My husband thinks I'm crazy....

[BobbiOh]

I've bought various brands of soap for testing and research. Buff City, Bubble Factory (Soap Gal), Dr. Squatch, and Duke Cannon. I'm going to have my husband try them to see what he likes about each brand. I know what I like, but I think men and women want something different out of soap. Also, examining the business models.

The Bubble Factory wins for the best ingredient listing and we both like it (me more than him). We're both "meh" with Buff City.

I was surprised that Duke Cannon doesn't have Olive Oil on the list of ingredients, but some of the biggest brands are almost all Coconut Oil, so we'll see. The box says it's "distributed by Duke Cannon" so, I'm curious about that too.

Come to think of it, my husband probably thinks I'm crazy for a different reason.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Have to laugh at Buffalo Trace bourbon in soap. Since DH and a couple of friends love that bourbon, I can see the marketing appeal for purchase as a gift. But it does nothing for the soap. What a waste. The label should say the Interns were drinking Buffalo Trace while making the soap! Hey, could they write that off on taxes???

Palm oil makes a mild soap, no olive oil or other high oleic oil is necessary. In my experience, however, palm oil has a bit of a waxy character. Add to that the fact than many folks now avoid PO due to destruction of habitats and environmental concerns, I no longer use it.

Waiting for hubby’s evaluations.

 

[BobbiOh]

I'm kind of surprised by two big brands using Palm Oil when so many consumers consider it the devil. I personally don't like soaping with it because of the ash.

Interestingly, I watched a few videos comparing the two and a couple of guys looked at the ingredient and don't get that "saponified oils of" and sodium cocoate, etc, are the same thing. They think the Squatch soap is natural and the Duke soap isn't because of that (misinformed) thing.

We're bourbon lovers so the idea is intriguing, but my guess it's just label appeal. My hubs is one of those guys that rubs soap directly on his skin and complains that the soap I like doesn't lather much. I'm interested in his take.

 

[Servant4Christ]

I look at soaps in the stores whenever I have time while grocery shopping and such. I like to get ideas on labeling and scents. I do not, however, buy or bother testing any of them. I make my own soap and get feedback on what friends and family like/dislike and make adjustments accordingly. For me, it's easier than trying reverse engineer another company's soap, especially knowing that ingredient labels on plain ole soap don't have to actually list in descending order. I know when I have a winner because I get a sudden call or text asking if someone I gifted a bar to can buy multiple bars of XYZ soap.

 

[Ekuzo]

I'm kind of surprised by two big brands using Palm Oil when so many consumers consider it the devil. I personally don't like soaping with it because of the ash.

Do you mean you've noticed that soap with PO tends to produce more soda ash than one without?

 

[Misschief]

Have to laugh at Buffalo Trace bourbon in soap. Since DH and a couple of friends love that bourbon, I can see the marketing appeal for purchase as a gift. But it does nothing for the soap. What a waste. The label should say the Interns were drinking Buffalo Trace while making the soap! Hey, could they write that off on taxes???

The bourbon is for label appeal. I live in a wine area and make red and white wine soaps with local red and white wines; they usually sell quickly. The sugars in the alcohol might help with lather but, yeah, it's mainly just for label appeal.

 

[paradisi]

Agree. Unless one plans to compete in their space --and there are bigger indies who do want to sell in that space-- other than if customers request scents from them, looking at packaging design is the only thing about them that seems useful to me.

If it's that those companies do mail order, well, smaller soapers can do that too.

 

[BobbiOh]

I want to see how their soaps perform and get a different viewpoint than my own. I'm not trying to be them but there maybe something I like about their soap and a light bulb may go on. They must be doing something right because Squatch is $80 million company in a world where body washes reign supreme. The Soap Gal has a thriving private label/ white label program.

In my experience, men and women tend to use soap differently. I use a washcloth, my husband rubs the soap directly on his skin. I like how dense and creamy the suds are, he's "meh" because there aren't big bubbles, but likes that his skin doesn't feel tight after use. I'm trying to figure out what they are doing right and tweaking my recipe as I go along.

I'm intrigued by making an IPA soap that has hops in it. The local brewery is in too.

 

[BobbiOh]

Have to laugh at Buffalo Trace bourbon in soap. Since DH and a couple of friends love that bourbon, I can see the marketing appeal for purchase as a gift. But it does nothing for the soap. What a waste. The label should say the Interns were drinking Buffalo Trace while making the soap!

They'd have drink the Buffalo Trace AFTER they made soap or OSHA would have a fit.

We moved to Kentucky last February, I have horses and he has midget cars, and California had gotten way too unfriendly for those sports. We've developed a love of bourbon and it would be fun to tie that in with the local distilleries.

But, the Duke Cannon soap, barely has a scent. It smells like soap. The Dr. Squatch whiskey soap had more scent but I think they use an FO to get that. But, I find Bourbon soaps intriguing.

 

[Humblegoat]

The bourbon is for label appeal. I live in a wine area and make red and white wine soaps with local red and white wines; they usually sell quickly. The sugars in the alcohol might help with lather but, yeah, it's mainly just for label appeal.

Maybe they will age it in oak barrels next lol

 

[BobbiOh]

I used the Dr. Squatch soap today. I was sloppily cut, it had a few start and stop lines, and it wasn't an even cut. On top of that, it had flecks of soap "dust" like they hadn't cleaned the cutter between batches. The fold in tab was stuck into the soap, so it was boxed way too early and makes me wonder if the complaints of the soap not lasting is because of lack of cure.

The Grapefruit scent was good but light and no hops smell at all. The lather was okay, not great and I liked my soap better (but then I'm biased).

Overall impression, aesthetics count and the cutting is a pretty easy thing with the equipment they have. It was a good bar, not exceptional. I think a lot of it is marketing. They were essentially first "natural" bar that aimed at men that had national ads and became recognized. Those ads were phenomenal. They got the average guy to consider natural soaps from grocery store bars and body washes.

My husband used the Duke Cannon this morning so I'll ask for his impressions when he gets home.

 

[Maple_Street_Bath]

Your husband must be more discerning than mine. When I ask mine how different soaps feel to him, he only says "It got me clean". He does make an exception for salt bars. The first time he used one he came out of the bathroom and said "I don't know what that soap was, but keep making that."