A good hostess doesn’t always get it right. Case in point: My husband (then boyfriend) for years hosted a longstanding poker game at his house (now our house) every Monday night. They played on a felt-lined poker table downstairs with mismatched chairs. It was very much a “guys night.” No frills. No appetizers set on pretty platters. Just whatever the guys wanted to pick up on their way from the office to the game.

I moved in to my husband’s house after we got married and, well, let’s just say I upset the apple cart a little. Furniture started being moved (or went suspiciously missing altogether) along with those Britches rugby shirts from 1980′s. (I don’t care if rugby’s are ever in style again; THOSE rugby’s never will be!) And then, I really did it. I put fancy soap in the bathroom. My poor husband never heard the end of it from his poker buddies.

The lesson here: know your audience. If the poker friends use the downstairs bathroom, dig out the manliest soap you can find and put away the frilly French-milled couture soap. However, for all other occasions, I highly recommend any of the following which, in my opinion, represent some seriously sumptuous suds:

With its faux bois style, this wood bar soap from Gianna Rose Atelier may be just masculine enough for the poker buddies (but I wouldn’t chance it!).

I spotted these leaf soaps recently at Neiman Marcus — a gorgeous addition to a guest room or perfect as a gift.

These leaf-shaped soaps are equally beautiful and I love the cedar soap dish, too.

Roger et Gallet is one of my all-time favorites. I faithfully hoard their bath products everytime I stay at a Sofitel.