A couple of quite good value places for artisan, high end soaps

Nick the Knife

Nick the Knife

Krill Enabler
Grand Society
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Location
Coffs Harbour, NSW
Gents,

Was browsing around earlier and was reading some very good reports about a couple of USA based artisan shaving soap makers. Cut a long story short read consistently exceptional reports on the quality of their products - with people stating repeatedly that they were amongst the absolute best they'd ever tried. Big talk eh?

Anyway upon looking into them they actually both are pretty good value if you're looking to buy 3-4 soaps (Mystic actually has pretty good rates for just a single soap refill).

The details of them are:

  • Mikes Natural Soaps: I'd go for the refill bars myself - these average around $USD8 each around 150g each. Postage is a sliding scale which basically tops out at $18! I was able to order several hundred soaps at $18 postage! Group buy anyone? Big raps on the Orange and Black Pepper soap apparently!
  • Mystic Water Soaps: These are a tiny bit more expensive, again I'd recommend the refill bars around 130g each and about $USD10 (some for about $7 on clearance). They have some great varieties and also do cheap postage - but their calculator doesn't work so they apply this later. 4 soaps for $17 postage is pretty good as thats cost price with USPS.

I should flag that I've NOT tried any of these soaps - haha I BARELY held off ordering them only as I have another few new ones that I've not even tried yet. Check the reviews yourself they do read very well and sound like they're quite exceptional soaps.

They actually come out to be pretty good value - especially when you compare them to the prices we're charged here on the mass produced stuff e.g TOBS, MWF etc.

Cheers, Nick
 
Lynchy said:
Always :)

Theese get a solid rap everywhere!

Anybody here used them and care to share thoughts?
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Well if Michael is getting some we can split the postage to CBR :)

Here we go again!
 
I will check them out, probably go in for A few if a group buy gets legs.

2
 
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Not that we require it here, but Group Buy is approved.

I'd probably grab a couple of the Mike's Natural bars. I'd probably go for something like Lime, Coconut and the Bay Rum.
 
Ah cool.....that was just a throwaway line there but looks like folks are actually interested in these eh?

Well I'd definitely get 3-4 minimum. Lets just say at present that any group buy would ONLY be from Mike's. Ummmmm if folks are interested we'll start another dedicated thread for it before it turns into a crapshoot here.

I've co-ordinated a couple of group buys before and they do have the tendency to turn into a disorganised mess VERY QUICKLY. Also I'll just have to run the numbers to ensure that its worth folks while.....as our good friends at Australia post seem to be charging a minimum small parcels fee of $6.60 these days and that needs to be factored in.

However, if we can get enough volume in a single order I'm happy to contact the vendor directly and try and get a volume discount on what we get. Having said that I'd imagine we'd need to order atleast 20-30 units minimum.....which could be a stretch.

Anyway lets play by ear for now. If nothing else have a good read up on them and make your own mind up, they read a very good product at a pretty damn decent price.
 
I'd be interested in the Mike's Natural Orange/Cedarwood/Black Pepper and the Coconut, and the Mystic Water Lime.

Happy to organise a group buy, I've never been in one before so I don't know what the deal is though. It'd have to come together pretty quick, I have uni exams starting soon.
 
Went to Mike's web site and it did seem interesting. He(they) do have sample sizes of their shave soap bars. 1$ to 1.50$US. Shipping was$3US for 1 or 4 to the US. Have 4 samples coming.
 
Nick the Knife said:
...........Was browsing around earlier and was reading some very good reports.........
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That's the problem with browsing around. Tempting, but as always before I decide I add up all the excellent soaps I've already got and how long they'll last me and decide that I can just about justify pulling the trigger for a new soap in three years time. Talking about browsing around, had a peak over at YKW and started reading a thread which started about Simpsons recent price rise and that then went in to 9 pages of Simpson/Watterson bashing by the usual bunch of self righteous morons, who, by the way, to a man have all been elevated to moderator status. Glad I don't browse around any more.

Sorry, back on topic.....love group buys but not at the moment. However having said that, if somebody (I did the last one) wants to organise one for Gifts and Care, I'll contradict the above statement and put my hand up for a couple of sticks of La Toja. Been using it heaps on holiday and haven't got much left.
 
Pjotr said:
That's the problem with browsing around. Tempting, but as always before I decide I add up all the excellent soaps I've already got and how long they'll last me and decide that I can just about justify pulling the trigger for a new soap in three years time. Talking about browsing around, had a peak over at YKW and started reading a thread which started about Simpsons recent price rise and that then went in to 9 pages of Simpson/Watterson bashing by the usual bunch of self righteous morons, who, by the way, to a man have all been elevated to moderator status. Glad I don't browse around any more.

Sorry, back on topic.....love group buys but not at the moment. However having said that, if somebody (I did the last one) wants to organise one for Gifts and Care, I'll contradict the above statement and put my hand up for a couple of sticks of La Toja. Been using it heaps on holiday and haven't got much left.
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PJ, I still have a few sticks of La Toja left untouched - you can have one if you wish.
 
FWIW the postage on the samples seems capped at $USD8.25....so whether you order 1 or 20 its the same price.

With the soap bars postage for 1 is $8.25, 2 is $10.25, 3 is $13.25 and 4+ is $18.

FWIW I'd be aware that the coconut one is reputed to be VERY sweet smelling and is exceptionally strong. Strong vanilla scent folks equate to baked coconut pie. It seemed to polarise a lot of folks.

The more I think about it I just don't think a group buy is going to be worthwhile.........most folks will only want 2-3 soaps. Hence to their door postage will be ~$13. Going with the group buy you've got your share of the postage from the US then postage and packaging costs in Oz, ~$8. So you might save a few dollars but the hassle...especially for whoever organises just isn't worth it.

I could see this being a mess as scents will go out of stock etc etc....IMHO group buys are only worth doing where the postage costs are VERY high or the volume discounts on the items is very significant. I can't see this hitting either of those. So I'm going to withdraw from any such effort BUT will be ordering myself.....dunno if I'll go a few samples first or wing it and hope for the best.
 
Oh FWIW just from having read up a LOT on artisan/small maker soaps one thing to be wary of with soaps in general, particularly if you have sensitive skin - is those which have saponified coconut oil as one of their major ingredients.

It'll generally be in the ingredients list as Sodium Cocoate or sometimes Potassium Cocoate.

Apparently in the right amount its excellent for a shaving soap BUT as a major ingredient it can cause drying of the skin and other problems. Just something to be aware of as the whole soap making thing is pretty complicated.

PS. Also I just noticed that one of the sort of signature ingredients that Mike's uses, Kokum butter does have the potential to annoy those with skin problems such as eczema. Is always a good idea to check up on the ingredients/scents in soaps before getting them as with a lot of smaller makers they often use stuff that while great for 90% is no good at all for the other 10% of folks. :)
 
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Gawd once I get a hint of something I just can't hold off.........thankfully rather than a order of the full soaps I only went with the samplers. Grabbed every single sampler I could get (except the unscented & the coconut).

I'll post my thoughts up whence they arrive. Alas a few of the ones I wanted to try were out of stock (lime) but rather than the scent I'm more interested in how they perform and particularly will they agree with my skin or not.
 
Pjotr said:
... Talking about browsing around, had a peak over at YKW and started reading a thread which started about Simpsons recent price rise and that then went in to 9 pages of Simpson/Watterson bashing by the usual bunch of self righteous morons, who, by the way, to a man have all been elevated to moderator status. Glad I don't browse around any more. ...
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12 pages now - must sit down with a coffee and have a good read :eek:mg:
 
My 2c. Like PJ, it's worth considering your sources of the reviews for these products. If it's the usual place, then you might need to take it with a pinch. Even so the prices are good.

Postage is always the issues. PJ made it work last year, from G&C I think, but I'm pretty sure they came to the party on discount and postage costs. Also, I think most of the recipients picked up from PJ, so 2nd postage wasn't so much of a problem. If the numbers work and people are happy, you're away.

Yeah, the coconut thing. The only soaps that have really prickled me up had a healthy serve of coconut oil derivatives - one that springs to mind is Razorock, the Aqui di Parma-alike one.

As for YKW and Simpsons - that's always going to stir things up. I haven't read the thread, but given Simpson operate in a very niche market, and multiple purchases are even more niche, I can hardly blame them for jacking prices up. UK economy is the toilet - yet their worldwide hardcore market will pay whatever, because they believe they're the best. Sure they'll probably sell less brushes overall. They might make something decent on the ones they do.

It's also really funny the predicament YKW are in. They can't 'ban' chat on Simpsons brushes because the following is so huge and it's no a single vendor. So they let the mod jackboots run free instead. Funny, yet sad and pathetic.
 
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Drubbing said:
My 2c. Like PJ, it's worth considering your sources of the reviews for these products. If it's the usual place, then you might need to take it with a pinch. Even so the prices are good.

Postage is always the issues. PJ made it work last year, from G&C I think, but I'm pretty sure they came to the party on discount and postage costs. Also, I think most of the recipients picked up from PJ, so 2nd postage wasn't so much of a problem. If the numbers work and people are happy, you're away.
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Both excellent points, to be fair to MNS the reviews I read were over a bunch of threads - the majority on YKW but a few others on lesser sites. They link to most of them on their website.

Before going for the samplers I did look at a few of the other well regarded artisan specialist shaving soap makers....like Queen Charlotte Soaps and a few others but the cost of their sops was just too much and the reviews I read didn't have them that much above others.

The attraction with MNS apart from the reviews I'd read was.....good sized soaps (~130-150g each), good postage costs and their ingredients list SHOULD make for a very good soap based on what I've read. Anyway we'll see.....I've always had cheapo soaps (even P160 has historically been a bulk buy barbers store soap) so it would be nice to try a few good ones.

I agree 100% with the postage issue......thats where for this vendor a central groupbuy doesn't really make sense......but I'd recommend the 2 CBR lads to get together and so folks in the same area to do the same. When you're able to buy this way and have total postage capped at ~$18 if you can get 3 guys in and grab 3-4 soaps each it'll be some very good buying.

I've gone off the Mystic Rivers as the buying of the samplers isn't quite as easy as at MNS....that said they have a LOT more varieties and some of them sound superb. I had at first thought them the better choice as they had NO coconut derived products in their soaps but then read that as long as it's not a major ingredient its actually a positive to still have them in as they're so good at what they do.
 
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