In Short
If you're choosing your first Curtis & Kin bar, don't worry about finding the "perfect" one. We'd rather help you find the one that feels like the right place to begin. Soap should simplify your routine, not make the decision more complicated.
One of the questions we receive most often is, "Which soap should I start with?" We understand why people ask it. Looking at several bars with different ingredients, scents, and descriptions can make it feel like there's a wrong choice hiding somewhere among them. It's easy to think you need to understand every ingredient before you can confidently choose your first bar.
The truth is, we don't think there is one perfect starting point for everyone. Every home is different, every routine is different, and every person values something a little differently. Some people enjoy earthy scents. Others prefer something light and floral. Some are looking for a simple everyday bar, while others are searching for something made with a specific purpose in mind. Choosing soap is a little like choosing your favorite coffee mug. Eventually, one simply feels like yours.
We've never wanted Curtis & Kin to overwhelm people with endless options. Every bar we make has a reason for existing, and every recipe was created thoughtfully. Rather than trying to create a soap for every imaginable situation, we've focused on making a small collection of products we'd happily use in our own home. That philosophy makes recommending a first bar surprisingly simple.
If you're unsure, begin with Kin
Whenever someone tells us they have no idea where to start, we almost always recommend Kin. It wasn't the first bar we named by accident—it was the first bar we found ourselves reaching for again and again. Before it ever had packaging or a label, it had already earned a permanent place beside our own sink.
Kin is intentionally uncomplicated. It's unscented, coconut-free, and designed to be the dependable bar that quietly becomes part of everyday life. We wanted something we'd feel comfortable keeping at the kitchen sink, in the shower, or beside the bathroom basin without having to think twice about it. Over time, it became the bar we reached for so consistently that naming it Kin simply felt right. It reminded us of home, family, and the people closest to us.
That's why it's usually where we encourage people to begin. Not because it's our "best" soap—we genuinely don't think of our products that way—but because it's the bar that best represents the philosophy behind Curtis & Kin. If someone wants to understand who we are, Kin is often the clearest introduction.
Let your routine guide you
Of course, not everyone is looking for the same thing. Some people come to us specifically because they're searching for a facial cleanser, which is exactly why Cleanse exists. Interestingly, Cleanse began as a powder before it ever became a bar. We loved the powder, and many of our customers did too, but we also realized there were mornings when convenience mattered just as much as the ritual. The cleansing bar wasn't created to replace the powder—it was created to offer the same thoughtful approach in a form that fit more naturally into busy mornings.
Other bars in our collection have their own stories and personalities as well. Some are inspired by traditional ingredients we've come to appreciate, while others were created because we felt something was missing from our own routines. We don't think of them as a ladder where one is better than another. They're simply different expressions of the same philosophy: make fewer products, make them well, and let each one serve a clear purpose.
That's why we rarely recommend choosing a bar based solely on what someone else says is their favorite. A soap becomes your favorite because of the way it fits into your life, not because it topped someone else's list.
There isn't a wrong place to begin
We've noticed something interesting over the years. People often spend far more time deciding which bar to buy than they do actually using it. We understand the hesitation because there are so many choices in the world today, and none of us enjoy making the wrong decision. But soap has a wonderful way of reminding us that not every choice has to be perfect. Sometimes it simply has to be thoughtful.
If you're new to Curtis & Kin, we'd encourage you to begin with the bar that feels most inviting to you. If that's Kin, we think you'll understand why it's become the quiet foundation of our collection. If another bar catches your attention first, that's perfectly fine too. Every recipe has been created with the same level of care, and every one reflects the values that have shaped our company from the beginning.
In the end, the best soap to start with is the one you'll actually enjoy reaching for tomorrow morning. Our hope isn't that you memorize every ingredient or become an expert in soapmaking. It's simply that you find a product that earns a small place in your daily routine and, over time, quietly becomes part of what home feels like. If one of our bars has the privilege of becoming that for you, we couldn't ask for anything more.