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Beekman’s C.O.P.A. Soaps ~ scented body products

Posted by Jessica on 15 April 2007 6 Comments

COPA Soaps

I certainly own enough scented body products with artistic designs and elaborate promotional rhetoric, but even in my most frivolous moments, I am loyal to Beekman’s COPA Soaps. This small company, housed in a Philadelphia workshop, perfectly demonstrates the truism that “less is more.”

COPA is an acronym for the company’s basic soap recipe: a mix of coconut, olive, palm, and almond oils. Nothing is added to this blend of saponified oils except natural essences with aromatherapeutic benefits; no dyes, synthetic perfumes, or preservatives are included. The same back-to-basics approach is applied to the soap’s packaging. The hand-cut bars are bound in brown-paper labels, and they have no eye-catching coloring, decorative shapes, or whimsical names.

However, this is one of those rare cases where a product’s quality shines through the plainest of exteriors. The soaps are deeply cleansing but gentle. They supply a rich lather that rinses away completely, yet they never leave the skin feeling stripped of its natural emollients. And what about the fragrances? I’ve tried most of them, but I’ll limit myself to mentioning just a few favorites. In the winter, I often reach for Harvest, a blend of clove and cinnamon that gives off a warm spiciness without veering into pumpkin-pie territory. When I have a cold or I just want to feel more alert, I crave Lemon EucaMint, a refreshing, head-clearing pairing of lemon and eucalyptus oils.

Most of all, I am fanatical about COPA’s Basil soap, and I need to have some in my bathroom at all times. This soap serves up basil’s herbal freshness with an intriguing twist: basil essential oil has a note reminiscent of anise, so it is leafy yet sweet, invigorating yet smooth. Throughout history, basil has been used to treat various ailments, and in contemporary aromatherapy its essential oil is recommended to enhance mental clarity, alleviate headaches, and ease depression. When this Basil soap’s herbaceous fragrance is released through its suds into the steamy bathroom air, it becomes intensely aromatic. COPA Soaps compares its products to small-scale spa treatments, and I am inclined to agree.

I was introduced to COPA Soaps a few years ago, when I was living in Philadelphia. My boyfriend, knowing my obsessive interest in scented toiletries, did an internet search for local soap-makers and contacted COPA Soaps to place an order. He gave me a few bars as a Christmas gift, impressing me with his knowledge of a niche brand that was unfamiliar to me! When we both eventually moved away from Philadelphia, I was relieved to learn that COPA Soap’s wares are also available through the company’s website and at craft fairs and other outdoor events around the New York City metropolitan area. Even on the most loathsomely hot weekends of summer, I will brave all the unpleasant aromas of a Manhattan street fair — fried foods, spilled beer, many overheated bodies — in order to find the COPA booth and restock my own supply of these wholesome, scent-filled soaps.

COPA Soaps sell for $4 per 4.5-ounce bar. They can be purchased through the company’s website, copasoaps, which also lists upcoming sales venues.

Filed Under: scented body products
Tagged With: bar soap, beekman, cheap thrills

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6 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:
    15 April 2007 at 1:41 pm

    Jessica, your essay is a wonderful addition to this wonderful blog-site, and I look forward to the next time you “get on your soapbox.” I've bookmarked the COPA link and will make them my next soap house to try. If you haven't experienced them already, may I nominate two soap bars to review? My husband's holy grail: the Earth Bar from http://www.asoapgarden.com/index.cfm and a bar that nearly makes me weep over its beauty: Diptyque's L'Ombre dans L'Eau. I can take or leave the L'Ombre dans L'Eau in liquid form, but combined with soap ingredients, it strikes me as painfully poetic.

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  2. Anonymous says:
    15 April 2007 at 3:13 pm

    Quarry, thank you for the compliment! I'm not familiar with asoapgarden.com, but I will definitely check it out. I am, however, a long-time devotee of L'Ombre dans L'Eau eau de toilette, and I can't believe I haven't tried the soap yet! I'm now adding it to my list. 🙂

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  3. Anonymous says:
    15 April 2007 at 6:47 pm

    These sound fantastic! Thanks for posting about them. Great prices and, although their site is simple, those are beautifully done photographs. Back to browsing their site to figure out which I need to order.

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  4. Anonymous says:
    15 April 2007 at 7:03 pm

    I forgot to mention that the site helpfully groups the soaps by their effects (Emollient, Exfoliating…) and their aromatherapeutic properties (Invigorating, Relaxing…) Happy browsing!

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  5. Anonymous says:
    12 September 2007 at 11:00 am

    J, I waited for a free shipping special, and my package (12 soaps!) has finally arrived. These are lovely! Basil is as wonderful as you said, but I think my personal faves will be Vetiver Peat & Cardamom. Thanks so much fore recommending these!

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  6. Anonymous says:
    12 September 2007 at 2:15 pm

    Hooray! I'm so glad you like them. There are sooo many independent soap-makers peddling their wares on the internet nowadays, but I can honestly say that these are the best soaps I've tried. I've been using them for 4-5 years! 🙂

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