Outlaw Soaps is rapidly growing to become the “Soaprah” of sundries. Run by dear friends Danielle & Russ since 2013. I’ve been a bad friend because I took forever to actually try their products.
Outlaw is different from other scent-based toiletry companies. They’re out to evoke memories and provide an experience that brings a smile to your face.
They aim to make you part of a community rather than a customer. It’s not just a product. It’s a way of life. Danielle blogs extensively about the company’s origin story and ongoing community building in The Outlaw Journal.
I recently remembered they had two products that included sandalwood. My absolute favorite scent. Grandpa burned sandalwood incense and I horde my original “Dark Sandalwood” oil from the Body Shop.
Yup. Scents and senses memories are a thing. Outlaw has sandalwood in Blazing Saddles and Lust in the Dust. I started with Blazing Saddles. Obviously because it’s a great name. Fell in love with it.
I can’t legit call the following a review because of they’re-my-friends bias. I can share what I think about it. My experience is with the intro 3-pack of milled soaps.
Pros
- Non toxic product
- Amazing scents from real life, really unique
- Passionate company, treats their employees as valuable humans
- Entertaining marketing copy
- Product education – know the difference between hand-poured and milled soap! Understand why hand-made products can occasionally be unavailable (clue: 30 day curing period)
- Responsive web, kept up to date
- They prioritize “Made in the U.S.A.” . Employees are paid competitively and the primary company ethos is kindness. I love a value-based company.
- Longevity of bars – not really under their control. It’s all in how you store it (let it drain people, let it drain!) and I did as instructed. I’m one person with daily usage. It’s lasted almost 8 weeks and still have about 1/8th of a bar left.
Cons that’s aren’t really cons
- Mostly mail-order. This is my personal con. I realize many of you would consider it a pro. I could set up a subscription and get it conveniently to my door. I’d prefer to purchase it physically and get some of the scent to help make my choice. Outlaw is available in some select Whole Foods markets, but not near me AFAIK.
- Price – Affordability. Their pricing reflects the time, money, and overhead inherent in selling hand-made goods. Margins are small. I absolutely think the product is well worth the price. It’s simply my financial situation which makes it an occasional splurge vs. ongoing purchase.
One needs soap now more than ever. Using Outlaw gave me a scent based comforting memory as well as COVID-19 protection.