Fareham man sets up his own range of shaving soaps after suffering with sensitive skin
Darron Barnes from Fareham set up the Wickham Soap Company after researching ingredients to aid shaving with sensitive skin in 2014 and discovering a formula for shaving soap that was last commercially used in the UK in 1912.
Over the five years he has been trading, Darron has faced challenges along the way that have set him back and caused him to make changes to improve his products.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWorking as a sole trader, he was limited by his ability to produce small batches and encountered a few unwanted characteristics.
Because of this, two years after facing his challenges, he has reformulated what was once a mass-produced soap to become what he says is a true artisan shaving soap.
He said: ‘I feel blessed to be doing this, I really do. The feedback I get from all over the world can be very powerful at times. I had one chap tell me his elderly father had slipped into depression and nothing could get him to come out of it. He went on to thank me profusely as his father now leaps out of bed each day to shave and his mood has lifted greatly.
‘I sent this customer some free products with a nice quote from Walt Whitman, “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you”. The feedback was unimaginable when I started. But now I use it to benchmark the service I provide, like I said I feel absolutely blessed to be able to provide people with something that can touch them in a positive way. For me this is priceless.’
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe now produces and sells several products to be used by shavers, such as shaving soaps, aftershave balms and regular face soap.
They come in a variety of scents such as Irish fern and Parma Violet and are stocked in 12 countries, including America and Canada.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.