Review of Lily Gulch's Apple Soap

Just when I thought I had found the best handmade soap, I go and I find something even better. I always do this. I sweep from website to website looking for the most unique and luscious hand made soaps.
Why?
It's simple, I do not like the fact that most soaps you buy in stores nowadays are made with animal fat, and harsh chemicals. I prefer all natural soaps to chemical ones. While doing my normal google search for handmade soap I came across a site that caught my attention quickly. The reason it caught my attention was because this site had scents I have yet to come across. When I read about Apple Orchard soap I knew I had to try it.
Site Description:
"Natural apple fruit soap made with freeze-dried apple powder, real pieces of red and green apples, an organic and natural apple flavor extract and apple fruit concentrate. This soap has a mild, sweet apple aroma. A very gentle soap, even for your face!"
The soap itself was nothing fancy in appearance on the site, but at least they're honest. Sites such as Lush will show a beautiful picture of their soaps, and when you get it, it looks nothing like the soap on the site.
Ordering:
Placing an order at www.lilygulchsoaps.com was easy, and not to mention fun, seeing how I had options. I could either have purchased Apple soap as a whole 0.25lb bar for $5.50 or as a 1 ounce sample bar for $1.00. The choice was easy, I ordered the sample bar, because if I didn't like it, I would know never to order it again. Apple was not the only sample bar I ordered that day, but for some reason today I am in an apple mood, so I figured I'd apple it out.
What annoyed me most about ordering though was having to join the site. It was free, but I find this process to always be annoying and unnecessary. However shipping on this site was the most honest and decent price at only $4.50 for 3-5 day shipping. Everywhere else will charge you $8-$10.
The soap arrived neatly packed, and came quickly. The moment I opened the box I was greeted by many scents. I had to split them all up to get a good sniff of each individual scent. Apple was lovely, absolutely lovely. It smelled like old fashioned apples, or spiced apple sauce. Not only that I could clearly see grains of red and green apple peels within the sample. I knew I would probably only get 1 or 2 uses from the small bar, but no matter, if I liked it, I could always use more.
The bar itself was nothing beautiful though, even though I could see the apple pieces in it, the soap itself was sort of a murky mud brown color. Most handmade soaps have this murky puke color, but it does not stop me from buying them again and again.
The scent I already liked, now all I had to do was use it and see how well it worked in the shower.
I took my small bar with me and ran the water. I rubbed the Apple soap across my skin. The lather was what I expected from most hand made soaps. Present, but not overly sudsy. I don't mind though, I prefer less suds over animal fat, so I am more than okay with it.
The apple pieces began to grind up against my skin, but not to a point to where it hurt. It was the right texture for gentle exfoliation. The scent in the shower was pleasant and enjoyable, and I was really hoping that it would stay on my skin afterward, leaving me all apple fresh.
There was no residue left on my skin after drying off, and I can also report that the soap did leave my skin feeling a bit moisturized. Nothing enormous, but it was quite a difference compared to other hand made soaps I have used before. Sadly though the country apple scent was gone with the wind as soon as I had dried up.
Now my next question to myself was, would I buy this one again? Most likely, I enjoyed the lovely scent in the shower, and the gentle exfoliation I got from the soap. Not only that, but this was the first soap I had ever used that actually left my skin somewhat moisturized. So overall it was an excellent soap, with an adoring summertime mixed with fall type scent. I loved how the soap was unique compared to others, and a scent all its own.
I would recommend that any soap enthusiast give Apple soap from www.Lilygulchsoaps.com a try. If apple scents are not your cup of tea check out the other unique soaps on the site.