Stopped in to check out their various soaps and lotions. The store has so many interesting things. Plenty of options for your own personal use or as a gift for someone else. They will even make you a specially crafted lotion with your own selection of fragrances. You then get a card that contains the "recipe" so you can have it recreated the next time you go back. A fun place to shop. read more

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Enormous variety of scented oils in 1 dram or 2 dram sizes. A plethora of body products, many of which can be custom scented for no extra charge. Lots of unique bath and body finds. This place is a must-visit!! read more

A freaking community staple! Nothing is more Madison State St core than the Soap Opera! Sometimes I am in awe how they are still open just selling soap but I guess they found their niche and they nail it. It's fun and calming going in there and perusing and sniffing all the fun soaps they have. And they always do little outreach events like making your own perfume or make music madison (see the harp). Such a cute store. read more

The Soap Opera - Harp! - Inside a store, a large wooden harp is positioned near the entrance, with customers and staff visible around it. - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We stopped in here on our stroll down State street over the weekend. When you walk through the doors, you are first hit with a strong but calming smell of lavender and eucalyptus. This is the perfect spot to stop in for that self-care gift for that special someone in your life! Or just for yourself!! We all need a little pampering :-) They have every flavor and style of soap that you can imagine, gift box sets and accessories. Such a unique collection of handmade soaps, bath bombs and butters. To note, prices are bit high, but definitely worth what you would pay for artisan products. read more

Went here to pick up some Christmas presents the other afternoon. While the aisles can get a little tight, it was clear that all of the customers were trying to maintain their space. There was also a squirt bottle of hand sanitizer right inside the door to use and another one by the cash register. The staff was super helpful when we asked some questions about the Bucky Book coupons andwe made our purchases accordingly. Definitely a good stop for Christmas presents as they have some precrafted gift boxes that are adorably wrapped! Also there is a good variety in the gift boxes. Everything you could need for a present or that last minute gift. read more

Such a fun store! Rubber ducky's, bubble bath, bath bombs, hand lotion, lip gloss, manly shaving cream. They also have their own proprietary shampoos, lotions, conditioners, etc which you could scent with I want to say about 100 different essential oils or fragrance oils which they will let you sample on a little pieces of paper. Stop in and take a peek! Keep small independent businesses alive! read more

We stop here every time in Madison for a unique collection of hand made soaps, body butter, and bath bombs. This store is store to ceiling merchandised with soap in every shape, form, color, and theme. You like watermelon infused and shaped soap? They have you covered. Prefer soap with kitten shapes in it? They have that too. They had adorable cupcake shaped bath bombs along with a deal on the regular bath bombs. Who can pass that up? They have such a passion for the items they make and carry. It's a great place to stop for yourself or gift giving season. They have every item you need for your skin to make it pretty and do consultations too. read more

When you know, but don't KNOW what you want to buy because it's a gift! Thankfully Stacy was there to walk me through my men's razor purchase. Stacy even took the precious time to show me how to put the razor in and out! I cannot wait for my husband to see his gift. Just too many awesome things in the store that I found; i.e soaps, oils, and make-up. Cannot wait to return and explore more! read more

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"...or would it? I mean, The Soap Opera is just such an adorably proper name for a store so closely reminiscent of the celestial sounds that an opera singer can conceive. Their beautiful vocal harmony is a direct parallel to the extraordinary bouquet of aromas that graces each unsuspecting patron of this remarkable shop. Alluring perfumes of lilac, eucalyptus & mint, and coconut milk float freely and intermingle to concoct a resplendent aura of delight. Much like the beautiful scents which characterize The Soap Opera, the workers here are wonderful. They have always been very approachable and whenever I've gone to them with a question, they have always provided candid advice and are more than willing to help. Their knowledge of product makes shopping here a more than pleasant experience. read more

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I hadn't been into the Soap Opera since probably 2002 so I thought it was time to pop back in. I don't know why I waited so long in between visits - for some reason I was under the impression that they were pretty high-end, but in truth they've got a wide range of products and prices. First: the obvious - they've got soap. All the soap. From bars to bottles, they've got it all. I probably smelled 30+ bars in ten minutes and the worst offenders were just that I couldn't smell them through the wrappers - no clunkers in the bunch. Some of my favorite bars were the pearlescent swirled soaps - I can't recall the brand but they were super pretty. The next most common item was probably lotions - testers abound! I was maxed out on smells with the parade of soaps so I didn't sniff out many, but they have plenty for you to choose from. There are also several essential oils and things like witch hazel, rubber duckies, and bath accessories. Stop in next time you want to find a nice gift or impress your guests with some quality toiletries on their next stay! read more

Love The Soap Opera! I order online and love the amazing selection of great products!

Less girly than most "bath & body" shops, this store on State stocks both well known and more obscure brands. Most of my favorites are well represented including Porto, Occitaine and Mistral. They have more for men than most places, but manly men will probably prefer to wait outside for their better half. I don't love that the store is always packed and there's no clear way to figure out who's working the checkout, etc. If you need help or have questions, don't come on a weekend because it's not going to happen. read more

Bath and Body works makes you smell like a gang of teenage prostitute, while L'Occitane makes you feel even poorer than you are, and Crabtree and Evelyn makes you feel you should only put their stuff out for overnight guests. And all three make guys feel like total pansies for being even within five feet of the doorway. Soap Opera is that happy medium, my friends. It always smells good in there, but in a non-distracting, general way. They have a decent men's grooming section - razors, brushes, other manly grooming items - but more importantly, they have a lot of interesting toothpastes, soaps, and oils. It feels a little like an apothecary. They also have a lot of perfume oils you can buy, which you can then use as perfume, in lotions, in shampoo, as a room freshener, or what have you. You can blend your own scents or choose a pre-made one. The fig/moss scent is the best and I don't even wear fragrance. Service is always good. They're nice and helpful even if you have a dumb question. If you need a gift in a pinch, this is the place to go. Also if this is important to you, they're local. read more

Kind of like Mertz apothecary, but with more light. The prices were reasonable (for the products that you're buying), the selection is H-U-G-E and the staff knows what they are talking about. I bought some coconut face soap, sage deodorant and Dr.Bronner's soap. I smelled like an aromatic hippie thanks to my purchases and free soap samples. I wish we had one in the western 'burbs cause I'd be there all the time. read more

The Soap Opera has EVERYTHING bath related, in a nice variety of brands too! If you like nice smelling fun bath supplies, be prepared to spend a lot of time (and some money) here! I was very pleasantly surprised by the variety of products at this shop. Not only do they have soaps, shampoos, lotions, soap dishes, and sponges/loofahs, they also carry lip balms, candles, tiger balm (who knew?!), tons of essential oils, bath fizzies, bath salts, and much more. They have small local brands and high-end well known brands and everything in between, and it's all very reasonably priced. I found a French dry shampoo here that I tried years ago and loved that I haven't been able to find anywhere else! They have some lovely gift boxes and very helpful staff, so I highly recommend coming here to buy gifts for the people in your life who like bath stuff (or just smelling good in general). I was thrilled to learn that the staff is happy to give you samples to take home of any items that have a "try me" sticker. They also put some bar soap samples in my bag with the items I purchased! Overall, this is the perfect stop for all your bath needs, and just a fun place to get gifts or samples and browse! read more

Funny how I'm always writing reviews on here about the various restaurants I've eaten at, always looking for the next great thing to taste. Seems like in the process of stimulating all my other senses, I neglected to take into consideration my sense of smell. I always ignored this "girly" little shop and didn't pay much notice even as a window shopper later on, but that all changed when I decided to grab a Ginger Bear soap bar as a gift one day. Ginger Bear is the best fucking thing I have ever smelled in my life. Ever. It kind of smells like a tray full of fresh-baked gingerbread cookies, possibly baked by a consortium of 1000 of Europe's finest German grandmothers. I look forward to bowel movements just so I can get to wash my hands with a slice of this olfactory crack. And it permeates its wonderful odor throughout what used to be a very unpleasant bathroom, lifting my spirits whenever I am nearby. The bar of soap is seemingly neverending. It's as big as two regular bars of soap and would wear down very slowly if it didn't cause me to wash my hands 3 times every time I use the bathroom. All this for $5...I don't think I'm ever going back to normal soap. read more

I was happily surprised that the scents didn't overwhelm me when I walked into this place, and that's probably why I dinked around for almost an hour with my lady friend. The place feels like an apothecary, and you can concoct your own products. I created a scented lotion of my own, and five hours after putting it on, I can still smell it. $7 well spent! I was happy to see that there's a nice selection of men's products too. I'm probably going to go back and get the black mud soap for my husband, because holy shit--that has got to be what James Bond smells like. Adios, Irish Spring. The products are high quality and come in various price points, so even broke college kids can smell fabulous. The gentlemen working there were friendly and helpful, but like their products, they weren't overwhelming or in your face. They just let you poke around and enjoy yourself. And they were playing the Pet Shop Boys! Seriously, I think I found my new favorite store. read more

My husband and I spent almost 30 minutes speaking with the owner. She was such an interesting person and her passion for the business really showed. As someone who rarely wears scents she did a fantastic job of interpreting my preferences and translating that into a great custom smell. We both walked away with new scents to try and a vegan 85% organic scent free soap for someone in my family with sensitive skin. I'm excited to test this scent and look at ordering their in house body products that they scent with custom blends. This was definitely worth a stop and we would come back in a heartbeat. read more

I could spend an entire day in this store shopping for things I never knew I needed. I love the all natural-cruelty free items. The staff is ALWAYS beyond helpful and so pleasant. I love the hand cut soaps with the cool shapes, and there are SO MANY great gift ideas for the bath and body product lover in your life. Speaking of which, this store puts Bath and Body Works to shame. The scents are natural and the products are very high quality. I will never walk by The Soap Opera without stopping in. read more

Dear Soap Opera, I love you... This is pretty much the only place I'll go to get my bath products. I only buy natural, cruelty-free/not tested on animals products, and this is their specialty! The last time I was in there I picked up some of their own almond exfoliating soap (new fav), and natures gate shampoo and conditioner. When I asked the man behind the counter if they hand any good almond scented lotion, I was informed that he could whip me up a batch using their essential oils! Fricken awesome! The stuff smells like a dream and really moistrizes! I can't wait to go back and just pick up some oils! This place has everything from oils to deoderant, toothpaste to rubber duckies! The staff is very nice, and you walk out smelling like a dream! read more

This is the kind of place that your boyfriend will probably want to wait outside of while you shop, which isn't a problem because there are two benches right outside of the store. I really, really love this place because it's filled with so many great things by a variety of companies. Most bath and body stores stink, but the smell of The Soap Opera isn't overpowering and gross. They have cruelty free items, too. This is definitely a one stop shop for those who love makeup, body lotions, soaps, etc. read more

I have never been to the store itself but walked by many times. My boyfriend picked up some lotion, soap and body wash for me for our anniversary and let me just say, he did a good job. The lotion is heavenly and I use it all the time. And the soaps are nice too. We will definitely be stopping by here the next time we need a nice gift. Edit - I just wanted to add my boyfriend calls this place "My Hookup." I always get something from there for Valentine's Day, birthdays, etc and I LOVE it! :) read more

One of my favorite stores on State Street. One of the only places I have found the oil bathtub bomb things (very technical term, I know). I also love the Pacifica, Alba and Burt's Bees selection they have. The store itself is small and can be pretty busy but there is so much to look at, you hardly notice the other people. They also have a great selection of soaps, rubber duckies, massage items, oils, lotions, and organic hygiene items. I am a little bit of a deodorant snob and they have options I have never seen before! The staff is helpful and passionate about what they do. It is a fun place to stop in! read more

I feel like I am always giving these 5 star reviews, but when I have so many little favorites, it's hard to make time for the crappy places. The Soap Opera is one of my very few all time favorite stores in Madison. I literally walk in there every time I am on State St, and that is saying something. I love the variety of cute bath stuff, and makeup, and Italian toothbrushes and whatever else. Plus, even when you walk by, the clean soapy smell of the store is pretty irresistible. And who would want to resist creating their own custom scented shampoo and matching conditioner and lotion? Since I am a female, this is the kind of store I will always stand around in forever, and walk out with either a ton of stuff, or nothing, so if you go in there with me, beware! read more

What a great place!!! The selection is out of this world! I love the way they wrap your purchase. They do a much better job than I could ever do. The wonderful smell in the store infuses your clothes and lingers with you for a while. read more

As a newbie to buying any sort of fancier beauty/hygiene supply, I first went into The Soap Opera thinking "Well, I walk by it everyday, might as well check it out and hope I don't get ripped off!". When I went in, I was pleasantly surprised at every aspect of the store. For a tiny space, they manage to still keep in stock a very nice selection of a wide variety of products. They have even more items available online or for order if you're looking for something very specific. In addition, the prices are all reasonable. That last statement probably means nothing coming from a guy whose expectation was for everything to be over twice as much as it actually was. But really, I feel like I got a quality product for a good price, and in addition everything I bought from there has lasted me a good while. The crowned jewel of this store has to lie in its service. Every time I've gone in, i've been completely unaware of what I was really shopping for, but the employees all helped me out a ton in making a selection I was satisfied with in every way. In my most recent interaction, the gentleman behind the counter spent a good 20 minutes helping me choose a scent combination for a $13 oil I was purchasing. It's hardly worth his time to actually do that, but in the end I left with an extremely pleasant scented oil. I get this type of dedication every time I go here. I get the feeling that the staff not only know what they're doing, but also that they care enough to make sure you know what you're doing in the future as well. After buying cologne, various lotions, facial wash, creams, and oils here, i've never left without thinking that I had a good experience. I can't recommend The Soap Opera enough. read more

An awesome selection of high-end, natural, organic, hard-to-find, obscure, and mainstream soaps and some cosmetics, from brands like L'Occitane, Dr. Bronner's, Alba, and Crabtree and Evelyn (in other words, a major range.) There's also a small perfume selection and a fairly extensive array of perfume oils that can be used to scent lotions or massage oils or purchased individually to be liberally applied to your person in lieu of shower. read more

This place is just darling! They have tons of great soaps and rubber duckies :) I bought a bunch for my little girl, and some rubber duckie soap. I swear that girl spent over an hour and a half in the bathtub, washing with her rubber duckie soap over and over again. I would say that some of the prices are a bit high, particularly on some of the things you can get at target, it's probably understandable. They do have a huge selection of different types of soap that I have never seen before. The only thing is it's kind of hard to figure out what's where? I guess if I went in multiple times I would probably figure it out. I can say that the bag I bought smelled divine and I would go back again. The shopkeepers were VERY nice and helpful. read more

This is a very nice store with an amazing amount of soaps, lotions, chap sticks, etc. We were greeted by a friendly and helpful staff member. There are a bunch of different products and they seemed to be, from what I looked at, all natural-no garbage ingredients. They have some samples if you're not quite ready to decide or are looking to try something new. Great products, friendly staff, and all kinds of products to keep you feeling fresh. read more

One of my favorite stores in Madison. I usually don't care for soapy boutiques, as they tend to be overpriced and, I dunno, too whoosh for me. This happy place keeps me from having to mess around with any other ones. The best deals here are the custom soaps they mix up for you in the store. You select a big, medium, or small bottle of unscented body shampoo, bubble bath or whatever, then pick a scent from about a hundred little bottles of natural fragrances. They mix in up to your specifications, let you take a whiff, and sell it to you at a very reasonable price. I keep seeing the same people there year after year. Every single time the staff has been friendly and has known their stuff. read more

Pretty much any kind of fancy soap you can imagine is available here. It was great fun going in and browsing all the soaps. The service is very helpful! And they even have perfume oils that you can mix and match to create your own personalized scent. My brother bought himself a mix of green tea and citrus. Overall experience was great fun and at the end we got free soap samples. :] Mine was called 'ginger bear' and smells soft and gingerbready. read more

My husband and I make a few trips to Madison a year and The Soap Opera is a must stop for us. The owner endures our many questions with patience and knows the exact products to recommend. You can tell she enjoys what she does and cares about the quality of her items- I've yet to be disappointed by my purchases and have bought the items multiple times. I recommend you support this business when you're in Madison or order from The Soap Opera online. read more

The Soap Opera - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I loooooove this place. Shopping something nice for myself at this place has been my secret guilty pleasure. Lately I'm addicted to the smell of Crabtree & Evelyn's India Hicks Island Living body butter. Also C&E's "natural" lines have fantastic body product at pretty reasonable prices. I wish they carried the reed diffuser and oils. The staffs are very knowledgeable and very willing to assist you. Ask for recommendations - you will find products that open all of your senses. Excellent place to shop gifts for special someone :) read more

went downtown wanting to support local and I left with the biggest regret of spending my money there; but my kids loved the items they chose, so i still purchased and that will be my last time there. Either these workers hate their job or they just have major sticks up their butts. My 3 year old shows more respect and appreciation than those two ladies working did. They didn't say one word to me other than my total. Grumpy customer service does not sit well with me. read more

This is the best place to get soap. Tons of free samples, helpful service, and don't forget to sent your own products. Its a bit pricey, but for what it is (especially the house-made stuff) totally worth it. I spent maybe way too much time there today making my own perfumes. Great selection! read more

Excellent assortment of soaps, lotions. Wonderful, kind staff.

Great little cosmetics shop with many different brands. I love that you can pick scents and customize your own lotions, etc. Always a definite stop for me when Im in Madison. read more

I've been coming to the soap opera for years and they've always been amazing. Amazing products, amazing customer service, and amazing quality. It's a great place to shop for yourself or to pick up a creative birthday/holiday gift. If you're in the area you have to stop by! read more

....I LOVE the Soap Opera... I work near there and use it as baby showers/ hosp.gifts/ birthday gifts galore! Also a wonderfull place to treat mysel! staff very helpful and a very fun place to shop...gift wrapping wonderful. If allergic to perfumes...sorry but you should not attempt it. only negative is finding parking as state street is emergency vehicles only, worth the walk,the street is a very cool street to shop. read more

This place has soap. And oils. And bath herbs. And foot scrubs. And, and, and..... This place rocks. You can smell the store from down the street and I mean that in the best way possible. The prices are very reasonable. The staff is VERY friendly, and can help you locate anything. They offer free samples, and can even customize lotions, soaps, ect to your liking with a fragrance you choose. read more