Bar Soap or Liquid? Three reasons why the bar is better...

Hello there! Today, we're going to settle a long-standing debate in the world of soap: bar soap vs. liquid soap. As your friendly neighborhood soap nerd, I'm here to set the record straight and tell you why bar soap is the clear winner. 

#1. Environmental Impact

Bar soap is simply more eco-friendly than liquid soap. It doesn't require plastic packaging and in many instances, the paper packaging is recyclable. Additionally, liquid soap is heavier—the first ingredient is water, after all. That means a larger carbon footprint to transport it from the factory to your home.  Bar soaps, particularly handmade varieties, are more often made with renewable ingredients such as olive oil, coconut oil, even animal products such as lard or tallow.

#2 It works just as well as liquid soap, and in some cases even better

Contrary to marketing claims, bar soap is just as effective as liquid soap in terms of cleaning and sanitizing your hands. All cleaning products are surfactants (shorthand for ‘surface active agent’). That’s just the technical term for a chemical compound that can bond to both water and oil. It’s similar to an emulsifier, which can allow water and oil to mix. A surfactant has the ability to grab dirt and oil and also bond with water so that it can be rinsed away. Since both liquid and bar soaps are surfactants, they clean equally as well.

However, bar soap does have one important advantage over liquid soap: the friction required to lather a bar soap actually helps it clean better, especially when compared to foaming soaps. Just make sure you actually rub your hands together for a good 30 seconds before rinsing! Additionally, most artisan bar soaps contain natural glycerin which can help moisturize your skin and prevent it from drying out.

#3 It's more economical

Like practically everything in life, the devil is the the details. But generally speaking, bar soap is more economical than liquid soap. For one, it typically lasts longer, if properly stored. This is because bar soap doesn't contain the extra water and additives that are present in liquid soap. Additionally, bar soap is often less expensive on a per-use basis; most people tend to use more liquid soap than is necessary, which adds to the cost.  Finally, bar soap packaging is typically more minimal and requires less energy to produce, further reducing its overall cost.

So, the next time you are shopping for soap, consider a bar over the bottle. All our bar soaps can be found here. I bet you'll find one you love!