, this soap I was able to get a pretty loose, but a held together, wet lather. This was better, but not optimal. Another face lather...and I did not skimp or pay much attention to how much water I was using...I just put it in there. I got a great lather! All the things that you want in a really good lather...slick...protective...residual slickness...post shave feel/moisturizing. All the areas are way above average...and mostly exceptional. I do think the residual slickness is probably the weak link here... but still above average. I just wish it was better.
But honestly, sometimes I get that feeling that there is something missing from a soap. Something missing that would just push that soap into an elite status. I get that with Ballenclaugh. Just something about it that is keeping this soap from an elite soap.
There is one aspect that is absolutely exceptional...Post Shave Feel/Moisturizing. As I said above...I was a little underwhelmed on my first shave. And I was ready to just move on to the next soap. But my face felt incredible and moisturized for a VERY long time through the day. Second shave confirmed it. It might actually have the absolute best post shave feel of any soap I have tried. When I shave with Ballenclaugh, my face feels wonderful for most of the day...at least six hours, but really I am feeling it still when I get home from work. In other words...post shave feel is in the elite status.
My categories for grading a soap/cream are as follows: Ease of Lather, Total Lather, Residual Slickness, and Post Shave Feel. Additionally, I will assign to each category the following grades: Poor, Fair, Good, Great, Excellent. I am lumping slickness, cushion, and protection, together as Total Lather. To me, these three work to provide you a comfortable or not so comfortable shave. Therefore they are being graded as one.
Ballenclaugh Honey & Tobacco soap was graded as follows:
Ease of Lather: Great
Total Lather: Excellent
Residual Slickness: Great
Post Shave Feel: Excellent
Average Attribute Grade: Great...almost at the Excellent Level
Is this a perfect soap? Almost...but just needs something else...but is better than most other soaps
Is this an elite soap? Not quite...but this will still likely make my rotation...it's that good.
I on Chad's (@cvargo) scale...this is solidly a Tier 1 soap. Where to put it in Tier 1 is a little difficult. But I think I can safely say that it is likely a Tier 1, Box 3 soap. It could go up or down a box based on preference.
Thank you all for reading. I know it's long...and if you got this far...man you really wanted to read this. Thanks again and have a great day!
