Primal Elements describes their Candy Cane Handmade Vegetable Glycerin soap as peppermint and spearmint, accented with fresh ozone, and then blended with orange, tangerine lily, jasmine and musk. Try as I might, the individual notes escape my detection but overall, Primal Elements Candy Cane scent is an invitingly sweet, not curiously strong, composition.

This soap is about as uncomplicated and "responsible" as possible so it should appeal to just about any consumer who's okay with the $9.00 price tag. Made with pure vegetable glycerin, essential oils, and natural mineral pigments, Primal Elements soap doesn't use any animal products nor do they employ animal testing. Additionally, Primal Elements uses replenishable resources, recyclable packaging, and the product is made in the US.  Admirable, and NOT all for naught because this soap wasn't a disappointment.

I really like this soap, but I'm not so taken by it's Candy Cane scent or motif to overlook shortcomings. The shape annoys me. Produced as large loaves and then sliced for individual packaging, newly opened, it's a big block that's hard to handle. The red pigment stains like crazy and a few of my white cotton washcloths are permanently pink. And, last but not least, it's constructed like a stained glass window that tends to break apart no matter how careful I am with use or storage. Often, the pieces are so small they're useless. If I were clever, I'd save, then melt the pieces to create a new soap, but I'm not. Of course, the dimensions of the bar reduce with each use, there are ways to minimize the breaks, and I have a large supply of white cotton washcloths, so these findings aren't deal breakers for me. 

Looking past the negatives, this soap smells great. Mentioned earlier, I wouldn't have been able to identify the notes that enhance the dominant mint, but they create a lovely mint-plus fragrance. Although the scent doesn't bond to my skin after a shower or bath, I enjoy how much it perfumes the air and find that it lingers for a while. Most importantly, it is just soap afterall, it cleanses my skin gently, rinses easily, and doesn't dehydrate or leave a filmy residue. Since it doesn't contain any surfactants like SLS, I thought that it might produce lackluster suds, but I'm not disappointed with the performance at all. Maybe it has something to do with the essential oils used for each scent, but in my experience, some Primal Elements soaps behave a little differently. If you tried one that didn't impress, you might give another scent a try and feel differently.

I think I get the best results from this soap by using it with a not too thick cotton washcloth, being careful about handling it, and storing it in a good soapdish that has drainage. I also decided to slice this in half after a couple uses and that decision seemed to delay the eventual, inevitable crumbling. It was also easier for me to handle. Primal Elements Candy Cane Soap has some baggage but it's a good option if you're concerned about ingredients, cruelty free products, and resources. I'm going to buy it again and recommend. A quick online search should help you find some bargain (or at least better) prices.

Recommended: Yes