Keeping it clean

I require more from soap than a showering-under-an-Irish-waterfall sensation. It has to be plant-based, cruelty-free and biodegradable. It should also have minimal packaging, so as to reduce plastic consumption, since we hardly need more petroleum-based bottles in the ocean. Luckily, Northern California-made River Soap Company’s aromatic bars fulfill the laundry list. With a dozen different natural soaps fragranced with essential oils—including vetiver, sweet citrus, garden mint—they feel responsibly luxurious. Find them at Nugget Markets, Whole Foods Markets, Sacramento’s and Davis’ food co-ops, or, if you have a click-and-sniff computer, at www.riversoap.com.