Please don't think that just because I've not mentioned the terrific products from Soape.com recently I've been neglecting my personal hygiene. Rest assured that I have been washing, and trying out some more of their gorgeous looking handmade soaps.

This lemon and tea flower glycerine soap has been a big hit. It was acquired as a free sample. Here's a quick recap for those who aren't familiar with Soape.com - you can get four 25 gram samples of their handmade soaps (subject to availability) free of charge, just pay £2.00 postage. Whenever I make an order of full sized products, I request another four samples as I am already paying the postage. It's a great way of trying out their new products and with some new lines just becoming available, I'll be getting a few more to try before buying.

I've become a big fan of Soape's glycerine soaps which leave my skin feeling really soft. The company state on their website that most mass produced soaps contain detergents which dry the skin and don't usually contain glycerine which is a natural skin softener. Glycerine, they say, tends to be omitted from products at the cheaper end and is now mostly used in expensive products. The company also states that the products it makes are vegan friendly.

Anyway, as I've said, I've found the company's glycerine soaps to be very nice to use, lathering up really well and leaving the skin squeaky clean and soft after use. Although you get plenty of lather very quickly, the soap lasts pretty well and we manage to get a good few days use from even a sample piece with two people using it.

Visually this is a very pretty looking soap with a fresh, clean appearance. The main colour is a translucent yellow and in part of the soap (probably the bottom of the piece it's cut from) there are little paler squares of an opaque soap and around these there are tiny reddish-brown speckles. This soap retains its appealing look and colour until the end unlike some soaps that quickly bleed colour and look a bit grotty beside the bath or basin.

From the name I had an idea that this soap with have a fresh, zesty fragrance and although it does have an element of the lemon in the scent, I picked up more of a milder floral aroma which must have been the tea flower element. One of the minor issues I have with Soape.com is that for only a few of the products is there an explanation of the ingredients. Tea flower sounded right to me but I wanted to know more about it; when I googled it I found that there isn't really such a thing as a tea flower (or if there is it's nigh on impossible to find). However, the various dried flowers are used to make speciality teas (such as jasmine, camomile, etc) and I wonder whether what has been used here is a blend of those different tea flowers. The floral element here is gentle and slightly old fashioned rather than being bold and vibrant but the lemon element of the scent lifts it. All in all it's light and pleasant and, happily, it's a scent that lingers on the skin for a while after use.

I'd recommend this soap to people looking for a fresh, clean scent with a gentle floral edge. It may appeal more than some of the really 'in your face' bold scents that include lemon from brands such as Original Source.

If you're convinced, you can try the 100 gram bar for £2.50, or, if you want to try it first, include it in a package of samples.

www.soape.com