So you're getting into the swing of ditching single use plastic wherever you can, packing your groceries in canvas bags and taking a Keep Cup with you, but then your eye falls on the ubiquitous pretty soap bottle on the bathroom vanity. Waaah !!!! More plastic !!! It's everywhere !!!

But help is at hand, because it turns out that using solid bars of soap is actually rather luxurious. (Think about it - the most expensive hotels use cakes of solid soap, not liquid soap, right? So there's a long history of luxury associated with solid soap, that we can tap into, because it's yet another way that by making a simple switch, we can up our plastic-free stakes. AND have a pretty bathroom at the same time.)

We made the switch to solid bars of soap last year when we did the Plastic Free July challenge, and we honestly haven't looked back. The trick we have found though, is keeping the soap on a soap caddy which keeps the sweet little bar of soap dry. This makes it last a lot longer, and it's nicer to use. 

So here is a selection of some of the loveliest (and practical) soap dishes that are on the market, that will not extend the life of your soap, but which are also items of beauty in their own right. Luscious cakes of soap, meet your new home! 

SAARDÈ hand crafted soap holders

Made in India, and available in powder coated black or a brass finish, these dishes are designed to allow maximum air flow around the soap. (This makes it last much, much longer - and looks rather elegant at the same time.) Because it's an organic finish, the brass will develop a patina of use over time (which we happen to love the look of). If you prefer your soap dish with a more sleek finish, then the black powder coat finish would be a good choice. It also comes in a chrome finish.

REDECKER enamel soap dishes

Made from enamel, with a hand painted dark blue line around the edges, Redecker’s soap dish allows the water to drain away from the cake of soap, to be caught in the tray below. Designed to be mounted on the wall, this is a traditional style that has much charm.

Another style is this concave wall mounted soap dish, with little holes where the water will drain to the basin under the soap, and then evaporate over time. This style is good in a bathroom that is busy - as frequent use will mean the water will tend to drain away from the soap quickly, and make it last longer. It's a style that evokes a sense of theatre and fun. 

TASMANIAN Huon pine soap dish

I picked up one of these little carved timber soap dishes whilst on a recent trip to Tasmania, and it sits in our main bathroom. The simplicity of the design belies the fact that it actually functions really well. The water drains away via the grooves, and the soap is kept nice and dry. Carved from the much-loved Huon pine, from timber salvaged from rivers, the dish is a lustrous gold colour which suits a myriad of bathroom styles. And being Huon pine, the scent is delectable!