There are many reasons to buy handmade soap. Whether it’s an ecological reason, or because you want to encourage local artisans, or that you are looking for specific ingredients, I think all those reasons are valid and really depend on each individual.
I’ve decided to present to you the main reasons why handmade some can be better than commercial soap (and I’m sure there are many more, but those are the one I think are the main ones!).
You can understand each ingredient on the label
The best way to know how any product is made is to have a closer look on the list of ingredients. If you can understand them, well, it’s a very good sign. Soaps are made with oils and butters, combined with a solution of sodium hydroxide (that disappears during the saponification process). Because it’s a product that does not contain water, it does not require any preservatives or chemicals, leaving a very simple list of ingredients, and creating a very good product that won’t be harmful for your health.
It is good for the environment!
Think about it: no more plastic bottles. When I decided to make soaps, it quickly became obvious to me that this was truly one of the best benefits. I create soaps in small batches, that does not require a lot of energy or heavy factory equipment, and even if it’s a small step, replacing your bottle of liquid soap with a bar of soap can make a difference. And it also affects the cost of the product: you don’t pay a plastic bottle, only for the soap itself.
You have more options regarding the type of soaps you can get
This is where it becomes fun: there are a lot of options available when shopping for handmade soaps. All natural, artistic, made with specific oils, clays… You can search for certain benefits for your skin and find a great diversity of soaps. I’m always searching for new soap recipes, new ingredients to include – and because everybody has a different sensitivity, it’s easier to narrow down the products that work best for you!
You can choose only natural soaps
Let’s just pause on that one. If you didn’t know, there are no regulations around the usage of the word “natural”, so be very careful when you see it somewhere. The product could include natural ingredients but does not necessarily mean that the whole product is. In fact, even “100% natural” could just be a marketing strategy to make you think that the soap doesn’t contain chemicals or other preservatives.
For me, 100% natural soaps mean that I’m only using ingredients that are coming directly from the nature or extracted from something that you can find in nature. It means using clays to color the soap or using only essential oils for the fragrance. Nothing else.
You are buying soaps, not detergents
The biggest problem with buying commercial soap, is that it is often wrongly advertised. Most of the time, the soap is a detergent: it contains chemical ingredients that will help the cleaning process. But those chemical ingredients can lead to skin issues, and it’s hard to understand why this was harmful to you. A soap is made in a traditional way, using the saponification process that combines oils to sodium hydroxide, a chemical compound disappearing when the reaction to produce soap is done.
Handmade soaps can be very artistic!
That’s the best part for me: not only you are using a product that is safe and gentle for your skin, but it can also be colourful with very unique designs. You don’t have to let your old white and very basic soap bar on your counter, you can choose a design that you like, that will enhance your sink. It’s not only a wonderful product to use, but now it’s also part of the design of your bathroom or kitchen!
Handmade soap is a wonderful gift to offer
Based on what we said before, you now know that giving a handmade soap as a gift is a wonderful idea. You’ll give a product that has been conceived specifically to be gentle, moisturizing and healthy for the skin. You can choose from a variety of designs, ingredients and fragrances that will be appreciated by your giftee. And by doing so, you also help your local community grow by encouraging a small business, and as the owner (and only employee) of ercé, I can tell you that a purchase from my store is greatly appreciated and makes want to continue that journey of soap maker even more!