When it comes to elevating everyday rituals, few things do so like a luxury hand soap. Is it a necessity? No. Does it turn a mundane part of your day into a luxury experience? 100%.
Proof that you can have both form and function, luxury hand soaps have become a bona fide status symbol amongst the fashion set, gracing countertops in chic bottles and infused with scent profiles worthy of your signature perfume. Whether you’re curating the ultimate guest bathroom experience or simply want to bring a five-star hotel vibe into your home, there’s a luxury hand soap that will do so. And much like a good body wash or body cream, a luxury hand soap can upgrade your everyday body care routine. Plus, if you have the matching hand cream, your basin will be the envy of every guest.
As a beauty editor with a penchant for luxury hotel bathrooms, I’ve developed a keen eye (and nose) for soaps that look chic, smell divine and leave your hands deliciously scented all day. From cult-favorite finds to fragrance house blends that double as decor accents for your sink, here’s our definitive guide to the best luxury hand soaps that are worth the splurge. And no, I won’t tell if you decide to refill your bottle with standard soap once it has run out.
Best Luxury Hand Soaps
- Best Overall: Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash (£33)
- Most Minimalist Hand Soap: Byredo Hand Wash (£47)
- Best Exfoliating Luxury Hand Wash: Diptyque Exfoliating Wash (£56)
- Chichest Hand Soap: Trudon Liquid Hand Soap (£85)
- Best Range of Scents: Dior Hand Soap (£62)
1. Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash
Aesop
Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash
Perhaps the most iconic luxury hand soap of all, Aesop’s Resurrection deserves all the hype. Not only does the apothecary-style amber bottle look chic on your countertop, but the woodsy, herbaceous scent never fails to make you feel like you’ve just spent your morning at a hidden rural spa. Think zesty orange, soothing lavender and a hint of rosemary that leaves your hands refreshed, cleansed and lightly scented. If you’re wanting to buy a hand soap as a gift, you really cannot go wrong with this one—it’s a much-loved crowd-pleaser.
2. Byredo Suede Hand Wash
If you want a luxury hand soap that will instantly elevate your space, then Byredo’s hand soaps are the way to go. What I love about Byredo’s hand soaps is that the gel soap feels luxuriously thick when you feel it between your hands. It really encourages you to work it into a lather and spend a few moments enjoying the scents—all of which are amazing and just as good as Byredo’s perfumes. Suede is a great skin-like scent that won’t overpower, while Vetyver is a refreshing woody scent that lifts your mood every time you wash your hands. Plus, the minimalist design will look sleek in any interior.
3. Diptyque Exfoliating Wash
Diptyque Paris
Exfoliating Wash
I didn’t realise I needed an exfoliating hand wash in my life until I tried this. Diptyque’s Exfoliating Wash contains tiny pieces of ground olive stones that gently buff away dead skin, leaving your hands and cuticles feeling renewed and softened every time you wash your hands. As for the scent, I can only describe it as sitting in a herbal garden in the South of France (it’s Diptyque, of course, it’s going to smell amazing.) It’s green, floral and a little woody, allowing you to take a moment to reset. The refillable glass bottle instantly elevates your bathroom sink, too.
4. Trudon Liquid Hand Soap
Chichest Hand Soap
TRUDON
Médie Liquid Hand Soap
Behold: Trudon’s new hand soaps, which are impossibly luxe. The fluted, weighty glass bottle with gold chrome accents will make any bathroom or kitchen sink look beautiful (Trudon drew the design inspiration from the toiletries of European royalty during the 18th century). There are two scents to pick from— Médie and Vixi—which are drawn from two of Trudon’s coveted fragrances. I’ve been testing the former, which is calming and mood-boosting thanks to citruses, with zesty grapefruit, smooth jasmine and grounding cedarwood.
5. Dior Liquid Soap
Best range of scents
If you’re familiar with the Dior La Collection Priveé perfumes, then you’ll love the hand soaps, which correspond to a handful of the luxury scents in the collection. Out of all the hand soaps I tested, this delivered one of the longest-lasting scents, leaving a noticeable scented trail on my hands after washing. I’d highly recommend Lucky (a fresh lily-of-the-valley scent—Christian Dior was superstitious and would stitch a stem of lily of the valley into his creations for luck) and Jasmine de Anges, a subtle, honeyed floral that lingers throughout the day.
6. Jo Malone London Body & Hand Wash
Jo Malone London
Wood Sage & Sea Salt Body & Hand Wash
If you’re looking for a hand wash for your bathroom, allow me to suggest Jo Malone London’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt scented hand soap. IMO, it’s one of the best Jo Malone London perfume scents and the hand-wash version does not disappoint. The woody, salt scent allows you to welcome the scent of the invigorating coastline into your home, making it the perfect scent to keep in your bathroom. I find the scent is noticeable enough that it lingers on my hands long after I’ve washed my hands and it never fails to leave me feeling calm.
7. Ouai Hand Wash
You may already know Ouai for its incredible hair products and deliciously scented body care, but did you know that it also does hand soap? This cushiony hand wash is luxuriously hydrating, thanks to the addition of nourishing avocado oil and softening rosehip oil, but also delivers a great scrub with jojoba beads. As for the scent, it contains Ouai’s much-loved Dean Street fragrance of citrus, rose, amber and musk. Think clean, fresh and a little floral.
8. Matiere Premiere Hand and Body Wash
MATIERE PREMIERE
Parisian Musc Hand and Body Wash
There isn’t a scent I’ve met that I don’t like from French fragrance house Matiere Premiere, so I was so excited to discover that there are also hand soaps in the same scents. There are 10 scented hand soaps to pick from, but a favourite of mine is Parisian Musc, which smells as luxurious as it sounds. It’s musky, skin-like and slightly powdery and floral. The sleek black bottle is sure to make a statement on your sink too.
9. Grown Alchemist Invigorate Hand Wash
Best Kitchen Hand Soap
Grown Alchemist
Invigorate Hand Wash
I’ve had Grown Alchemist’s hand soap in my kitchen for the past couple of months and it’s a really stunning scent. It’s delightfully herby and fresh, with sweet orange, cedarwood and sage that makes it a refreshing scent you’ll want to keep near your kitchen sink. It works into a gentle lather that leaves your hands feeling moisturised and refreshed. Bonus points for the deep amber bottle that looks both modern and luxe in any interior.
10. Guerlain Scented Hand Soap
Guerlain
Musc Outreblanc Scented Hand Soap
For fine fragrance aficionados, it really doesn’t get better than Guerlain’s scented hand soaps. Based on the Guerlain L’Art & La Matière fragrances, each and every one is as stunning at the next. I previously owned the Neroli Outrenoir (a stunning citrus scent) but I now have my eyes set on Musc Outreblanc, a musky, skin-like scent. Housed in a beautiful beveled glass bottle finished with an embossed bee motif on the back, every detail feels luxe. This is a hand soap that you’ll want to refill for years to come.
11. Celine Perfumed Soaps
CELINE
Perfumed Soaps Set
Have you seen a chicer bar of soap? These fragranced hand soaps are almost too beautiful to use with Celine’s triomphe emblem embossed on each. They come in five of Celine’s coveted scents and foam into a milky lather to leave your hands scented and softened. They can also be used dry by popping them into a drawer or wardrobe to delicately scent your clothing.
