Why use handmade soaps?

Handmade soaps are DIY soaps in a traditional way:  by mixing oils and lye, along with some water, soap is produced.  The process is called “saponification,” i.e. Oil + NaOH (lye) + water = glycerin + soap.  The long term use of handmade soaps benefits the skin tremendously. 

Major differences between handmade soaps and commercial soaps:

Protect and improve skin health:

Because of the glycerin produced in the saponification process, handmade soaps  not only clean the body,   but also maintain  the natural fat and moisture of the skin.  But,  glycerin in commercial soaps is removed by the manufacturer to be put in higher priced products such as lotion.  Some commercial soaps are not even soaps because they are just detergents which are petroleum-based products.  When using detergents –like “soaps” to clean the body, the natural fat and moisture of the skin are stripped away and that’s why people often feel dry and itchy after using commercial soaps.

Protect environment:

Handmade soaps are biodegradable. After washing away, they flow into river and oceans, causing no harm to the environment. While the harsh chemicals contained in commercial soaps are not biodegradable, polluting river and oceans.

It is a regret that handmade soaps can’t last as long as commercial soaps due to its deficient of all various preserves, additives etc.  Handmade soaps usually last about 12 months. They can’t be manufactured on a mass production basis, either, hence the high cost of making handmade soaps.