This must be the first time we've reviewed a soap-on-a-rope here at Now Smell This. I've always thought of soap-on-a-rope (basically just a bar of soap with a nylon hang-cord attached) as the sort of 1970s-era item that was (is?) only purchased as a slightly depressing, last-resort Father's Day gift or a holiday present for a male grade-school teacher. Affordable and practical, but sort of silly. You know.
Senteurs d'Orients' Hammam Soap on a Rope is an altogether different sort of object, and you would never confuse it with a last-minute purchase from the drugstore or the Avon catalogue. These soaps are hand-crafted by local artisans in Lebanon. They're circular and oversized, hand-molded with elegant, filigree-like patterns of leaves and floral motifs. They're packaged in decorative, hand-folded boxes, and (most importantly) their scents were developed by the "master perfumers of Grasse."
I've been using Hammam Soap in Orange Blossom, which Senteurs d'Orient describes as an uplifting Mediterranean scent with "soft sensuality." (The other options are Jasmine of Arabia, Amber, Rose of Damascus and Tuberose.) It's an orange blossom aroma that's natural-smelling and surprisingly intense, with greenish and woody facets that creating a slightly raspy bitterness beneath lightly honeyed, slightly indolic white petals. For a fragrance "pairing," I'd use this soap before applying Houbigant Orangers en Fleurs or Au Pays de La Fleur d'Oranger Neroli Blanc Eau de Cologne. Incidentally, it produces a fine, generous lather and its fragrance really blooms in the steamy air of a hot shower.
In case your eye is about to wander down a few lines to check the price of this product, I'll warn you: it's ridiculously expensive. Then again, if you think of Hammam Soap as more than a soap, you may be able to argue yourself into a purchase. It so lushly scented that it can be used to perfume a drawer or a closet; you could even just let it hang on a hook in the bathroom for a while and enjoy its fragrance before actually using it. After all, Diptyque's ceramic-and-wax "Scented Ovals" cost even more. And, naturally, this soap would be an excellent gift for someone who appreciates small luxuries.
It's also worth mentioning that Senteurs d'Orient has established a partnership with the United Nations Development Program to support women’s education in Lebanon. 10% of sales go to this program, which provides choice and improvement in local women's lives.
Senteurs d'Orient Hammam Soap on a Rope sells for $38 via the Senteurs d'Orient website.
I find the soap on a rope adorable! Good stocking stuffer but would probably be only item in the stocking at my house
Most expensive soap I have ever bought is Hermes! Using a Pecksniffs soap now called Citron at the moment.
Question: Am I the only one who, instead of using actual bubble bath, just pumps regular soap into the bath!? Not as good as real bubble bath I guess, the bubbles disappear rather quickly but it works!
Yes, I do that. It may be kinder to the skin. Bubbles are lovely but I tend to be a bit suspicious of whatever it is that creates the lather. I use low lather shampoo as well. That said, after a terrible day yesterday I went home and had a bath using L’Occitane’s verbena foaming stuff, and it was fine.
Oh, the verbena bath sounds lovely! I could never use those cheap cartoon character branded bubble baths as a kid (though I really wanted to!) because it would cause me to break out, so I been using just plain old soap for years.
I’m more of a shower person than a bath person, but when I do take a bath, I splurge on a LUSH bubble bar! I’ve tried using my favorite Avalon Organics liquid hand soap in the shower, but it doesn’t lather as much as I’d like, although it still smells good in that context.
One of my oldest friends has been wearing Equipage for almost as long as I’ve known him, and once I splurged on an Equipage soap as a gift for him — it turned out to be quite a successful little gift!
This is a very pretty soap, although oddly I find its large size not as appealing despite its (therefore improved) cost per gram.
It’s big, but not massive — not a toe-crusher like some soaps (Claus Porto!) — and it really is pretty in person. The box is nicely designed, too.
This sounds really lovely, particularly as a present for upcoming house guests or a friend who deserves some pampering but won’t do it themselves.
Unfortunately, the very hard water around here dramatically decreases the performance of bar soaps. From high to low end, no matter what I’ve tried, I end up with dry almost squeaky skin and little filmy, mushy soap bits to clean up.
Though I am enough of a bath/body junkie that I have seriously considered getting a water softener to see if my beloved bath items would be even better. Oh, and for the laundry, longevity of plumbing and healthier water, of course.
We have awfully hard and harsh water, too. I bought a filter for the shower head, which helps — but I dream of someday installing a water-softener. Every day would be a good hair day for me!
And yes, this soap would make a wonderful small-but-special gift for the right person!
I’m in Australia and the mark-up on cosmetics and perfumes etc is high. This pushes up the price of high end soaps even higher. Jo Malone soaps are $30 I think, and Chanel No 5 soap – a great luxury which I hope Father Xmas will bring me – is about $35 at least. Soaps like this therefore become a genuine luxury to be seriously enjoyed. I reckon I’d love Hammam Soap if I ever saw it.
Ooh. I’ve never used a No. 5 soap, but it must be a heavenly experience. I *have* owned and cherished soap from Les Parfums de Rosine and Lorenzo Villoresi (I scored the latter at a LAFCO warehouse sale). Fancy soap is a true luxury.
Isn’t it? I’ve heard that Shalimar is wonderful too, but I’ve never gone that far.
Senteurs d’orient’s products are pricey, even in Lebanon. I bought three little guest soaps that smell divine for a better price once at the Beirut Duty Free (where incidentally you can also buy Serge Lutens export line bottles for $80).
They’re generally very good quality and like typical hammam soaps, the scent is strong so using it to scent drawers, etc. is a very good idea. I do that with Indian soaps to and now my socks smell of lemongrass!
One of my favorite cheap thrills: sandalwood soaps from the Indian grocery. They come in pretty little boxes, they smell amazing, and they scent the whole bathroom and/or drawers!
This looks and sounds beautiful, Jessica!
Here’s a tip: department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue often have fancy soaps in holiday packaging that go on sale right after Christmas (as do candles). I’m still working on a box of assorted Claus Porto soaps that I bought several years ago. Really good soap lasts longer.
Yes! — this is an *excellent* shopping tip. Take note, everyone! Soap doesn’t go out of style, either.