A soap begins as the alchemist’s dream. Because I have over 20 years experience of wet shaving and our research alchemist Belladonna has none, I was tasked with dreaming our line of shaving soaps into existence.

When I began wet shaving with a mug, brush and a Merkur double edge safety razor in the early 2000s, artisan shaving soaps were virtually unheard of. I remember first shaving with Williams’ Mug Soap and quickly moving on to Colonel Ichabod Conk’s glycerin shaving soaps—Almond being my favorite. At some point I discovered Proraso in the tube—Target used to carry it—and eventually made my way to Taylor of Old Bond Street. I thought I had arrived.

At this writing, artisan shaving soaps and creams—that is, small-batch, probably made in somebody’s kitchen—have exploded. Frankly, I regard them as I regard micro brews: There are many on the market, a few of them are great, but many are mediocre.

Belladonna Alchemist began making and selling soaps at local farmers’ markets and on her first website in the early 2000s. Her bar soaps were exquisite, but her shaving soaps—frankly—never quite matched up. That changed when she tinkered with a recipe for a vegan-base double-lye hot-process hard shaving soap. It lathered like a dream—think warm whipped cream scooped up with a straight razor. Loading the brush once gave you enough lather for a three-pass shave. Ten shaves barely put a scratch in the jar—a great value for the customer. Excelsior! She had found it!

Now for the scents. Again, like micro brews, there are too many choices. I was convinced we should offer only a few good ones:

Hyssop

I like florals, but not flowery smells. I appreciate florals like the wild mints that grow along the banks of a particular trout stream fish. Hyssop decumbens, a plant in the large family of wild mints, smells faintly of lavender. Monarda (bee balm), is another wild mint with a slightly medicinal fragrance. Yarrow, which grows wild in the meadow next to our home, was used to bitter ale before the use of hops became widespread. The blue yarrow we use in our recipe has grassy overtones and gives the soap a light blue hue. This soap is unique in that this is the only hyssop-scented shaving soap on the market.

Citrus

In winter I awake in darkness to shower and shave before work.  A close, comfortable shave with warm citrusy lather—oranges, lemons, grapefruit—sets me in the right mood to brave the cold and take on whatever the day may bring.

Rugosa

Roses have the reputation of being a woman’s flower. Soft, feminine. I like roses, but I don’t like many of the rose-scented shaving soaps I’ve tried. Our Rugosa shaving soap pays homage to the hardy Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa). Tough as nails, Rugosas thrive in poor soils and can endure the harshest winters of Alaska and Siberia. Mulled with clove, our Rugosa is a brawny scent that is heavy on the thorn.

Unscented

Many people are sensitive to essential oil and fragrances. For them we offer an unscented soap. Same great recipe—sans fragrance.