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Have you ever wondered why someone would use bar soap instead of liquid soap or body wash?
I totally get it.
Body wash and liquid soap are pretty darn easy to use.
But a great bar of handmade bar soap has lots of benefits over the liquid stuff that I bet you’ve never considered.
And I should know: I’m the official soap addict, after all.
I’ve been using handmade soap in my own shower for more than 15 years, and making my own handcrafted soap for 11 years.
So you could say I’ve had some experience with bar soap.
WHAT IS SOAP, EXACTLY?
True soap is created by a completely natural process called saponification. Saponification occurs when oils, waxes or butters are mixed with sodium hydroxide, and a chemical reaction occurs that creates soap.
No sodium hydroxide (or lye) is left in the soap, it is completely transformed during saponification.
Another amazing side effect of saponification is natural glycerin is created and remains in the soap, making handmade bar soap gentle and moisturizing.
The soap hardens into a solid mass when it’s left to sit, or cure, for several weeks.
Lye originally came from wood ash and bar soap has been made in this way for thousands of years.
Traditional homemade soap was often crafted using animal fats a wood ash.
WHAT IS BAR SOAP MADE OF?
There are several types of bar soap, and they are NOT all created equal.
The kind of soap I’m talking about is handmade soap that is created using the saponification process. It is a combination of natural oils, butters, and waxes mixed with lye to create soap that is good for your skin and works extremely well to clean.
BENEFITS OF BAR SOAP
A well-made bar of natural soap has lots of benefits over its liquid counterpart.
Bar Soap Lasts a Long Time
Bar soap that has been cured for at least 4 weeks will be hard and long-lasting. A bar of handmade soap can last a month in your shower if you store it properly.
Considering how fast my kids can pour a bottle of body wash down the drain, bar soap is a winner for my family!
Let’s talk for just a minute about how to store your bar soap so that it does last a long time.
The most important thing is to make sure it can dry out between uses. Store it in a well-drained soap dish and make sure it’s not sitting in water.
PRO TIP: You can prolong the life of your bar soap by cutting the bar in half or even thirds. By using just a small piece at a time and the other pieces will last longer since they have not been exposed to water.
Healthy Ingredients
Handmade bar soap is most often made with a combination of vegetable oils and butters. It is concentrated since there is no water added (like liquid soap). You can also choose a soap for your skin based on which ingredients are used.
Some of my favorite oils to use in bar soaps are coconut oil, avocado oil, almond oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter. These are all completely natural oils that are great for your skin. Bar soaps that have been made properly are extremely moisturizing and are a good choice.
And since using healthy ingredients in all of my body care products is important to me, I stick with bar soap for a sure bet.
Natural Glycerin
An important part of the saponification process that is used to make bar soap occurs when part of the oils are transformed into natural glycerin that remains in the bar of soap.
Glycerin is naturally occurring in a handmade bar of soap! How amazing is that!
No Water Added
Did you now that most of what you’re paying for in that bottle of body wash is water? Water is a primary ingredient in liquid soap and body wash.
Bar soap is far more concentrated. While water is used in making the soap, it’s removed after the curing process is complete.
Easy to use
- Pick up the bar of soap.
- Wet the bar of soap.
- Rub bar of soap either on a washcloth or directly onto your skin.
- Rinse soap.
Cleaning your body doesn’t get much simpler than that.
Perfect for small spaces
If you’re rocking a tiny bathroom and are seriously short on shelf space in your shower, bar soap is the way to go.
It only takes up a small, 3-4” spot on your shelf. Or try one of these suction cup soap dishes if you’re really short on space (just make sure it’s hanging out of the water stream so it can fully dry between uses!).
Handmade soap is a true labor of love for me and if you’ve never considered it before, I hope you’ll give it a try!
It’s good to know how bar soaps come with long-lasting benefits that benefit your family’s finances. Recently, my wife and I decided we’d like to stop using commercial brands for our skincare, so we think we’ll give natural soaps a try. Thanks for the advice on how a bar soap saves us money while improving our skin. https://singingflowerstudio.com/balsam-fir-soap
I loved that you mentioned that bar soaps usually have specific types of different skin textures. I’m thinking about getting my daughter some nice bar soaps for her birthday next month. I’ll look online to see if I can find one with a scent that she would like.