Is Handmade Soap Better?

Handmade soaps is better than commercial soap because it’s actually soap. It contains natural oils and glycerin which nourishes and moisturizes the skin while it cleans. Soap makers may also include ingredients like scent, oats, flower petals, or colors to make their products stand out. Handmade soap is typically made in small batches with all natural ingredients which makes it more expensive. But it’s worth it because the product is much better. Compare that to mass produced soaps which are actually detergents containing chemicals, strong fragrances, harsh cleansers and little to no beneficial or natural ingredients.

Most commercial soap isn’t actually soap. It’s a detergent being sold as a soap bar. In fact, many manufacturers don’t even claim their product is soap, people just assume it is. If you read the fine print on the label they call it something like a cleansing bar.

Because commercial soaps are massed produced as cheaply as possible, they contain chemicals, detergents, strong fragrances and preservatives. This is why so many people have skin allergies to commercial soap. They’re harsh and tend to dry skin out.

Many commercial soap producers will strip natural ingredients like glycerine out of the soap because it’s expensive. They the use it in higher priced anti-aging beauty products and moisturizers. But handmade soap makers typically keep in all the ingredients that are good for you and your skin.

Overall, handmade soap is a much better product than what you buy in most stores. The only downside is that it tends to be a lot more expensive.

What’s So Special About Handmade Soap?

Handmade soap is actual soap. It retains all the natural moisturizers and glycerine produced during the soap making process when fats are combined with lye. This helps produce a rich luxurious lather that moisturizes and nourishes your skin as it cleanses. Most commercial soaps aren’t soap at all, they’re cleansing bars full of chemicals and detergents.

Many soap manufacturers don’t even claim their products are soap, people just assume that they are. If you read the fine print you’ll notice the package never says soap. It most like says something like cleansing bar or detergent.

When commercial soaps are made, natural moisturizers and glycerin are stripped out because they’re very valuable. They’re then sold or used to produce high priced beauty and anti-aging creams.

Once the natural moisturizers and glycerin are stripped out commercial soaps, cheaper moisturizers containing chemicals are put in to take their place. This greatly lowers the price of production while also lowering the quality of the soap.

Handmade soap is made from all natural skin-nourishing ingredients which are left in after the soap is made. These ingredients are good for your skin and don’t cause an allergic reaction like many chemical detergents do.

Many handmade soap makers use techniques like superfatting and natural saponification to create soap bars full of moisturizing, natural oils, and natural glycerin.

Finally, handmade soaps don’t contain chemical preservatives because they’re made in small batches and sold quickly. Less chemicals is always better for your skin and overall health.

Why Is Handmade Soap Better Than Commercial Soap?

Commercial soaps are mass produced as cheap as possible using machines, chemicals and artificial ingredients. This process makes the product harsh on your skin and causes allergies. Most commercial soaps aren’t even soaps at all, they’re considered cleansing bars which are mostly chemical detergents, fragrances, colors and preservatives.

During the commercial soap making process, natural moisturizing oils and glycerin are stripped from the soap because of their value. Companies then use them in more expensive products like beauty and anti-aging creams. They put much cheaper chemical moisturizers into the soap instead which keeps the price down.

Most commercial soap dry your skin rather than moisturizing it. You then need a second product to put moisture back in that was stripped when you washed. This doesn’t happen with handmade natural soap because it still contains the moisturizing oils and glycerin.

Handmade soap is made in small batches without chemical preservatives. The shelf life is much lower but it’s much better for your skin.
Contrast that with commercial soaps that contain chemical preservatives. This is why they don’t go bad when sitting on store shelves for 8-12 months.

Fragrances in commercial soaps are much stronger and contain chemicals too. Most handmade soap contain all natural scents from the ingredients used to make the soap.

Because of all these factors, handmade soap is much better for your skin. It nourishes and moisturizes as you wash instead of drying the skin out. It’s also much less likely to cause skin allergies. In fact, many people who react badly to commercial soaps have no issues at all when using all natural handmade soap.

Are Handmade Soaps Good For Skin?

Handmade soaps are great for your skin because they contain all natural oils and glycerin. Both of which nourish and moisturize your skin as you wash. And unlike commercial soaps, they don’t contain harsh chemicals, detergents, preservatives, fragrances or cleansers which strip your skin of essential oils and moisture.

Glycerin is a humectant, which means it draws moisture from the air onto your skin leaving it naturally moisturized. Commercial soap makers strip out the glycerin and use it in more expensive beauty products like anti-aging creams. But handmade soap leaves it in which is why your skin doesn’t feel dry after washing.

Many handmade soaps also contain essential oils and other natural ingredients which help soften and moisturize the skin.

Overall, handmade soaps are considered good for the skin. They nourish and moisturize skin while you wash so there’s no need for additional moisturizers after bathing.

Handmade Soap Is Actually Soap

Handmade soap is made through a chemical reaction called saponification which takes place between lye (sodium hydroxide) and oils/fats. The lye reacts with the fats to create soap. As long as the ratio of fats to lye is correct, no fats or lye remain once the soap is made.

The soap making process creates natural oils and glycerin which nourishes and hydrates the skin.
Natural handmade soap doesn’t dry the skin when you wash because it doesn’t contain detergents or harsh chemical cleansers.
Many handmade soaps contain added natural scents but some simply smell like their ingredients.
Other ingredients can also be included in the process, like oats, to enhance the soap or give it some grit.

If there are leftover oils after saponification it’s called superfat. These extra oils are intentionally left in the soap to help nourish the skin. But be careful when superfatting because it can make the soap feel greasy when overdone.

Mass produced soaps are typically made as cheap as possible with lots of detergents, cleansers, chemicals, colors, fragrances and preservatives. Most are not even actually soap, they’re considered a cleansing bar.

When you use actual handmade soap vs a commercial soap you’ll notice a difference in how it lathers and feels on your skin. Especially if you have allergies. Handmade soap is milder and leaves the skin feeling moisturized.

Commercial soaps are harsher and strip the skin of moisture. You then have to use a second product to moisturize what the soap stripped out.

Handmade Soap Contains Glycerin

During saponification, when fats are mixed together with lye, glycerin is created. Glycerin is great for hydrating skin but very expensive. Commercial soap makers strip out the glycerine and use it in high-priced skin creams and anti-aging products. They then use cheaper chemical moisturizers in the soap which aren’t nearly as effective as glycerine. But handmade soap retains the glycerine produced during soap making which is why it feels so good when you use it.

Glycerine attracts moisture from the air onto your skin which helps it stay moisturized.

Because commercial soaps contain harsh chemical cleansers and no glycerine, they dry out the skin rather than moisturizing it. You then have to use a secondary product to moisturize your skin after you’ve washed. This is great for manufacturers and stores but bad for you.

In contrast, handmade soap still contains natural oils and glycerine so it moisturizes as you wash.

Handmade Soap Contains Better Ingredients

Handmade soap is made by mixing fats/oils together with lye (sodium hydroxide) through a process called saponification. Everything else manufacturers put into soap is unessential.

Fats chemically react with lye to produce a new material called soap. If the ratios are correct, there will be no lye or fats remaining at the end of saponification.

Additional ingredients are added to the soap to enhance the product with scents, textures or special characteristics.

Handmade soap manufacturers include natural ingredients which enhance the soap like oats or flower petals. These ingredients are more expensive but can add natural oils, fresh scents or some grit to help clean your skin. But they don’t contain chemicals, detergents, cleansers or preservatives.

Commercial soaps are mass produced as cheap as possible so they over rely on cheaper chemicals, detergents, fragrances and preservatives. They also strip out the more expensive natural oils and glycerine which they use to make other more expensive beauty products.

If you read the label on handmade soaps, you’ll generally find higher priced all natural ingredients. Contrast that with commercial soaps which contain more chemicals and detergents.

Handmade Soap Is Less Allergenic

Handmade soap typically contains more all natural ingredients which are healthier, safer and non-allergenic. Contrast that with commercial soaps which rely on chemicals, harsh cleansers, fragrances and preservatives. The only two ingredients needed to make soap is lye and fats/oil. Anything else added to the soap, including detergents, cleansers, preservatives and fragrances are non-essential.

Handmade soap contains a lot less non-essential ingredients. And when they do include addition ingredients they’re typically natural and enhance the soaps. For example, many natural soaps include oats to help exfoliate the skin. But they don;t contain chemicals.

Commercials soaps are mass produced and rely on chemicals to make them cheaper. These chemicals and fragrances are much more likely to cause an allergic reaction to people with sensitive skin.

Handmade Soaps Are Ethically Made

Many handmade soaps are more ethically made than some commercial soaps. They don’t contain chemicals which were tested on animals and aren’t made in unsafe factories that use children or underpaid workers.

Most handmade soap is made in someones small home business out of basic all natural ingredients like fats/oil and lye.These ingredients aren’t bad for the environment or the consumers health. Contrast that with the chemicals found in some commercial soaps which have been linked to certain serious illnesses and allergies.

Handmade soaps are typically wrapped in organic and recycled materials vs the plastic wrapping most commercials soaps use. This is generally considered better for the environment and sustainable.

Because of how handmade soaps are made and their ingredients, they’re overall a better but more expensive product vs consumer soaps.

Many Handmade Soaps Have Artisanal Designs

Most handmade soap makers have their own style and recipes which makes the soap unique to the brand. Handmade soaps are almost always better than mass produced commercial soaps in terms of ingredients. But they also come in lots of fun colors and designs. They’re an artistic product that showcases the soap makers style.

Many people buy handmade soaps to both use and display because of their artisanal qualities. Soap-makers from around the world infuse their products with local ingredients and colors.

Because of this unique artistic flair, handmade soap can be a completely different experience depending on the ingredients used to make the bar. Experiment with different manufacturers and ingredients to find out what works best with your skin type.

What’s So Bad About Commercial Soaps?

Many commercial soaps aren’t actually soap, they’re cleansing bars filled with detergents, chemicals, strong fragrances, colors and preservatives.

The commercial soaps we know today which rely on detergents were first mass produced during WWII. These detergents are synthetic cleansers that strip your skin of their natural oils which your body needs for healthy skin. And they don’t contain the same nourishing oils and glycerin that handmade soap does.

When you wash with a commercial soap you’ll get clean. But your sin will typically feel dry. This is the result of detergents. However, when you wash with an all natural handmade soap, it’s oils and glycerine nourish and moisturize the skin instead of drying it out.

Using commercial soaps can lead to skin disorders, allergies and rashes. But this isn’t the case with most natural soaps because they don’t generally contain chemicals.

Most Commercial Soaps Contain Chemicals

Many commercial soaps contain chemical colorants, dyes, fragrances, lathering agents, preservatives, and detergents which cleanse the skin. These ingredients can actually dry out and harm your skin as you wash. Its very common for skin to feel dry after a wash. You then have to use a second moisturizing product to make your skin feel good again. This is because commercial soaps strip away your skins natural oils and don’t contain any natural oils or glycerine of their own.

Glycerin is an all-natural byproduct of the saponification process which occurs when oils mix with lye to form soap. Glycerine is a humectant, which means it draws moisture from the air onto your skin leaving it naturally moisturized.

Glycerine is very valuable in the beauty and skin care industry. Commercial soap makers strip glycerin out of their soaps so they can use it in other more expensive products like anti-aging creams. If you’ve ever used an expensive skin cream and felt like it moisturized the skin, it’s most likely due to a high glycerine content.

Handmade soaps are better than commercial products because they don’t typically contain chemicals and retain their natural oils and glycerin content.