It’s the ninth day of our Holiday Gift Guide and today we are featuring six artisanal bath and body brands that make innovative, refreshing, novel (and some ancient) soaps. Not only do bath and body products make for great gifts, they are affordable and are perfect for stocking stuffers. These brands are both local and from around the world and you are going to want to explore their other products. This is not your mama’s soap.

THE ALCHEMIST KITCHEN, FORMULARY 55, “BAY RUM AND SMOKE BOTANICAL SOAP TRAVEL SIZE”, $6

Formulary 55 are makers of modern botanicals for bath, body, and home. Since launching in 2012, their goal is to hand-make luxurious bath and body products that are formulated with intention and crafted with care. All of their products are certified cruelty-free and 100% vegan. This unisex scent beckons and empowers the divine masculine and yang energies. With the captivating scents of earthy and smokey tobacco, roasted tea leaves, Cedarwood and vibrant Sicilian Lemon it will be your go to scent. Available at The Alchemist Kitchen.

OFFICINA PROFUMO-FARMACEUTICA DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA, “SAPONE LATTE GARDENIA”, 18

The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella plants its roots back to 1221.1221 is the year of Santa Maria Novella conventum foundation: friars had come over Florence to start the conventual activity, planting and growing their garden. This would have later become the deepest root of the apothecarian legacy that made the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella getting, century after century, to its today's shape. Sapone Latte Gardenia is a traditional soap formulated with a plant base enriched with natural ingredients and whole milk, for all skin types.

VIORI, “SHAMPOO HAIR BAR CITRUS YAO™ CITRUS SCENTED”, $13

Viori's mission is to partner with the Red Yao on projects they believe will help their communities thrive. They work on projects that help the Red Yao thrive. Viori aims to bring about economic prosperity, ecological harmony, cultural preservation, and community wellbeing for their tribe.A fresh, citrus-scented shampoo bar straight from the baskets of the Red Yao fruit stands. They are handcrafted with the same Longsheng Rice, natural ingredients, and beauty rituals used by the Red Yao for centuries. Viori™ shampoo bars are sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalates-free, pH balanced, natural, 100% vegan, plastic-free, sustainable, cruelty-free, and ethically sourced. Bamboo holders sold separately.

KHUSHI, “FELTED SOAP”, $16

Khushi was founded by Nicki Francis in 2003, when she decided to create spa products that incorporated her knowledge of essential oils. These gorgeous hand-felted soaps are your soap and washcloth combined! Crafted for us in small batches, these moisturizing, handmade soaps are wrapped in softly spun wool to create an exfoliating, lovely, long lasting bar of heaven. Wool’s naturally complex fibers make it an anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and anti-bacterial material. Enjoy!

Orange – Blood Orange; Purple – Lavender; Pink – Pink Grapefruit

4oz. bar

WONDERMART, HEART & ARROW HANDCRAFTED,”COUNTRY GENTLEMAN LUXURY SHAVE SOAP”, $12

Heart & Arrow Handcrafted presents an intoxicating scent reminiscent of traveling high in the mountains of Upstate New York. A soft, mystical, old-fashioned scent. This luxury shave soap stimulates your senses with a complex blend of Copaiba Balsam, Himalayan Cedarwood, Black Pepper & Sandalwood, accented by hints of Leather and Vanilla. Colloidal Oatmeal provides an extra creamy skin-protecting lather, perfect for shaving delicate areas or just treating your skin to ultimate nourishment. Topped with Organic Calendula flowers, Organic Oat Tops & Jasmine Buds. Filled with skin-soothing swirls of Turmeric.

MARIANELLA, “HAWAIIAN BLACK LAVA MOISTURIZING GOAT MILK SOAP BAR”, $14

Envelope yourself in a rich Musky aroma of our Best Selling Hawaiian Black Lava with essences of Cedar and Saffron. This mysterious fragrance is for those who love, musk, incense, tobacco and leather. Marinella’s Moisturizing Goat Milk Soap Bars are delicately crafted from an abundance of skin Hydrating extracts. Replenishing Coconut Oil, Soothing Aloe Vera, Softening Goat Milk and Skin Healing Colloidal Oatmeal with a host of other wonderful ingredients to create a beneficial formula that both cleanses and invigorates.

These artisanal brands create bath and body products that will have you not only gifting your loved ones but yourself when you realize you can not only spoil yourself but support local.

By Natalie Rivera