Northwood Shave Soap and Splash from Salve & Oak Company
Hi, welcome to Larry Shaves. Today I’ve got something I’ve been looking forward to all week: a shave soap and splash from a brand new artisan I want to introduce you to. Salve & Oak Company. Their Northwood Shave Soap and Aftershave Splash. DJ and his wife Heather started this company on May 1st, and this package came in the mail yesterday. I had already shaved for the day when it arrived, so I had to wait. That was a long 24 hours.
The Packaging
Before I get to the lather, I want to show you how this arrived, because they did it right.
It comes in a heavy-duty box. Inside, everything is wrapped in paper with a stamp, packed in bubble wrap, and the tops are sealed with black tape so nothing spills or shifts in transit. Nothing spilled. Then there’s a note: “Congratulations. We hope you love your products, Heather and DJ.” And on the receipt, same thing: “We hope you enjoy. Heather and DJ.” Small touch, but it matters. These people care about the experience from the moment you open the box.
A Few Extras
They didn’t stop at the soap and splash. They also sent a Lavender Frost shower disk, a Coffee House bath soap, and a Woodland Honey soap sample. The Lavender Frost you set on your shower sill - wet it just a little, don’t put it under the stream, and the lavender fills the whole shower. That’s a nice product. I haven’t gotten to the Coffee House or the Woodland Honey yet, but they’re on my list. Very kind of them to send along samples of their other work. I appreciate that a lot.
Northwood: The Scent and the Lather
The scent notes for Northwood are bay leaf, fir, cedarwood, bergamot, and tobacco leaf. From the moment I opened the jar, I knew this shave was going to be great. Woodsy and clean. Bay leaf and fir up top, then the cedarwood and tobacco underneath - it all goes together real well.
Crisp bay leaf and fir bring a fresh aromatic brightness, while warm cedarwood and soft bergamot add depth and balance. A smooth touch of tobacco leaf lingers beneath it all.
That’s how Salve & Oak describes it, and that’s exactly what you get from the jar. A scent that feels rugged, refined, and hits the natural target dead center.
The soap has a nice shine to it. It’s a firm soap, so you’ll want a small scooper to work some out. I scooped a good amount into the bowl - better to have too much than not enough. For my brush today I used my Chisel and Hound Pure Bliss knot, one of my favorites. I picked it up from Canada. The lather built up beautifully, and it didn’t take that much soap to get there. Dense and rich. Good sign for a new artisan.
When I got that lather going and smelled it, I thought about a trip I took years ago up to northern New York State. A week with family in the woods up there, surrounded by all those big northern trees. The whole area had a fresh, clean scent to it. Northwood captures that feeling. You open the jar, you’re standing in that forest.
The Shave
For hardware today I used my Henson AL13 in Airfoil Aluminum with an RK blade. Mild combo. Two passes: first with the grain, then across for the second pass with a little against the grain on the cheeks.
The soap glided well on both passes. Plenty of residual slickness too - you can go back over a spot after most of the lather is gone and not feel any irritation. I didn’t need a third pass. The Northwood soap softened the beard nicely and the razor made quick work of it. I’m really glad I won this, but I’ll tell you honestly, after this shave, I would have ordered it anyway.
The Northwood Aftershave Splash
The Northwood Aftershave Splash carries the same notes as the soap: bay leaf, fir, cedarwood, bergamot, and tobacco leaf. The company calls it a “rich woodsy finish” designed to complete your shave ritual, leaving skin feeling refreshed, toned, and lightly scented without overpowering. Small amount in the palms, pat it on. That’s all it takes. Makes you want to go back to the woods. I’m ready for whatever the day brings.
The soap and splash work together the way a matched set should. You smell one, you expect the other, and they both deliver. DJ and Heather can be very happy with what they’ve made here.
I found Salve & Oak through a Shave Dad giveaway - that’s Jerry’s Facebook group for wet shavers. Worth joining if you’re not already in there. But the soap stands on its own. Check out everything they’ve got at salveandoakco.com - bar soaps, creams, shave products, more than just this line. Good people doing good work. I like supporting new artisans, and these two are starting off right.
Thanks for watching. Hope this helps you find your next great shave.