I’d like to spend a moment reviewing a soap that doesn’t get a whole lot of love on the forums, The Artisan Soap Shoppe Humidor. Here we have a soap that, in my opinion, checks most of the boxes that shaving enthusiasts pursue at a price that puts many of its competitors to shame. Let’s start with the scent. If you relish the thought of stuffing your face in a cigar humidor, then this just might be the scent for you. It’s not the odor of tobacco smoke. Rather, it’s the smell of cured tobacco leaves and cedar that you would encounter in a humidor stocked with well-aged smokes. The smell is medium strong off the puck and remains that way when taken to the face. I find the smell to be unique, pleasant, and potent enough to be the driving criteria for purchasing this product. Moving on to the performance, we are treated to fatty and slick soap that lets the user know that they are smothering their faces with animal products (sounds gross, but it’s a compliment). The lather is thick enough to provide cushion and protection for a quality straight razor shave, and the slickness is good enough to allow for buffing without danger. As for the post-shave feel, it’s honestly not one of the categories that concerns me much, as I always use post shave products like witch hazel or balms. So how does The Artisan Soap Shoppe leave your skin feeling? I’d place it in the “average” category. It doesn’t dry out the face like some budget soaps, but neither does it leave behind a sleek layer of skin food to freshen the flesh. Finally, let’s get to one of the points which sold me on this product to begin with: price. Here is where the A$$ (unfortunate acronym for Artisan Soap Shoppe) really distinguishes itself. I consider it to be a top quality soap for a very reasonable price since you get 6 ounces of blubbery tallow goodness for $12. That’s right: $12. Yes, you heard me: $12. Need I say more?
