Natural Soap Bars "Don't Last"... Or Do They?

Before I really began my soap making journey I was faced with a major question.

"Does bar soap last that long?"

This question came from an onset of google searches that resulted in me landing on websites that made me question the validity of making bar soap. ESPECIALLY making and selling it. I had not used bar soap since I was a young child and even then, there were many stigmas about it being "ghetto", "dirty", "the poor man's soap". I can remember the first time my mother brought home body wash and I was so excited to be "moving up in life.".

Fast forward almost 20 years and I love my handmade bar soap. Love the way they make my skin feel, love the fact that I know exactly what is in them, and love the process of creating them. Not only that but I have learned so much about properly caring for my unique bars of soap.

Maybe you are reading this, and you are just like how I used to be, hooked on commercial body washes and considering switching, or you've already made the switch to natural body soap but don't know how to properly take care of it? Either way this article will provide you with tips to prolong the life of your handmade bar soap.

Tip 1: Store the soap in a cool environment.

Keeping your bar of soap in a cool environment can greatly help with the longevity of the bar. Handmade soap is created with a combination of oils mixed with some distilled water and lye (also known as sodium hydroxide). Warm temperatures can cause the oils in your soap to go "rancid". a rancid bar of soap will begin to give off an odor and (depending on the color of the bar) DOS will develop.

For those who may not know DOS is a common soap bar community term short for dreaded orange spots, this is a common sign that the oils in the soap have gone rancid. (Though there are other causes for DOS)

Typically, a good soap bar if stored properly can last for up to a full year depending on the shelf life of the oils used (more on that later)

Tip 2 (or really 1.5?): Keep it out of direct sunlight.

This tip is related to tip 1, but I needed to place it in its own category just in case you are like me. I made sure to keep the bar cool but did not consider the location of where I was storing my bars and often would leave them exposed to extreme light for extended amounts of time. This caused them to be exposed to excess heat thus cutting down the longevity of the bar.

Tip 2 (for real): Keep the soap bar dry.

Now I know what you are thinking...

Its soap, it's supposed to get wet!

And you are right it is supposed to get wet. Not stay wet. For the life of your bar, it is vitally important that you allow it to dry in between uses. This means to remove it from areas that have constant running water. A few examples would be high up in the shower, or on a soap dish on the sink.

Never leave your bar sitting in a wet, humid environment as it will lead to wet, soggy, mushy soap that will still clean your body but will cause the bar to dissolve a lot faster. Not only is this disappointing but it ends up being a waste of your hard-earned money. (Natural homemade bars are not cheap! But they are worth it!)

Natural soap bars do not contain chemical hardeners like commercial "soap" bars. So, they need a little extra help to maintain their longevity.

Tip 3: Use a rag!

Now this tip is not necessarily a must, its more so a matter of preference. Rubbing the bar on your skin directly is not against the law, but it definitely will cause you to run through bar soap a lot faster that if you used a rag (or a loofah, ow whatever it is you choose to bathe yourself).

I know this because I have done this before. In the beginning stages of me learning how to make handmade soap I created a recipe that used a LOT of shea butter and had a very creamy lather that felt amazing on my skin. In fact, it felt so amazing that I must have forgotten how to use a rag.

I blew through those soap bars quite quickly and was rather shocked when I found out I had used it all!

There are instances where I personal like to use the bar directly on my skin and that is when:

1) I am using a small amount to wash my face (no need to lather an entire rag for that)

2) The soap bar has exfoliant properties such at oatmeal, poppyseeds, coffee grinds etc.

And that's all I have! I've been using these tips and have found them very helpful. Have any tips that I didn't list? Comment them down below!