Ember Hollow from Salve & Oak Co.: Soap and Splash Review
Hi there. Welcome back to the Shave Den. New soap from Salve & Oak Co. It’s called Ember Hollow, and when I first opened it, the scent got my attention right away. What a terrific scent. We’ve also got the matching aftershave splash, so this is a full set.
The Gear
Razor is the Rockwell T2 adjustable in chrome. I’ve used the stainless steel version on the channel before, and I’m giving the chrome a try. I’ve got it on setting three. Two and a half isn’t quite enough for me, and four is just too aggressive. Three is right. The T2 is a twist-to-open, so you seat the blade, close the doors, twist until it stops, then check the alignment.
The brush is the Simpson Trafalgar T3. Simpson brushes are always great. The blade is the Personna Gem, already loaded and ready to go. Kind of aggressive, but smooth, and I really enjoy that combination. The bowl is the Yaqi brush bowl, and I’m using a stainless steel scoop to portion the soap into it.
Ember Hollow
Salve & Oak Co. calls this their Timberline Tallow formula. From the sales page:
Cardamom, clove, citrus zest, and cool morning mist open the scent with a subtle spark of spice and freshness, creating a smooth contrast between warmth and clean air. As the lather builds, palo santo and rosewood emerge with a rich, resinous woodiness layered with earthy patchouli, tonka bean, and a soft touch of jasmine. The scent settles into amber, oakmoss, musk, vanilla bourbon, and black amber, leaving behind a warm, grounded finish with just the right amount of quiet sweetness.
Full note list: cardamom, clove, citrus zest, morning mist, palo santo, rosewood, patchouli, tonka bean, jasmine, amber, oakmoss, musk, vanilla bourbon, black amber.
That’s a lot of notes. But the structure is clear: spice and citrus up top, resinous woodiness in the middle, warm sweet base. When I opened this tub, that earthy note hit me right away. Real earthy scent to it. I liked it.
The Lather
Salve & Oak’s soaps go a long way. A small scoop into the Yaqi bowl is plenty for a full shave. I wet the T3, wrung it out a bit, and started working the lather. Rich and thick, built up fast. Dense and cushiony, exactly what you’d want. The lather going on the face was outstanding.
DJ and Heather just got Salve & Oak Co. off the ground last May, the first of May, and already they’ve got a full lineup going. Soaps, splashes, bath soaps, plenty on the webpage. That’s impressive for a newer artisan, and this Timberline Tallow base they’ve put together backs it up.
Two Passes
Setting three on the T2 with the Ember Hollow and the Personna Gem, and it’s working out very well. The first pass went smoothly. The residual slickness on this soap is excellent. I could touch up spots without re-lathering, which is always something I appreciate.
Side note: it was another hot day here in Virginia when I filmed this. Forecast calling for mid to upper 90s, and it’s only June. We had a very cold winter, and usually a cold winter follows with a hot summer. I said back in February I wouldn’t complain about the heat this summer. I may have to eat those words.
Second pass across the grain, east to west. Two passes and some touch-ups is all I need. Any more than that and I get some irritation. I stick to two.
Worth saying: everybody’s face is different. I run the T2 on three. I’ve seen guys on YouTube shave on six. Some don’t get past two. The same goes for soaps. If I like a soap and you don’t, that’s just how it is. This one, though, I think, is a good candidate for most shavers, given the slickness, the residual slickness, and how much lather you get from a small amount. Salve & Oak Co. is a newer artisan, and they’re doing great work.
The Aftershave Splash
The splash carries the same scent notes as the soap: cardamom, clove, citrus zest, morning mist, palo santo, rosewood, patchouli, tonka bean, jasmine, amber, oakmoss, musk, vanilla bourbon, black amber.
On the product page, it’s described as bringing a warm, woodsy finish to your shave ritual, with palo santo and rosewood settling into patchouli, tonka bean, and jasmine, then anchoring into amber, oakmoss, and vanilla bourbon. Deep, smooth, atmospheric.
It went on great. Very soothing. No burn. The scent is there, but it’s not overbearing. Nice, sweet, earthy, masculine. Exactly what you want after a shave like that.
If you want to check out Ember Hollow or anything else from Salve & Oak Co., head over to salveandoakco.com. They’ve got a lot of good stuff.
Thanks for joining me in the Shave Den. I really enjoyed this shave, and I trust you did too. Subscribe, share, and like if you can. It helps the channel immensely, and I’d sure appreciate it. We’ll be back very soon with another shave. Until then, happy shaving.