Why I’m buying soap I don’t actually want to use
24/8/2026
Translation: Elicia Payne
Pictures: Pia Seidel
As someone who appreciates aesthetics, I make a conscious decision when choosing my cutlery. I even have strong opinions about door handles and clothes hangers. And yet, at this year’s 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen, I was completely taken by surprise by something I’d never imagined: soap.
To be specific, I mean the soap by Matias Møllenbach. The Danish designer transformed a men’s barbershop in Copenhagen into a pop-up soap shop. One that looked as if a Scandinavian design studio and a candy store had had a baby. Right in the middle of it all:the new OBA series. The series stands for spherical soap bars with natural fragrance blends set on high-quality resin bases that look more inviting to caress than to lather up with.
But that’s exactly the problem. These soaps are far too charming to make them smaller and smaller every day.
The old candle dilemma, but with soaps
It’s the same thing with candles: you buy them, set them out, admire them and then never light them because you don’t want to ruin their perfect shape. The same applies to soap, only with foam instead of a flame. Soap is like life: magical, fleeting, and that’s exactly what makes it precious.
What really makes OBA special
The resin gives the whole thing a weight and texture that you simply don’t get with standard soap. On top of that, you have these lavish, flowing shapes and colours which look as if they came straight out of a sorbet colour chart. Møllenbach describes his approach as honest, sculptural and rooted in Scandinavian design.
Let me describe one to you. A golden-yellow sphere sits atop a light-coloured pedestal, almost like a small exclamation point symbolising optimism and enthusiasm. The scent is Citralis: a blend of lemon, mint, and bergamot, gently rounded out with cedarwood. It smells like sunscreen and cool air: fresh, crisp, and a little exhilarating.
Why this is more than just a quirk
I know, I know, most people don’t care whether their soap looks like a designer piece or something from a supermarket sale. Fair enough. But that’s exactly what makes soap bars such an exciting trend. They’re sort of like an affordable gateway into the world of sculpture – only for the bathroom instead of the living room shelf.
Small sculpture, low price
A bar of soap like this looks great on the edge of the sink and smells great, too – all without you having to pay the price of a real work of art. Perhaps that’s the true luxury of a well-designed everyday object. It makes you stop for a moment before you go ahead and use it. As for me, I’ll probably admire the sphere for a while before I consider using it.
Care tips for solid soaps used as decorative items
When the time finally comes, here are a few tips to help keep your soap looking pristine for as long as possible – so it doesn’t end up looking like a half-eaten piece of candy after just the first week:
- Store in a dry place: don’t leave the soap sitting in water; instead, place it on a soap dish with drainage or a small tray. Wet soap dissolves more quickly and loses its shape.
- After frequent use, dab it dry briefly: one sheet of paper towel or toilet paper is enough to prevent the surface from getting dissolving.
- Protect from direct sunlight: UV light causes pigments to fade over time, especially if it’s a bold colour.
- Dust is the enemy of sculpture: dust it off occasionally with a dry, soft brush or cloth.
- Don’t throw away leftovers: small pieces can be collected in a slightly porous bag and reused.
We don’t stock OBA (yet), but our range does include a few good-looking soap bars:
Hand soap
Quantity discount
EUR13,29 per piece for 2 units
Badeanstalten - Friday Soap - 100 grams
Hard soap, 100 g
Hand soap
The Somerset Toiletry Company Tropical Fruits Mango and Passionfruit Glycerine Soap 150g
Hard soap, 160 g
Tranquillo Confetti
Hard soap, 100 g
Jolu HANDGEMACHTE SEIFE Sand & Meer
Hard soap, 90 g
Quantity discount
EUR13,29 per piece for 2 units
Badeanstalten - Friday Soap - 100 grams
Hard soap, 100 g
The Somerset Toiletry Company Tropical Fruits Mango and Passionfruit Glycerine Soap 150g
Hard soap, 160 g
Love & Stones Love& Stones
Hard soap
Acqua Di Parma Zitrusseife Mirto Di Panarea 220g
220 g
Header image: Pia Seidel
Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I celebrate good design and bring you closer to everything furniture- and interior design-related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior finds, track down trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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