Handcrafted soap from Ostrobothnia

Hemängen is a local soap workshop in Ostrobothnia, Finland – focused on handcrafted soaps for a Nordic climate and sensitive skin.

We produce our soaps in small batches using natural ingredients and traditional methods, with care in every step.

Our soaps

All our soaps are 100 % handmade in small batches. They are made with olive, coconut and rapeseed oils as a base, combined with carefully selected additions such as pine tar and charcoal from our own production – tailored to support the qualities each finished soap is meant to have.

Pine tar has a long tradition in Nordic skin and hair care and is especially appreciated by those with sensitive or easily irritated skin and scalps.

Deep Scrub — Pine Tar & Activated Charcoal

A powerful, handcrafted pine tar soap for truly dirty hands. The combination of pine tar and activated charcoal helps draw out dirt, grease and particles, while the natural oils cleanse without drying the skin. Deep Scrub is especially appreciated by blacksmiths and others who work hard with their hands — a soap that tackles heavy grime yet leaves the skin soft and comfortable.

9,40 € incl. VAT

🖐️ 100% handmade

🌿 Natural ingredients

🧴 Vegan

🇫🇮 Made in Finland

Contents: Olive oil Coconut oil Rapeseed oil Linseed oil Pine tar Activated charcoal Lye (NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Sodium Olivate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Rapeseedate, Sodium Linseedate, Aqua, Sodium Hydroxide, Pinus Palustris Wood Tar, Charcoal Powder.

Sauna Soap — Tar & Rosemary

A classic pine tar soap for shower and sauna, with a warm wood-tar character balanced by fresh rosemary notes. Tar has been used in Nordic washing and skin care for generations and is especially appreciated by people with sensitive or demanding skin. Cleans gently yet effectively — perfect after a sauna as well as for daily body washing.

8,80 € incl. VAT

🖐️ 100% handmade

🌿 Natural ingredients

🧴 Vegan

🇫🇮 Made in Finland

Contents: Olive oil Coconut oil Rapeseed oil Linseed oil Pine tar Essential oil Lye (NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Sodium Olivate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Rapeseedate, Sodium Linseedate, Aqua, Sodium Hydroxide, Pinus Palustris Wood Tar, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil.

Himalayabris — Spa Soap

Exfoliating and refreshing. Himalayan and sea salt add radiance, while mint cools the skin — ideal for the shower or a home spa moment. Also suitable as a facial soap. Salt soap is often appreciated by those with sensitive or demanding skin as part of a gentle skincare routine.

9,40 € incl. VAT

🖐️ 100% handmade

🌿 Natural ingredients

🇫🇮 Made in Finland

Contents: Olive oil Coconut oil Rapeseed oil Linseed oil Himalayan salt Sea salt Essential oils Lye (NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Sodium Olivate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Rapeseedate, Sodium Linseedate, Aqua, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Mentha Spicata Oil.

Ängsbris — Fresh citrus

An uplifting soap with a natural citrus character. Gently cleanses the skin and leaves it soft and hydrated — like a summer breeze over the meadows.

9,20 € incl. VAT

🖐️ 100% handmade

🌿 Natural ingredients

🇫🇮 Made in Finland

Contents: Olive oil Coconut oil Rapeseed oil Linseed oil Lemon peel Honey Essential oils Lye (NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Sodium Olivate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Rapeseedate, Sodium Linseedate, Aqua, Sodium Hydroxide, Mel, Citrus Limon Peel, Cymbopogon Flexuosus Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Oil.

Shampoo Bars

Handcrafted shampoo bars in solid form – a calm and thoughtfully made alternative to liquid shampoo. Gentle cleansing, creamy lather and easy everyday use.

Ängsmedens Shampoo Bar – Tar & Lemon

A handcrafted shampoo bar with pine tar and fresh lemon – created for those who want an effective, natural shampoo without unnecessary additives. Gently yet thoroughly cleanses hair and scalp, leaving hair clean, manageable and without a tight or dry feeling.

🖐️ Handcrafted in small batches

🫧 Creamy lather

🌲 Calming & antiseptic properties

📦 Solid bar

⏳ Long-lasting

Suitable for: Normal to dry hair Sensitive scalp Everyday use

Contains: Coconut oil Olive oil Rapeseed oil Linseed oil Wood tar Essential oils Lye (NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Olivate, Sodium Rapeseedate, Sodium Linseedate, Aqua, Sodium Hydroxide, Mel, Pinus Palustris Wood Tar, Cymbopogon Flexuosus Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Oil.

Hemängen Shampoo Bar – Rosenvind

A mild and caring shampoo bar with soft floral rose, vanilla and warm cedarwood tones – created for a pleasant and balanced hair-washing ritual. Gently cleanses without drying out and produces a creamy, silky lather. A rounded, soft scent often appreciated by the whole family.

🖐️ Handcrafted in small batches

🌿 Natural oils

🫧 Creamy lather

🌸 Soft, rounded scent

📦 Solid bar

⏳ Long-lasting

Suitable for: Normal hair Mild shampoo For the whole family

Contains: Coconut oil Olive oil Rapeseed oil Linseed oil Essential oils Lye (NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Olivate, Sodium Rapeseedate, Sodium Linseedate, Aqua, Sodium Hydroxide, Mel, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract.

Shaving soaps

Our shaving soaps are handmade in small batches and build a dense, creamy lather with excellent glide. Designed for classic wet shaving — and for those who want a calm shave without tight or dry skin afterwards.

A solid shaving soap lasts a long time—often equivalent to many cans of shaving foam—and requires neither propellant gas nor bulky single-use packaging. A simple choice if you want to shave cost-effectively, with a more comfortable feel, while reducing waste and transport needs over time.

Ängsmedens Rakstål — Tar

A creamy, handcrafted shaving soap made with locally produced pine tar — developed for traditional wet shaving. The scent is warm and robust, with clear notes of tar and wood that bring Nordic forest and forge to mind. It’s distinctive but well balanced. Builds a stable, dense lather with excellent glide, making it a favourite for close shaves and coarse beards — for those who value function, craft and honest scents.

19,10 € incl. VAT

🖐️ 100% handmade

🌿 Natural ingredients

📦 Small container

🫧 More shaves

🪒 Better glide

🇫🇮 Made in Finland

Contents: Stearin Coconut oil Castor oil Olive oil Shea butter Pine tar Essential oils Lye (KOH & NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Potassium Stearate, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Ricinoleate, Potassium Olivate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Sodium Olivate, Aqua, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pinus Palustris Wood Tar, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Oil.

Hemängen Shaving Soap – Frostbris

A creamy, handcrafted shaving soap for traditional wet shaving — for face and body. Builds a dense lather with plenty of glide and leaves the skin soft and comfortable after shaving. The scent is fresh and cool with spearmint, balanced by gentle citrus and a subtle woody note.

18,90 € incl. VAT

🖐️ 100% handmade

🌿 Natural ingredients

📦 Small container

🫧 More shaves

🪒 Better glide

🇫🇮 Made in Finland

Contents: Stearin Coconut oil Castor oil Olive oil Shea butter Essential oils Lye (KOH & NaOH) – saponified

Ingredients (INCI)

Potassium Stearate, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Ricinoleate, Potassium Olivate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Sodium Olivate, Aqua, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Mentha Spicata Oil, Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil.

Ängsmedens Shaving Set — Starter

A complete starter set for traditional wet shaving. The set includes two handmade shaving soaps — one with tar and one gently cooling option — together with a classic shaving brush selected to create a rich, stable lather.

Price confirmed upon inquiry

Final price depends on the selected shaving brush and current purchase cost.

🫧 Two handmade shaving soaps with rich, creamy lather

🖐️ Soaps handmade in small batches

🌿 Natural ingredients

🎁 Shaving set — ideal for trying both

🪒 Shaving brush — gentle, low-maintenance and suitable for daily use

The set includes: Ängsmedens Rakstål — Tar Ängsmedens Shaving Soap — Frostbris Shaving brush

Ängsmeden Shaving Set — Complete

The set includes two handmade shaving soaps — one with wood tar and one mildly cooling variant — together with a classic safety razor with blade and a shaving brush with soft fibres.

All components are selected to work well together, providing a comfortable, controlled shave with rich, stable lather.

The set also includes the instruction booklet Use & basics, to help you get started with traditional wet shaving.

Price confirmed upon inquiry

Final price depends on the selected razor, brush, and current purchase cost.

🫧 Two handmade shaving soaps with rich, creamy lather

🖐️ Soaps handmade in small batches

🌿 Natural ingredients

🫧 Shaving brush – builds a rich, creamy lather that protects the skin

🪒 Classic safety razor – well balanced, easy to control and gentle on the skin

📘 Instruction booklet – learn the basics and get started with safe, traditional wet shaving

🎁 Shaving set – a thoughtful gift or a complete starter kit

The set includes: Ängsmedens Rakstål — Tar Hemängen Shaving Soap – Frostbris Safety razor Shaving brush Instruction booklet

About us

At Hemängen in Vörå, we make soap the traditional way, entirely by hand. We use clean, natural ingredients and local raw materials such as tar and charcoal from our own forest. Each bar is mixed, poured and cut by hand, with respect for both skin and nature. Our goal is simple: truly clean hands for everyone — including those with sensitive skin, eczema, psoriasis or dry skin.

Traditional soapmaking

Soap has been made in the Nordic region for hundreds of years using simple, natural raw materials.
In the past, animal fats or vegetable oils were combined with lye, produced from birch ash and water.

When lye reacts with oils, soap is formed — a natural process known as saponification. Once the process is complete, there is no active lye left in the finished soap, only soap and naturally occurring glycerin that helps the skin retain moisture.

Ingredients & quality

Not all soaps are the same. Many industrially produced soaps are based on inexpensive, heavily refined fats and soap bases where natural glycerin is often removed.

Instead, we use whole vegetable oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil and linseed oil. When soap is made using traditional methods, natural glycerin is formed and remains in the soap, helping the skin retain moisture.

This is why our soaps cleanse effectively without feeling drying — even with daily use and for sensitive skin.

How Hemängen came to life

Hemängen grew out of another craft — blacksmithing.
As coal became harder to source locally, it felt natural to return to older Nordic methods and start making our own charcoal — the way it was done in the past.

Many years ago, I discussed this with my mentor, Einar, who is no longer with us. Einar was a master blacksmith with deep knowledge of traditional craft. He often said a day would come when these skills would be needed again.

With his words in mind, I decided to act and built my own charcoal pit to produce charcoal for my work. Along the way, tar was also produced — and what first appeared as a by-product soon became a growing interest.

I have always loved the scent and character of tar, and my interest in tar soap was already there. Combined with blacksmithing and the everyday need to wash hard-working hands, the idea of making my own soap took shape.

When the first handmade soap proved to work remarkably well — for both hands and skin — the foundation of Hemängen was laid.

From the packing table

All soaps are packed by hand in small batches — just like they are made.

Where can you buy Hemängen soaps?

Our soaps are available for purchase in person at Vörå Hemslöjd. If you would like to order directly from us, please use the form below (shipping or collection by arrangement).

Vörå Hemslöjd
(Shop in Vörå) – see current opening hours on Google Maps.

Open Vörå Hemslöjd in Google Maps

Inquiry

Send an inquiry about our products. As we produce in small batches, not everything is always in stock — we always reply personally.