These soaps are especially good at specific tasks, from combating dry skin to making kids (and adults) look forward to the trip to the sink—which may just mean they'll wash more often.

For Dry Skin

Bath & Body Works True Blue Spa Handy Work Shea Butter Liquid Hand Soap, $6 for 12 ounces
Armed with soothing shea butter, this hand wash also contains petrolatum, which seals in moisture, and vitamin E, a skin conditioner. Testers enjoyed the thick, foamy lather.
To Buy: www.bathandbodyworks.com for stores.

For the Kitchen Sink

Molton Brown Thai Vert Fine Liquid Hand Wash, $23 for 10 ounces
Love cooking with garlic but don't want it wafting from your hands as you greet dinner guests? This splurge-worthy hand wash uses Thai kaffir lime leaves to neutralize lingering odors. Also available in the scents naranji and rosé granati.

To Buy:

www.moltonbrown.com.

For Fun

Kiss My Face Organic Self-Foaming Hand Soap, $7 for 8.75 ounces
Testers adored this wash for its clean scents (grapefruit and bergamot or lavender and chamomile) and its dispensing system: When pumped, it produces an airy puff of foam, like hair mousse. Said one fan, "Maybe it's the kid in me, but this makes washing more fun."
To Buy: www.kissmyface.com.

For Sensitive Skin

Free & Clear Liquid Cleanser, $8 for eight ounces
With no fragrances, artificial colors, or preservatives, this clear-as-water cleanser yields a plentiful lather but won't irritate tender hands—or, for that matter, faces or bodies.
To Buy: 800-325-8232 for stores.