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It's been a while since I have done one of these types of posts but it is great to be back!
First of all, I want to say a HUGE thank you to Tony and The Friendly Soap Company team for sending me this amazing box of treats- it was like Christmas had come early!
Friendly Soap luxury bars are vegan, cruelty free and packaged using recycled and recyclable cardboard. Every team member is paid more than the living wage and all aspects of Friendly’s manufacturing process is squeaky clean. I love a brand with solid ethics and values!
I unboxed my box of treats over on my YouTube channel and you can watch that back here:
I was given a choice as to what products I wanted, and Tony very generously threw a couple of extra surprises in there too! Here is what I received:
I couldn't wait to get stuck in!
First, to the bars! My first choice was an absolute no brainer for me- The Cocoa Butter Cleansing Bar (RRP £2.95). This is a cocoa butter soap containing vitamin A and healthy fatty acids- it has zero synthetic ingredients or any fragrance at all! It's wonderful simplicity makes it a great choice for those who like to keep things natural. Each Cocoa Butter bar is handmade with 4 natural ingredients, cocoa butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and aqua. You can also use this on the body too! Gentle and kind – your skin will definitely thank you for it! Cocoa butter is my absolute favourite skincare ingredient, my skin just adores it and so when I saw this, I knew I had to have it!
I must admit, I am always a little nervous when using 'soap' bars on my face but I needn't have worried as this is so gentle, nourishing and left my skin feeling squeaky clean. I also didn't feel that 'tightness' on my skin after using, which I usually do with cleansers. Total winner!
Another no brainer for me was my next choice, The Aloe Vera Soap Bar (RRP £2.45). This aloe vera soap bar contains only the gentlest ingredients and not a single colourant. Natural moisturising oils and nourishing aloe vera make it perfect for delicate skin. Pure and fragrance-free, simple, soothing and sublime.
Aloe Vera is another essential skincare ingredient for me- you just cannot beat it's skin soothing and nourishing properties- it is the holy grail! I am using this soap bar in my kitchen for after I wash the dishes- dish soap can really dry out my hands so I wash them with this soap afterwards to restore and soothe the skin- it is working a treat too!
I had to pick something to go with this time of the year, and what better choice than the Cinnamon Soap Bar (RRP £2.45)? The sublime scent packed into this handy, plant-based cinnamon soap bar is warm, full, slightly fruity, peppery and vanilla-like. It's great to help you relax in the shower or bath. It also has classic cleansing and soothing qualities.
I adore cinnamon, it just smells so beautiful at any time of year, but particularly in the Autumn/Winter season as it just fills me with Christmas cheer! This not only smells divine (seriously, my bathroom has never smelt nicer!) but it is also an amazing soap bar that leaves the hands clean, soft and nicely fragranced!
My final pick was something a bit different- what better opportunity to try out a new product? I chose the Fragrance Free Shaving Bar (RRP £2.95). This fragrance free shaving soap bar is perfect for purists and it’s a minimalist’s dream come true, with natural ingredients that are kind to sensitive skin. Made using olive, coconut and castor oils, and carefully blended with kaolin clay and soy wax, you’ll get a wonderfully comfortable shave that leaves you extra smooth. Want to go super simple or travel light? No problem: this bar even lathers without a brush, ideally after your shower or bath.
I have never tried a shaving bar before but am always keen to find sustainable, more environmentally friendly methods of hair removal. I opted for the fragrance free as my skin can be quite sensitive at the best of times, so I wanted to ensure I was using something as gentle as possible. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect with this- my mind was completely open. I took it into the shower with me and was so surprised at how well it lathered- I don't own a shaving brush but I really didn't need one! My razor glided across my skin and I didn't get any nicks or razor rash- a first for me!
There were also 2 extra little treats too, which I was very excited to see! The first was the Soap Saver (RRP £2.75). The perfect shower companion, it helps your friendly bar create a super smooth lather. The sisal hemp material also acts as a gentle exfoliator. It allows you to gather any smaller pieces of soap together with your fresh bar in this gently exfoliating, lather inducing, sisal hemp pouch. After use, hang your soap saver bag by its handy draw string to dry and prolong the life of your Friendly Soap.
What a great concept! I used this with the Cocoa Butter soap above and was amazed! It really does help to exfoliate the skin gently, whilst keeping your soap in one piece. You don't even need to remove the soap afterwards, just hang it up to dry!
The final surprise was the Soap Box (RRP £6.50). This travel soap box is also ideal for the bathroom to use as a soap dish, it is made from liquid spruce which is a biodegradable material. Combining the precision, flexibility and durability of plastic with the recyclable, renewable, tactile and aesthetic advantages of wood in a single material. Liquid wood is a bio-material made from the leftover parts of trees during the paper-making process and is the perfect material for your Soap Box. It's perfect for your Friendly Soap.
I love this! I have recently booked a volunteer trip to Costa Rica to do a wildlife conservation project and they have requested, where possible, that you bring sustainable and environmentally friendly beauty products with you- this will be perfect for me to bring my Friendly Soap bar in!
What an amazing array of products- and is anyone else as amazed as I am by the extremely reasonable price tags?! It just goes to show that you can get quality products at affordable prices!
I absolutely love everything about The Friendly Soap Company- their ethics, their values, their prices and their products. The formulations are perfect- gentle, natural, effective and beautifully scented. There are so many different scents to choose from, there really is something for everyone in their range. They also have haircare items available in the form of shampoo and conditioner bars, household cleaning items, other soap accessories and also beautiful gift sets- and we all know what is fast approaching us! They have also just added some more soap bars to their range- say hello to Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood and Rosemary! Head on over to their website- linked above- to get yourself, or a loved one, some beautiful, soapy goodness- although don't blame me if you can't decide!