Aussie retailers pivoting with US AIR freight.

[rhodes96]

Hmmm, that's a different colour again. Here's what I sold on:

... And here's the "original" colour as is still shown at B&B's website:

From the picture above, the one I have is a little darker, that could be lighting. B&B website picture is wierd. I have approx 20 NO soaps and none have that consistency. They are all have a smooth finish in the tub. The B&B picture above looks like a hot poured soap.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

I noticed that the texture of my Two Kings is very smooth where as my Barrbarr was rough similar to the above which I prefer (Helps to create friction when loading) but this scent change your speak of in regards to monarch sounds very odd.

 

[Gargravarr]

From the picture above, the one I have is a little darker, that could be lighting. B&B website picture is wierd. I have approx 20 NO soaps and none have that consistency. They are all have a smooth finish in the tub. The B&B picture above looks like a hot poured soap.

My last tub of Two Kings looked exactly like that, as did my last tub of Hamami.

 

[rhodes96]

I noticed that the texture of my Two Kings is very smooth where as my Barrbarr was rough similar to the above which I prefer (Helps to create friction when loading) but this scent change your speak of in regards to monarch sounds very odd.

My last tub of Two Kings looked exactly like that, as did my last tub of Hamami.

I have gone through all the NO soaps I have. All are are dark and smooth in texture apart from one. The one that is not smooth and has the same lighter colour and hot pour texture as @Gargravarr posted is Wowzers, a 2019 limited edition which I believe is using the V2 base.

 

[Gargravarr]

I have gone through all the NO soaps I have. All are are dark and smooth in texture apart from one. The one that is not smooth and has the same lighter colour and hot pour texture as @Gargravarr posted is Wowzers, a 2019 limited edition which I believe is using the V2 base.

That sounds about right. Those lighter coloured soaps I had were from various US suppliers, and were probably older stock just as the flu was biting everyone in the bum, newer stock from NO being almost impossible to get for a reasonable price. I'm not too concerned about the appearance of the soap, but I am bothered by what I perceive (or believe) to be a change in the scent.

 

[rhodes96]

That sounds about right. Those lighter coloured soaps I had were from various US suppliers, and were probably older stock just as the flu was biting everyone in the bum, newer stock from NO being almost impossible to get for a reasonable price. I'm not too concerned about the appearance of the soap, but I am bothered by what I perceive (or believe) to be a change in the scent.

I believe B&B are air freighting their current stock in. Sea freight is terrible currently, long delays and price increases, I am talking 150-200%. Yes that much.

Air freight business is thriving and have also increased prices due to demand, and commercial profiteering.

These days if you want something from OS timely, be prepared to pay for it.

As far as soaps go, Top of the Chain in Canada and Murphy & Mcneal in USA are the cheapest for international shipping.

What B&B and other sellers of imported soaps are selling for is a fair price. I know looks bad when you see an USD$18 soap sold for AUD$40, that's the current economy of the world.

Compared to alot of other countries around the world, Australia is a fairly privileged society!

 

[Gargravarr]

I believe B&B are air freighting their current stock in. Sea freight is terrible currently, long delays and price increases, I am talking 150-200%. Yes that much.

Air freight business is thriving and have also increased prices due to demand, and commercial profiteering.

These days if you want something from OS timely, be prepared to pay for it.

As far as soaps go, Top of the Chain in Canada and Murphy & Mcneal in USA are the cheapest for international shipping.

What B&B and other sellers of imported soaps are selling for is a fair price. I know looks bad when you see an USD$18 soap sold for AUD$40, that's the current economy of the world.

Compared to alot of other countries around the world, Australia is a fairly privileged society!

Yep, I'm not complaining. My first NO purchases were when everybody was still comparatively new to the COVID thing (from memory, I think they were through TOTC and The Handlebar Supply), but since then I've more or less made a policy of making do with whatever's available locally. I've still got enough soap to last me a few years, and it's probably time I caught up with @CraigE for a coffee. Unfortunately I don't have any more birthdays to sneak past the sabbatical...

 

[CraigE]

Yep, I'm not complaining. My first NO purchases were when everybody was still comparatively new to the COVID thing (from memory, I think they were through TOTC and The Handlebar Supply), but since then I've more or less made a policy of making do with whatever's available locally. I've still got enough soap to last me a few years, and it's probably time I caught up with @CraigE for a coffee. Unfortunately I don't have any more birthdays to sneak past the sabbatical...

Hmmmm... Somebody say coffee???

 

[Holiday]

That sounds about right. Those lighter coloured soaps I had were from various US suppliers, and were probably older stock just as the flu was biting everyone in the bum, newer stock from NO being almost impossible to get for a reasonable price. I'm not too concerned about the appearance of the soap, but I am bothered by what I perceive (or believe) to be a change in the scent.

A question for the soap makers. Is it possible these darker smoother soaps are overcooked and therefore the darker burnt colour and some of the scent has burnt off or gone bitter?
Reminds me of overcooked Toffee

 

[rhodes96]

A question for the soap makers. Is it possible these darker smoother soaps are overcooked and therefore the darker burnt colour and some of the scent has burnt off or gone bitter?
Reminds me of overcooked Toffee

Not a soapmaker, just a very amateur soap enthusiast, with a few soaps.

Most likely it's the vanillin content of the soap. . Vanillin is not just the individual vanilla scent note from the essential oil which is dark brown in colour, it's also part of other scent notes added to the soap for fragrance. Those other added essential and fragrence oils may also be dark in colour due to their own blended oil colour.

There are other ingredients which react with the lye in the soap such as honey, sugar and beer that can also add to darkening the soap.
Some butters and oils added to the soap can also darken the soap.
Clays added to soaps tend to be greyish or white in colour, typically don't add to making the soap darker.

If you also have a soap that has a darker coloured lather, that is a tell tale sign of a decent amount of vanillin in the soap.

 

[Lefonque]

Tried to put an order through PAA but they are only using the priority air freight. Made the order too much. Not their fault but if it cost so much to get shaving soap from the USA who knows how mush the shipping cost for those bloody submarines are going to cost. I guess they will send them by sea.