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The 25 Best Luxury Hand Soaps, According to Experts

For as often as we’re sudsing up, we might as well make it a delightful moment.

By Kaitlin Clark Plus Icon

Kaitlin Clark

Recent Articles by Kaitlin Clark

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March 22, 2022, 4:40pm

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Courtesy of Ouai

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Splurging on a luxury hand soap may seem a little indulgent at first, but there’s a lot to be said about taking a thoughtful self-care moment for yourself throughout the day. 

We get it: Mindfulness can be one of the first things to fly out the window on a stressful day, but why not transform something mundane — and that you’re going to be doing one way or the other — into something with a bit more magic? 

“It’s amazing how transformative an act as simple as washing your hands can be,” says Tim Hollinger, co-founder and CEO of the eco-friendly brand, Bathing Culture, who adds that with each wash, you have “the opportunity to recenter” and change your mood. “Embracing the simple act of warm water, touch, lather and scent can bring you a moment of peace and meditation.”

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Investing in one of the best hand soaps is also the trick for impressing guests when you’re entertaining. One look at a slick glossy vessel followed by a delicious lather and aroma, and they’re immediately convinced your home is a temple of luxurious wellness. In fact, you could think of luxury hand soaps as “‘furniture for your bathroom’’ like Nick Axelrod-Welk, head of creative and product development at Homecourt, did as he developed the vessels for Homecourt and his own brand, Nécessaire. “They’re always out in the open” for everyone to see.

We’ve come a long way from our grandmothers’ fragranced bar soaps and accompanying glass soap trays. But these days, what’s old is now new again, and bar soaps are definitely making a chic comeback, especially within the natural wellness world. Not to mention, luxury bar soaps are hard to overuse with a single wash, unlike hand soaps with a dispenser where it’s easy to squeeze out two or three pumps at a time, so you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck.

In a category that’s expected to surpass $5 billion by 2027, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to product type, texture or scent. 

Top Hand Soaps of 2023

What are the different varieties of hand soap

The three most common types of luxury hand soap are liquid, bar and the newbies on the block, soap tablets and foaming soap refills. 

Packaging has also become a factor when selecting a luxury hand soap.

The different scent categories of hand soap

From the old school scent profiles to the new wave of invigorating ingredients, there’s truly a luxury hand soap for everyone — and every season.

What to look for in the best luxury hand soaps

Soaps are one of the oldest beauty products of all time — and they were all formulated without today’s chemicals. Instead, people looked to natural ingredients that contain antibacterial properties, like tea tree and oregano oils, as well as shea butter, coconut oil and aloe vera for smooth hydration. 

Most luxury hand soaps avoid extra-drying ingredients, like alcohol, as well as excessive amounts of preservatives (although some form of preservative is necessary or else they’d quickly expire). “Sulfates and parabens are big nos, and another one to watch out for is palm oil — it’s not necessary and it’s a major reason rainforests are being torn down,” says Hollinger.

Without further ado, here’s our list of the top luxury hand soaps that each bring a wealth of benefits to the table — or bathroom.

Sign up for WWD’S The Essentialist newsletter to get the scoop on the best in beauty and style with in-depth reviews of exciting new releases and buyer’s guides to find the products you need to try ASAP.

Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Wash

Best exfoliating soap

This exfoliating luxury hand soap from Aesop gives major apothecary vibes due to the tinted but transparent amber bottle and the snappy, botanical fragrance. Its opaque gel texture is packed with finely milled pumice to lightly remove any hint of rough skin, but just like your face, you can over-exfoliate, so save this one for a twice a week treat.aesop hand soap

Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Wash $70  $55 Buy Now

Nest New York Grapefruit Hand Soap

Best fruity hand soap

With more than 350 5-star reviews on Amazon, the Grapefruit hand soap is one of Nest New York’s bestselling products, with one Amazon reviewer calling it “light, fresh and not too floral” while another says the “refreshing scent lingers, unlike any other soaps.”

nest hand soap

Nest New York Grapefruit Hand Soap $22 Buy Now

Ouai Hand Wash

Best modern classic

“For performance, some of the ingredient names you hear a lot really do deserve the attention,” says Hollinger of what to look for in a new luxury soap. This soap from Ouai ticks off all the moisturizing ingredients you’d expect in luxury skin care for your face — castor, avocado, rosehip and jojoba oils — to leave your hands refreshed and super soft. Heads up: This luxury soap lightly exfoliates with jojoba esters, which can be irritating to sensitive skin if used multiple times throughout the day.Ouai hand wash

Ouai Hand Wash $32 Buy Now

Grown Alchemist Hand Wash Tasmanian Pepper

Most deliciously surprising scent

When searching for a new luxury hand soap, the first thing Axelrod-Welk does is check the list of ingredients. He loves natural oils, like sweet almond oil, for wash-off soaps, calling the ingredient “a powerhouse” that “works quickly for the 20-30 seconds it’s actually on your hands” to efficiently moisturize and nourish” the skin. And lucky for us, it’s an ingredient that Grown Alchemist has in spades for their glamorous hand soaps.

grown alchemist soap

Grown Alchemist Hand Wash Tasmanian Pepper $37 Buy Now

Amass Botanic Four Thieves Liquid Hand Soap

Most imaginative backstory

The Four Thieves scent from Amass has quite the backstory. It was inspired by botanicals once believed to prevent the spread of the plague in medieval Europe and a band of four thieves who used the concoction to protect themselves as they robbed the dead. With a detail-oriented imagination like that, you can be sure that this soap hits all the top marks for cleansing, moisturizing and fragrance. “The bottle looks killer in the bathrooms and kitchen, but that’s just the beginning,” writes one reviewer. “The real pleasure is using the soap, it smells like the holidays and the oils make my hands so soft.”

Four thieves hand soap

Amass Botanic Four Thieves Liquid Hand Soap $38 Buy Now

Ren Clean Skincare Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Energizing Hand Wash

Most invigorating

Ren Clean Skincare’s sulfate-free hand soap is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up that we didn’t know we needed. Atlantic kelp extract is a source of essential minerals to calm irritated skin while magnesium PCA contains both moisturizing and energizing properties to awaken and refresh your senses.

Ren Skincare hand soap

Ren Clean Skincare Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Energizing Hand Wash $25 Buy Now

Deborah Lippmann Balancing Act

Best for complete hand care

She’s known for her spunky nail polish shades, but Deborah Lippmann cares about the health of your entire hand. As its name suggests, Balancing Act has an ideal pH of 5.5 to not disrupt your skin’s comfort or moisture balance. Its creamy lather makes hands feel clean but the calendula and oatmeal ingredients ensure they never get dried out.

Deborah Lippmann hand soap

Deborah Lippmann Balancing Act $32 Buy Now

Molton Brown Refined White Mulberry Fine Liquid Hand Wash

Most relaxing scent

This makes washing your hands feel so luxurious,” writes an Amazon reviewer — one of more than 400 who gave this Molton Brown soap 5-stars. “Peaceful scent, not overpowering and love smelling it on my hands throughout the day,” writes another of the mint green gel formula that smells like iced green tea.

Molton Brown hand soap

Molton Brown Refined White Mulberry Fine Liquid Hand Wash $30 Buy Now

Oribe Cote d’Azur Revitalizing Hand Wash

Most nourishing

Just like every other Oribe product, this luxury hand soap is pure decadence, with a rich scent that bounces between citrus and floral notes, a hearty, cleansing lather and a deeply moisturizing blend chock-full of sweet almond, meadowfoam and starflower oils, all rife with vitamins and antioxidants.

Oribe hand soap

Oribe Cote d’Azur Revitalizing Hand Wash $36 Buy Now

Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium & Bergamot

Best soap + lotion set

A truly nourishing formulation from Pangea combines antioxidant-rich green tea with aloe vera to soothe skin and finishing with aromatic vetiver oil, often referred to as the oil of tranquility, to help balance the senses.

Pangea hand soap and lotion set

Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium & Bergamot $86 Buy Now

Gelo Foam Hand Soap

Most sustainable

Gelo’s plant-based, foaming hand soap is one that not only feels great on the skin, it simply makes you feel great all-over because you’ve just produced 97% less waste for the planet. Plus, the hand soap pods are super concentrated, without the fillers often seen in many drugstore options, and somehow manage to load up each tiny pod with shea, oat and other essential oils so you can wash your hands all day long with a single worry.

Gelo hand soap

Gelo Foam Hand Soap $19 Buy Now

Malin + Goetz Rum Hand And Body Wash

Best for stressed out skin

Malin + Goetz’s hand and body wash is a delight for those with sensitive skin. Containing amino acid hydration technology, the lightly scented cleansing gel helps to prevent stressed-out skin and avoid dryness, leaving behind only hydrated hands.

Malin + Goetz hand soap

Malin + Goetz Rum Hand And Body Wash $25 Buy Now

Homecourt Cipres Mint Hand Wash

Best newcomer

Homecourt may have been founded by Courteney Cox, but it’s far from your ordinary celeb-backed beauty product. With carefully considered details, from the glassy, yet somehow matte, bottle made entirely of recycled material, to the hyper-specific vision attached to each fragrance, this liquid soap is a small slice of heaven. “Caring for one’s own space is a transformative act and forging rituals around cleaning and maintaining the things we love can be a pleasure,” says Cox, adding that her line’s specific scent profiles were developed in collaboration with the world’s top perfumers.

Homecourt hand soap

Courtesy of Homecourt

Homecourt Cipres Mint Hand Wash $30 Buy Now

Lake & Skye 11 11 Hand Soap

Most Earth friendly

Lake & Skye was founded on the principle that fragrance is a force for wellness and this vegan and cruelty-free hand soap was inspired by the teachings of Kundalini yoga. Its scent is a spin on the brand’s original 11 11 fragrance, a blend of white ambers and musk. What’s more, Lake & Skye plants a tree for every web order via the non-profit, One Tree Planted.Lake & Skye soap

Lake & Skye 11 11 Hand Soap $38 Buy Now

Susanne Kaufmann Hand Soap

Most spa-like

After inheriting the hotel and spa her family had run for five generations in the Austrian Alps, founder Susanne Kaufmann looked to her own Alpine backyard to create her holistic, minimalistic approach to skincare. Formulated with sugar surfactants and natural horsetail plant actives to cleanse away impurities while aloe vera and wheat germ oil nourish dry, stressed skin.

Susanne Kaufmann soap

Susanne Kaufmann Hand Soap $49 Buy Now

Bathing Culture Mind and Body Wash

Best mega size

Developed by two outdoorsy friends working in the tech start-up world because, despite showering, they never felt “clean” after a hike in the California Redwoods. “I love that Mind and Body Wash can transport me,” says Harrington. “I’ll be washing my hands with a ‘whatever’ attitude and then I’ll catch the scent and be able to drop in and feel as if I’m in a redwood grove.”

bathing culture body wash

Bathing Culture Mind and Body Wash $175 Buy Now

Sachajuan Shiny Citrus Hand Wash

Best citrus scent

Actives from guar beans serve as a natural emulsifier in this Shiny Citrus Hand Wash to hydrate skin while still effectively sweeping away dirt and grime. The result? Your hands will be clean and conditioned, never feel taut or stripped.

citrus hand soap

Sachajuan Shiny Citrus Hand Wash $43 Buy Now

Byredo Vetyver Hand Soap

Best cult classic

Two pumps of this millennial favorite from Byredo and you’ll find that the mild, cool gel cleanser releases waves of light fragrance that deepens as you lather up. Moisturizing glycerin and castor oil leave hands feeling soft and comfortable.

Byredo hand soap

Byredo Vetyver Hand Soap $68 Buy Now

Jo Malone London Pomegranate Noir Body and Hand Wash

Sexiest scent

Jo Malone London is famous for producing layered and nuanced aromas, and this fragrance story, built from an unlikely trio of notes, creates an utterly compelling scent in the form of crystal-clear gel. Another standout ingredient is the dual-functioning meadowfoam seed oil to cleanse the skin while the oil’s amino acids restore hydration.

25 Best Luxury Hand Soaps 2023

Jo Malone London Pomegranate Noir Body and Hand Wash $25 Buy Now

D.S. & Durga Big Sur After Rain Hand Soap

Coolest vessel

A new iteration in hand soap form of D.S. & Durga’s classic Big Sur After Rain, is intended to evoke the scent and sensation of rain falling onto lush eucalyptus groves off of the Pacific coast. This uber-hydrating gel formula is enriched with vitamins C and E, along with generous doses of glycerin and hyaluronic acid.

D.S. & Durga soap

D.S. & Durga Big Sur After Rain Hand Soap $35 Buy Now

Le Labo Santal 33 Bar Hand Soap

Best bar soap

Soap bars tend to hold a place in our hearts, sparking a bit of nostalgia to a bygone era of simplicity. “There’s something special about using bar soap at an old garden sink after working in the dirt for a morning,” says Hollinger. “Get both!” And Le Labo’s moisturizing blend of olive oil extract, shea butter and vitamin E, doused with their signature Santal 33, is definitely the bar soap to get.

Le Labo bar soap

Le Labo Santal 33 Bar Hand Soap $52 Buy Now

Diptyque Softening Hand Wash

Most moisturizing hand wash

Diptyque’s Softening Hand Wash is a great, mild option for practically anyone, from those with dry skin to those who don’t, to keep hands healthy, happy and soothed. Lavender is a naturally cleansing botanical while rosemary floral water rebalances irritated skin and lavender honey, jam-packed with mineral salts and fatty acids, restore lost hydration.

Diptyque hand soap

Diptyque Softening Hand Wash $65 Buy Now

Acqua Di Parma Colonia Hand Wash

Best vacation vibes

Feel fresh and a daisy and bask in an invigorating, zesty aroma with the hand wash from the historic Italian fragrance house, Acqua Di Parma. Natural surfactants ground the rich and creamy lather and work to maintain the skin’s hydrolipidic film, keeping hands soft and supple for hours on end.

hand soap

Acqua Di Parma Colonia Hand Wash $60 Buy Now

Paloroma Main Squeeze Hand Wash

Best luxury soap for the whole family

Intended for little ones, but a terrific choice for the entire family, the gentle hand wash from Paloroma was specifically designed to fall within a neutral pH range of 5.25-5.75 to not strip or dry the delicate skin of children. Its formula is driven by plant extracts, including chamomile to prevent skin irritation, aloe to moisturize and rose to calm.

family hand soap

Paloroma Main Squeeze Hand Wash $18 Buy Now

Cowshed Refresh Hand Wash

Best British import

Used in every Soho House across the world, Cowshed’s best-selling Refresh hand wash contains vitamin E to combat dryness alongside grapefruit extract obtained from the fruit’s peel, lavender oil to purify and tone the skin and petit grain extract, sourced from both the twigs and leaves of the bitter orange tree, to provide a light, fresh fragrance.

Cowshed hand soap

Cowshed Refresh Hand Wash $28 Buy Now

Meet the Author

Kaitlin Clark is the Beauty + Style Commerce Editor at WWD. She is an authority in the beauty industry, with more than 12 years experience as a beauty and wellness writer for publications like Allure, InStyle, Domino and Refinery29,. She’s covered everything from the link between skin care and mental health to the risk of carcinogens in sunscreens to the latest innovations in medical aesthetics. She’s also a scented soap and fragrance fanatic with more than 40 perfumes and colognes in her rotation.

Meet The Experts

Courteney Cox: Turns out, everyone’s favorite Friend is also clean beauty aficionado with the recent launch of her brand, Homecourt. She had an active role in the development of her line of luxurious and deliciously fragranced hand soaps and cleaning products, which she calls “beauty products for the home.”

Nick Axelrod-Welk: Nick is an established tastemaker and founder within the beauty industry, starting with the beauty behemoth and millennial favorite, Into the Gloss, followed by the incredibly popular personal care line, Nécessire. Never one for stagnant energy, he turned his attention to a partnership with Courteney Cox for the development and launch of Homecourt. He’s currently the head of creative + product development for the brand.

Tim Hollinger: Along with his best friend/co-founder, Tim left the tech world of Silicon Valley behind to start Bathing Culture, a body care line for the modern hippie who likes to hike, swim and just generally get dirty in the outdoors, then wash it all off with a sustainably-sourced soap filled with good-for-you ingredients. He currently serves as the CEO.

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