For many busy people, bathtime is the part of the day when they can finally be alone, relax for half an hour, and reflect back on the events of the day. It’s the ultimate me-time, away from the humdrum everyday world.

Candles, soft music, and therapeutic water supplements all add to the experience. Scent, too, plays a major part: the right aroma helps us to unwind, think more positively, and face the world with renewed confidence.

For the most part, bath perfumes of various types tend to have a floral fragrance, but have you ever thought of bathing in wine or, at least, showering using soap made from it? The idea may seem a little weird at first, but it actually works: wine, whiskey, and beer’s fermented and aged flavors are more sophisticated than pure essential oils, and may just remind your subconscious of other occasions when you’ve taken some time out from the rat race.

These soaps are available in Merlot, Kentucky bourbon, and IPA beer variants, or you can get one of each in one convenient package. The 5-ounce bars are just the right size for a gift, while the color alone makes it worth giving (some natural dyes are used). As soap, it does its job, and just like the African black soap we reviewed before, only natural ingredients are used (in preference to industrial stuff). Your skin will feel both clean and refreshed after use.

This soap doesn’t, in fact, contain any alcohol. Nor will it leave you smelling like a brewery. Lovers of wine, whiskey, and beers often use terms like “fruity”, “peaty”, and “herbal” to describe the flavor of top-shelf products, and these are the notes the manufacturer manages to hit.

In fact, even the bourbon soap, which might make you the leeriest, makes your bathroom smell wonderful even while still in the box. The scent is complex yet clear, strong but not overpowering, and certainly natural and inviting.