Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 5: Happy Chap vs Hearth and Altar
Howdy, and welcome back to Blizzard Battles 2026, Artisan Challenge round five. Results from round four are in, we’ve got a new matchup drawn, and this one turned out to be a really good battle.
Round 4 Results
I checked the tally this morning. July 4th, 8 a.m. Fifty-five votes total. Stirling’s The Shivering pulled 22. Subtle Art Soap Co.’s Draconis Glacialis pulled 33. Congratulations to Joe and Sadie. You move forward in the Blizzard Battles by popular vote.
The Shivering is so good, though. I cannot wait to use it again. For those of you who’ve been asking whether you can get your hands on it: I have it on good authority a limited edition run is coming. Keep an eye on Stirling.
Round 5 Draw
With Stirling off the spinner, I spun it up. First pull: Happy Chap. Second pull: Hearth and Altar. I was looking forward to both of these. This ought to be a fantastic competition.
The Soaps
Happy Chap Absolute Zero
First thing I’ll do is apologize to Happy Chap. I wrote “Sub Zero” on the scorecard this morning. It’s Absolute Zero. There’s the label.
I didn’t have the scent notes ahead of time, which is on me. The notes, per Happy Chap: Deep Space, Ozone, Black Ice, and Eucalyptus. On paper that reads cold and wide open, which fits right in for the Blizzard Battles. I absolutely love the fragrances Happy Chap puts out, and I was already excited walking into this one.
One thing worth noting: Happy Chap didn’t supply a splash for this round, so we’re going soap-only on their side.
On availability: I’m not certain Happy Chap plans another release of Absolute Zero. If you’re interested, reach out to them directly. We’ve seen other artisans in this challenge come around on a release once they saw the demand. Happy Chap may do the same.
Hearth and Altar Barren Earth
A lot of you have already seen Barren Earth. A lot of you have already used it. Notes, per Hearth and Altar: Camphor, Dry Cedar, Vetiver. Camphor and dry cedar with vetiver in there could go cold and earthy if it lands the way it reads on paper.
Hearth and Altar did send a splash. Since Happy Chap didn’t supply one, I set it aside to keep things even.
Now, I almost threw away the box without looking inside it. I picked it up to toss it, caught something out of the corner of my eye, and pulled out a get-well card. I’m reading this because you need to hear it.
Outside: “Get well soon. May the gods have mercy on your soul. Rest up, champ.”
Inside: “Our thoughts are with you during this extremely cold time. Love, Sarah and Will. P.S. You asked for it.”
I’m keeping that card. I will cherish it. Sarah and Will, thank you.
Hearth and Altar also wrote their own scent copy for the packaging, and I read it on camera because it deserved to be read:
“It’s not a scent of life. It is the absence of it. Dry soil, cold stone, open lifeless air stretching to the horizon. The cold does not arrive all at once. It builds. It spreads. It lingers long after you think it should fade. This is winter as punishment. This is the harvest denied.”
Man. That is something else.
Hardware
I switched up the brushes for this round. These are Grizzly Bay shave brushes with AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss knots, ones I picked up specifically for the Blizzard Battles. Black handle with a red ferrule on the Happy Chap side, red handle with a black ferrule on the Hearth and Altar side.
Razor: the Above the Tie Titanium Windsor with a regular plate. Love this razor.
The Shave
Both brushes loaded with no problems. I could already smell the menthol coming through on the Hearth and Altar side while loading. Both of these artisans, as far as I know, had never worked with menthol before this challenge. Hearth and Altar told me this morning they had to train themselves to use their own splash because it hit that hard. They were giving me play-by-plays while they made it. Funny.
Side note: I’m recording this the morning of July 4th. As soon as I’m done, I’m driving about an hour and a half to my mother’s house to celebrate her birthday. She was born on the 4th, so there are always fireworks. Kind of nice. And with the heat we’ve been having in Texas, a menthol battle on July 4th is about as well-timed as it gets. I’m glad I started this series earlier in the year than usual.
First pass, Absolute Zero: fragrance is nice. Lathers with no problem. Cooling starts right away. Really good.
First pass, Barren Earth: lathers fine, zero issues. The cold on this side is more pronounced. Noticeably more.
Second pass, both soaps still delivering. Barren Earth’s menthol is building. Happy Chap is building too, just at a different rate. It’s a close battle. Good battle.
Third pass: Barren Earth is a frozen wasteland. Absolute Zero is a nice blizzard. Both excellent. But Barren Earth takes the cold category.
Scoring
Scoring in the Blizzard Battles covers five categories: lather structure, coldness, longevity, fragrance, and label art.
Both soaps nailed lather structure. No issues on either side.
Cold category: Hearth and Altar. First pass, Happy Chap was around a two on the scale, Hearth and Altar closer to a three, borderline four. That gap held through the second and third passes. Barren Earth wins cold.
Longevity: I got rinsed, started the timer, and let it run. Thirty-one minutes and twenty-two seconds. Both were close at the end, but Barren Earth outlasted Absolute Zero. Point to Hearth and Altar.
Fragrance: Happy Chap Absolute Zero. It shone through more during the shave, and to me it’s the more complex of the two. If I had both on the shelf and had to reach for one, it’s Absolute Zero. I love them both, but that one stood out.
Final Score
Happy Chap Absolute Zero: 4 points. Hearth and Altar Barren Earth: 7 points.
Hearth and Altar Barren Earth advances in the Blizzard Battles 2026 Artisan Challenge.
Happy Chap put up a real fight. Great base, great fragrance. If they release Absolute Zero again, let them know you want one. They’re paying attention to that feedback.
Thanks to everyone who voted and commented this round. It really means a lot that you’re showing up for this. I’ll see you next round.