The main “claim to fame” for Thyme Products’ lineup, including their shaving soap, is that their blend of “Benchmark” Thyme Oil and Thyme extract works as a potent skin cleanser, which is especially potent at fighting acne. After a bit of googling, it appears that there’s research out there to support that claim.

Then scent is, naturally, a nice herbal thyme smell. Since, you know, that’s the only ingredient in the stuff with any particular aroma to it. I find it pleasant enough, and I’m sure most of you have a decent idea of whether or not you’re a fan of the scent too.

Strength-wise, it’s middle of the pack. Definitely noticeable while shaving, but not strongly so.

The lather itself is unfortunately where this soap mostly fails to perform. With what I’d say is the average amount of water, it is easy enough to build up a lather which gives a nice and thick cushion, and provides a reasonable amount of lubrication. And if that was the end of this paragraph, I don’t think I’d have a problem giving this soap at least a 8/10 for lather quality, if not a 9/10.

Unfortunately, the lather isn’t really all that stable. To the point where you can lather up your face, shave one cheek, and need to re-lather by the time you get to your other cheek. Bowl-lathering is just out of the question for this stuff, for one thing. You’ll need to face-lather, and I found that when I was shaving, I needed to re-apply thrice per pass; left side, right side, and mouth / chin (muzzle?). Needless to say, it’s a bit annoying, and enough to substantially drop my rating for the average shaver.

That having been said, for the acne prone shaver, it might still be worth it for the medicinal effects, so I think I’m going to give this one dual-ratings.

9/10 Scent Pleasantness

8/10 Scent Strength

9/10 Lather Quality (if acne prone)

5/10 Lather Quality (if not acne prone) (reflects new scoring as outlined here)

So, overall, I guess I could see it being a 9/10 if you’re using the stuff to try and attain a clear face (worth a shot at least!), but if you’ve already got clear skin, I would not bother; 5/10.

Cost: I was provided this jar by the manufacturer for the purposes of doing this review. It normally goes for $13.50.

Gear used:

Ingredients: Blend of 100% Certified Organic Palm and Coconut Oil (Saponified), Purified Water, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Benchmark Thyme Essential Oil, Thyme Herbal Extract.