“What’s the difference between natural liquid soap and natural bar soap? And why don’t you make liquid soap?”
Well. One is a liquid and the other is a solid 😊
Seriously though, there isn’t much difference at a basic level. In most cases natural liquid soap is made with Potassium Hydroxide and bar soap is made with Sodium Hydroxide. For the liquid soap to remain liquid it needs to have more water in the final product.
Bacteria and viruses need to have water to survive and grow. As liquid soap has a sufficient level of residual water there is an increased risk of bad stuff growing in the soap. This can be overcome with the use of a preservative, however this comes with it’s own downsides as a preservative can’t determine whether a bacteria is good or bad and therefore kills all of them. The most common preservatives are also usually made very harsh chemicals, including formaldehyde. There are some natural options but these will still comprise alcohol, salt and other components which are not good for sensitive skin.
There can be a very low risk of initial introduction of bacteria or viruses during production and packaging if very strict controls are followed and appropriate packaging is used. However the risk of bacteria and viruses being introduced increases through use. Liquid soap also needs to be packaged in a container which is suitable to hold a liquid, which kind of goes without saying.
There are two main reasons we don’t make liquid soap.
The first is due to the need to have a preservative. We started making soap due a family need to make soap that is kind to sensitive skin. As even natural preservatives would still aggravate sensitive skin we have decided it’s not in line with what Bean and Boy is known and recognized for.
The second reason is due to packaging. The brand has an eco-conscious ethos and the only viable option for commercially sold soap would be a plastic bottle. This just isn’t an option for us. Glass is a potential solution, but practically isn’t safe for use in the bath or shower where it could be dropped and break.
Soap which uses chemical preservatives also should be introduced into the waterways, such as when used on houseboats, boats or in any other situation where the ‘dirty’ water can go straight into the environment.
