STATUS HAND SOAP: TO GIFT + GET

by Andrea Mast

With the cooler weather ushering fall and flu season, not to forget the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, cozy indoor gatherings with vaccinated friends and family will be more common - however, we still need to be mindful of our handwashing practices! Thankfully, there are plenty of amazing status hand soaps out there that are both vigilant against viruses and satisfying to the senses. Learn a little bit about the history of hand soap, and see suggestions for amazing hand soaps that are a functional and aesthetically pleasing addition to your sink top decor - consider taking hand soap as a host gift to your next holiday gathering! 

What is soap and how does it clean? 

Modern-day soap is made from animal or vegetable oil, water, and lye - sounds simple! Combined in the correct portions, these ingredients are a powerful tool for removing germs and bacteria. According to Harvard Health, washing your hands for at least 15 seconds with soap and water reduces bacterial count by 90%. More surprising is the fact that soap doesn’t actually kill germs - it pulls germs and bacteria from your skin, and the water removes them. Make sure to dry your hands, as your newly cleansed wet hands will spread germs more readily than completely dry hands.

When was soap first created and used? 

While it is not certain when soap was actually first invented, according to excavations of ancient Babylon, evidence suggests that soapmaking may have started around 2800 BC, as boiled fats and ashes for cleaning fibers and for medicinal use. Soap used to be very expensive until French soapmaker Nicholas Leblanc discovered a chemical process that made way for much lower prices, and two decades after his discovery, another Frenchman created the modern soap-making process that is still used today, with glycerin, fats, and acid! 

Our top picks are below, including a few highly recommended by our Interior Collab Designers!

Julia Blanchard // Blanchard Design LLC.

The status handsoap that started it all, Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash

Ethique Handwash Concentrate - According to the popular brand Ethique, maker of plastic-free soaps, the average household uses at least eleven hand soap bottles each year! Ethique makes a gentle and non-drying hand soap concentrate block that you can plop in your empty soap dispenser -  it dissolves and you have the freshest soap at your disposal! Especially if you have a pretty hand soap pump, you’ll want these Ethique hydrating handwash concentrate bars infused with moisturizing jojoba oil that also keeps waste out of the landfill.  Choose between calming lavender & vanilla, invigorating lime, and sweet orange, or rejuvenating lime & eucalyptus fragrances. 

Elaine Thompson // Pistachio Designs

Ever since a vacation to the south of France a few years ago, I swear by Compagnie de Provence Liquid Marseille Soap.

Amass Four Thieves Hand Soap - Legend has it that as the Bubonic Plague ravaged Europe and Asia in 1413, four unemployed spice merchants went around robbing people, but never caught the plague themselves. Once caught, the judge promised to spare their lives if they divulged the secret to staving off disease - the four thieves alleged a blend of spice oils prevented sickness. Enjoy this historically inspired soap, a rich blend of cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, and allspice. It comes in a trendy brown glass reminiscent of an old apothecary bottle - a bottle that not only looks good but has a story to tell.

Ahmad AbouZanat // PROJECT AZ

This might be the most status-y handsoap of them all. The REPLICA Collection by Maison Margiela does not make a handwash availible in the US, however they do make a bodywash that can be repurposed for the hands

OUAI Hand Wash: This vegan hand soap comes packaged in an attractive minimalist, recyclable and refillable vessel and sources castor oil, jojoba esters, and oils from jojoba seed, avocado, rosehip seed. Lather up with OUAI soap to exfoliate then moisturize your skin, and pair with its corresponding hand lotion for a completely nourishing experience for your hands. This soap is easy on the hands but will leave them feeling soft and there is no need to fill a different dispenser - refill the modern white container with the OUAI soap refill pouch.  

Ruchi A Mohan // designbyRUCHI + Gala Magriñá // Gala Magriñá Design both love the scent profiles of  Molton Brown Hand Soap

Golda Sphere Soap is almost too pretty and unique to use, with its metallic caramel sheen. Though this soap is certainly beautiful, the best thing about it is the inclusion of hinokitiol, an antimicrobial, germicidal, deodorizing ingredient found in Aomori oil in Aomori Japan. The sphere utilizes coconut, palm, avocado, and jojoba oils for a moisturizing effect and elicits Hiba oil and lemongrass scents for an amazing hand soap experience. 

Clara Song // Clara Song Design

My family loves foam hand soaps. We have the MyKirei by KAO flower foam hand soap. It's a lot of fun to pump the soap out. 

Sources: Soap History and  Fiddler's Elbow Grease