My Favourite Scented Soaps

There are certain rituals that can provide us with a momentary step away from the daily grind and, in a world where “me time” is becoming more of a rarity, can also help to reset our senses. I’m talking about the humble act of washing our hands. From the days of the famous Coal Tar Soap right through to the more modern perfume-inspired offerings, the release of scent that comes from plunging your hands and the bar into water is the perfect way to achieve fragranced cleanliness. So, in an effort to get you to ditch the hand washes and reconnect with this simple pleasure, it’s time for me to share my favourite five.

Growing up as child in the 1970s, every home had a soap dish and its accompanying bar of soap. You had a hand soap or a bath soap, I was never convinced there was a difference back then, and each would come in their signature colours. Remember Pink Marble Shield and Camay, or perhaps Irish Spring and Breeze? These were the days before the plastic bottle of hand wash or shower gel and, in line with the ongoing focus of reducing our use of plastics, the humble bar is making a real comeback. So, which of my favourite five will you try?

We begin with Bronnley, arguably Britain’s most famous soap brand, and their classic Lavender fragrance. Enriched with shea butter, it’s a beautiful example of this timeless aromatic and is supported by notes of rosemary and petitgrain along with a whisper of sandalwood. It’s available from bronnley.co.uk priced at £24 for three 100g bars. Next we move on to Karma from the iconic LUSH, which is still based down in Poole. One of their bestselling fragrances, the evocative mix of patchouli, lemongrass, orange and pine creates a real hark back to 1970s London. It’s available from lush.com priced at £5.50 for 100g.

Nesti Dante is the next visit on our soaped soirée and their Chinotto di Amalfi scent. This is a vibrant blend of orange and lemon, but it’s given an intriguing woody green aspect thanks to the addition of myrtle. It’s available from soliflore.co.uk priced at £6.50 for 250g. My penultimate choice is Milano Cento’s signature soap, which features the company’s iconic scent. This classic woody aromatic aroma contains patchouli and oakmoss over a pairing of vetiver and sandalwood, supported by lavender-edged amber tones. It’s available from indimenswear.co.uk priced at £9.50 for 120g.

My final place goes to Trésors Publics and the wonderful Pin Maritime soap. Based in Nice, in the South of France, their beautiful bar combines the scent of sappy fir trees with dry cedarwood, along with a dose of clove-imbued sandalwood. The perfect scent for Christmas, it’s available from tresorspublics.com priced at €15 for 100g. As you can imagine, there are thousands of soaps out there waiting to be discovered and, with our continuing concerns for the amount of plastic that is being used in everyday life, the humble bar of soap is a great way to reduce your footprint. [Samples provided by the companies]