What is natural soap made of?
Natural soap is typically made from plant oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, castor oil and rice bran oil, depending on the soap maker's recipe. These oils are combined with lye through a process called saponification to create soap and natural glycerin, which helps keep skin hydrated and conditioned.
When people first try handmade natural soap, they often notice something straight away — their skin feels different after using it.
Instead of that tight, dry feeling many commercial soaps can leave behind, handmade soap often feels softer, creamier and more nourishing. The reason for this lies in the ingredients used to make the soap base.
At The Good Soap, every bar begins with a carefully balanced blend of beautiful plant-based oils chosen for the way they cleanse, nourish and support the skin.
Our core soap base contains five natural oils:
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Olive Oil
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Coconut Oil
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Castor Oil
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Sunflower Oil
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Rice Bran Oil
Each oil plays an important role in the soap making process, contributing its own unique skin benefits.
The Plant Oils Used in Our Natural Soap
Olive Oil – Deep Hydration and Nourishment
Olive oil has been used in soap making for centuries and is one of the most valued oils in natural skincare.
Rich in vitamins A and E, olive oil is known for its deeply moisturising and conditioning properties. It helps create a gentle soap that cleanses the skin while leaving it feeling soft and hydrated.
Olive oil is also naturally rich in antioxidants, which help support healthy looking skin.
Coconut Oil – Cleansing and Naturally Antibacterial
Coconut oil is responsible for much of the cleansing power and bubbly lather in soap.
Its naturally high fatty acid content helps remove dirt and impurities from the skin, while its natural antibacterial and antifungal properties make it an excellent cleansing oil.
When carefully balanced with more conditioning oils, coconut oil helps create a soap that feels refreshing but still gentle on the skin.
Castor Oil – Conditioning and Moisture Boosting
Castor oil plays an important role in the luxurious feel of handmade soap.
It works as a humectant, meaning it draws moisture toward the skin and helps keep it there. This contributes to the conditioning quality many people notice when using handmade soap.
Castor oil also improves the texture of the lather, helping create a creamy, stable foam. Castor oil makes up the conditioning part of the recipe for our Soap & Shampoo Bars, most users don't need to use a separate conditioner for this reason.
Sunflower Oil – Skin Softening and Rich in Vitamin E
Sunflower oil is a wonderfully gentle oil that is naturally high in vitamin E, an antioxidant known for supporting healthy skin.
It acts as an emollient, helping soften and smooth the skin while supporting the skin’s natural barrier. You can read our blog post about why it's essential to care for your skin barrier.
Sunflower oil also contains beneficial fatty acids that help maintain skin hydration.
Rice Bran Oil – Antioxidant Rich and Protective
Rice bran oil is sometimes considered a hidden gem in natural skincare.
It contains high levels of antioxidants and vitamins that help protect and nourish the skin. It is exceptionally moisturising while still feeling light and comfortable on the skin.
Rice bran oil also helps support the skin barrier, which plays an important role in maintaining healthy, balanced skin.
How We Create Our Individual Soap Recipes
These five plant oils form the foundation of most soaps we make, but each individual soap is then carefully crafted with additional ingredients to create its unique qualities.
To our base oils we add a variety of natural ingredients such as:
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Pure essential oils for natural fragrance
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Skin-loving milks including goat milk, oat milk or coconut milk used in our milk soap range
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Botanicals and clays
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Natural colour from herbs and minerals
Some soaps also include ingredients such as activated charcoal, which is popular for its ability to deeply cleanse and clarify the skin. Our Activated Charcoal soap bar is especially beneficial for blemished skin.
These additions allow us to create soaps with different scents, textures and skin benefits while still using the same nourishing base oils.
Why Cold Process Soap Is Different
All of our soaps are made using the traditional cold process method.
During this process the plant oils react with an alkaline solution to create soap through a natural reaction called saponification.
One of the most valuable things produced during this process is glycerin.
Glycerin is a natural humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to the skin and helps keep it hydrated.
In large-scale commercial soap production, this glycerin is often removed and sold separately for use in other skincare products.
In cold process soap, the glycerin remains in the bar — which is one reason handmade soap often feels much more moisturising and gentle on the skin.
Many customers also like to follow their soap with one of our solid moisturiser bars, which help lock in hydration after washing.
Is Handmade Soap Better Than Commercial Soap?
Many people who switch to handmade soap notice that their skin feels softer and less dry after washing.
One reason for this difference is how the soap is made.
Commercial soap is typically produced on a very large scale and may contain detergents or synthetic additives designed to create a hard, long-lasting bar. During production, the naturally produced glycerin is often removed.
Handmade soap is produced in small batches using traditional methods. The natural glycerin remains in the soap, and the bars are made using nourishing plant oils rather than harsher cleansing agents.
Because of this, many people find handmade soap gentler and more comfortable for everyday use, particularly during colder months when skin can already feel dry due to weather and central heating.
Why Natural Ingredients Matter in Soap
Soap is something most people use every single day.
Choosing a soap made from high quality plant oils and natural ingredients means your skin is cleansed without unnecessary additives.
By combining nourishing oils, skin-loving milks, botanicals and essential oils, we create soaps that are designed not just to cleanse but to care for your skin as well.
It’s a traditional approach to soap making that focuses on simplicity, quality ingredients and time-tested methods.
And it’s the reason so many people notice the difference when they switch to handmade soap.