#1

WetTheFace
Company: The Obsessive Soap Perfectionist
Product: Shaving Soap
Founder: James
Location: London England


I first came across OSP with a posting of a new soap in Badger and Blade. It was getting lots of attention but seemed like only a few had it. After some time and many more appearances of the soap I started to get curious. So on Nov 1, I contacted James the owner of The Obsessive Soap Perfectionist better known as OSP. I asked him if he sold samples and wanted to do a review on his soaps that I heard so much about. He wrote back that at this time he had no samples but he was willing to come to an arrangement but first he wanted to know about me and Wet The Face. I understood why, with so much attention about his soaps he just wanted to make sure I was actually running a Google+ community group so I supply him all the links to my Social Media outlets. I also wrote a little something about myself. Once he saw that I did indeed have everything that I said I did we came to an agreement on scents and shipping charges which are outrageous by the way. Then after 20 days they had arrived but I was already working on other reviews but now I’m finally able to write about them.


Let me start off with a little about James. I asked for a little background about him and how he got into soap making. Here’s what he had to say. So I'm 28 and studied as a motorcycle design engineer before moving into manufacturing, and then general management.
As you can tell, I have a passion for motorbikes, but when working as an engineer I was moving around England and couldn't take my bikes with me. I was looking around some local shops and stumbled upon an antique shop that had a job lot of straight razors. I thought they were cool, so I bought a few. Being a hands on person, collecting turned to using, restoring and honing.

I got into soap making through not being satisfied with some of the offerings available in my country. I announced on the forum theshavingroom that I was going to do it as a hobby, and if anyone would like to sample my soap. After 5 or so rounds of samples, I was getting comments along the lines of "you should be selling these!" And so I took the plunge! The company name comes from a comment that one the members on there said that I "had a case of OSP - obsessive soap perfectionist." I couldn't use another name after that! As for the beard in my photo, I do a lot of charity work and I’m goring one for that reason.


James sent me two full tubs of his soaps Grapefruit/Menthol and Lavender plus a mystery package of a soap with a name written across the front.  I’m not sure he wants me to talk about that one now so I’ll save that for another time. I selected Grapefruit/Menthol for my testing.

The tub is made of smooth white plastic with a screw on lid and water proof label. The labels will tell you exactly what inside no cute names for theses soaps. I did have a slight issue holding the tub when loading my brush. It’s so smooth that it was slipping right out of my hands but I managed to quickly get it under control.


The scent of this soap is just wonderful. I’m a big fan of citrus and this one is heading to the top of my list. I’m sorry to say I never noticed that the soap had menthol but what a pleasure it was when I started using it, just the right amount for an invigorating shave.

Loading the brush was no problem for OSP, I wet my brush and rang it out right in the tub. It instantly produced a rich creamy lather that had great coverage. I do advise to keep adding small amounts of water and keep at it you will see the pay off in the end. When applying the lather, the citrus just exploded and the menthol kicked in as well. I had plenty of slickness and glide during the entire shave.

My post shave feel was wonderful I could still smell the citrus after the shave and I had a great cooling menthol feel to my face. I just love a shave like that.

James has a winner here. His hard work and dedication to the craft will most definitely payoff for him and all wet shavers. I’m expecting that a local artisan here might will pick him up to stock his product so we can all enjoy them.


The Obsessive Soap Perfectionist
Product Tested - Grapefruit & Menthol Shaving Soap 5oz $15.00 US less shipping
All made with essential oils - I will never use fragrance oils in shaving soaps!

Ingredients: Aqua, Sodium Tallowate, Potassium Tallowate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Castorate, Potassium Stearate, Glycerin, Potassium Castorate,  Sodium Cocoate, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium Avocadate, Lanolin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Potassium Avocadate, Kaolin, Parfum, Menthol.

Now that you read about it watch the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmQEYU2bNhw



http://www.ospsoap.com/
#2
Great review, I will watch the video later. I just reviewed the soap (a few posts down) and I have to say it's a very good soap.

Wet The Face likes this post
Oli AKA Windsor Citrus
Surrey, UK.
#3

WetTheFace
I agree, The soap is a wonderful performer and James was great to talk to. I wish him well BTW new soaps from James are coming soon keep an eye out
#4
Nice Review!

I have two tubs on the way. I really like the ingredients list.

Wet The Face and WindsorCitrus like this post
#5

WetTheFace
Post shave feel is so good!!

WindsorCitrus likes this post
#6
Oh la la, is that Grapefruit Menthol soap ever cold. Not to the Glacial Level, but still very cold and not only that - its scent is great and so are the lather and skincare. James did an awesome job!

Jeff
JEFF
#7
I've only tried two artisan soaps from the UK - one of them being a good one from Nanny's Silly Soaps. There's a young gentleman in London, England who calls himself the Obsessive Soap Perfectionist and he came out with several fantastically-scented soaps. I bought two of them which arrived yesterday. This review is for the Grapefruit Menthol version.

Ease of lathering: 10/10--Excellent. Whips up to rich, creamy lather fast.

Longevity of lather: 10/10--A bit thirsty but no stability problems at all.

General skincare: 8/10--Very good. Very, very cooling as well as good moisturizing.

Scent: 9/10--More citrusy than grapefruit with strong menthol notes. Very pleasant.

Price: 6/10--With the exchange rate it becomes a bit expensive, but what can you do?

Would I buy again: 10/10--In spite of the highish price, yes!

May God bless James with success, wealth, and happiness as well as good health for his charitible efforts. He is a dear man!

Jeff

Hobbyist and Freddy like this post
JEFF
#8
I plan to try OSP after hearing all the glowing reviews. I was surprised to find that its a tallow soap. I always heard it is very difficult in the UK for artisans to make soaps with tallow due to the laws there. Maybe that's not the case after all.

WindsorCitrus likes this post
#9

WetTheFace
Agreed
#10

WetTheFace
BTW Please check out the Wet The Face Feb Giveaway its a Tub of OSP brand New. Goto the contest section of this forum and click the click to enter

Hobbyist likes this post


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