Jolene's soaps are as smooth as butter and a joy to use. They last for ages, they smell wonderful and, in their elegant boxes, they look beautiful too. She set out to make a soap that cut down on plastic waste, smelt amazing and had nothing nasty in it, and she has done exactly that.
From the Highlands to a workshop near Edinburgh
Jolene Roberts grew up in the Scottish Highlands, and a deep love of nature has stayed with her ever since. The calm, clarity and freshness of the landscape she grew up in became the guiding idea behind Òir, and behind its award-winning body care range.
The name Òir (pronounced "aww-rr") is the Gaelic word for golden, a nod to the meeting point of nature and luxury that runs through everything Jolene makes.
Handmade Scottish soap, made the slow way
Every bar is made by hand, in small batches, using the traditional cold process method in Jolene's workshop just outside Edinburgh. She handpicks 100% natural ingredients and blends her own fragrances using only essential oils. The result is a long-lasting, plastic-free bar that works as a luxury replacement for shower gel, for hands and body.
Jolene also believes that design matters, and that a bar of soap should look good in your bathroom. Whether it's still in its smart cardboard box or sitting on a soap dish by the sink, an Òir bar is made to be seen.
Òir soaps come in two scents: a fresh, warming lemongrass and cinnamon, and a rich, earthy blend of cedarwood, clary sage, rose geranium and vetiver. The cedarwood bar is also part of my Classic Scottish Gift Box.