Athlete's Shield Tallow Bar Soap

The Athlete’s Shield Soap from Tallowbourn was the first product of theirs I ended up trying. I had just come home from a round of golf, and was sweaty and gross. Honestly the perfect time to test out the soap.

I’ll probably end up mentioning this in all of the reviews about Tallowbourn, but the smell was just right. Not overpowering in any way, but leaving you happy it’s there. The use of essential oils here is spot on, and the light tingle from the soap left my skin and me feeling nourished and refreshed. Shield runs a heavier mix of tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, and lavender essential oils that give the refreshing smell. There are no sulfates or synthetic fragrance, and I got the impression that my skin was happier for it.

Every Tallowbourn soap starts with the same four fats. Shield is that base plus the athlete oils, not a different recipe with a louder label. Tallow is the backbone: hard bar, creamy lather, fats close to what skin already makes. Olive oil is the conditioning film so the rinse does not go tight. Coconut oil is the bubbles and the lift of actual sweat. Dave keeps it as support, not the whole bar, because a coconut-heavy soap dries you. Shea is the leftover that never turns into soap and stays in the bar as a conditioner. That mix is why the soap can handle a tough day on your skin with dirt, sweat, and grime but still leave your skin feeling fine. The tea tree and eucalyptus are the tingle. The four fats are the bar. 
You may have seen a lot of soap brands talk about being cold processed. What that actually means is the fats and the lye are mixed and left to become soap on their own. When the batch is not rushed by cooking it, the result is a bar that then sits and cures for weeks so it hardens. A lot of the glycerin that forms in that reaction stays in the bar instead of getting stripped out for something else. Glycerin is what keeps skin from feeling tight after you rinse. Tallow and coconut also make a harder bar than olive-only or most soft “natural” bars. It will still go mushy if it sits in a puddle, but I am going to hope that if you are using bar soap you do have a soap dish that drains to keep your soap from being mush.

One additional thing I have really enjoyed about Tallowbourn is the depth of information they share about their products, usage instructions, and the why behind a lot of their product decisions. As a brand they do an exceptional job of setting clear expectations for their customers in a very warm way. I’d recommend checking out some of their blogs too and not just shopping for product if you find yourself on their site. Which you should, using the link on this page.

Athlete’s Shield is a clear Field Leader. I know I am going to be tempted to sign up for the recurring subscription and I am already thinking of gifting it as some stocking stuffer gifts come the holidays. I think it’s easy to just go through the motions with soap or body wash and not put a lot of intention in what you use, but when you find something that you look forward to it inherently helps you take better care of your body.