Friends of Trouva: Dook

A shining star in Edinburgh’s thriving independent scene, sustainable brand Dook creates artisanal soaps so pretty you may not want to use them.

Dook’s soaps are made in small batches using natural colours, essential oils - think rosemary, mandarin, cedar and more - and organic ingredients. You’ll find skin-friendly shea butter and coconut oil alongside French pink clay and mineral-rich and detoxifying Himalayan pink salt.

Creating every piece with sustainability in mind, all bars are sold in boxes made from 100% recycled coffee cups. Each soap is poured by hand, resulting in their signature patterns being unique to each bar.

Alongside its bestselling salt soap, Dook creates high-quality hand and body soap, as well as eco-friendly shampoo bars and conditioning oils, making it easier than ever to create a zero-waste bathroom. We spoke to founder, Helen, to find out more.

How did Dook come to be?

"While on maternity leave with my second child (who was a good napper!) I learned how to make soap. I found that I loved making things that were beautiful and also useful. I went back to work as a teacher, but also devoted some time to developing my skills as a soap maker."

"I love the diversity of roles that you take on when you run your own business. I really enjoyed the challenge of developing my own brand, creating products, a website, even finance systems. I loved the autonomy and the fact that I could set my own goals. I continued to work part-time in school in 2019, then made the leap to working full time on Dook in 2020, and I've never looked back!"

Where do you find inspiration for your products?

"Our local area - Portobello in Edinburgh - is on the coast and we have lots of sea, wind and sky in our lives! The patterns on our handmade soaps remind me of pebbles washed up on the beach - the embedded colours erode away with use, rather like the way the sea wears away a stone."

Which product is your current favourite?

"This feels like asking which of my children is my favourite! But... I love the Cedar & Bitter Orange Soap. The scent is really unusual and complex - woody yet fresh!"

What is your brand's key ethos?

"We craft zero-waste products that smell amazing, look beautiful and work really, really well. Swapping over to Dook products makes it easy for our customers to banish plastic from their bathrooms forever."