According to Ad Age, the bar soap is back. Yahoo says that face wash “is so 10 minutes ago.” Thanks to trendy marketing the liquid body wash took over the world. Nothing was more convenient than pouring some soap, lathering quickly and getting out of the shower just as quick as you came in. Just as quick as they came (about a decade) marketers are seeing bar soaps as the gateway to the “natural market.”
What do these pretty much all of these liquid wash products contain? Terrible, “Frankenstein” ingredients just like many store bought cosmetics. These body washes are supposed to last three years on store shelves – what possible natural ingredient could survive that long without a ton of preservatives?
So manufacturers are going back to the old fashion way of making soap with lye, oils, waxes and long curing times – right? Not quite. The bar soaps you see on the market are more detergents than anything. Here’s some differences that these mass produced bar soaps have from the “real” thing:
- Mass produced soaps use cheap oils and pump the bars full of fragrances and other irritants
- Manufacturers use a process to cure the soaps faster than can be done naturally to save money on storage – this means the soap won’t absorb all those good ingredients as efficiently. Carley’s soap bars use a secret process of extending curing time so the bars are extra full of goodness.
- Mass produced soaps sit on store shelves for months at a time and are no by means fresh
Making natural liquid soap
By and large, it is a challenge for natural soap makers (think home made) to create a liquid wash. The wash separates easily with oil resting at the bottom and the rest of the good stuff to the top. You’ve found this out if you purchased Carley’s bodywash. The wash needs a good pump or two before use so you’re getting the complete benefits of the product. After about a thousand batches (really) we’ve found the right mix of natural ingredients that don’t separate but still – we won’t hold it against anyone if they make a product that separates. What’s funner than shaking a bottle before use like – like Yoo Hoo?
We’ve been making bar soaps for over a decade. The bar is functional, sleek and most importantly – the most natural way to make a cleaning product. There’s no focus group needed for us to make what you love!
Products Mentioned:
Carley’s Bar Soap
Carley’s Bar Soap (5 pack)
Carley’s Body Wash