Not All Handmade Soaps Are Created Equal: The Science Behind the Perfect Bar

Why Not All Handmade Soaps Are Created Equal

Handmade soap isn’t just soap—it’s a finely tuned creation where every ingredient serves a purpose. While all soaps are made from oils, fats, and liquids, the unique formulas behind them can vary widely, resulting in different cleansing abilities, conditioning qualities, and overall feel. If you’ve tried one handmade soap and didn’t like it, that doesn’t mean they’re all the same.

The Science Behind Soap Formulation

At the heart of every soap recipe are the oils and fats, which provide distinct fatty acid profiles that determine the bar’s properties:

• Coconut Oil: High in lauric and myristic acids, coconut oil produces excellent bubbles and deep cleansing. However, too much can be drying, as it removes more of the skin’s natural oils.

• Olive Oil: With its high oleic acid content, olive oil is deeply conditioning and gentle. It creates a creamy lather, though it lacks the bubbly foam that many people associate with soap.

• Tallow: This ingredient, rich in stearic and palmitic acids, makes for a hard, long-lasting bar with a creamy lather. Tallow is one of my favorite ingredients for creating a durable, balanced soap.

• Castor Oil: Rich in ricinoleic acid, castor oil acts as a lather booster (and stabilizer), enhancing the bubbly and silky feel of the soap.

Liquids and other additives also play a significant role in cold process soap. For example, replacing water with goat’s milk enhances lather and creaminess, while aloe vera liquid adds a soothing, silky touch. Clays, such as kaolin or French green clay, provide a smooth “slip” that makes the soap ideal for shaving or leaving the skin feeling extra soft.

Why This Relates to Cold Process Soap

The qualities described above are unique to cold process soap, which is made by combining oils and a lye solution, allowing the soap to cure over time. This method gives the maker complete control over the formula, enabling them to balance cleansing, conditioning, and lather.

Other types of handmade soap, such as melt and pour, are made differently. Melt and pour soap starts with a pre-made soap base that’s melted down, poured into molds, and often customized with colors, scents, or small additions. However, because the base is pre-made, the soapmaker doesn’t have control over the fatty acid profile or the fundamental qualities of the soap.

While melt and pour soaps can be beautiful and fun, they won’t have the same level of customization in terms of skin feel, cleansing power, or conditioning benefits that a cold process bar can offer. If you’ve tried a melt and pour soap that felt different or didn’t meet your expectations, it’s important to know that cold process soaps are a completely different experience.

The Handmade Difference

If you’ve tried a handmade soap and didn’t love it, don’t give up on the idea of artisanal soap. Each maker has their own formula, and finding the right one for you can transform your skincare routine. At Pine & Petal Soap Co., I’ve refined my recipes to achieve a harmonious balance of cleansing, conditioning, and luxurious lather. Every ingredient is chosen with intention, creating soaps that feel as good to use as they are effective.

Handmade soap is more than just a cleanser—it’s a thoughtfully crafted product designed to enhance your skincare experience. If you haven’t found your perfect bar yet, it’s worth exploring further. The right soap can make all the difference.