Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements: The Beach Review

What do wet shavers do when the weather gets cold? We buy a bunch of shaving soaps that remind us of summer and all of its glory. So that’s exactly what I did a couple of months ago, which consisted of me getting my hands on a shaving soap known infamously as “The Beach.”

All of Phoenix Artisan Accouterments’ (PAA) soaps come in either a 3.5 oz. or 8 oz. tin. The 3.5 oz. tin is $3.12 per ounce, while the larger 8 oz. tin comes in at $2.36 per ounce. The larger tin is obviously the better deal, but shelling out $18.95 for a large tin of soap based off of a vague scent profile is a gamble.

I love the beach and had watched/read a lot of reviews on the soap, so I opted for the larger 8 oz. tin. When you open the sturdy box that these soaps come in you’ll be amazed by its size. The tin is approximately 5 in. wide and 1 in. deep, which makes loading extremely easy. After taking the lid off, you’re greeted with a semi-soft soap that embodies everything about the beach.

Right out of the tin, the soap has an overwhelming scent of sunscreen with salt water close behind it. The scent becomes more complex when you start to load the soap and will make you feel like your right at the beach. As far as performance is concerned, Phoenix makes some of the best soaps on the market today.

The Beach is extremely easy to load and a little bit goes a long way. The soap isn’t thirsty and really comes into its own when face lathering. One of the things that I love about this soap is its incredible amount of cushion. Out of all the soaps I’ve shaved with, PAA easily has the most cushion, but it leaves just a little bit to be desired in the slickness and post feel categories. I have a lot of PAA soaps, so I use them regularly and am sometimes left with some razor burn and a dry face.

However, shaving with this stuff is a true joy. The soap makes a thick, fluffy lather that’s unmatched by other soap makers. If you like the scent, you’ll appreciate the fact that it never dissipates. I’ve shaved with this soap on multiple occasions and have smelled it three hours later, which is amazing.

Scent Strength: 10/10

Lather Quality: 9/10

Price: 9/10 (for the 8 oz. tin)

This is an amazing soap. If you like smelling like just went to the beach, then you have to try this soap. It outshines others on the market with its cushion, price point (for the larger tins) and smell that sticks with you for hours. If you haven’t tried it, I urge you to give it a shot.