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Monday, September 1, 2014

Review: Grey & Green



I have always been fond of handmade soaps and lotions, believing that they are held to a higher standard by their makers and consumers than your average big brand product you find at the department store.  So, you can imagine my pleasure when I was given the opportunity to try some of Grey & Green's products!

Grey & Green is a company that creates handmade products using natural, raw materials such as cocoa butter, beeswax, coconut oil, and essential oils.  They specialize in soaps and lotions (both bar and liquid), though also offer lip balms, scrubs, and gift sets.

I was fortunate to be able to try the Cocoa Butter Cold Process Soap and the Shea Butter Lotion Bar, both in the Crackling Firewood scent, as I miss the smell of campfire in the summer and wood heaters in the winter.  Each product is only $4.00, available from their Etsy store.


My Grey & Green order arrived in a very pretty, bright green bag, with the soap wrapped in wax paper and the lotion in its own convenient tin.

My initial impression of the soap was "WOW that's a large slab of soap!"  It was honestly larger than my hand.  The most prevelant scent, though far from strong, from it was a generic soapy smell, with a hint of woodsmoke, though I most often find that handmade soaps don't have a strong scent.  

It doesn't even fit in my soap dish

My whole family loves this soap.  The Mr is actually quite fond of the fact that it does not have an overpowering scent, unlike most commercial soaps.  Mischief, who likes to think that even walking by the bathroom is a good excuse to wash his hands, thinks that the ridges tickle.  I love the how well it lathers and that it leaves behind the faintest smell of woodsmoke.  

The ridges also help me grip it when small hands drop the soap (again) into the sink.  Because of the materials used, this soap leaves your hands feeling, not dry and stretched, but soft and moisturized; even the lather feels soft.  After a month of constant use (we only have the one bathroom), the Grey & Green bar is still quite large, and will last us a long time.  This is definitely a good investment for only $4.00.


Being what the Mr affectionately calls a "fiber freak" (I knit, crochet, and even spin yarn) who has a marked preference for natural plant and animal fibers, my hands are often very dry.  I very quickly found that the best remedy for this is bar lotion.  Most commercial liquid lotions dry too quickly and sometimes even leave my hands feeling drier than before.  

I can't get over how good this smells!
The Shea Butter Lotion Bar was a treat to my poor, dry hands.  It left my hands feeling wonderfully refreshed, even after working with wool and cotton which completely sap my skin of any moisture, and left behind a lingering scent of woodsmoke, which I love.

The lotion bar had a markedly stronger scent than the soap. The size and shape of it, which reminds me of a votive candle, is a perfect fit in my hands to grab and massage it into whatever dry patch of skin is desperately crying for it (hands, feet, elbows, etc).

I also like that the little tin that it comes in is especially handy for keeping it in your purse/project bag/bag of holding.  It keeps the lotion from getting random debris embedded in it, and protects your stuff from getting lotion all over!  Again, I've been using this lotion bar for a month, and it is going to last me quite a few more; another steal for $4.00!



Bar lotion can take a little to get used to, as you don't just glob it on and rub it in and be done with it.  You need to take your time and massage it into your skin, letting it melt into the skin.  It doesn't completely absorb right away, but doesn't leave your hands feeling greasy either, more like they have a protective layer.

This is great for anyone wanting to put a little extra effort into keeping their skin moisturized.

One fantastic way to use it is on your poor feet after wearing flip flops for a few too many weeks. Massage it into those dry tootsies before bed and put cotton socks on.  In the morning, wake up with new feet!

Over all, I adore these products, and I am most definitely going to be recommending them to my friends and family, as well as trying more scents and products (like the Doctor Who Dalek and Tardis Glycerin Soaps).

These products are not only high quality and non irritating to my sensitive skin, but also very long lasting. Unquestionably, worth using again and again!

Grey & Green Etsy
Grey & Green Facebook



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5 comments:

  1. mmm, Can't wait to come over and smell them! ;)

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  3. I make my own lotion bars, but you are right - they do take some getting used to.
    Thanks for sharing at Wake Up Wednesday.

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  4. I'm intrigued by the idea of a lotion bar. I've never heard of one, but love the idea of massaging my hands more!

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  5. I like lotion bars, that are so much nicer on your hands than greasy lotions and I like that they put their lotion bars in a can that can keep it safely stored when not being used, I love the colors of your Grey and Green bar, very pretty and useful.

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