If you feel like you’re seeing more and more varieties and brands of bar soap in the marketplace these days, you’re not wrong. Bar soap’s comeback has been underway for a few years now, and for good reason. It’s about more than nostalgia; bar soap has some very practical advantages, from overall value to environmental benefits.
Because bar soap is more concentrated than water-based liquid soap, it’s easy to use less and it lasts longer. Triple-milled soap is exceptionally dense, with an even longer lifespan. Bar soaps typically come in minimal (if any) paper or cardboard packaging, and since bars are lighter than liquid soap, fewer resources are needed to transport them.
All-natural bar soaps, specifically, are in higher demand by consumers seeking products with simple, clean ingredients. According to the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild, handmade bar soaps are created with minimal ingredients and rarely have added preservatives or parabens.
And the old theory that bar soap transfers germs? It’s been discredited through multiple scientific experiments. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Mayo Clinic both recommend handwashing with bar and liquid soap equally as the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs.
With so many benefits, bar soap’s renaissance may be here to stay. Its uses are growing too: There are special bar soaps for babies, face, hair, laundry, and more. Plenty of online product reviews — or better yet, a visit to a local Colorado soap boutique — can help you find the best option for you.
BAR SOAP USES AND TIPS
- Before hitting the dirt, rub dry bar soap under your fingernails to make cleaning after gardening a snap.
- Use a soap dish with drainage or place a silicone soap saver mat in the dish to help the bar stay dry and last longer.
- When a bar is down to a small sliver, stick it to your next full new bar when both are wet for zero waste.
- Slice a bar into smaller pieces for travel, sharing, or smaller needs.
- Pack it up. Bar soap travels well — no spilling or worry about meeting TSA volume limits.
- Place in the bottom of a shaving cup and add water to form a creamy lather.
- Try soap on a rope to free up space and secure the bar in the shower or bath.
Writer Mary Peck connects Coloradans with practical tips, ideas, and information to help them prosper.
Photo by victoriya89 \ iStock / Getty Images Plus via getty images
