Olive Soap 120g

That's the fear with most bars, and it's a fair one — because most 'soap' is really synthetic detergent that cleans by stripping your skin's own oils, leaving it tight and squeaky. This is different. It's made from olive oil, saponified the slow way, so it keeps the natural glycerin that draws moisture back in. You rinse off clean, but soft and comfortable rather than parched.

Fair to ask, since those words get thrown around a lot. In plain terms: no SLS (the harsh foaming agent that dries skin), no parabens, and no synthetic fragrance — the three things most likely to irritate sensitive or reactive skin. What's left is simply saponified olive oil and the natural glycerin that comes with it. A short, honest list.

Good eye. Pomace oil is olive oil drawn from the fruit after the first press — a step down from extra-virgin for eating, but genuinely well suited to soap, where its rich fatty acids make a gentle, conditioning bar. We would never call it extra-virgin, because it isn't. For a soap, though, it's exactly the right olive oil for the job.

Yes. There are no harsh detergents, parabens or synthetic fragrances — the ingredients most people are told to steer clear of for babies and in pregnancy. It's simply a mild olive-oil soap. As with anything new on delicate skin, try it on a small patch first, but it's made to be gentle enough for the whole family.

You can. Because it's a mild, single-ingredient soap rather than a harsh detergent, the same bar works as a face cleanser, a body wash, a simple hair wash and a hand soap. It won't foam like a sulphate shampoo, but it cleans gently — one bar quietly replacing a shelf of bottles.

Longer than you'd think, if you look after it. Kept on a well-drained dish so it can dry between washes, a 120g bar in daily face-and-body use typically lasts several weeks — and far longer than one left sitting in a puddle, softening away. The 2- and 3-bar packs simply save you a top-up and cost less per bar.

It's a common worry, but the science is reassuring: studies have found that any bacteria on a soap bar doesn't transfer to your skin in normal use — you rinse away far more than you could ever pick up. Keep it on a draining dish so it dries out between washes, and a simple bar is as clean as it is kind.