- Design Inspo
10 Artisan Soap Brands That Look and Smell Great
There’s been a focus on cleaning products, like soaps, in 2020 and 2021 (thanks, coronavirus). But there’s more to these suds than function: they can be gorgeous and smell gorgeous, too. Soap-like substances (originally, ashes combined with fats from animals) have existed in civilizations for about 2,300 years. In the centuries since, formulas have evolved to include the luxe lathers that we use today. Below, Nest Casa presents the 10 brands to browse for a spa-quality scrub.
Our Favorite Soap Makers
1. Binu Binu
Create a Korean bath house in the comfort of your home (and your tub) with these soaps from Binu Binu. The Eastern-influenced brand uses boricha—or, Korean roasted barley tea—as the base for its bars, which are handmade in small batches in Toronto, Canada.
2. Byredo
The secret to Byredo’s suds is in the chic, Stockholm-based brand’s scents. The hand and body washes are available in the Vogue-endorsed Gypsy Water—a fragrance inspired by the Romani culture, featuring notes of pine and sandalwood with notes of amber and citrus.
3. Diptyque
This fashionable maison was named for its first store at 34 Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris, France: it featured an entrance with panel-like windows on each side, creating a diptych (English) or diptyque (French). The fragrance house’s famous parfums—which include the best-selling Do Son, Eau Rose, and Fleur de Peau—are available in hand rinses, shower gels, and soaps.
4. Le Labo
It doesn’t take un nez to be taken with these luxe soaps. Established in 2006, Le Labo (which is based in Grasse, France, and New York, New York) names each fragrance for its main note plus the sum of its scents. For example, the beloved Santal 33 features santal (or, sandalwood) and 33 scents.
5. The Ranch Malibu
This exclusive destination in California’s Malibu charms celebs and the like with its health programs—which are centered around hikes and plant-based eating. Experience this same sense of relaxation at home (perhaps, in a bath sheet or towel) with one of these delicious bars. Nest Casa’s founder Sara Colombo shares about the Lemon Peel Plant Bar: “It’s my favorite. I look forward to getting this every year when I go to Malibu for the week-long Ranch program.”
6. Tata Harper
Tata Harper (or, the “farm-to-face heroine”) has established an empire from plant-based products Her products are made using ingredients from her farm in Shoreham, Vermont. Plus, the bottles are a fabulous (and fabulously green) decorative choice to include in a stylishly designed bathroom.
7. Haoma
Haoma is a modern, wellness brand inspired by the ancient haoma plant—which, in Zoroastrianism, is considered a sacred source of healing. The Earth soap combines the moisturizing characteristics of shea butter with the detoxifying ones of activated charcoal, bentonite clay, and black sand.
8. Bloomist
This sustainability-focused store endeavors to reintroduce nature into the home through decorative items, like botanicals and textiles. Bloomist’s olive oil–based soaps come in a series of enchanting batches, including: Clary Sage with Dill, Coffee Mint, Gardener’s Handsoap, and Vetiver.
9. Santa Maria Novella
The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is descended from an apothecary in Florence, Italy, that dates back to 1221. The Dominican friars’ discoveries (around 1612) continue to influence the historic profumeria’s collection of sapones—which are made with natural, nourishing ingredients, like almonds and olives.
10. The Laundress
These lathers are designed to be both clean and, well, cleaning. The Laundress’s active formulas are enhanced with the brand’s Classic scent (which smells like fresh laundry, featuring jasmine and lily of the valley with citrus, sandalwood, and sweet musk).
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