12 Handwashes That Will Make You Feel Like You're Staying at a Luxury Hotel

Beauty editors love this classic handwash because it transports you to a luxury hotel every time you use it. That's partly due to the botanical scent of rosemary, lavender, mandarin rind, and cedar. The main reason, though, is that many luxury hotels actually stock their bathrooms with this exact handwash. So, yeah, enough said. (The matching hand cream is just as good.)

Size: 16.9 oz | Scent: Herbal citrus | Key Ingredients: Orange, rosemary, and lavender oils

Pro: Spa-like scent, luxurious lather, hydrating formula

Con: None.

Customer review: "I have no idea why Aesop hand soap is so good, it just is. The consistency, smell....everything is just perfect. You'd normally never find me spending this much on hand soap but it's the only kind I'll now buy. What can I say, it sparks joy."

If you want your bathroom to smell like a five-star spa in Montecito, this handwash is your ticket. Inspired by the smell of Big Sur, and more specifically, rain water in eucalyptus groves, it combines notes of rain and eucalyptus with magnolia, Pacific spray, and wet wood. It's chic, moody, and mysterious.

Size: 11.8 oz | Scent: Eucalyptus | Key Ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid)

Pro: Fresh scent, luxurious lather, hydrating formula 

Con: Pricey.

Le Labo is another brand that can be found in many luxury hotels around the world. Its Hinoki scent is simple yet impactful. Inspired by the Buddhist temples of Mount Koya in Japan, it has a crisp, woody, and earthy aroma that's inherently spa-like. As for the formula, it's equally as luxurious thanks to antioxidant-rich ingredients like sea buckthorn and rosemary leaf.

Size: 8.5 oz | Scent: Hinoki | Key Ingredients: Sea buckthorn, rosemary leaf, sugar cane

Pro: Woody scent, luxurious lather, antioxidant-rich formula 

Con: It comes in a smaller bottle than other luxury handwashes.

To me, there's no better scent for a handwash than Suede by Byredo. It's chic yet warm and comforting (much like real suede) thanks to notes of bergamot, lily of the valley, amber, pear, and velvety plum. Then there's the packaging. I love the hefty yet minimalist design of Byredo products. They look so chic sitting atop my vanity.

Size: 15.2 oz | Scent: Woody floral | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, castor oil

Pro: Woody floral scent, silky lather, and chic packaging. 

Con: Pricey.

Customer review: "This hand wash goes beautifully with the hand lotion. It’s a gorgeous fresh scent but not overbearing and doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry or feeling tight like other hand washes. It also hasn’t affected my sensitive skin. An added bonus is that the packaging looks beautiful!"

When Carisa Janes (the founder and chief creative officer of Hourglass) gets her hands on a product, you know it’s going to tick all the boxes: a high-performing formula, perfect branding, and glorious sensorial experience. She’s pulled out all the stops for her relaunch of Nature of Things, a body and hair care brand with a luxuriously minimal aesthetic and plant-based, natural origin ingredients.

“The hand wash is, hands down, my favorite of the collection,” notes WWW senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider. “The citrus, spice, and lavender scent is heavenly (comparable to a designer perfume, I’d argue), and the lather is foamy without stripping my skin of essential moisture. My hands never feel too “tight” or itchy post wash, and my partner—who struggles with mild hand eczema—loves it too. Snag the matching hand cream, and your paws will stay cashmere-soft.” 

Size: 16.9 oz | Scent: Citrus, spice, and lavender | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, coconut-derived surfactants, algin  

Pro: Spa-like scent, over 97% natural origin ingredients, non-stripping formula.

Con: Has one scent option (Lavender Leaf)

This handwash was one of the first high-end ones I tried, and I'm pretty sure it's the reason I veered away from my old drugstore varieties. It's actually a hand-and-body wash in one, but I only used it for my hands because it's pricey at $80 a bottle. I could have opted for the brand's iconic Baccarat Rouge scent, but I wanted something different, so I went with 724—a delicate floral scent with notes of sandalwood, bergamot, crystalline white flower, and musk. Each time I use it, my hands are clean, soft, and delicately scented. 

Size: 11.8 oz | Scent: Delicate floral | Key Ingredients: N/A

Pro: Delicate floral scent, silky lather, functions as both a hand and bodywash.

Con: Pricey.

Maybe it's the overall aesthetic or maybe it's the botanical-rich formula, but this one reminds me a lot of the Aesop handwash, which is probably why I love it so much. The scent is invigorating and uplifting thanks to notes of sweet orange, cedarwood, and sage, and the aloe-spiked formula and gentle cleansing agents never strip moisture from my overworked hands.

Size: 16.9 oz | Scent: Herbal citrus | Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, sweet orange, cedarwood, sage

Pro: Uplifting herbal citrus scent, luxurious lather, gentle cleansing agents

Con: None.

Customer review: "I love this fragrance—earthy and beautiful also stays for a long time. The aesthetic of the bottle is really pretty for decor purposes. My sister is a designer and has these in each of her bathrooms so I knew it was a 10/10. Happy hand washing!"

If you know me, you know I love Jo Malone fragrances. Well, two to be specific: Wood Sage Sea Salt ($88) and English Pear Freesia ($88). The latter is perfect as a handwash since it's sophisticated, fresh, and floral. And thanks to skin-softening ingredients like glycerin and meadowfoam seed oil, it's the antithesis of other, harsh handwashes.

Size: 8.5 oz | Scent: Sophisticated floral | Key Ingredients: Glycerin and meadowfoam seed oil

Pro: Sophisticated scent, luxurious lather, functions as both a hand and bodywash.

Con: Pricey, and the scent doesn't last as long as others.

An "ode to the entire fig tree," this scent features notes of fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood, and black pepper. It's woody, earthy, and aromatic, and it happens to be one of my favorite scents from Diptyque. It reminds me of my last trip to Paris because it was stocked in the hotel bathroom.

Size: 6.7 oz | Scent: Woody aromatic | Key Ingredients: Shea butter

Pro: Fresh, earthy scent, luxurious lather, functions as both a hand and bodywash.

Con: Pricey, and comes in a smaller bottle than other luxury handwashes.

Customer review: "The Diptyque Philosykos Hand and Body Gel smells divine, with an aromatic green woody scent. The hand and body gel is gentle on my dry skin without leaving it feeling stripped and lathers beautifully, leaving the skin feeling fresh, hydrated, and soft. I will continue to repurchase, and I would highly recommend it."

This handwash has the ultimate softening formula thanks to ingredients such as jojoba esters, which provide gentle exfoliation; castor oil, which provides a moisturizing lather; and a combination of rose-hip, avocado, and jojoba oils, which makes the skin feel silky smooth. It's scented with the brand's iconic Dean Street fragrance, which is fresh and floral and reminds me of an English spring day. 

Size: 16 oz | Scent: Fresh floral | Key Ingredients: Jojoba esters, castor oil, rose hip oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil

Pro: Fresh floral scent, smoothing and softening formula, gentle exfoliation.

Con: None.

Customer review: "Not only does this soap smell like heaven, it really makes you feel super clean. I’ve tried a million hand soaps in my day; this one is by far the best."

If a handwash is inspired by the scent of Moroccan mint tea, I'm going to like it. This one combines notes of eucalyptus oil, spearmint, black tea, cedarwood, and papyrus. It basically smells like relaxation in a bottle. What's more is that it has argan oil, Australian hibiscus flower, and coconut-derived surfactants to care for overworked skin on the hands. Personally, I'm also a big fan of the aesthetic of the chunky, squared-off bottles. 

Size: 12 oz | Scent: Mint | Key Ingredients: Argan oil, Australian hibiscus flower extract, coconut-derived surfactants

Pro: Refreshing mint scent, luxurious lather, gentle cleansing agents.

Con: None.

Customer review: "What a find. These products are outstanding! Not only does their design turn your home bathroom into a spa-like space, but the quality of the contents is beyond my expectations. The scent is beautiful, and the rich liquid cleanses my hands without drying. Even those 'natural' high-end products I have sworn by in the past left some residue. These do not."

This handwash is so chic and luxurious that I never want to run out of it. While I've kept it in my bathroom before, I really prefer to keep this at the kitchen sink, as it's inspired by the delicate summer scent of heirloom tomatoes. It's green and herby and has just a hint of spice from black pepper essential oil. As for the formula, avocado and olive oils create an ultra-hydrating base, while a silky lather foams between the fingers.

Size: 16 oz | Scent: Tomato | Key Ingredients: Avocado and olive oil

Pro: Herby tomato-inspired scent, luxurious lather, moisturizing formula.

Con: It might be better suited to the kitchen than the bathroom.