Commercial Vs Handmade Soaps

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Most of us grew up using commercial soap. It came in bright wrappers, smelled strong, and lathered instantly. It cleaned well, lasted a long time on the shelf, and behaved exactly the same every time.

So when someone picks up a handcrafted bar and notices that it smells softer, feels creamier, or behaves a little differently, the question naturally follows:

What’s actually the difference?

The answer is part history, part chemistry, and part intention.

A Brief Historical Shift

Traditional soap — the kind made for centuries — was created by combining fats or oils with an alkaline substance (like lye). The result of that chemical reaction is soap and glycerin. The fats could be olive oil, tallow, coconut oil, or whatever was available locally.

That was soap for a very long time.

The major shift began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but it accelerated during and after World War I and World War II. During wartime, fats and oils were in short supply. They were needed for food and other essential materials. Manufacturers began looking for alternatives.

This is when synthetic detergents entered the picture.

By the mid-20th century, many large manufacturers were producing cleansing bars that were no longer true soap (made from saponified oils), but instead were made from synthetic surfactants derived from petroleum or other chemical processes.

These products were often labeled “beauty bars” or simply “cleansing bars,” even though most people still called them soap.

They worked. They lathered well. They were inexpensive to produce at scale. And they were incredibly stable.

But chemically speaking, they were no longer the same thing as traditional soap.

The Chemistry (Without the Headache)

Here’s the simple version.

Traditional soap is made through a reaction called saponification. Oils or fats are mixed with lye. When properly formulated and cured, the lye is fully consumed in the reaction. What remains is soap and naturally occurring glycerin.

Glycerin is important. It’s a humectant, meaning it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin.

In handcrafted soap, that glycerin stays in the bar.

In large-scale commercial production, glycerin is often removed. Why? Because glycerin has value on its own. It can be sold separately and used in lotions, cosmetics, and other products. Removing it also allows manufacturers to create harder, longer-lasting bars with a longer shelf life.

Synthetic detergent bars work differently. Instead of relying on saponified oils, they use surfactants — cleansing agents designed in a lab. These surfactants are excellent at lifting dirt and oil. They also tend to produce big, quick lather and rinse cleanly.

But they can also be more aggressive.

That’s because they are engineered for performance: stable in any water condition, resistant to melting, and able to sit on a store shelf for months or years without changing.

Traditional soap, by contrast, is the result of a chemical reaction between natural fats and alkali. It behaves more like a natural material — because it is one.

Why Handmade Soap Often Feels Better

When people say handcrafted soap feels “gentler,” they’re usually responding to a few key differences.

First, the glycerin remains in the bar. That alone can make a noticeable difference in how skin feels after washing.

Second, handcrafted soap is typically made with a blend of oils chosen for skin feel, not just shelf stability. Olive oil contributes mildness. Tallow provides creaminess and longevity. Coconut oil adds cleansing and lather. The balance of these oils affects how the bar behaves.

Third, handmade soap is often “superfatted,” meaning a small percentage of the oils remain unsaponified. This can add extra conditioning to the finished bar.

Commercial detergent bars are not made with that goal in mind. They are made for uniformity, long shelf life, low cost per unit, and consistent performance across millions of bars.

There’s nothing mysterious about it. It’s simply a difference in priorities.

Why Manufacturers Made the Change

It’s easy to assume the shift to detergents was purely about cutting corners. The truth is more practical.

Synthetic surfactants solved real problems for large-scale production:

• They perform consistently in hard water.

• They resist spoilage.

• They allow precise control over texture and scent.

• They are cheaper to produce in massive quantities.

• They don’t rely on fluctuating agricultural supplies.

From an industrial standpoint, they make sense.

But from a material standpoint — especially for people with sensitive or dry skin — they can feel harsher.

So Which Is Better?

That depends on what you value.

If you want:

• Strong, lasting fragrance

• Instant, abundant foam

• Long shelf stability

• Absolute uniformity

Commercial cleansing bars are designed for exactly that.

If you prefer:

• Ingredients you can recognize

• Natural glycerin left intact

• A softer, more creamy lather

• A bar that ages and changes slightly over time

Handcrafted soap may feel like a better fit.

It isn’t about superiority. It’s about intention.

One is engineered for scale and predictability.
The other is made in smaller batches, shaped by historic ingredients, and patience.

Both will get you clean.

But they don’t necessarily leave you feeling the same.

For those who are curious about the feel of traditional soap, the difference is often something you notice after a few washes. Suddenly your skin feels better, not so itchy or in need of lotion right away. Dry skin disappears. The scent is softer, the lather - steadier. The bar feels simpler, more rustic, almost vintage.

That’s the kind of soap I choose to make — shaped by traditional fats, cured with patience, and intended for daily use rather than display. It is not designed to compete for attention, shout crazy colors, or follow trends. I'm not about over-the-top anything. Instead I prefer simple, practical, and old world. I do allow myself one luxury though, I intentionally create a very sudsy lather with natural ingredients, because I love the bubbles! Other than that, our bars at Fair Isle Soap Co are made to represent days gone by, when things were made better, sturdier, and had more value. Think grandmacore, cottagecore, slow living, homesteading, farmcore; where high craftsmanship becomes part of a quiet, daily routine. We invite you to try any one of our soaps and see for yourself the difference.