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I’m a big proponent of indulging in little luxuries—especially if they’re for my home, where I live and work. I acquire fresh flowers weekly (though often from the grocery store), I don’t wait for special occasions to burn expensive candles, and my hand soap smells like it came from a fancy hotel.
Until very recently, I kept my luxuriously scented soaps (there are a couple I love, with price tags ranging from less than $10 to more than $40) in both my bathroom and my kitchen. The latter, I realize, isn’t the most practical choice—after cutting onions or garlic, a pleasant fragrance doesn’t so much mask the smell as combine with it. But sticking a pump bottle of Dial or SoftSoap next to my sink doesn’t exactly fit the bougie-divorcée-apartment vibe I’m going for.
Now I don’t have to choose because somebody finally developed fancy hand soap just for cooks. And it’s really nice.
Naomi After-Cooking Hand Scrub, Bergamot and Black Pepper
Naomi After-Cooking Hand Scrub is the creation of an enthusiastic home cook whose girlfriend couldn’t stand the garlic smell that lingered on his hands. Like me, she also happened to have a thing for premium hand soaps. And I’m so glad she did because this stuff really is a dream.
The selling point for anyone who regularly chops alliums is that it uses bread yeast enzymes to neutralize odors. It also exfoliates your hands with tiny (though not uncomfortable) pieces of volcanic rock and keeps your skin soft with olive oil esters.
But the thing that has me swooning is the fragrance: a combination of bergamot, sandalwood, and black pepper. It’s subtle but feels rich, and I prefer it to Aesop’s Resurrection Hand Wash. Naomi’s After-Cooking Hand Scrub happens to be about half the price of Aesop’s Hand Wash too.
Before I made it all the way through my first bottle, I ordered a second. Then I realized I should have ordered more because this is absolutely going to be my new go-to dinner party host gift.
If fancy smells aren’t your thing for whatever reason (allergies, sensitivities, or disliking non-food scents in the kitchen), you’ll be happy to know that in addition to two scented soaps, Naomi also has a fragrance-free option. It offers the same luxe feel as their scented soaps, but instead of volcanic rock, it exfoliates with tiny bits of biodegradable jojoba wax.
Naomi After-Cooking Hand Scrub, Cardamom and Iris
Naomi After-Cooking Hand Scrub, Fragrance-Free
