Scents aren't really a consequence of soap but their own thing. Still, they react with body chemistry, so the body's reaction to the soap will have some effect, as well as the body's reaction with the scents themselves.

Usually, the people making enough soap to be selling in gift shops should have mastered the methods enough. The issues come down to what's in it and what kind of soap it is. There are certain relaxations to labelling rules for hand crafts, and I don't if there are ones for soap. I won't buy soap that doesn't have ingredients listed, and there are certain chemicals which I prefer to avoid. I'd say that a full disclosure of ingredients might be a good indicator that the maker takes the soap seriously.

I also prefer hard milled bar soaps. Most commonly, you'll find either glycerine soaps, or softer soaps sliced from a loaf. I use glycerine soaps almost exclusively for hands, and have my favorites, where as beautiful, handmade hard milled soaps are rarer, lovely and long lasting.

Since you don't have any issues with the soaps you've bought, other than not liking a scent or two, why not just keep buying them as they please you, the way you have been? Maybe go to a scent tester store to see if citrus isn't good with your skin or if it's just orange+lavender, and avoid the ones you learn won't work for you.

I used to make homemade soap. Other than sodium hydroxide (lye) which is necessary for saponification in cold process, there are no chemicals necessary. As the soap 'cures' the lye is neutralized by the fatty acids in the oils.

Coconut oil makes a nice lather, and olive oil is moisturizing. I never used scents or coloring--I liked the subtle colors obtained from using cocoa, turmeric, paprika, and sea kelp. The ingredients should be listed in declining amounts.

well, a lot of my purchases are overseas, I can only buy/own so many teeshirts, ha. Typical places are hotel shops or boutiques, but I must say that very rarely do they have a list of ingredients, especialliy exotic locations. Buying domestically I've never even worried about it. but I have noticed that even domestically, many don't have an ingredient list. Your input has been useful. If I grow scales, y'all will know what happened....

I love melt and pour glycerine soap! It smells awesome and if made with the right base, it can be very moisturizing. sometimes a lot of work and a lot of ingredients goes into melt & pour. I used to do it, for gifts and self satisfaction. I always added good stuff (clays, oils, butters, etc) to a high quality base. Has it's benefits, as does the "real" soap made from oils, butters and lye.

The last I knew, soap was not mandated by the FDA, so ingredients do not have to be listed. This could've changed in the last couple years though.

IF the ingredients do happen to be listed, I'd stay away from anything that has mineral oil or lanolin it it. Sounds like it would be good for the skin, but it's more of a barrier producing thing than a moisturizing thing. Other than that, I go by smell and it's a bummer when you get it home and use it and it doesn't smell like you thought it would. :(

For shipping purposes from Canada to the US, my sister had to list all her ingredients on her packaging.

Julie, we suspect DH is allergic to lanolin. He breaks out. It is interesting, however, that some mfgrs use derivatives with names that don't have the word "lanolin" in it, so I would have to be walking with a chemical dictionary to decipher ingredients. Luckily, that reaction occurs rarely, so I've been lucky in my selections. I remember at one time when everything had lanolin. I also remember at one time when coconut oil was evil, but it is an industry darling again.

I LOVE great bars of soap! I purchase cool ones in various locations as well. Bee and Flower from China Town or Eucalyptus from Australia....just common oatmeal by Yardley is well loved around here! Hand made ball soaps from the local Terra Verde store.

What are some of your favorites?

Homemade soaps are my favorite things. I usually by the slice and use soaps. Like Niclole I by various types of soaps, more moisturizing and gentle. Goats milk, olive oil, almond, vanilla are my top favs. The worst soaps I've ever made the mistake of buying were from a cute shop in the downtown area of Keywest. They smelled good, in all sorts of pretty colors in round discs. The colors ended up leaving a colorful mess all over the sink, they didn't leave my skin feeling moist either. Now days I've learned that natures colors are the best.

Julie, I'd love to find a soap with lanolin in it! I helped out on a hobby farm, picking debris out of sheep fleece, and my hands seemed so much softer for two or three weeks after! These days, I never see this as an ingredient on soaps or hand lotions -- but I do know some people may be allergic to it.

We have a couple local soap makers around here -- really good quality stuff. I'm not so much interested in aromas, but in good cleansing action. (I do like the good rough, dried-skin removing ones a lot -- nice rough oatmeal, etc. And the moisturizing ones -- different soaps for different purposes...)

:( I am allergic to "soap" in the traditional sense (lye). I wish I could. I have to use cleansers that are less mainstream. phooey.

Toni, I wonder if they had artificial coloring. But that's what I'm talking about. w/o ingredient list, you had no way of knowing. I have resisted the cute soaps that have toys in them.

@Nicole, as souvenirs, I usually stick to lavender or lavender and ____. Domestically, I like buying my glycerin soaps from a shop in Austin TX. I have enjoyed any and all of their interesting concoctions. For some strange reason I have never used goats milk soap. I also like the French triple (?) milled soaps at Marshalls, et al. Once I got one that was made with olive oil and it was so divine and great feeling on my skin. Once in a while I'll get liquid shower gels, but my preference is holding a bar of soap.