18.21 Man Made Wash Review
Inspired by prohibition-era design and attitude, this three-in-one wash by 18.21 Man Made is a unique and popular men’s grooming product.
But as we all know, slick marketing can only take you so far…
In this review, we’ll take a detailed look at 18.21 Man Made 3-in-1 Body Wash and see if it’s worth adding to your grooming routine.
Let’s begin:
Quick Note: We paid for the product out of pocket – it was not complimentary. This article contains affiliate links. This means we earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost – this helps to cover product and operational expenses.
Packaging
First, the packaging and design. The 18.21 Man Made Wash looks like the quintessential whiskey bottle – personally, I’m feeling a little Woodford Reserve inspiration going on here:
A few notes that we want to make right away here:
First, this wash is made in the USA.
While the bottle size appears larger than most, the 18oz size is in line with other body washes.
Unlike other brands such as Dr. Squatch or Duke Cannon that rely on a few ingredients, this wash by 18.21 contains several ingredients.
But don’t worry…
We checked out the EWG Skin Deep database to verify the safety and found that most washes by 18.21 had a moderate hazard rating of four out of ten.
For context, the Duke Cannon Big Ass Brick of Soap also had a moderate hazard rating of three out of ten – and it contained fewer than ten ingredients!
Lastly, this is a three-in-one product; however, given that I am bald, I couldn’t test it as a shampoo and conditioner – sorry about that guys. But a quick search of other reviews for hair use leans positive.
Performance
Here’s a look at this product performs as a body wash:
Consistency
This wash has a relatively thick viscosity. So for the unofficial and by no means scientific finger test, I put just a drop to see how quickly it would roll down. This was how it looked about 10 seconds after application:
While not as thick like honey or molasses, the wash does have some stiffness to it. I could see this potentially being a problem when getting towards the end of the bottle.
So you’ll likely either need to plan and have it tipped upside down in your shower caddy or add a little water to thin it out.
Lather
The body wash develops nicely into a workable lather. However, compared to other soaps, the lather did feel a bit lighter and thinner; not particularly in a bad way, though.
Slickness
One aspect of this body wash that I loved was the silkiness of the texture. When applying it to the skin, washing, and then rinsing, it left the skin feeling incredibly smooth – almost as if you just coated yourself in a moisturizer.
This is a stark difference from some of the other natural soaps we recently reviewed, where they left a sticky or tacky feeling on the skin when rinsing.
Scent
The smell of the body wash is best-in-class. The mahogany scent provides a fantastic, full-bodied, and somewhat woodsy fragrance that isn’t overpowering. The scent lightly lingers for a few hours after exiting the shower, but you must intentionally smell your skin to catch a waft of it.
Value
We won’t beat around the bush here – the 18.21 body wash is expensive. At $26 for a single bottle, it’s a product that you may rightfully be apprehensive about trying. To put the price into context, Dove Men+Care body wash is about $6 per bottle.
So, then, is it worth it? That’s a tricky question.
If you want to treat yourself or perhaps enjoy a better-than-average body wash, then yes, it is worth it. But if you are strapped for cash, then consider some of the other affordable body washes we reviewed.
Final Thoughts
Perfect in design, scent, and performance, it’s easy to see why so many men have fallen in love with the 18.21 Man Made three-in-one wash. While the price is well above average, the performance is top-notch.