Geology Meets the Bath: Mining the Most Magnificent Soaps
by Marilyn Green --
I confess to a special love for things that raise ordinary life to art, and T.S. Pink's Soaprocks are right there.
From veined amethysts to matrix turquoise, the Soaprocks are so gorgeous to look at that people are constantly voicing their reluctance to use them, but Pink says their function is to transform daily life, not to sit on a shelf.
| ""They are the art that touches us intimately, teaching us to appreciate beauty by using it, and letting it go," he counsels." |
"They are the art that touches us intimately, teaching us to appreciate beauty by using it, and letting it go," he counsels.
The bonus for following his advice, besides the silky creamy feel of the soap itself, is that each set of strata – I hesitate to say bars – lights up under water, adding yet more magic. The soaps last a long time, and as they are used they weather like minerals in nature, showing new beauty at every stage. They really belong with the architecture of Antoni Gaudi.
Pink had an apotheosis one February while taking a shower with scraps of soap. His background in conceptual art, geology, cooking, gardening, and chemistry could have been designed for that moment, and he spent seven more years refining the combination of ingredients. Now his company in Oneonta, Long Island in New York sends aficionados a collection that looks as though it belongs in museum of natural history.
The soaps are hand hewn, so each one is different than the rest, and the colors are radiant. There are no animal products used, and testing is on people only. They are created from a blend of whole herb extracts, vitamins and minerals, from aquatic, botanical, and terrestrial sources, including aloe, calendula, chamomile, comfrey, lavender, vitamin E, vegetable glycerin, chlorophyll, almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, essential oils, mineral earth and kaolin clay.
Penny Marshall and Carly Simon are among those who collect and use these "gemstones," which anyone can enjoy for $14.95 (if you can bear to order just one). It's a small price to experience an extraordinary bathing experience, not to mention the smooth, moisturized skin the results, and there are gift sets and collections. My particular favorites are Lapis Lazuli, Jade, Tiger's Eye, Amethyst Geode – oh, well, they are all gorgeous.
Visit www.tspink.com |
