My skin has a nasty habit of developing an immunity to cleansers. After about a month or so of using a new product, I start to notice a distinct decline in effectiveness. I've learned to live with it, mostly because it gives me a good excuse to try a new cleanser every month, guilt-free.

The latest cleanser to cross my path is the Victoria of Sweden Lanolin-Agg-Tval Egg White Facial Soap, which is technically a cleanser in soap form. I stumbled upon it while browsing the surprisingly well-stocked beauty section at CatBird in Williamsburg. The foamy lather can also be used as a mask, which tightens your skin when left on for a few minutes. Both treatments leave skin incredibly clean, if not a little squeaky, but at $5 and in such a bathroom-worthy box, it's worth it.

Also worth mentioning is that the use of egg whites in skincare is an age-old trick, and an egg-white facial (two egg whites are whisked until frothy, then applied to the face in an upward motion and left for 15 minutes) is a Swedish tradition local women have been using for years to tighten pores, remove excess oil, and slough off dead skin. In fact the soap—which also includes moisturizing lanolin, rosewater, and chamomile flower oil—is said to be a favorite of the Queen of Sweden. No doubt she appreciated the adorable packaging as much as me.

—Tara Lamont-Djite

Photos courtesy of the author.