I’ve really agonized over this review for a while. I love Edwin Jagger as a company; what EJ stands for, how the company began, how the business was able to grow and thrive in a country dominated by some of the oldest and most famous men’s grooming companies in the world. Unfortunately, I have some issues with this soap. Now, that’s not to say that this is a totally negative review, but I think it’s important to lay out the pros and cons of this soap, because unlike some other products I’ve reviewed there are points on both sides. What I really hope to do with this review is bring some issues to the attention of Edwin Jagger’s management. I am a fan of this company, and I want to give feedback that will lead to positive change for their customers. I honestly believe in always looking at the bad news first, so let’s get right to it.
Cons
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Packaging – At first glance the solid screw-cap case appeared to be an advantage. However, once I opened the tub I found a separately wrapped, loose puck inside. I seriously prefer shaving soaps poured directly into the tubs for several reasons. First, I think loading a brush is much, much easier when the soap is stationary and my brush can do the moving. With loose pucks, my brush isn’t able to pick up nearly as much soap. Secondly, I have watch out for spillage, dropping pucks, etc. Overall I think the shaving process becomes less efficient with a loose puck. However, I think I understand why Edwin Jagger does this. This allows the company to have only one production run of soap pucks regardless of whether they are going in a tub or sold as loose refills. It makes sense, but this is an advantage to the company, not the customer, which always rubs me the wrong way.
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Price – Nothing too complicated here. I just think the soap is overpriced compared to other soaps of the same quality. At $16.00, this doesn’t seem too expensive, but it’s important to realize that each puck is only 2.3 ounces. When compared to some other brands, the price per ounce just doesn’t compete.
Pros
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Scent – Edwin Jagger directly recommended this soap to me several months ago on social media when I mentioned that I was looking for some summer-scented shaving products, and they were spot on. The lime and pomegranate blend is perfect for this time of year, and it gives my shave den a nice variation on the plethora of lime scented shaving soaps out there. This soap also has a nice strength of scent. It’s not going to overwhelm you, but you definitely know you’re using a scented soap. The only comment I’ve made (half-jokingly) is that the soap should be called “Pomegranate & Limes”, because the pom is definitely what I pick up more than the lime.
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Performance – As far as actually shaving with this soap, I have nothing but praise for the performance itself. The soap is slick and cushioned, and the post-shave feel is fantastic. I also appreciate the short ingredients list, which I think usually adds to performance. I have typically found that those products with more ingredients tend to provide worse shaves.
On the whole, I enjoy shaving with this soap. I wouldn’t consider this to be a negative review, and I think this is a good soap. However, I believe that there are steps Edwin Jagger could take to make this a great soap. Additionally, I’m not suggesting you refrain from buying this soap, I just want you to realize what you’re purchasing.
Regards,
Follow Up
Please be sure to read this as I think it contains some useful, additional points. Upon publishing this review I was contacted by Edwin Jagger to address some of the comments I made and provide information that I had failed to consider. I found this incredibly valuable, and it further heightens my opinion of the company. This sort of constructive response shows me that the company is listening to what their customers think, and are willing to take feedback from those customers.
I had known that Edwin Jagger is dedicated to minimizing their impact on the environment, but had failed to make the connection between that goal and the design of their products. All of their packaging is made from 50% recycled material. Additionally, the loose packed refill soaps further reinforce this by eliminating the need for additional plastic. However, the original plastic container also doubles nicely as a useful travel dish.
With this packaging, Edwin Jagger is also considering their customers as well. By offering loose-packed soaps, wet shavers are able to try new scents or change their soap scents depending on the time of year. Individually packed soaps also save customers about three dollars per puck.
I’m very grateful Edwin Jagger took the time to reach out and address this review. My goal with any criticism is that it either reaches a company’s decision makers or opens a dialogue on why things are the way they are, and I’m glad I had that opportunity. I hope you appreciate the additional information too.
