The 12 Best Handmade Soaps in 2023 – Reviewed & Buyer Guide

Today, handmade soap continues a millennial tradition. All great civilizations have produced it even if in different ways. Soap continues to be a key element for hygiene, but what we consume today is far from its ancestor in terms of composition.

The handmade soaps, on the other hand, are composed of a few ingredients, which allows you to know what you are using to wash your face and body.

They come from small producers or local producers; therefore, by purchasing them, you support handicraft companies, mainly if you use companies that produce according to the fair trade regulation.

Right here are some of the best handmade soaps that are listed below.

How to Choose Handmade Soaps?

There are many soaps on the market, but some contain chemicals that can harm your skin, or are harmful to the environment. Craft soaps are an ideal option for your daily cleaning routine. In this buying guide, you will find the answers to the most common questions about these products.

What Is a Handmade Soap and What Are Its Advantages?

Artisan soaps are handmade products or based on methods that use mechanical or straightforward tools for their production, not of an industrial form. The use and display of soap date back to the earliest civilizations, and there are several artisan production methods to obtain it.

The chemical reaction from which soaps are obtained is called saponification. Fat must be mixed with a solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide and water to create them.

The techniques which trigger this reaction can be hot or cold. Depending on the ingredients used, it is possible to obtain soap in solid or liquid.

A homemade soap bar has many benefits. Firstly, artisanal methods use natural oils of plant or animal origin, which contain antioxidants and help maintain healthy skin. Also, they generally do not contain additives or preservatives that can be harmful or dry out your skin.

Advantages

• Non-industrial artisan process
• By buying it, you help the craftsmen
• contain glycerin which hydrates your skin
• Made from natural ingredients
• Friends of the environment
• Suitable for sensitive skin

Disadvantages

• They can be more expensive

How Are Handmade Soaps Made?

There are three essential ingredients for making a handmade soap: fat (of animal or vegetable origin), soda or caustic potash, and water. By mixing these three ingredients, a chemical process is triggered, which is called saponification.

The triglycerides that make up the fats are separated into salts of fatty acids and glycerin. When sodium or potassium hydroxide comes in contact with water, it naturally warms up. When this mix stabilizes, it is added to the fat.

Depending on the amount of heat used for the reaction, this process is called “cold” or “hot.” At the end of this process, only these two components and a percentage of water remain.

During the cooling process, essential oils or artificial fragrances can be added to give the soap a scent, and dyes, natural or artificial, for the color. Bar soaps usually don’t need preservatives. Some liquids may need it due to the high water content.

What Kind of Fats Can Be Used to Make Artisanal Soaps?

You can find artisan soaps whose fat base comes from vegetable oils or animal fats. Pork fat, known as tallow, and cow fat, are the most commonly used in the production of soaps. If you prefer, you can search among the many vegetarian or vegan varieties that use vegetable fats.

Among the most common plant-based ingredients that can be used to make artisan soaps, there are palm, coconut, olive oil, cocoa or shea butter. Many manufacturers create unique blends of various oils to achieve different benefits.

What Are the Benefits of A Handmade Soap for My Skin?

Industrial soaps generally go through a process in which the glycerin that is obtained from saponification is extracted. This material is used in the face of luxury creams, but it is eliminated by soaps that are usually used for body skincare. In artisan soaps, however, glycerin remains naturally.

The glycerin obtained during saponification is very moisturizing. Therefore, artisan soaps moisturize your skin much more than industrial ones and do it naturally. Also, glycerin is not comedogenic, so it will help you avoid acne outbreaks on your back and other areas of the body.

How Can I Use a Handmade Soap in My Daily Routine?

Artisan soaps are ideal for keeping in the bathroom. They can be used to wash your hands without using artificial or chemical ingredients that can dry them. Also, you can use them daily as body soaps. These products will help you take care of your skin naturally, keeping it hydrated.

There are handmade soaps in bars that can also be used for the face. However, we advise you to check the ingredients to decide whether using a specific soap is suitable for your skin type. Some epidermis can dry out with the use of soap. Therefore it is necessary to choose it carefully.

What Is the Impact of Handmade Soaps on The Environment?

Artisan producers use natural products for the production of soaps, adding little or no preservatives, and generally do not add any chemical additives.

For this reason, artisan soaps are an ideal option if you are looking for products with minimal environmental impact, both for the production method and for the remains that reach the aquifer.

Look for handmade vegetarian or vegan soaps. That is to say, soaps that, in addition to being natural, do not use products of animal origin. Also, handmade soaps are not sold in plastic containers. Generally, they are not packed, or in a minimal percentage, so you will also reduce the amount of plastic you use per day.

Purchase Criteria

Finding the ideal handmade soap can be difficult if you don’t know where to start. There are many possible choices on the market, and it can be challenging to make a decision.

In this section, we will reveal the factors to consider when choosing one to be included in your hygiene routine or simply to be kept as a toilet soap.

• Fats or Base Oils
• Production Method
• fragrance
• Additional ingredients
• Environmental impact

Fats or Base Oils

As we mentioned before, soaps are mainly made from fat, which can be of animal or vegetable origin. If you are vegan, vegetarian, or looking to decrease the number of animal products you consume, this is an essential factor that you need to take into consideration when choosing a soap to buy.

• Animal Fats. Animal fats from pigs or cattle are frequently used for the production of handmade soaps. Typically, these facts give rise to more creamy and compact soaps. Animal fat is generally less expensive and, therefore, soaps are also. But if the fat comes from ethical farms, the prices can be high.
• Vegetable Fats. There is a large variety of fats and oils of vegetable origin used to make artisan soaps. The most common are coconut, olive, palm oil, and cocoa or shea butter. All of them have great benefits for the skin. Typically, they contain many antioxidants that help improve their appearance.
• Mixtures. Of course, handmade soaps are not necessarily made from a single type of fat. Many artisan soaps have unique recipes with different fat blends in different quantities. Some use an available grease to respect the traditional manufacture to which they refer.

Production Method

Artisan soaps are produced through one of two methods: hot or cold. Each creates a different type of soap, especially with regards to the consistency or the type of ingredients that can be added.

With the cold method, for example, you cannot add flower petals as they lose color due to the long saponification process. Also, you must take into account the production conditions for artisans.

A bar of handmade soap should come from producers and artisans, so it is essential to check if the company that sells these products is simply using the name “artisan” or if it takes into consideration the well-being of its employees.

Fragrance

An essential part of each soap is its perfume. Some handmade soaps have only the smell that comes from the fats or vegetable oils that make it up.

Others, however, have added fragrances, coming from natural oils such as lavender, rosemary, etc. that will give you an aromatherapy experience during your bath.

However, it is worth taking a look at the type of perfume that has been added to the soap. Sensitive skin, for example, may have allergic reactions to the added ingredients. If you are looking for an organic product of 100% natural origin, you must check whether these fragrances are of natural or synthetic origin.

Additional Ingredients

Some manufacturers add other ingredients to their handmade soaps to make them more memorable. For example, it is common to add goat milk to your mixture.

Other additional ingredients can be flower petals or exfoliators, such as sugar. If you have sensitive skin, make sure none of these cause you allergic reactions.

Environmental Impact

Normally, artisan soaps respect the environment, especially if made of vegetable fats. Some may contain additives such as preservatives, so it is advisable to review the label before deciding to buy. Some of these chemicals or petroleum derivatives have harmful effects on the ecosystem.