Tarpon Spring’s Nina’s amazing soap; Shop for this lathery goodness
Nina's sits on a side street along the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks, offering the best soap I've ever had the pleasure of using. Photo by Rori Paul
Our first visit (back) to Tarpon Springs (we’d been there years ago) after moving to Florida was last fall. Strolling the main street through the Sponge Docks, around the Sponge Exchange, then out onto a side street, we spotted the yellow awning across the road, ducking in just to see. Nina’s “world famous” soaps and sponges were being hocked like every other souvenir, sea shell and t-shirt you could imagine. Would it be any different?
I’m 44 years old as of this past April 29th, a proud 4th decade of life walking planet earth, and as a tom-boy woman who never went the way of the makeup counter, my skin has remained in really darn good shape over the years.
I’m usually told I look younger than my years (wait til the weight comes off and its even more dramatic) and while I’ve gained a few laugh lines over the years, they’re not the deepest or most time-revealing.
Our visit we got a bar of the Drakkar. Smells just like the men's cologne and was lathery, but chose not to go with the "men's smell" the second time (Laura didn't like on her as much as she did on me) Photo by Rori Paul.
But yea, they’re there. I haven’t thought about ‘em much, but there they are…
So we stopped inside and found the soaps. They smelled great. They’ve got cool stuff in ‘em like aloe, olive oil and goat’s milk. So we got four bars. Took ‘em home… they sat in the closet… then about two months later I pulled one out.
Right away I knew it was different. I’ve got hugely sensitive skin and I didn’t break out – even with the amazing smelly stuff in them. They lather really nicely and for the first time in forever, there wasn’t a residue or weird feeling after I showered.
Laura was finding it the same way.
We finished one bar with olive oil, then one with goat’s milk then back to olive oil, then the final with goat’s milk… and it was my birthday and Laura asked where I wanted to go…
Laura looking through the many choices at Nina's, all include either olive oil and aloe, goat's milk or shea butter and a "flavor" or "Smell". Photo by Rori Paul.
Tarpon Springs!
We had lunch at Hellas Restaurant for their amazing food then bee-lined it over to Nina’s for four more bars of soap!
This time we got two with the olive oil and tried two with shea butter…
Shea Butter is amazing!
The next day we tried a shea butter one – with a coconut smell. Oh – my – goodness… I’m in love! With soap!
I am not joking when I tell you, I got out of the shower and my laugh lines seemed smoother, smaller. Ok, they’re not gone and the effects seem to last a day or two, but… my skin is noticeably softer!
Loved this cranberry from our first visit and returned with another two bars. Photo by Rori Paul.
Even right now I st here and touch my face and feel the smoothness, the softness, the gentleness that – while I’d had nice skin – is now even better.
This is not a get-smooth-skin-quick deal, though that did happen, and they’re not saying ‘try our soap and have the best skin of your life’ or ‘use our soap and you’re age will roll back a few years, though it seems like it did… but this soap smells great, is a decent price and my experience, it’s been amazing for my skin.
We got four bars… guess where we’re heading as soon as that last bar is starting to get smaller…
Nina’s is located on Athen’s Street, just off Dodecanese Blvd near Mama’s Greek Cuisine.
An internet search has located nothing
The Tarpon Springs “Fun Map” has no listing.
The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks has no listing
You might try the Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Considering the tourism hot spot, the pricing is pretty darn good and if, like me, you have sensitive skin (no promises) I'm thinking you'll do alright. I've had zero issues with the 5 different kinds we've tried. Photo by Rori Paul.
Get really fancy... this soap has a built in sponge... ooohhhh... ahhhh... Photo by Rori Paul.
Next time we're trying the Shea Butter for the sake of trying the shea butter, an ingrediant in the two bars of coconut soap we got... and what I know is making my skin the softest its been since I was a baby - and I have very nice, soft skin! Photo by Rori Paul.
Our basket of goodies... actually on our second visit (pictured here) we decided not to get the lilac again - liked it one the first time around - but replaced with a second bar of the coconut/shea butter. So glad we did! Photo by Rori Paul.
