Upon arriving at most hotels, you often are welcomed with a glass of champagne or a complimentary bite, but at Wildflower Farms in upstate New York, a luxury Auberge property that feels like a cross between adult summer camp and a hotel from The White Lotus, you are greeted with the opportunity to indulge in a hand-washing ritual.
While it was a simple concept—taking deep breaths while Evolvetogether’s fragrant Restorative Hand Wash is pumped into your hands with a scoop of exfoliating sea salt crystals, before finishing with the matching hand cream—my hands felt baby-soft and smelled delightful. I felt instantly calmer, my nervous system reset after a two-hour car ride, and it set the tone for the rest of my trip spent on the beautiful and ultra-luxe property. Not to mention, never did I think that washing my hands could feel so lavish.
As a frequent traveler, I’m no stranger to the wide range of hotel bathroom amenities—from bar soaps to hotel body lotions—and I know that some are better than others. However, it’s rare I leave a hotel still thinking about a personal care product. And my soap senses may have been onto something, because I spotted the same hand wash at a trendy Brooklyn restaurant shortly after.
After a boom in luxury hand washes, the hand soap a restaurant or hotel chose became just as important as the quality of food or bedding. The notion then spilled over into our personal bathroom—the hand washes you put on your sink became the ultimate status symbol. Coq-a-daq, a New York restaurant, has a dozen hand washes upon arrival for guests to use before dining, and snapping a photo of the sink is just as coveted as the restaurant’s caviar chicken nuggets. I’ll admit that I often opt to stay at certain hotels just because I know the bathroom is filled with a beauty brand I know and love.
I never subscribed to that status hand soap concept and instead put whichever bottle I had on hand (no pun intended) in my bathrooms. But after experiencing the Evolvetogether Hand Wash myself, and then earning a handful of compliments once I put it in my own bathroom, I understood the power of a good hand soap and smelled (literally) a new status formula on the market.
I was first introduced to Evolvetogether during COVID, when the brand launched two very timely products: surgical face masks and a travel-friendly, nourishing hand cream. But Evolvetogether’s homeware-meets-hand-care collection felt like a whole other brand to me. The Hand Wash and its corresponding Hand Cream come in expensive-looking glass bottles that would look chic in any bathroom. Not to mention, they are refillable, so they also function as permanent bathroom décor.
The three scent offerings are airy, fresh, and comforting—all characteristics you want in your home. Wildflower Farms featured the rose-and-mandarin Monaco scent, but I love the Taormina scent, which features orange blossom and jasmine, as well.
What won me over was the lather. Most hand washes I use in hotels lack sudsiness, and I’m often left wanting to wash my hands again. However, the Restorative Hand Wash has one of the most delicious lathers I’ve ever experienced. It’s cloudlike and leaves hands feeling soft, clean, and not stripped. The formula has a 24-hour moisturizing complex, glycerin, and antioxidants to support supple hands.
Evolvetogether’s Hand Wash hits all three markers of a status hand soap: a luxe look, gorgeous scent, and a user experience that stays in your mind even days later.
