Hand soap may not be the most glamorous product out there, but, it’s a staple that most of us use multiple times a day and, as anyone with severe dry hands or eczema can attest, finding the right one can be pretty vital. I featured Alaffia's Everyday Shea Hand Soaps in January’s Cheap Products Worth Splurging On post and I’ve mentioned them a few more times on Instagram, but, as I was getting ready to swap out my latest empty bottle for a new one, I felt like I was doing a disservice to one of my favourite products by not giving it the dedicated blog post that it so deserves.
The Everyday Shea Hand Soaps ($5.39 USD for 12 ounces) have a pretty traditional gel consistency and they easily produce a rich lather. And, most importantly, they do a fantastic job cleansing without over-drying or stripping the skin. My biggest hand soap challenge is the kitchen, since cooking can have me washing my hands upwards of six or eight times within a 30-45 minute period. With other soaps, this has sometimes ravaged my hands, particularly during the winter, but the Everyday Shea Soaps are a glorious wonder product that delivers on both the cleaning AND hand care fronts.
The soap uses a mix of cocamidopropyl betaine, a mild coconut-derived surfactant, and naturally saponified shea butter soap. The formula is also rounded out with moringa leaf extract and argan oil, plus essential oils that vary by scent. The soaps are vegan, biodegradable, and free of synthetic fragrance, harsh preservatives, and other nasties.
The fruity Mandarin Mango is my favourite, but I have also repurchased the Peppermint Tingle, a mild and fresh mint scent. The Lemon Verbena is nice too, but it smells more like a spicy lemongrass than the fresh citrus I typically associate with lemon verbena. All three of these are noticeably scented but the aromas are not super strong or overpowering and they don't linger very long on the skin. There are also Honeysuckle, Vanilla Passion, and Lavender Spice options, none of which I’ve tried.
I’m on bottle five or six at this point, and I can honestly say that I haven’t purchased another liquid hand soap since I discovered these. I also have a couple backup bottles on hand, as they do have a tendency to go out of stock on iHerb, where I most frequently buy them. [One slight downside for Canadian readers: I’m not actually sure if these are in Canada at this point. We have other Alaffia and Everyday Shea products, but I’ve not seen the hand soaps in stores here or from Canadian retailers like Well.ca.]
The Bottom Line
The soap uses a mix of cocamidopropyl betaine, a mild coconut-derived surfactant, and naturally saponified shea butter soap. The formula is also rounded out with moringa leaf extract and argan oil, plus essential oils that vary by scent. The soaps are vegan, biodegradable, and free of synthetic fragrance, harsh preservatives, and other nasties.
The fruity Mandarin Mango is my favourite, but I have also repurchased the Peppermint Tingle, a mild and fresh mint scent. The Lemon Verbena is nice too, but it smells more like a spicy lemongrass than the fresh citrus I typically associate with lemon verbena. All three of these are noticeably scented but the aromas are not super strong or overpowering and they don't linger very long on the skin. There are also Honeysuckle, Vanilla Passion, and Lavender Spice options, none of which I’ve tried.
I’m on bottle five or six at this point, and I can honestly say that I haven’t purchased another liquid hand soap since I discovered these. I also have a couple backup bottles on hand, as they do have a tendency to go out of stock on iHerb, where I most frequently buy them. [One slight downside for Canadian readers: I’m not actually sure if these are in Canada at this point. We have other Alaffia and Everyday Shea products, but I’ve not seen the hand soaps in stores here or from Canadian retailers like Well.ca.]
The Bottom Line
I recommend these for anyone with hands that need washing. More seriously, the Everyday Shea Hand Soaps are a winner for me in all ways -- great ingredients, both highly functional and non-drying, mildly scented, and inexpensive. Alaffia, also makes a point of giving back to the African communities from which they source many of their ingredients and I feel positive about supporting a company with so many ongoing charitable projects.
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