What is "artisan" soap ?


If I was to go with what is predominantly touted as "artisan soap" on North American shaving fora, then to me, it means amateurish melt and pour stuff, usually with an ugly label and occasionally a french word salad for a name.

Trust me, it's not that difficult to make a soap that produces lather suitable for shaving. So to say it works, or lathers well, isn't a measure of excellence. Usually, it is the "artisan" with loudest megaphone that has the highest number of adherents.

Having said this, Martin de Candre is artisan soap, but clearly in a different league from the above.