Handmade soaps inspired by traditional Korean bathing rituals.
Launched in 2015, Toronto-based brand Binu Binu makes high-quality soaps and bath accessories for people who love natural ingredients as much as they love the handmade movement. Binu Binu means “soap soap” in Korean. It’s a fitting name, as the company draws inspiration from traditional Korean bathing rituals, especially the old “Seshin” scrub treatment. Furthermore, all of the brand’s products tell a story. Some of them pay homage to strong female figures from Korean culture, like modern-day shaman healers known as mudang or the Haenyeo sea women who dive without oxygen tanks to harvest mollusks and other sea life. Other products reference traditional tea rituals or coastal landscapes.
The soaps feature a base of roasted barley tea named “boricha” – a staple in Korean households as important as water. To this, Binu Binu adds 100% natural botanical ingredients along with essential oils. High-quality ingredients range from charcoal, cedar wood, and lavender for the Shaman Black Charcoal Soap or hibiscus infusion and rose clay for the Hibiscus Clay Facial Soap. The signature Seshin Korean Scrub Soap that references the old-fashioned cleansing ritual features black sesame seed, sea salt, and washed blue clay to clean the skin naturally. The larger, hand-cut bars are sculptural and monolithic, transforming cleansing into a more tactile experience.
Handmade in small batches using a cold process technique, the Binu Binu soaps maintain the essential oils’ best properties. At the same time, they also create a rich lather. The soap collection is vegan and natural as well as free of parabens, sulfates, palm oil, and synthetic detergents. The brand’s collection also includes face towels, soap dishes, and bath accessories. You can find Binu Binu soaps in the brand’s web shop or at specialty stores in North America and Europe. Photographs© Binu Binu.
