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Hiatus
Hiatus shaving soap on WhollyKaw's Siero base. Restorative aromatic fragrance composition. Made in small batches in our New Jersey workshop.
Hiatus is a restorative aromatic shaving soap on the Siero base, made in small batches in our New Jersey workshop. Available in Tallow and Vegan builds.
Quick facts
| Detail | What it is |
|---|---|
| Scent family | Restorative aromatic |
| Base | Siero — tallow plus whole donkey milk + whole water buffalo milk + water buffalo milk whey |
| Weight | 4 oz / 114 g per puck |
| Lather | Dense, slick, builds in 30–45 seconds with a wet brush in cool water. |
| Where it’s made | Our New Jersey workshop. Small batches, single-vessel saponification. |
| Builds | Siero ($29.99) / Crème Fraîche ($23.99) / Vegan ($22.99) — same fragrance compound, different fat structures. |
What Hiatus smells like
Hiatus is the soap for the pause — the restorative aromatic composition for the shaver who wants their morning shave to feel like a real break in the day, not a chore. Calm, slightly meditative, built to land softly.
Imagine yourself on a sun-soaked tropical beach, with the gentle sound of waves caressing the shore and a warm breeze rustling through palm trees. As you sip on a delightful concoction, your taste buds are transported to a paradise of flavors. Describe the exquisite Pina Colada, a heavenly blend of creamy coconut, coconut milk, tangy pineapple, and a generous dash of rum.
Who Hiatus is not for
Honest limitations:
- Fragrance-sensitive skin. Hiatus has a real fragrance load. If our unscented Bare Naked Shaving Soap (Tallow build) or Sans Parfum Vegan Shaving Soap (Vegan build) is what your skin tolerates, this isn’t the soap to switch to.
- Strict dairy allergies. Tallow builds contain saponified dairy proteins. Most contact-dermatitis reactions to dairy are with raw milk, not saponified milk soap, but if you have severe sensitivities, test a sample before committing to a puck.
- Looking for a designer-fragrance clone. Hiatus is its own composition, not an interpretation of a popular fragrance.
- Pucks-as-decor shavers. The puck is meant to be used. The fragrance is most expressive in the lather; sniffing the puck doesn’t do it justice.
Cost per shave
A 4 oz / 114 g puck of Hiatus lasts most shavers ~5 months with daily shaves:
- Siero ($29.99 / ~150 shaves) ≈ $0.20 per shave
- Crème Fraîche ($23.99 / ~150 shaves) ≈ $0.16 per shave
- Vegan ($22.99 / ~150 shaves) ≈ $0.15 per shave
For comparison, a single-use disposable cartridge plus a foam can typically runs $0.40–$0.60 per shave with worse skin feel.
What's in the soap
Tallow Siero build:
Aqua (Water), Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Potassium Tallowate, Sodium Tallowate, Potassium Ricinoleate, Sodium Ricinoleate, (Vegetable) Glycerin, Lac Asinae (Donkey Milk), Potassium Shea Butterate, Sodium Shea Butterate, Garcinia Indica Seed (Kokum) Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed (Cocoa) Butter, Milk Protein, Lac (Milk), Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Parfum (Fragrance), Linum Usitatissimum (Hydrolyzed Linseed) Seed Extract, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lanolin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Coumarin, Limonene.
Tallow build:
Aqua (Water), Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Potassium Tallowate, Sodium Tallowate, Potassium Ricinoleate, Sodium Ricinoleate, (Vegetable) Glycerin, Lac Asinae (Donkey Milk), Potassium Shea Butterate, Sodium Shea Butterate, Garcinia Indica Seed (Kokum) Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed (Cocoa) Butter , Milk Protein (Crème Fraîche), Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Parfum (Fragrance), Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lanolin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Coumarin, Limonene.
Vegan build:
Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Aqua, Glycerin, Potassium Ricinoleate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Potassium Mango Stearate, Sodium Mango Stearate, Potassium Shea Butterate, Sodium Shea Butterate, Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Butter, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyquaternium-10, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Soybean Glycerides, Shea Butter Unsaponifiables, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance, Coumarin, Limonene.
Contains no parabens, no chemical sulfates, and no synthetic dyes. Fragrance is a custom compound mixed by an American perfumer to our spec.
What customers say
★★★★★
Very Nice
The Hiatus is indeed a relaxing trip to a good time. The lather is great and the "pina colada" is just what a fellow needs (and wants) sometimes.
★★★★★
If you like Pina Colada's…
Smells like a mix between a Pina Colada and coconut suntan lotion. Just a lovely summer soap with extraordinary post shave feel in Siero! Don’t miss out on the summer fun - this one is a keeper!
★★★★★
Like being on vacation
This scent is so well executed. Milky coconut and juicy pineapple with a hint of cream. The scent and experience just teleports you to your favorite tropical destination.
★★★★★
Summertime fun
I love this soap! Perfect for summertime fun. Scent is like a pina colada and reminds me of an 80s beach vacation. I'm here also to say that I like the creme fraiche base maybe more than the Siero base. Both are excellent but the lather on the creme fraiche is bordering on the ridiculous. Really great stuff. Enjoy!
★★★★★
Tropical paradise
This smells just like a pina colada and reminds me of a tropical retreat! It’s just what I’ve been looking for. Lather is excellent and I have this base and crème Fraiche, both are good, and I’m glad I have them both.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a puck of Hiatus last?
Most shavers get 5 to 6 months out of a 4-ounce puck with daily shaving. The Siero base lathers efficiently — you don't need to load heavily — so a puck stretches further than a typical mass-market soap.
What does Hiatus smell like?
See the scent walkthrough on the page above for the structured top/heart/base note breakdown. Hiatus is a restorative aromatic composition that develops over a 3-4 hour wear time on skin.
Why is it called Hiatus?
Hiatus is the soap for the pause — the restorative aromatic composition for the shaver who wants their morning shave to feel like a real break in the day, not a chore. Calm, slightly meditative, built to land softly.
Tallow or Vegan — which build to pick?
Tallow build is the original — beef tallow plus whole donkey milk on the Siero base, denser conditioning lather. Vegan build swaps tallow for plant-derived fats (kokum, shea, cocoa, mango), lighter lather body, same fragrance compound. Pick on dietary preference; both share the scent journey.
Do I need a brush, or can I lather with my hands?
Hiatus is a hard puck designed for brush use. A synthetic or boar brush builds the best lather. Hand-lathering works in a pinch but won't get the dense, conditioning lather the soap is designed for.
Is Hiatus a moisturizing shaving soap?
In the way most shavers use the word — yes. People search for "moisturizing shaving soap" looking for a soap that leaves skin feeling conditioned, hydrated, and protected. The technical term we use is "conditioning" because the soap is rinsed off, but the experience matches what people mean. Hiatus on our Siero base delivers exactly that conditioned skin feel. For an actual leave-on moisturizer, pair with our grass-fed tallow zinc oxide cream.
Can I use Hiatus in cold water?
Yes — Siero soaps lather well in cool water with a 30-45 second build. Hot water gives a slightly faster build but isn't necessary.
Where is Hiatus made?
In our New Jersey workshop. Saponification, scenting, pressing, and packaging all happen in house. The fragrance compound is mixed by an American perfumer.