“I’m a fancy hand soap addict and this is my confession”

In some ways it’s akin to the way I judge a restaurant, a hair salon, a nail shop on its choice of hand wash. In fact, there’s a hairdressers in London I’ve been to a few times that has Aesop soap and hand cream, and to me, it’s a sign that that place takes pride in itself, that the owner cares about the image being projected. 

It’s the same in my home: I might be stuck in a tiny middle floor London flat which means I can’t add little touches that make stark white walls feel more homely, nor can I change the colour of them, and technically I’m not allowed to burn candles or put pictures on the walls, but I can add a hint of personality in my choice of soap.

It’s an extravagant thing, I know that. To some it’s probably pointless. After all, what’s the real difference between a bottle of Molton Brown and a bottle of blue Carex that’s always on offer in Wilko? Both clean hands effectively, both get rid germs and – crucially – both end up being washed down the sink. 

But I think it just makes me feel like I’ve got my shit together. Like I’m not blagging my way through life plagued with imposter syndrome, that instead I’m a Very Responsible Adult who, despite what’s on the exterior, does actually care about the little things that nobody else probably notices.

What’s better is that I know it’s not just me. My best friend treated herself to some Aesop soap when she bought her first house, my sister regularly invests in it, and when I pitched this feature it was met with nods of agreement from the rest of the beauty team. In fact, it sparked an entire conversation, and some members of the wider Stylist team were on my wavelength, too.

So since I’m officially not alone in my weird obsession, here are my favourite soaps that are 100% worth treating yourself to. I promise you won’t regret it and the compliments you’ll get from future house guests will make it so worth it.

Images: courtesy of brands