Sometimes I just need to cleanse my olfactory palate, not to mention my mind, after trying too many perfumes in a short period and overthinking everything. This is the right time for me to remember the simple pleasures of a really good scented soap. Soap was one of my "gateway" products into living a fragranced life — remember the giant Fresh soaps that were sold at Anthropologie in the 1990s (Verbena!), or the colorful and affordable glycerine bars lined up in every Body Shop?
Diptyque's soaps require a bit more seeking out, not to mention more cash, but they're ideal for very occasional splurges or special gifts for appreciative friends. In fact, I received Eau des Sens soap as a gift, and I didn't even use it for a while: I admired the box, opened and sniffed it from time to time, set it in one of my drawers to lend its scent to my lingerie. I finally caved and placed the soap in a vintage white ceramic dish in the bathroom, where it can give me a moment of sensory delight whenever I wash my hands.
I haven't yet tried Diptyque's Eau des Sens Eau de Toilette, but in any case, the Eau des Sens scent is inspired by "bitter orange, in all its diversity, resonating with unexpected spicy and woody notes." That means orange blossom (the flower of the bitter orange tree) plus petitgrain (from the tree's leaves and twigs), for a pleasing balance of light floral and woody notes with just a hint of citrus. It's simple yet sophisticated, like the "effortlessly chic" French lifestyle we're always hearing about.
As usual, the quality of Diptyque's soap is high: this bar, embossed with a signature Diptyque "oval," feels substantial yet fits comfortably into the hand, and it produces a fine lather that rinses off without any residue, leaving just a faint layer of scent. It also doesn't feel drying to my skin, which I appreciate during this time of seesawing temperatures.
Using this Eau des Sens soap makes me wonder why I don't purchase Diptyque body products more often — I mean, why on earth don't I own L'Ombre dans L'Eau shower gel and body lotion?! It's the price, I suppose; so, thanks go out again to the kind friend who surprised me with this treat.
Do you have any favorite body products from favorite fragrance houses? Do mention them in the comments!
Diptyque Eau des Sens soap sells for $25 (150 g). For buying information, see the listing for Diptyque under Perfume Houses.
I am so pedestrian with my bath products. Dove soap for my face and BBW for the rest of me. I love Dark Kiss in the winter and Moonlight Path just about any other time. Not so crazy about the lotion or body spray, but I love the shower gels. I am also hoarding a bar of Atelier Silver Iris soap from when I purchased the gift set. Need to break down and use it some time.
Those Atelier soaps look (and smell) gorgeous. I’ve *almost* purchased one so many times! I’ve heard they even work well as lather for shaving legs, since they’re so creamy.
I really liked one of BBW’s summer scents last year, and I hoarded an extra bottle or two. It was called Sweet Summer Sunset — lots of pomegranate!
I don’t have much experience with perfumed soaps, only used those by Roger & Gallet and Atelier Cologne.
I loved a Pomelo Paradis soap I got as a gift. And it lasted probably for… a year of regular using. Very efficient!
The Roger & Gallet soaps are classics!! I used to love their Carnation soap. Should track some down…
And yes, I really do need to try those Atelier soaps!
Was visiting my parents earlier in the week and tidying up some of the cupboards in my old bedroom and came across a couple of bars of Chanel Antaeus soap that must be about 15 years old and they still smell fantastic. Im so tempted to use one but I think they’re quite rare now so if I do use them I’ll never see another !
Oh, wow — Antaeus. I remember the ads for that one! I bet they *are* rare. Maybe you should just keep them to scent your closet!!
Thank you for the review.
I have lucked out finding deep discounted perfume house shower gels. I bought several bottles of Diptyque shower gel before the bottle change. It took me years to go through them but they always smelled great. L’Eau Trois was my favorite. I might have to break down and buy a bar of soap.
There’s nothing like a clearance on fancy body products! yay!
I love to use matching bath products with my perfumes. Unfortunately, I’ve not found many that actually “match” or that are worth the price. I did get some samples of Narciso shower gel and body cream, that were amazing! The scent matched and the quality was there. If I could splurge, I would definitely get full sizes of both.
It’s true, they can be pretty erratic — some fancy perfumed lotions just don’t measure up to their namesake perfumes. Then again, some body products are just a nice, or even nicer — I love Youth Dew body creme and L’Air du Temps dusting powder!
I adore Dyptique’s Eau de Sens EDT and can’t wait to try the soap.
A coworker of mine was just asking for recs for orange blossom fragrances that aren’t *too* floral — so I may suggest this one!
Count me as another Cologne Atelier soap fan girl!
I buy 1-2 bars per year. They are huge and easily last 3 months, and they are so strongly scented that they make the entire bathroom smell like a delight. They are WELL worth the money.
Argh. This is *not* helping my wallet, people!! 😉
Diptyque’s Revitalizing Shower Gel that is also meant as a shampoo works better for my (fine and limp) hair than any other shampoo I tried. It also smells happy.
Ooh, really? Now I’m very interested…
I just opened a bar of SNM Patchouli soap. I was intrigued by the paradoxical idea of a patchouli soap because I think of patchouli as a sort of dirty scent. Actually this soap has an intriguing, pleasant, slightly spicy masculine fragrance with no patchouli detectable to my nose. I plan to look for a sample of the cologne.
It’s a high quality soap that instantly produces creamy lather and nonetheless rinses off easily. Very pleasant to use.
SMN Melograno is one of my all-time favorite soaps! SMN is general is top-notch…
My favorite body products are Lush’s Silky Underwear dusting powder (“oh, look at me a 1940s starlet with my jasmine dusting powder”) and its discontinued companion soap that I stalk Lush Kitchen for, Alkamaar. I admire your Ditptyque in the lingere drawer. My life is more Dove in the maternity undergardments drawer that I shouldn’t still be wearing months post birth!
Alkamaar!!! I loved that creamy jasmine soap, too. I miss lots of discontinued LUSH products. Remember Skinny Dip shower gel? *sigh*
I’ve gone thru several bottles of Shalimar and Habit Rouge Shower Gel…as well as Shalimar powder and Body Cream and Soap. Mitsouko soap. Imperiale soap. And Habit Rouge Deodorant (the old liquid spray kind) is fantastic.
I also love Chanel No. 5 soap.
And Bandit Shower Gel is incredibly good. Nothing like the smell of leather in a hot shower. Serious. I went through my bottle in no time.
I love Diptyque’s Fresh Lotion . Frederic Malle’s body butter in Portrait of a Lady is divine . Jo Malone & Hermes hand & body washes are occasional splurges .
Acqua de Parma make seriously good body products. I have Iris Nobile shower cream, luminous body cream and dry oil and even though I have the edp they’re strong enough to not need it. I also have the Colonia Oud shower gel which I adore.
Piguet body products are also fabulous. As are Amouage (I’d expect so!!). I also have several Hermes shower gels and body creams which are great but not hugely long lasting scent wise.
Marni products are great. So too Habanita and Baiser Volé. Dior hit and miss. Calyx shower gel ok.
I have La Chasse shower gel but I want L’Ombre dans L’eau and Olene dry oil.
TF Neroli Portofino body oil is delicious and the smell lasts all day.
Ok i’ll stop now, because there’s plenty more… ????
I have mostly used perfumed shower gels rather than soap. The only soap that comes to mind is a recently finished bar of Le Labo Rose 31 that was made for the Fairmont Hotel. It smelled amazingly fragrant, but the formula was very thick and drying (as one might expect from hotel soap). The scent does linger nicely on skin in an unobtusive way.
The only shower gels coming to mind are from L’Artisan and Annick Goutal. So far from L’Artisan I have only used La Chasse, but I have a bottle of Premier Figuer that I bought at a great discount feom Parfum1. I really love the two AGs I’ve tried: Songes and Musc Nomade. If you adore Songes as a perfume, you must try it in shower gel! It makes showering an experience. I also have two unused minis that I’ll get to soon: Myrrhe Ardente and Encens Flamboyant. You can find AG shower gels at a bunch of different perfume discount sites.