Nanny’s Silly Soap Company – Forest of Norway

First things first there is nothing silly about these soaps at all. I like to try many different soaps and creams for my shave everything from major high street brands to luxurious and expensive names. I especially like to try soaps and creams made by small local companies that are set up by someone who has an interest in the area because you get the sense that they are proud of their creation. This normally shows in the end product. The flip side of the coin is that you normally have to get in there quickly as they make a limited supply.

I like woody warm scents in my shaving soaps so I chose the Forest of Norway sample bag from Nanny’s Silly Soap, as well as one other. When I opened the bag I was hit by the wonderful smell of Cedar wood and Pine, which reminded me of walks in spring and autumn in forests and stacking logs for winter fires. The scent from this soap was very warming and is great for the colder or wetter months (or even this summer!).

The consistency of the soap borders on a cream being quite loose and easy to scoop from the bag the sample came in and deposit in the bowel. This really works well for me being a fan of both cream and soap. It lathers up really well but not quite as easily as some of the well known brands; this is due to the natural ingredients. I use a bowel and badger hair brush which seems to work well for this soap. Given its consistency I would expect face lathering to be possible if you deposit the soap in the centre of the brush.

The lather is stable and creamy giving good cushioning for the shave and a hydrating feel. I found that an almond sized scoop gave enough lather for two passes and if you squeezed the lather from the brush you could easily get a third pass with a lovely luxurious feel you normally get from doing this.

With “the better half test” (asking my wife to smell it) the scent of the soap did not do so well but I think the scent of the Forest of Norway is quite masculine and would appeal to men (and women) who like a woody warming scent – like me!

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

5/5 4/5 4½/5 13½/15