Do you prefer the look and feel of a solid bar of creamy soap? Or do you enjoy dispensing a pearl of hand wash that transforms into a luxurious lather? With our ever-growing hand & body wash collections and our eclectic selection of solid soaps, now feels like the perfect time to explore liquid soap or bar soap.
We’ve taken a look at both the formulation and the main benefits of both liquid and bar soap, to help you decide which is right for you.
How do you make liquid vs. bar soap?
Soap is a very clever substance. It’s essentially made by mixing a fat or oil with an alkali substance known as lye. This triggers a molecular reaction called saponification. In bar soapmaking, the lye used is sodium hydroxide, and in liquid soap, it’s usually potassium hydroxide – this makes the end product more water-soluble. Saponification transforms the lye so that there’s little or none of it left in its pure form in the final product.
You can learn more from us about How Soap Works here.
Which type of soap is more softening?
Both our liquid and bar soaps are scented with one of our exquisite fragrances and benefit from added softening ingredients to ensure your hands feel cared for.
Our bar soaps are enhanced with rich shea butter, which deeply moisturises and protects the skin.
Our hand washes contain aloe vera and vitamin E to leave your hands feeling clean, pampered and nourished.
What soap should I use for shared or public spaces?
We get asked about this a lot. Our team feel that it depends on the individual, and where the soap will be placed. We had the hospitality industry firmly in mind when we developed our new hand washes because we understand the growing demand for a product that feels ultra-hygienic, is a joy to use and looks striking on the sink.
When it comes to busy homes, it depends on what your preference is. Experts reassure us that a solid bar of soap is equally as hygienic as liquid hand wash once lathered. But for your guest bathroom or downstairs toilet, you may prefer the convenience of a pump-action bottle.
Is the packaging eco conscious?
The obvious perks of bar soap are that it just needs a paper wrap to keep it safe. This is why we’ve meticulously developed the packaging for our hand washes, using amber-hued post-consumer resin (PCR), that is also able to be recycled again! PCR is made from a mix of previously recycled plastics and is a fantastic alternative to virgin plastic.
The labels for our Kew Hand Wash Collection have been designed by our in-house designer, inspired by the plants in the gardens at Kew, and in the style of heritage botanical illustrations. These generously proportioned bottles will look beautiful when displayed in your bathrooms or ensuite, making handwashing feel like an absolute treat.
Kew Gardens Hand Washes
There are 17 exquisite fragrances in our Kew Collection, and we have a new hand wash to match each one. Each 500ml hand wash is SLS and paraben-free, because while we want our hands to be scrupulously clean, we don’t want to use harsh ingredients that may irritate the skin.
Shop Kew Gardens Hand Washes here.
Anniversary Collection Hand & Body Washes
Our newest expansion of our Anniversary Collection now also includes a hand and body wash in 8 beautiful fragrances. Using labels from ‘Forest Film’ a 100% renewable wood based raw material.
This material offers a renewable alternative to fossil-based film, all made from pulp production residues. The Forst Film is an ISCC certified (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) plastic film and is produced using sustainable resources to replace the equivalent amount of fossil resourced in the production (mass balance approach) For more information about this material please view here.
Shop Anniversary Collection Hand & Body Wash here.
Shop all soap bars here.
As always, our products are vegan, cruelty-free and made in Sussex, England.
