Handmade Soap in the UK: A Complete Guide to Natural Skincare

Handmade soap in the UK has become a favourite for people who want fewer synthetic detergents and more skin-loving ingredients in their daily routine. Compared with many commercial bars and washes that rely on sulphates and preservatives, natural bars formulated with plant oils and butters tend to be gentler on the skin and kinder to the environment – a point echoed in this natural soap vs commercial soap comparison.  From artisan soap crafted with British ingredients to bars infused with botanicals and clays, there’s now a thriving handmade soap scene to explore, especially if you’re already building a more conscious routine with swaps like the ones in our guide to eco-friendly bath products in the UK.

Why Choose Handmade Soap?

Handmade soap offers a wealth of benefits that mass-produced commercial soaps often struggle to match. Many factory-made bars behave more like synthetic detergents, with sulphates, strong preservatives and heavy fragrance that can aggravate conditions such as contact dermatitis; allergy organisations and the NHS both flag fragrances, preservatives and detergents in soaps as common triggers for irritated, eczematous skin.  By contrast, a well-formulated artisan bar is usually built around natural oils, butters and botanicals, using the traditional cold-process method that preserves the natural glycerin formed during saponification. Glycerin is a proven humectant that draws water into the outer skin layers and helps maintain hydration, as shown in clinical research on glycerin as a skin moisturiser and related studies of humectant-based moisturisers for dry or eczematous skin.

For anyone whose main concern is tightness, flaking or winter dryness, switching to a bar that retains its natural glycerin and uses gentle surfactants can make a noticeable difference to comfort – we explore this in more depth in our guide to moisturising bar soaps for dry skin.

Key Benefits of Handmade Soap

• Natural Ingredients: Free from parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances.

• Eco-Friendly: Biodegradable formulas and plastic-free packaging.

• Skin-Nourishing: Rich in natural glycerin and oils for hydration.

• Gentle on Skin: Suitable for sensitive skin and conditions like dryness.

• Artisanal Craftsmanship: Expertly made with care and attention to detail.

Understanding Ingredients in Handmade Soap

As an artisan soap maker with years of experience, I’ve worked with a broad spectrum of natural ingredients to create bars that truly benefit the skin. Here are some of the core ingredients you’ll find in British handmade soap:

Natural Oils and Butters

• Olive oil – Renowned for its moisturising properties, olive oil creates a gentle, conditioning bar that’s ideal for dry or sensitive skin. It provides fatty acids that support the barrier and help reduce water loss.

• Coconut oil – Adds robust cleansing power and a rich lather, but needs to be balanced with softer oils so the bar doesn’t feel too stripping on delicate skin.

• Shea butter – Known for its ability to deeply nourish the skin, shea butter contributes a creamy texture and long-lasting emollience. Clinical work has begun to document its role as a useful emollient in eczema and dry skin care, as in this study on shea butter as an emollient for eczema and more recent comparisons of shea-butter-based creams with other moisturisers.

These ingredients are the backbone of many British handmade soaps and are a big part of why artisanal bars feel so different from “squeaky-clean” commercial options.

Botanicals and Exfoliants

• Oatmeal – A soothing ingredient that gently exfoliates while calming irritation. Colloidal oatmeal is well supported in the literature as an emollient that can reduce itch, dryness and eczema severity when used in cleansers and creams, as shown in clinical trials of colloidal oatmeal skincare and more recent baby and adult studies.

• Coffee grounds – Ideal for invigorating scrubs on rough areas like elbows and heels, but best kept away from very delicate or inflamed skin.

• Clays (kaolin, bentonite) – Help draw out impurities and balance oily or combination skin while adding a silky slip to the lather.

Thoughtful use of these botanicals allows soap makers to tailor bars to specific skin needs – from ultra-gentle oats for sensitive skin to a weekend scrub that keeps rough patches in check.

Essential Oils

Essential oils add a natural aroma to handmade soap whilst offering subtle supporting benefits when used at skin-safe levels. For example:

• Lavender – A classic calming scent, often chosen for evening use.

• Tea tree – Naturally antimicrobial and frequently used in products for blemish-prone or oily skin.

• Citrus oils – Bright and uplifting, though some (like expressed bergamot) can be phototoxic, so they must be used with care in leave-on products and before sun exposure.

Because essential oils are highly concentrated, we always follow recognised IFRA guidelines and recommend patch testing if you have reactive skin. Dermatology and allergy organisations frequently highlight fragrance chemicals in soaps and scented products as a leading cause of irritant and allergic contact dermatitis, which is why “fragrance-free or low-fragrance” is often the safer option for very sensitive skin.  If you’d like to dig deeper into how we combine aroma and skin comfort, you may enjoy our feature on essential oil soap and natural fragrance.

Cold-Process Soap Making: The Art Behind the Bars

The cold-process method is the gold standard for creating artisan soap UK. This traditional technique involves combining oils and lye (sodium hydroxide) to trigger saponification. After pouring the mixture into moulds, the soap is left to cure for 4-6 weeks, during which time it hardens and becomes milder.

One of the key advantages of this process is the preservation of natural glycerin, which is a by-product of saponification. Unlike commercial soap producers who often remove glycerin for use in other products, cold-process soap retains this beneficial ingredient, ensuring each bar is naturally moisturising.

As a soap maker, I always superfat my soaps at 5-8%, meaning there’s a slight excess of oils to ensure they’re gentle and nourishing for the skin. This balance of science and artistry is what makes handcrafted soap truly unique.

Handmade Soap for Different Skin Types

One of the joys of handmade soap is its versatility. By adjusting ingredients and formulations, soap makers can create bars tailored to various skin needs:

For Sensitive Skin

Opt for soaps with soothing ingredients like oatmeal or goat milk and avoid overly scented bars. Gentle oils like olive and almond are also ideal.

For Dry Skin

Choose bars enriched with shea butter or cocoa butter for deep hydration. Glycerin-rich cold-process soaps help lock in moisture.

For Oily Skin

Look for soaps containing clay or tea tree oil, which can help cleanse and balance excess oil without stripping the skin.

For Exfoliation

Exfoliating bars with ingredients like coffee or salt work wonders on rough areas but should be used sparingly on delicate skin. Always follow up with moisturiser to maintain your skin’s balance.

Sustainability and Ethical Values

Sustainability and Ethical Values

British-made handmade soap isn’t just better for your skin; it can be better for the planet too. Many small-batch makers favour biodegradable formulas, minimal or plastic-free packaging, and low-impact production methods. Life cycle assessments comparing bar and liquid soaps suggest that solid bars often carry a lower carbon footprint per wash, particularly when they’re minimally packaged and used efficiently, as shown in life cycle assessments comparing bar and liquid soaps.

At The Humble Shepherd Co., we’re committed to cruelty-free practices and vegan-friendly formulations, using plant-based oils and carefully chosen additives. If you’re mapping out a more sustainable bathroom, our guides to eco-friendly bath products in the UK and other features on our soap and skincare blog share practical ideas for low-waste, low-toxin swaps that still feel indulgent.

Where to Buy Handmade Soap in the UK

Where to Buy Handmade Soap in the UK

When purchasing artisan soap in the UK, look for makers who prioritise natural ingredients, detailed labelling and traditional methods. Reputable brands will be transparent about their oils, additives and fragrances, and many will share their ethos on sourcing and packaging so you can see how closely they align with your values. Articles on natural soap, like this overview of handmade vs commercial soap benefits, often recommend choosing bars that retain their natural glycerin and avoid harsh detergents, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin.

For a curated selection of British handmade soap, you can browse our own handmade soap collection, where every bar is crafted in small batches using the cold-process method. We focus on gentle formulations that balance cleansing with comfort, so you can pick from unscented bars, essential-oil blends, exfoliating favourites and ultra-mild options for delicate skin. If you’d like to be first to know when new scents and limited editions launch, you can also join our Shop Now waitlist.

Conclusion: Experience the Difference of Handmade Soap

Whether you’re drawn to the soothing simplicity of oatmeal soap or the invigorating scrub of a coffee bar, handmade soap in the UK offers a thoughtful alternative to commercial options. With naturally retained glycerin, nourishing plant oils and carefully selected botanicals, these bars support the skin barrier instead of stripping it, which is especially important if you live with dryness, sensitivity or conditions like eczema. Clinical work on humectants and emollients backs up what many users notice in daily life – that formulas rich in ingredients such as glycerin, shea butter and colloidal oatmeal can meaningfully improve skin comfort when used consistently.

If you’re not sure which bar is right for your skin type, feel free to reach out with your questions, or start by exploring our handmade soap collection and shortlisting a few to try. You can also dive deeper into specific topics – from dry-skin care to fragrance choices – in our soap and skincare blog, and in articles such as our piece on essential oil soap and natural fragrance. With a little experimentation, you’ll quickly discover which British handmade soaps feel best on your skin and fit seamlessly into your everyday rituals.