Posted by Kerrieanne
Bar soap is simple, but it raises a lot of questions. How is it made? Is lye safe? Is a bar germy? How do you make it last? This guide answers the most common bar soap questions in a few lines each, with links to our full posts if you want to go deeper. We make goat milk bar soap in small batches in Wisconsin, so these are the questions we hear at our market table every week.
What is bar soap made of?
True soap is made by mixing fats and oils with lye. A chemical reaction called saponification turns them into soap and natural glycerin. Every oil changes the bar: some make it hard, some add bubbly lather, some make it creamy. Our bars are made with shea butter, coconut oil, beef tallow, lard, sunflower oil and castor oil, plus fresh goat milk.
Read more: Best Oils for Soap Making · The Ultimate Guide to Bubbly Soap Lather · Cold Process Soap Explained
Is there lye in bar soap?
Lye is needed to make soap, but none is left in a properly made, fully cured bar. The lye is used up when it reacts with the oils. Soap makers use a soap calculator to make sure there is a little extra oil (called superfat) so all the lye is used. Like all true soap, a finished bar is mildly alkaline, around pH 9 to 10.
Read more: Lye Soap: Old-Fashioned Cleansing for Sensitive Skin · SoapCalc Guide
What makes goat milk soap different?
Goat milk brings natural fats, proteins and milk sugars into the bar, which gives it a creamy, gentle lather. Many people find goat milk soap leaves their skin feeling soft and comfortable instead of tight. Unscented goat milk soap has a mild, clean smell, not a "goaty" one.
Read more: What Is Goat Milk Soap? · What Does Goat Milk Soap Smell Like? · Wisconsin Goat Milk Soap
Is bar soap germy?
This is the number one worry we hear, and research is reassuring. In a well-known study, bars coated with bacteria didn't pass detectable amounts to people's hands after washing. Soap works by lifting dirt, oil and germs off your skin so water can rinse them away, and a bar does that just as well as liquid soap. Rinse your bar and let it dry between uses.
Read more: Does Bar Soap Really Kill Germs? · Is Goat Milk Soap Antibacterial?
Bar soap or body wash?
Both get you clean. Most body washes are detergent-based and come in plastic bottles. Handmade bar soap is usually a short list of ingredients with little or no plastic packaging, and one bar goes a long way. Body wash took over drugstore shelves through marketing and convenience, but many people are coming back to the bar.
Read more: Bar Soap vs Liquid Soap · Body Wash vs Soap · Do People Still Use Bar Soap?
Which bar is best for sensitive skin?
If your skin is easily bothered, start with an unscented bar, since fragrance is the most common thing that bothers sensitive skin. Our picks are Beauty Bare, our unscented goat milk bar, and Clay Facial Soap, which is also unscented. Patch-test any new soap first, and if you have a skin condition, ask a dermatologist what cleanser is right for you.
Read more: Benefits of Rose Clay in Soap · The Gentle Benefits of Goat's Milk Soap
How long does a bar last?
Our 5 oz bars last about 3 to 5 weeks with daily use. The biggest factor is water: a bar sitting in a puddle turns soft and melts away. To make yours last:
Keep it on a draining soap tray, out of the shower stream.
Use a sisal soap saver bag or an African net sponge to build lather with less soap.
Cut a new bar in half and keep one half dry until you need it.
Store extra bars in a cool, dry place.
Can I make my own soap?
Yes, and it's a rewarding hobby. You'll need a digital scale, a soap calculator, safety goggles and gloves, and a well-ventilated space, because lye is caustic until it has reacted. Start with a simple, tested recipe.
Read more: Ultimate Guide to Cold Process Soap Making · DIY Goat Milk Soap · Infusing Oils for Soap Making
Find your bar
Every Ollie bar is handmade in small batches in Wisconsin with goat milk and simple ingredients:
Goat Milk Soap: our classic bar, in several scents and unscented Beauty Bare
Clay Facial Soap: unscented, with rose kaolin or green zeolite clay
Toasted Oatmeal Goat Milk Soap: oatmeal and honey with a warm almond scent
Charcoal Facial Soap: a deep-clean feel for oily or combination skin
Turmeric Goat Milk Soap: turmeric, ginger and a bright orange scent
Garden Soap: orange zest for light exfoliation
Tipsy Goat Soap: made with local Wisconsin beer
Shop all bar soap, or try a few with The Soap Lover Gift Set.
Have a question we didn't answer? Ask us at our next market or send us a message, and we may add it to this guide.
