Somehow I have made it a personal tradition to check out handmade locally made soaps on my world travels. I started scoping out new beauty finds on my trips just out of  interest, but my family quickly found that having a unique, sweet-smelling soap in the bathroom is a daily reminder of a wonderful trip. Since the best things come when you aren’t looking for them, imagine my delight when I stumbled across the Klockargårdens brand. While their soap products are made and primarily sold in the same facility and Norberg, Sweden, I found a selection stocked at a witty boutique in Stockholm called Amanda’s. After smelling every single bar of soap (three times), I finally decided to go with a fun scent that would surely remind me of the city every time I used it.

I picked up the Älskling, or “Darling” soap to try out. The rainbow swirls of the handmade soap definitely drew me in, but the fruity sweet scent made it a surefire choice. The label explains that this soap is “suitable for anyone with a loving disposition,” but you’ll probably at least fall in love with this soap anyway.

The brand also carries an awesome “Saltwater” soap. This unique bar suds up in saltwater and even floats if you happen to drop it in the ocean — so it’s perfect for cleaning up properly if you’re at the beach. Since I’ve never heard of such a thing, I wanted to know everything about the science and history behind it. Inspired by Scandinavian sailors’ secrets, this bar of soap powers through the grungiest messes, without drying out your hands or irritating sensitive skin. It sounds like magic, and it pretty much is.

The shop girl at Amanda’s told me that her favorite soap was the “Herbs and Love” variety that gives a kitchen-fresh scent. She goes through at least a bar a month, a luxury she can afford since Amanda’s is a haven of delicious Klockargårdens varieties. Honestly, if I could have stocked up on soaps and brought just these home as souvenirs, I would have.

Check the brand out on Facebook to see if any are sold in your area! Or, make it a point to tour the facility in Norberg if you are near by!