Soap? You’re having a laugh. Isn’t it that itch-inducing stuff in the corner of your granny’s sink that you wouldn’t touch with a bargepole? Actually, no. Soap has gone all luxe on us and my bathroom has a bar of it on every available surface.
That’s right. I’ve got shower soap, hand soap – even a face soap. And the fabulous thing about bars of soap is that they last ages, are fairly purse-friendly and – joy of joys, they are a great way of getting a fragrance to linger in your bathroom. Here is my top five.
I love a bit of Jo Malone and one of my favourite scents is Pomegranate Noir, which is just so perfect for autumn. It reminds me of old books and dried fruit in wooden bowls (this is why I never write about fragrance). The bath soap (£12) has a lovely long-lasting smell and is a great way to try the range before you invest in a candle or perfume. Beautiful packaging too.
Di Palomo’s Orange Blossom Cleansing Bar (£8) contains honey, olive and shea butter and is just gorgeous in the shower. I always keep this one in amongst the towels and sheets for a few weeks before I use it, as the scent is just so fresh and seems to go with clean laundry.
Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Soap (£6) is another fitting fragrance choice for autumn. I love the old school pleated wrapper around it and the little box is perfect for travel. After all, nobody wants a damp bar of soap at the bottom of their wash bag. Lovely creamy lather.
Next up is Beatitude, a niche brand from Scotland founded by aromatherapist Rebecca O’Connor. She’s created some cleansing bars (£9.50), which have both a luxurious lather and a gentle exfoliating action to leave your skin peachy soft. I cannot get enough of her ‘Patience’ essential oil blend, or choose ‘Joy’ or ‘Peace’, depending on how the mood takes you.
Finally, this absolute cracker from Gamila Secret. The Beauty Bar (£21) is an 100% natural olive oil based soap that deep cleanses the skin, hydrates and promotes elasticity – and is so gentle you can use it on your body, face, and even your kids. For this reason, mine (in Spearmint Sparkle) hasn’t lasted very long at all, and I will be re-ordering as a matter of urgency.
For the latest beauty trends we’ll be seeing in SS14 have a look at our LFW beauty report.