Authentic, down-to-earth and an icon of grace and impeccable taste, Ina Garten is the kind of celebrity you can’t help but want to emulate. You would be right to assume that a chef of her caliber favors top-shelf products — that’s why when we spot an affordable, Ina-approved luxury we can’t help but take note. Case in point: Her favorite hand soap by Molton Brown.
We first heard about Garten’s love for this sumptuous, orange and bergamot-scented formula when she shared a list of her kitchen go-tos with The Food Network. With a little more digging, we found she not only keeps the soap in her powder room as well, but she has been a fan of the product for years.
You’re gonna want to get your hands on this incredible-smelling soap. Ina’s favorite, the Orange & Bergamot fragrance, also happens to be the brand’s bestseller.
From a reliable pepper mill to a workhorse cast iron skillet, Garten has proven that she’s decerning in her purchasing habits, and looks for quality over a price tag. I’ve personally stocked up on her favorite olive oil and would be lost without my Le Creuset Dutch oven — the one she says is “great for soups, stews and braising.” So I feel qualified to say that Garten’s recommendations are always spot on. She lives by the rule of “only the best” — and when that best can make your home and hands smell like a sprawling Hamptons estate for around $30, count me in.
Washing your hands with Molton Brown’s fancy hand soap is like a little treat to yourself. It smells amazing, comes in an elegant, pump-style container and it doesn’t leave a residue on your hands, so they feel really clean when you’re done washing. It comes in a range of invigorating scents like Coastal Cypress & Sea Fennel, Mesmerizing Oudh Accord & Gold or Delicious Rhubarb & Rose. However, Garten apparently prefers the citrusy scent of Orange & Bergamot, and she keeps it in her home to wash her hands in between cooking, of course.
“My friend Anna Pump always said, ‘Clean hands are a cook’s best tools. They’re never in the dishwasher or lost in a drawer,'” Garten said, while recommending this exact soap.
Garten’s not the only fan of this formula, either. Amazon shoppers express their devotion to this sweet-smelling cleanser, with reviewers overwhelmingly praising the product for its delicious, distinctive fragrance.
“Best smelling high-quality soap out there,” said one reviewer. “It is just a really well-made soap with a distinct wonderful smell.”
“Sure, it’s pricier than many brands, but [you can’t] beat the pure pleasure per ounce, the intense and sophisticated scent … [it] feels utterly luxurious,” gushed one customer.
While it might seem a little over the top, it may also motivate you to wash your hands more often. One enthusiastic Amazon shopper wrote in the reviews: “It makes you want to wash your hands forever!”
And apparently, a little bit of soap goes a long way. “I have been a fan of Molton Brown products for a long time, although I like their hand wash above all of their other products,” said one longtime fan. “The hand wash requires a very small amount of soap to adequately wash my hands so one bottle lasts a lot longer than other less expensive brands.”
Sounds like a soap that’s fit for a queen … or a contessa. All I know is I’m adding this to my home’s Ina-arsenal.
“It’s the only hand soap I use,” said another Amazon reviewer. “No residue after you’ve washed your hands so cleans well and smells amazing. Friends who stay over love it too.”
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.