$35 for a bar of soap? Add to cart.

Sales of bar soap fell 5% between 2010 and 2015, market-intelligence agency Mintel reported. I’d assumed it was much earlier than that. I remember the synthetic loofah and the saccharine Bath & Body Works body wash that dominated suburban shower stalls when I was growing up. As an adult, I’ve fallen victim to the allure of an Aesop gel body cleanser. I even tried the Le Labo Hinoki liquid soap. It left me smelling pretty good, but I didn’t feel as clean. 

The bar soap versus body wash debate is nothing new. People argue that bar soap gets you cleaner, but there’s no science to support this that I’m aware of. In my mind, bar soap is better strictly in terms of its simplicity. Just lather up and get to scrubbing with your God-given hands. An unscented Dove Beauty Bar, a masculine Irish Spring, or a humble Dr. Bronner’s in rose all leave a pleasing scent. 

To find the ultimate bar soap, I had to go to the Left Bank in Paris.

Officine Universelle Buly 1803 is a French beauty brand founded by Jean-Vincent Bully in 1803 on Rue Saint-Honoré and resurrected in 2014 by French couple Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac-Touhami, who were known for reviving the 400-year-old Cire Trudon into a luxury brand. Officine Universelle Buly now has 25 locations, in Hong Kong, Kyoto, London, and Taipei. They’ve collaborated with the Louvre. The kings of luxury, LVMH, acquired them in 2021 for an undisclosed amount. Maybe you’ve seen one of your more fabulous friends with the popular customized lip balm ($35).

They sell a little of everything: aftershave oils made from pomegranate seeds; scented matches that combine bergamot, grapefruit, cedar, and sandalwood; and toning eye contour serum. But that’s the tip of the iceberg. If your pockets are deep enough, they offer an intoxicating scent for almost any facet of your life. Buy a bag of scented Aomori Hiba Wood from Japan ($20) or a set of six scented pencils that don’t contain ink of any kind ($66). You can pick up some toothpaste if you wish ($20). 

But let’s talk about their bar soap, which comes in an array of thoughtful, unexpected, and pleasing scents and clocks in at $35 a bar. Superfine Caribbean Sweet Potato and Afghan Carrot, Superfine Gooseberry from Scandinavia and Tomato from Peru, and, my personal favorite, Superfine Oud Soap from Medina, a triple threat combination of oud wood, rose, and saffron. There are two full pages of bar soap available on the website, and the price is consistent across all scents.

For an extra $5, they’ll customize the bar with your initials or any clever combination of three letters. It’s best to buy at one of the stores; the experience is luxurious, and the staff are all trained in calligraphy. Every bar gets the white-glove service. If you must order online, everything shows up looking good. I have purchased more than a dozen bars in the store and on the web. They make great gifts for any occasion.

So free yourself from the mundane gels and liquids and rediscover the joy of a bar. Don't forget to wash your legs.

This is Black's Gold, a column from Chris Black about the finer things in life. Chris is a writer for New York Magazine's The Strategist, a columnist for GQ, and host of the pop culture podcast 'How Long Gone.'