Handmade Soap vs Store-Bought Soap: Why Choosing Small Batch Makes a Big Difference

Handmade soaps are gentle

Ever wondered if handmade soap is really better than the bars you grab off a big box store shelf? Spoiler alert: It is. And here’s why.

At Silly Bean Soap Co., I get this question a lot. So let’s break down the real differences between handmade soap and store-bought soap—because what you put on your skin does matter.

1. Handmade Soap Keeps the Good Stuff (Like Glycerin)

When you buy handmade soap, you’re getting a product rich in natural glycerin—a moisturizing byproduct that forms naturally during the soap-making process. Glycerin draws water to your skin, helping it stay soft and hydrated.

Most commercial soaps? They remove the glycerin to sell it separately for lotions and creams. What’s left behind is usually a harsh detergent bar that strips your skin of moisture.

2. Handmade Soap Uses Simple, Nourishing Ingredients

Handmade soap has fewer ingredients.

At Silly Bean Soap Co., I formulate using real, skin-loving ingredients you can actually pronounce:

• Sheep milk from our own flock of East Friesian sheep

• Pure oils and butters like olive oil, coconut oil, and shea butter

• Essential oils or carefully chosen phthalate-free fragrances

  
  

Commercial soap often contains synthetic detergents, preservatives, and fillers that can irritate sensitive skin.

Handmade soap has ingredients we can pronounce.

3. No Synthetic Foaming Agents or Harsh Chemicals

Many store-bought soaps include ingredients like SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) to create extra bubbles. But these chemicals can dry out or irritate your skin.

Handmade soap? It creates a creamy, natural lather without the need for synthetic foaming agents.

4. Handmade Soap Supports Small Businesses (and Real Farms)

When you buy handmade soap, you’re supporting a person—not a corporation.

At Silly Bean, every bar is mixed, poured, cut, and wrapped by hand—right here on our farm.

We use fresh sheep milk from our own flock, and every sale helps keep this small business running. It’s personal, and it’s done with care.

5. Better for Your Skin, Better for the Earth

Silly Bean handmade soap is biodegradable, sustainably sourced, and packaged with less waste. I focus on simple ingredients and eco-friendly practices whenever possible—good agricultural practices always focus on the health of the planet.

Bottom Line: Handmade Soap = Real Soap

True soap is the result of saponification—a natural reaction between oils and lye that turns into soap and glycerin. Store-bought "soap" is often detergent bars in disguise, labeled as "beauty bars" or "cleansing bars."

When you choose handmade, you’re choosing:

• Gentler, more nourishing skincare

• Transparent ingredients

• A product made with heart, not a factory line

  
  

Try the Difference for Yourself

If you’ve never tried small-batch soap before, now’s the time. Your skin will feel the difference—and so will your heart.

Shop Our Handmade Soaps

Love the skin 'ewe' are in!

Charlene

Sources:

1. FDA: Soap vs Detergent Bars – Read here

2. Dunn, Kevin M. Scientific Soapmaking: The Chemistry of the Cold Process. Clavicula Press, 2010.

3. New Zealand Institute of Chemistry: Soap and Detergent Manufacture

4. American Cleaning Institute: Soap vs Syndet Barsealand Institute of Chemistry. Read here