Method was founded in San Francisco in 2000 by two childhood friends, Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, according to the brand's own timeline. Ryan wondered why cleaning products were so badly designed, and Lowry dreamed of green cleaners that worked and did not smell awful. Slate adds that Ryan wanted to bring a spa aesthetic to a drab, industrial aisle, and coined the tag line the company still uses, "people against dirty."

The brand timeline says that in 2002 Method enlisted the designer Karim Rashid to help with packaging and convinced a national retailer to test its sprays and dish soaps in 90 stores, then launched in its stores nationwide seven months later. In 2003 it debuted its first hand wash in the teardrop-shaped bottle. Method was a founding B Corporation in 2007 but has since chosen not to recertify. Ecover joined forces with it in 2012, and S. C. Johnson bought both brands in 2017.

That history is why method soap still looks like a decor item. The first grid is Method: two foaming hand soaps, two foaming hand washes, a hydrating hand serum and three body washes. The second grid is hand washes and soaps from other brands, for anyone who wants the sink to smell a certain way.

My tip: if you buy more than one scent, keep the kitchen one light and the bathroom one warm. A citrus soap near food reads clean, while a woody one belongs where you want the room to smell like a place.

Start with the Method Foaming Hand Soap in Sea Minerals, which lifts oil and grime and leaves a crisp marine scent. It is the bestselling one here, and the one I would pick for a shared sink. The Pink Grapefruit scent of the same foaming soap leans fruity, with pink grapefruit, blood orange and cassis, so it suits a kitchen or a guest bath.

The Foaming Hand Wash is a newer line. Lemon + Freesia is a bright citrus-floral scent that softens and cleans hands, and Sandalwood + Cedar is warm and gourmand, the one I would put by a bathtub. Foams are easy on a pump because you use less than you think, which also means a refill goes further.

The Hydrating Hand Serum in Simply Nourish is the skincare-minded one. It supports the skin microbiome, barrier and natural pH, and is meant for hands, knuckles and cuticles. If your hands crack from washing, it is the one to try, although it has far fewer reviews than the others.

The Method Body Wash line comes in 18 ounce bottles. Simply Nourish is nourishing and locks in moisture after rinsing, Wind Down has a calming scent for evenings, and Daily Zen leaves skin soft. All three are described as nourishing and hydrating.

What I would skip: the sandalwood foaming hand wash in a kitchen. Strong woody scents next to food are easy to regret.

The salon and fragrance names are where these get interesting. Moroccanoil Hand Wash is a lightweight gel with argan oil to hydrate and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture, and it is formulated without sulfates. OUAI Hand Wash goes the exfoliating route, with biodegradable jojoba beads plus avocado, jojoba and rosehip oils, so it is the one for rough fingertips.

Aesop is the classic of the group. Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash is the botanical signature, and Reverence Aromatique Hand Wash is the woodsy one. I would choose between them by whether you want a green, herbal sink or a darker one.

Diptyque gives you two formats. The Softening Hand Wash is the everyday liquid, and the Exfoliating Hand Scrub Wash is for gardening, cooking, or anything that leaves residue. Oribe Côte d'Azur Revitalizing Hand Wash is a revitalizing wash from a brand better known for hair.

Le Labo Basil Hand Soap is the minimalist idea here, and its review count is very small, so I would treat it as a scent decision rather than a proven favorite.

These all play a different game from a bright foaming soap. They are meant to sit out on the counter, and the bottle is part of the purchase.

What I would skip: the scrub washes for daily use if your hands are already dry. Save them for the weekend.

I think Method deserves its place because it understood that people see the soap more than they use it. The foaming soaps are the easy answer for a family bathroom, and the body wash line is a good place to try the same idea in the shower. If you want a statement, the second grid has it. Pick the scent you want to smell fifty times a day, because that is what you are really choosing. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Paco Rabanne Phantom and Snif and the Case for a Wardrobe of Scents Instead of One Signature.