Let’s be honest, most of us grew up thinking liquid soap was the "sophisticated" choice. It’s sleek, it’s colourful, and it comes in a pump that keeps everything neat and tidy. The soap bar isn’t as boring as it once was though, and it’s making a massive comeback. If you've been considering making the swap, here is why your skin, your wallet, and the planet are probably rooting for it.
1. Less Water, Better Value
Liquid soap is, by volume, mostly water (often up to 80% or 90%). When you buy a bottle, you’re essentially paying for water to be shipped across the country in a heavy plastic container. Bar soap is concentrated, meaning a single bar can last up to 6 times longer than liquid soap – that’s quite a saving across the year! Most bars come in a simple recyclable paper wrap or a compostable box. No plastic pumps, no clunky bottles, just packaging that is easier to recycle. It’s a win-win for your wallet and the planet.
2. Better for Your Skin (Seriously)
The old "bars dry out your skin" trope is officially a thing of the past. Traditional mass-produced bars used to be made from harsh detergents (and some still are, so do be careful!), but the new wave of artisanal and specialty soaps are loaded with natural oils like shea butter, cocoa butter, and jojoba. These are great for keeping your skin hydrated and protecting your natural skin barrier (more on this in our next newsletter). Some excellent examples are here:
Hiltwood cedarwood & Spanish verbena
3. The "Travel-Friendly" Factor
We’ve all lived through the tragedy of a shampoo explosion in a suitcase. It’s not fun for anyone, except maybe your friends having a laugh at the sidelines. With bar soap (and its cousins, bar shampoo and conditioner), spills are a thing of the past, and the liquid limit at airport security becomes a total non-issue too.
Pro Tip: Simply toss your dry bar into a reusable tin or a beeswax wrap, and you’re good to go. No leaks, no headaches.
Making the Transition Seamless
My biggest piece of advice for first-time bar soap users is to buy a slatted soap dish. This promotes airflow around the soap helping it to dry between uses and preventing the mushy underside you can get from wet soap sitting directly on your sink-top. Bamboo is a common (and excellent) choice for a soap dish as it is a sustainable material, hard wearing, easy to clean, and looks pretty stylish too. Here's one to check out: bamboo soap dish.
Bonus: Use a sisal bag to add your soap slivers to, ensuring all the soap is easily used!
The Bottom Line
Swapping to bar soap is one of the easiest low-stakes changes you can make to live a bit more sustainably. It's an upgrade to your routine that feels - dare we say it - a bit more luxurious. The range of scents and colours is huge, meaning your soap can even fit in with your decor! So what are you waiting for?
Make your first simple swap today.