Made in the Glen is a family run business based in the beautiful Glen Urqhuart, close to Loch Ness. Saddened by the damage being done to our planet by big business and globalisation, Made in the Glen have sought to build a little business that is working towards sustainability. Each of their items are crafted in a sustainable way with eco living in mind.
We were delighted when we received the Fresh Facial Bar, one of their artisan soaps, to try out and review. After a week of testing, we finally have rounded up our thoughts on the soap which we hope will help advise you if you're considering to buy this for yourself or as a gift. So let's jump in!
Our initial thoughts on the soap, let's just say we're very optimistic! The packaging was made from a natural brown type paper which was perfect to wrap the soap in. We absolutely loved that there were no plastics involved, plus the natural packaging related through to the all natural ingredients used to create the Fresh Facial Bar. - Massive ticks from us!
The bar contained: Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Lavender essential oils, a perfect blend of Olive, Coconut, Avocado and Hempseed oils plus the addition of Aloe Butter. - Hello natural ingredients, goodbye chemicals!
The scent was also lovely. It is super fresh but unfortunately we couldn't quite put our fingers on the exact smell. It was extremely nostalgic for us, which made us love it even more - perhaps it's the countryside we're reminiscing about.
Moving onto the soap. As we have a small team, only two people tested the soap, however they introduced it into their daily skin routine to give a true review. Both people are from different age groups and have slightly different skin types.
Our first tester was Suzy; she is in the 50+ age group and has sensitive skin. Here's what she had to say.
"The Fresh Facial Bar left my face feeling soft but unfortunately reacted with my moisturiser and left my face stinging. After the first day of use I woke up with a rash on my face - it may be the type of moisturiser I used, however this is my normal skin routine and I don't usually have an issue with other soaps on my skin. So sadly, I had to refrain from using the soap on my face again, but as a plus it is extremely creamy and soft and it also suds up really well, so I have continued to use it as a hand soap."
Our second tester was actually myself! I love testing out new products, so I definitely wasn't going to let this one pass me by. I am in the Mid-20's age group and I have combi/sensitive/blemish prone skin - yes awkward I know, but this is why I always jump at the chance to try new soaps on my skin, especially when they are made from all natural ingredients. So here are my thoughts.
"Like Suzy, I also thought the Fresh Facial Bar was super creamy and soft and lathers up extremely well. There's a noticeable difference compared to other soaps on the market, which instantly made me fall in love with it. The soap left my face feeling really soft and initially it seemed to suit my skin, so I added it into my morning routine. As I have combi/sensitive/blemish prone skin, which is also prone to drying out easily with weather changes and break outs, I was super excited to have found a soap that would keep everything at bay. My skin would be nicely moisturised but not too oily and those blemishes wouldn't be making an appearance any time soon. However, through daily use it unfortunately caused my skin to break out, so I had to instantly stop using it. Also like Suzy, I have continued to use the Fresh Facial Bar as a hand soap, which I can say has left my hands feeling extremely soft and the skin looks super hydrated."
Overall, we can say that the soap is beautifully made. It is extremely creamy, soft and lathers up well, but unfortunately we wouldn't recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin. We do however, believe it would be great for those who suffer with extremely dry skin on their hands, as the bar has left ours feeling soft and hydrated, with no dry skin in sight.
To make up your own mind on the soap however and learn more about Made in the Glen, you can find them here: https://www.madeintheglen.co.uk