Rediscovering bar soaps purpose and footprint...
Gone are the days when bar soap was just something your grandparents used. Today's handmade soap bars are a far cry from the harsh, drying bars of yesteryear. These modern marvels are carefully formulated with your skin's health and the environment in mind.
The Easy Green Choice
One of the most compelling reasons to switch to handmade soap bars is the minimal environmental footprint. Unlike liquid body washes encased in plastic bottles, bar soaps typically require only minimal, mandated packaging. Moreover, consider the "oops factor" with liquid soap - those accidental squirts that miss their mark and go straight down the drain at full strength. These mishaps not only waste product but
also increase the frequency of purchases, leading to more plastic waste over time.
If you're not fond of handling the bar directly, consider using a soap bag for application. These can be easily found or handmade and getting different colored bags for family members eliminates the need to "share." By making this simple switch, you can significantly reduce the plastic waste generated from your bathroom routine, making a small but impactful change for the environment. Plus, you'll find that a quality bar soap lasts longer than you might expect, further reducing waste and saving money in the long run.
Simple Ingredients That Matter
Take a look at the label of a typical liquid body wash, and you'll find a long list of unpronounceable ingredients. In contrast, handmade soap bars boast a simpler, more natural ingredient list.
Let's break it down:
Ingredients that may be found in bottled body washes
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Artificial fragrances
Synthetic dyes
Parabens
Phthalates
Synthetic surfactants
Methylisothiazolinone
Ingredients that may be commonly found in cold process soaps
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Shea Butter
Many Other Natural Oils
Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) see next section...
Essential Oils
Lye, The Magic of Saponification
There is a very common misconception we explain when interacting with customers. "I don't like bar soap because it has lye in it," is a common conversation starter. Now, you might be wondering about that lye. Isn't it dangerous? Well, here's where the chemistry gets interesting. Lye is indeed a strong base and dangerous in it's pure form, but when combined with oils which are acids, and in the right proportions, it triggers a process called saponification.
This is a reaction that transforms the lye and oils into soap and glycerin. By the time the soap has cured, no lye remains – just a gentle, cleansing handmade soap bar that's kind to your skin. Utilizing basic math formulas or using professional soap formulating software-which we do, makers can accurately predict the target PH of the soap and further check it with professional grade calibrated PH measuring equipment.
Are you still a Lye Skeptic? The "zap" test...
On the fence at a pop up market as to if the soap is okay to use? Here's a down and dirty quick trick to test if a bar soap PH is close. A fair amount of soap makers have used this traditional trick when crafting new soaps for a quick test in absence of a PH meter. Wet your finger slightly with water, rub your damp finger gently on the soap surface to create a small amount of lather, touch your finger very lightly to the tip of your tongue. If it feels like you just stuck your tongue on a 9 volt battery, the soap likely contains too much lye and should not be used, if you only taste soap...it is probably safe. You might want to cuss a little before doing this, just so you have a reason to taste soap...Again, soap makers price themselves on workmanship and most use professional PH meters to check their recipes.
Small Producers Craft with Care
Small-batch artisanal soap makers aren't just trying to churn out a product that disappears quickly in your shower. They're passionate about creating soaps that nourish and protect your skin while delivering a luxurious experience. These soaps are often packed with skin-loving ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, and essential oils, chosen for their beneficial properties rather than their cost-effectiveness.
Performance Matters
Modern handcrafted soaps are formulated to lather beautifully, cleanse effectively, and leave your skin feeling soft and nourished. Look for quality ingredients, not claims (you won't see them)- regulation on soap specifically limit soap makers in the ability to claim some benefits.
Soap must be to clean, or it's not soap according to regulations...however, an educated consumer can certainly look at the ingredient list and determine that based on the different oils and ingredients chosen, the reason
they were most likely used. These rules have pushed small scale handmade bar soaps to the back burner while the larger guys move to the forefront with bottled washes that are technically sold as "drugs" or "cosmetics" allowing for more marketing flexibility.
Next time you're restocking bath products, why not give a handcrafted bar soap a try and support small business in the process? Your skin, budget, and the planet – will thank you.
Now the sell...Find our soaps online & at the market!
In our soap room, we craft seven unique varieties, each with its own special blend of additives like oatmeal, coffee, citronella, lavender, aloe vera, and charcoal. These natural ingredients not only enhance the soap's properties but also provide a luxurious, tailored experience. Our bars are generously sized, typically weighing between 5-6 ounces when fully cured. We cautiously label them as "exceeding 5 ounces" to account for slight variations in the production process and the natural shrinkage that occurs as the soap continues to cure. This approach ensures that our customers always receive at least the amount of soap they've paid for, if not more.
Size Matters: Comparing Our Handmade Soap Bars to Commercial Soaps
When you pick up one of our $7 bars, you're getting a substantial amount of soap
compared to many commercial options.
Let's break it down:
Our bars: 5-6 ounces (140-170 grams)
Average commercial bar: 3-4 ounces (85-113 grams)
This means our handcrafted bars are often 50-100% larger than their mass-produced counterparts and when you factor in the quality of ingredients and the care put into each bar, the value becomes even more apparent.
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