10 Reasons I Enjoy Using Handmade Bar Soap

Bar soap gets a lot of criticism. And I mean a lot! I've heard people say "it doesn't actually clean you" "It's too old school, liquid soap is just easier to deal with" "you can never use it all because it gets to small"

The list is endless...

..but understandable. There was a point in time where I was a strong advocate for liquid soap. A few years ago when I first began this endless journey of soap making it was an interesting transition for many reasons. One: I had no idea what I was doing and couldn't for the life of me create a balance formula that my skin could handle. And two: I had NO idea how to properly care for and use bar soap, especially if it was handmade and full of natural skin loving ingredients.

As time went on and I began to perfect and fall in love with my craft, I genuinely began to prefer bar soap (especially mine) over store branded liquid soaps. Let me tell you why:

Reason #1: Its Calming

I will openly say I am a person who has dealt with rage/anger issues my entire life. Even with that being said there has always been something that calmed me down and help me ground myself.

Crafting.

I love to do things with my hands. I love to create things. After I discovered the vast world that is soap making I realized how much I loved it! There is so many different combinations to explore and the activity itself is very soothing, pouring the oils, stiring the batter, measuring the ingredients, and the best part... CUTTING THE SOAP BARS. It's my favorite thing to do on a hot summer night. (I don't get out much)

Reason #2: The Control

Now I'm not a "control freak", but I do believe it's my responsibility to steward my body well and part of that responsibility means to be more aware of what I place on and in my skin.

I was science major in college and even I have a hard time pronouncing some of the ingredients in most soaps, And personally I don't enjoy overly complicated formulas.

I'm a simple woman, and I like simple thinks. What can be more simple and skin living than Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Coconut nut oil... and the list goes on.

When I use natural bar soap I know exactly what I'm placing on my temple. Plus, since I make my own soap I know I can trust the products.

Reason #3: It's More Cost Effective

Now if you've visited the store on my website I already know what you are thinking.

"How is $8.50 a bar cost effective"

Well let me explain 😅.

When I say cost effective I mean for me. Since I make my own soap I don't have to buy it from the store which has saved me quite a bit of money. Now before you take out the pitch forks and the torches I charge the prices that I charge for a good reason. One of which is labor and the other is a good portion of the businesses revenue it going to help those in need, so you're giving to a noble and trustworthy cause, I promise you.

Reason #4: It's Super Flexible

I have never been the type of woman to have fifteen hundred million thousand different types of products in my bathroom. Like I said earlier, I'm simple.

I love natural handmade bar soap because I can use it for everything really, (at least mostly everything).

One bar of soap can be used in the shower as body soap, by the sink as hand soap, and as a face cleanser during a morning or nighttime skin routine.

Reason #5: The Connection

Ok so this one may be a bit strange.

I feel connected to my creations.

No I don't think the soap is alive (ITS ALIIIVVE)

But I spend a lot of time around them and creating them, forming them, cutting them, packaging them, and testing them.

They are little extensions of me, my personality and characteristics. Each recipe is carrying a little bit of me on the inside of it and that's one of the main reasons I love using handmade products in general. It connects you to the owner. It's like a conversation of understanding, relationship, and relatability.

Reason #6: The Shape

As stated earlier I have dealt with anger problems for quite some time now. A technique that I've been taught by my Apostle/Pastor is to practice gratitude and be intentional about finding things to be grateful for, instead of finding things to be angry about.

And one day I found something rather ... unorthodox to say the least.

I seriously enjoy the way my bars of soap fit in my hand, especially when they are wet and the lather is formed and it's just a mound of sudsy goodness. It's one of the best parts of my day to be completely honest. 🧼🫧

Reason #7: The Way it Feels

Speaking of the suds, otherwise know as the lather, I prefer the lather of a well made natural bar of soap than that of a store bought liquid brand.

At least to me (and this is just my opinion) you can just feel the difference when you are using natural bar soap, I can attest to it.

It's one thing to wash my hands at work (with whatever that stuff is because it can't be soap) and come out of the bathroom felling like I need to submerge my hands in a gallon of melted Shea Butter after I trecked through the frozen tundra for three miles.

Versus using my bar soap at home.

I know that was a bit over dramatic but that's what it FEEELLS like. At least for me (everyone's skin type is different)

Reason #8: Less Reaction

When I was a child I didn't have acne, I was just blessed like that thank the Lord.

But I did umm....have backne. If you don't know what that means it's literally acne but on your back. No matter what I did I just could not figure out what was going on. I have memories of going to doctors appointments about it and honestly as a growing preteen it was pretty embarrassing.

I never got to the root of the issue but I do know at some point I changed the type of soap I was using (I won't name the brands) and just like that... backne was gone.

It matters what you put on your body!

Reason #9: The Smell

I'm not referring to artificial smells (Personally I don't want to smell like watermelon cotton candy unicorn rain drops, but that's just me personally).

I like more natural scents, more down to earth scents that ground a person. Things like Patchouli, Bergamot, Lavender, and even a little Tea Tree essential oil.

At times I don't even place essential oils in the soap that I make because the natural smell that it gives off suites my fancy just fine.

Reason #10: It's Real

I don't like fake stuff. I never really have, I don't think I ever really will. I love natural handmade bar soap because it's real, its genuine, it doesn't try to hide its unique shapes and curvatures. Each bar looks different, it's not the fanciest thing on the planet earth , but it's an effective, reliable, and vital object.

If you couldn't tell, I genuinely love making and using and selling handmade soap. If you've never tried any, of if you've never tried any of mine, I encourage you to join the club!