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A couple of weeks ago a guy from the Handmade Soap Company – a newish Irish beauty business located in Kells, Co Meath – got in touch to ask for an address so that he could send us in a couple of products for testing. When he said a couple he actually meant a jillion, so I’ve people trying this stuff on any available limb right now. Of course I took some off for testing too, immediately falling for the Grapefruit and Irish Moss Shower Gel.
Firstly, the Handmade Soap Company has gotten the price right with this: it’s €6.95. That’s about at the top of what most people want to pay for something they literally pour down the plughole, no matter if it’s created by an Irish brand with a lovely ethos. Yes, I have paid considerably more in the past for shower gel, but €6.95 is something I can happily live with, and I think lots of us can. Secondly you get a decent amount – 250ml.
Thirdly, loving the labels and overall vintage feel to the packaging. Yes, I would very definitely prefer a squeezy tube because the flip-top on this is a bit of a pain in the shower, but it’s not a dealbreaker. That vintage thang is carried across the whole line by the way – I’m sure when feedback starts to trickle back to me from those I handed goodies to we’ll hear more about it – and it’s really well done.
Fourthly, this smells oh-so-good! Like sweets, but not modern yuck sweets – like old-skool sweets, not too sugary but really nice and edible. Lovely. It’s quite thin, and doesn’t foam up. That might be an issue for some, but not me because that leads me nicely to point five.
This doesn’t have any sulphates in it. In general, I’m an equal opportunities chemical lover (hello silicones my old friend) but sulphates are one I can really leave behind as I find them very drying. SLES and SLS are ubiquitous in most shampoos, shower and bath gels and preparations as they’re the foaming agent – they’re also what does the degreasing and stripping of oils from scalp and skin. Most people don’t have any issue with them – and it’s not that sulphates cause me particular grief but I do like to avoid them because products with big proportions make my skin feel like the Gobi desert.
So, well done Handmade Soap Company. In fact, this contains all naturdelll ingredients, is vegan, cruelty-free and all round kind and nice, as well as being guaranteed Irish and supporting and creating Irish jobs.
Not just well done, then – bravo.
I’m impressed – check out their cute website for the rundown on the rest of the product range and the gen on how and where to buy.
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Sounds interesting Kirstie!
For that price (and in light of the postive review)and because they’re an Irish company I might give this a whirl.
Where are they available do you know ?
Oh, this looks great. I’m snooping around their site now and can’t see anything with vanilla – heartbroken! I think I’ll get the grapefruit when I lift my spending ban
I think I saw them on Expose a few months ago and loved the look of the packaging, it’s very reasonable for handmade stuff, must have a squizz.
Thanks for this Kirstie.
Their soaps smell divine (am from Kells too but I promise I ain’t biased) but I haven’t tried their shower gels yet, so I may give them a go next as my Khiels shower gel is nearly finished.
Dreamgirl, not sure where you are based but I have seen their whole range in the Kilkenny shops.
This sounds fab! It’s so difficult to find vegan and SLS-free cosmetics that are affordable! And if they are (or aren’t, actually) they’re not always very nice..
I’ll have to check if they sell in the UK!
Oooh haven’t been this excited by a shower gel in a long time!
Is it weird that I’m excited about a shower gel!! Pity I have about 3 bottles left from all the Sanctuary Spa goodies I got at Christmas… 6 months on still using em!! But serious wantsies with this!
Thought i’d added the link in – sorry! Will edit when I get back
Ooh, I’ve got very dry skin and exema so I’m always making sure to avoid SLS. It’s the reason I can’t go near silcock’s base and the like. May have to look into getting this. Their body butters smell amazing too. Thanks for this Kirstie, hope your hol’s going well. It’s raining here, shocker.
Just did a little search and here is their website
http://www.thehandmadesoapcompany.ie/index.html
I really like ths sound of their products. I love the smell of grapefruit and I love the fact that they are SLS and SLES free too. A trip to The Kilkenny Shop is on the cards I think!
Saw these in a local shop. Was planing to try them when the two bottles of shower gel ran out. In light of the SLES and SLS free I might get some for the mammy while she is on chemo. She was told to stop taking anything not prescribed, so the oils she was taking for her dry skin is gone.
Uh. Impulse Buy City. Just went and bought some shower gel and shaving soap!
I have this shower gel, one of the shave bars and a hand soap and I love them. I have dry skin and these don’t make it at all worse and i find the shave bar quite moisturising. I would definatly recommend trying this stuff.
I’ve bought their lipbalm recently and I normally stay away from flavoured ones but their Choco-Mint one is fantastic. No funny aftertaste and it moisturises really well.
The products are available in Kilkenny on Nassau St – well worth a look.
Being a Kells woman myself means I’m delighted to support this company and really hope they do well!
I’m an equal opportunities chemical lover but sulphates – Well me too kirstie, especially as I get older and my skin isn’t as tolerate to the nasties.
I use to love the smell of soap pink grapefruit from the boby shop years so this sounds right up my street.
€6.95 isn’t bad at all for a quality shower gel.
Ooh i picked up three of their soaps at bloom, using the grapefruit & moss one at the moment and it’s really nice!
Will have to pick this one up! Anyone have any recommendations for SLS/SLES free shampoos?
Great review, am gonna try this for sure! A friend stocks the soap in her shop in Ballinahown Craft Village (near Athlone), need to get her to stock some shower gel. The packaging is sooo cool and the soaps smell divine. Saw the owner of the company on Nationwide a little while ago and he seemed so lovely! Love Irish products!!!
post is updated now,for some reason the first draft posted and not the final version. Ah technology.