RAISING THE BAR
The Soaps We’re Giving (and Keeping) This Holiday
By: Allie White
Because soap isn’t boring.
Potentially controversial take: soap is the ideal gift.
Once you get past the (incorrect) thought that a gift recipient might be offended by getting soap as a gift because maybe it means you think they smell or aren’t clean, it makes a ton of sense. Soap doesn’t go bad. Soap is used every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Soap comes in so many formulations and packaging and scents and benefits that it’s infinitely customizable to fit the recipient’s personality, vibe, likes and dislikes, etc. In fact, I’d argue that gifting soap is maybe the most thoughtful, personal thing you can do this holiday.
Still not convinced? Read on for a few absolutely perfect soap gifts you should be giving — or maybe keeping for yourself — this year.
Once you get past the (incorrect) thought that a gift recipient might be offended by getting soap as a gift because maybe it means you think they smell or aren’t clean, it makes a ton of sense. Soap doesn’t go bad. Soap is used every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Soap comes in so many formulations and packaging and scents and benefits that it’s infinitely customizable to fit the recipient’s personality, vibe, likes and dislikes, etc. In fact, I’d argue that gifting soap is maybe the most thoughtful, personal thing you can do this holiday.
Still not convinced? Read on for a few absolutely perfect soap gifts you should be giving — or maybe keeping for yourself — this year.
TERRA-TORY ALOE DETOX CUBE
Vibe: Fresh baskets of just-harvested sun-warmed produce, Nancy Meyers kitchens, vintage Levi’s that fit perfectly, stumbling on a field of wildflowers, holding peeping chicks cupped in your hands.
Perfect gift for: Your elegant-but-doesn’t-know-it mom who nurtures an outrageous herb and vegetable garden, and swears she doesn’t want or need anything but secretly loves a little quiet luxury.
Perfect gift for: Your elegant-but-doesn’t-know-it mom who nurtures an outrageous herb and vegetable garden, and swears she doesn’t want or need anything but secretly loves a little quiet luxury.
Is there anything chicer than soap on a natural-fiber rope? Trust me, the answer is no. Accessory aside, Terra-Tory’s Soap Cubes are truly the pinnacle of natural luxury — there’s just something about seeing and feeling the naturally-occuring flecks of ingredients throughout the soap that makes you feel as virtuous washing your body with this stuff as drinking a green juice after meditating. And really, the Fresh Carrot + Turmeric cube is basically your skin's equivalent of said green juice: packed with vitamin A, beta-carotene, and omega fatty oils, this cube’s anti-inflammatory ingredients heal and soothe all types of skin conditions. Looking for more detox-while-you-hydrate action? The Aloe Detox cube is packed with pure aloe vera leaf juice, shea butter and peppermint oil.
WONDER VALLEY HINOKI BAR
Vibe: Pure luxury, cooking in an open-air kitchen on the Mediterranean, walking barefoot in an olive grove while wearing a flowy skirt and bandana.
Perfect gift for: Your high-strung BFF who knows they need to relax but still taps away on their work phone during a spa day.
Formulated with extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil, this Hinoki Bar from Wonder Valley is the ultimate hydrating, moisturizing soap. The fact that it smells like an ancient citrus forest at dawn is the icing on top of this luxe cake. Buy multiples: you’re going to want to keep at least one for yourself.
Perfect gift for: Your high-strung BFF who knows they need to relax but still taps away on their work phone during a spa day.
Formulated with extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil, this Hinoki Bar from Wonder Valley is the ultimate hydrating, moisturizing soap. The fact that it smells like an ancient citrus forest at dawn is the icing on top of this luxe cake. Buy multiples: you’re going to want to keep at least one for yourself.
WONDER VALLEY TWO DESERTS SOAP
Vibe: Chopping wood, Pacific Northwest cabin draped in flannel blankets, sipping steaming tea from a travel mug while watching the sun rise after a night camping in the forest.
Perfect gift for: Your outdoorsy younger brother who hasn’t quite mastered the art of self-care yet and is still maybe a little heavy-handed with the scented body spray.
Perfect gift for: Your outdoorsy younger brother who hasn’t quite mastered the art of self-care yet and is still maybe a little heavy-handed with the scented body spray.
Another stunner from Wonder Valley, this Two Deserts Soap also harnesses the power of olive, coconut and avocado oils. (Spoiler: Wonder Valley also makes gorgeous olive oil for your kitchen.) The lather is thick and powerful without being drying and the golden-hued bar is just begging to be used on hands that work (and could maybe use some TLC). Oh, and the smell? Juniper, sage, eucalyptus, cardamom…you’ll be covertly sniffing your skin all day with this one.
"I’d argue that gifting soap is maybe the most thoughtful, personal thing you can do this holiday."
BROOKLYN CANDLE STUDIO HAND & BODY BATH BAR
Vibe: Scandi minimalism, mid-century modern furniture flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows with views of a lake, Sherpa-lined house slippers while you sip a homemade matcha.
Perfect gift for: Your “vanilla girl aesthetic” work wife who has a signature scent and knows your morning coffee order by heart.
Perfect gift for: Your “vanilla girl aesthetic” work wife who has a signature scent and knows your morning coffee order by heart.
If ever clean lines and a muted aesthetic had a bubbly counterpart, Brooklyn Candle Studio’s bath bars would be it. The ingredient list alone makes these a must-buy (coconut and jojoba oils form the backbone of the ingredient lists), but don’t discount the otherworldly scents captured in these perfect cubes: the Palo Santo cube detoxifies while transporting you to a calm, wooded glen; Bergamot Neroli restores skin's softness and is magically aromatherapeutic thanks to mimosa, jasmine, sage, and eucalyptus; Rosewater Cassis soothes and hydrates while galbanum and cedar offer a grounding, calming aroma.
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