July 13, 2023
Happy Hippy Dippy Baloney Day! After an eventful day yesterday, I decided to shave in the comforts of my own bathroom again today. Being asked to leave the place your shaving is no fun, and I’m in no hurry to repeat that experience again anytime soon. Here, no one will ask me to leave – other than my wife or my kids, but let’s not get into that right now.
Instead, let’s get into some Patchouli! I’m generally not a big fan of straight up patchouli. It’s a bit too earthy/musky for my liking. However, when it’s combined with other scents, it can really bring a nice characteristic to a party of other scents.
Today, I’m rocking with Patchouli Peach from Elysian Soap Shop today. I first found out about Elysian about 8-9 months ago, I’ve since become a fan of what she makes. In my interview today, I chatted with Shannon from Elysian, and while she has a lot of gourmand scents (which I am all about) the one I used today, Patchouli Peach is not gourmand at all. This one is nice, bright, spicy, and fairly complex. The patchouli does a great job of toning down the sweetness of peach notes and then there’s a little bit of Pink Peppercorn & Ginger to spice things up a little bit. Very, very nice for the Summer, when the living’s easy.
I decided to ride the Peach wave and use Smash, by HoM and B&M. The splash elevates the Peach Game from the soap and is absolutely wonderful. It brought a wonderful, sweet finish to patchouli-perfuminess of Patchouli Peach. To put a nice bow on the scents for the day, I ended up using K by Dolce & Gabbana, which has some citrus notes to complement the #FOF of today’s Peach-A-Palooza I experienced during the shave and also sits on a base of patchouli to bring today’s theme home.
DISCLAIMER: Did I pay for this soap? Nope. Shannon sent it to me gratis. I’ve bought multiple sets from her and was originally planning on highlighting her Maple Coffee scent (which I did purchase from her) on “Death Before Decaf” Day. So, we did the interview, and all was well. When I thanked her, I told her I planned on posting her interview on July 9th when I used Maple Coffee. And she asked if I could use a different soap because that was a seasonal release and she would send me a scent that she currently has for sale if I’d use that instead. I thought about it, and looked at the calendar, and thought about it again. And I told her that (1) I’m not a shavefluencer (2) no one listens to my opinion, so don’t expect any uptick in sales whatsoever, and (3) I’d have to disclose I didn’t pay for it. She was fine with all that, so here we are. I absolutely, 100% love what she makes and her sending me a free soap doesn’t change that.
PS – By accepting a free soap, does that make me an influencer now? Make sure to SMASH that like and subscribe button!
For the #photocontest it’s fruit. Kind of an easy choice with Patchouli Peach & Smash.
And today’s challenge is one I do every day. Every SOTD I do in the Lather Games, has a relevant musical selection. Today, I included Peaches by The Presidents of the United States of America because I started with Patchouli Peach and ended up taking it from there.
And now for my interview today, I chatted with Shannon Logan, from Elysian Soap Shop. I first came across her because she had a bunch of scents that called to me (like Maple Coffee or Salted Caramel) and I blind bought a set or two. I loved the scents and the performance. It’s been cool to see her company already grow and watch her grow as an artisan, offering more complex scents now, and she’s also using high-walled plastic tubs now vs the tins she started with. Huge win for those that like to load from the tub, like me. She was excited to participate in this series and provides a lot of good insight for origin story, as well as telling us what kind of Peanut Butter she prefers. I’m happy to present to you:
10 Questions with… Elysian Soap Shop
1. How did you get started making shaving soaps and fragrances?
During the pandemic I saw the fragility of our supply chains and just-in-time delivery and started wondering what kind of business could operate only on local supply chains alone in case of a major disruption. I felt that soap was the most resilient because you can make it simple using only two ingredients like olive oil or tallow, or as complicated and fancy as you like with butters and oils imported from around the world. Also, people always need soap, so learning soapmaking seemed like a really useful skill to acquire.
I released my first bath soaps in January of 2022 and I sent one to a friend of mine. She told me she had the best shave of her life. So, I thought, why not create a men's shaving soap as well? The wet shaving community found my shaving soap and since then I've pretty much been on a wild ride.
2. The dictionary tells me “Elysian” means relating to or characteristic of heaven or paradise. A little confident in your soaps? 😉
When I was thinking of names, I wanted to evoke the feeling people should get when they use my soaps--a pleasurable and uplifting experience. From the overwhelming positive feedback I've gotten, my confidence has definitely grown a lot since the beginning.
3. I’m such a lover of gourmand scents, so your soaps are right up my alley and I’ve really enjoyed the soaps of yours that I’ve purchased. How do you decide which scents you are going to make?
Like Willy Wonka: pure imagination.
4. Speaking of gourmand, what are your thoughts on making a pepperoni-pizza scented shave soap?
I'm Italian-American and this is blasphemy.
5. You’ve been in business about a year and a half. What has surprised you the most since starting Elysian?
I had no idea there was this global revivalist movement around wetshaving. I was pleasantly shocked to discover this huge subculture of men and women who enjoy traditional grooming rituals so much. As far as hobbies go, this is such a wholesome and positive one--how can you not love it?
6. How has the reception of the wet shaving community been since you’ve started your company?
Better than I could have ever dreamed.
7. What’s your best-selling soap? And does that surprise you?
Cherie Tobacco, and no that doesn't really surprise me. It's a smell many of us associate with pipes and tobacconists and being around our fathers and grandfathers.
8. Pick one: Crunchy Peanut Butter or Smooth?
Crunchy.
9. When you’re not making soaps, what do you like to do for fun?
Hike with my dog, take naps, and bake.
10. How does Elysian Soap Shop differentiate itself from other shaving soap companies out there?
My goal is to bring dignity back into self care rituals, elevate the shaving experience, and honor timetested traditions. What makes Elysian different? My labels aren't flashy or edgy, I wanted a timeless collectible look because I plan on Elysian being around a long time. This is also why you won't see me jumping on trends or making dupes of existing fragrances, I want to create new experiences that will hopefully become classics. I pay more attention to customer service and spend less time on advertising. I want l customers to feel like a prince (or princess) when they order something from me.