Winter Skin Rescue: Handmade Soaps for Cold Weather Comfort

As temperatures drop and winter sets in, many of us experience dry, irritated skin thanks to cold air outside and central heating indoors. Dermatology sources describe this seasonal dryness as “winter xerosis” – a combination of low humidity, wind exposure, and long hot showers that weakens the skin barrier and increases water loss. Choosing a gentle, lipid-rich winter soap is one simple way to support your skin in this season, alongside heavier moisturisers and sensible shower habits, as explained in this overview of why skin becomes drier in winter.

In my years of creating artisan soaps, I’ve seen how the right combination of oils, butters, and soothing botanicals can turn a simple bar into a winter skincare essential. Ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, and oatmeal help to replenish lipids, calm discomfort, and support the barrier – the same principles you’ll see echoed in clinical reviews of moisturisers for dry and eczematous skin, which emphasise richer, lipid-containing products in colder months.  If you’re dealing with persistent dryness or flaking, it may also be worth pairing your soap choices with a richer routine of creams and balms, as we discuss in more detail in our moisturising bar soap guide for dry skin.

Why Winter Soap Matters

During winter, skin tends to lose moisture more quickly due to cold winds, low humidity and drying indoor heat, which can lead to flakiness, tightness and even cracking. Clinical position papers on xerosis cutis highlight that older adults and people with existing skin conditions are especially prone to this barrier disruption in cold weather, and recommend gentle, lipid-replenishing cleansers and regular moisturisers to limit further damage.  A well-formulated cold weather soap helps by cleansing without stripping your natural oils, while adding back nourishing lipids and humectants to keep the skin more comfortable between moisturiser applications.

Unlike some commercial soaps that rely on strong sulphate surfactants and heavy fragrance, handmade bars typically retain their naturally occurring glycerin and use milder plant oils, which fits with dermatology advice to choose gentler cleansers in the colder months.

The Role of Glycerin

Glycerin, a natural by-product of the cold-process soap-making method, is a real workhorse for dry winter skin. As a humectant, it helps draw and hold water in the outer layers of the skin, leaving it feeling softer and more supple. Reviews of moisturisers for inflammatory and dry-skin conditions describe glycerin as one of the key humectants that improves hydration and supports barrier recovery when used regularly.  In mass-produced soaps, glycerin is often removed and sold on for use in separate skincare products, which can explain why some commercial bars leave skin feeling tight and “squeaky” after washing, while a well-made handmade bar feels more comfortable. Consumer-facing explainers, like this guide to glycerin for facial skincare, also highlight its ability to soften rough patches and help the skin hold onto moisture – exactly what we need more of in winter.

Natural Ingredients for Comfort

Handmade soaps often incorporate nourishing oils and butters that provide essential fatty acids and occlusive lipids to support the skin’s barrier. Ingredients such as cocoa butter, shea butter, and olive oil are especially helpful for soothing the roughness and itching that come with cold-weather dryness. Shea butter has attracted particular interest: clinical and consumer-focused reviews describe it as a rich emollient that can improve eczema symptoms and reinforce the barrier in very dry skin, thanks to its fatty acid profile and anti-inflammatory components.

Soothing additions like finely ground oatmeal and a touch of honey can also be helpful. Multiple trials of colloidal oatmeal creams and cleansers have shown meaningful improvements in dryness, itch and atopic dermatitis scores, making it a well-supported emollient ingredient for sensitive, irritated skin.  Honey, meanwhile, appears in wound-healing and skin-care research as a natural humectant with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which helps explain why small amounts are often used in gentle, comfort-focused soaps and masks.

If you enjoy pairing nourishment with beautiful scent, you might also like our piece on the benefits of essential oil soap for natural fragrance and skin-friendly luxury, where we explore how to add aroma without overwhelming sensitive winter skin.

Top Ingredients for Winter Soaps

Creating a truly effective handmade winter soap begins with selecting the right ingredients. Here are some of my favourites, all tried and tested in years of soap-making:

• Shea Butter: Rich in vitamins A and E, shea butter helps deeply moisturise and soothe dry, flaky skin. Its creamy texture also creates a luxurious lather.

• Cocoa Butter: Known for its ability to lock in moisture, cocoa butter is ideal for combating the effects of harsh winter weather.

• Olive Oil: A gentle, conditioning oil that’s perfect for sensitive or irritated skin. Olive oil-based soaps are mild and nourishing.

• Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a brilliant natural exfoliant that gently buffs away dead skin while soothing irritation. It's particularly beneficial for those with sensitive or itchy skin.

• Honey: Historically valued for its humectant properties, honey helps retain moisture and adds a subtle sweetness to your soap.

Essential Oils for Winter

When it comes to scent, essential oils can transform your winter soap into a sensory delight. My favourites for this season include:

• Lavender: Known for its calming aroma, lavender is ideal for evening routines or moments of relaxation.

• Rosemary: Rosemary oil adds an invigorating, herbal note and may help support circulation.

• Cedarwood: With its warm, grounding scent, cedarwood is perfect for a comforting winter soap.

Essential oils must be used carefully, as they are highly concentrated. Always follow recognised IFRA guidelines, and patch-test your soap if you have sensitive skin. Avoid phototoxic oils like bergamot if you’ll be exposed to direct sunlight.

Cold-Process Soap: The Best Choice for Winter

In my experience, cold-process soap is the top choice for winter skincare. This traditional method involves combining oils and lye, which undergo saponification to create soap. The process is slow, requiring a 4-6 week cure time, but the result is a bar that’s mild, long-lasting, and rich in natural glycerin.

Superfatting for Extra Moisture

Superfatting is a technique I always use to ensure my soaps are gentle and nourishing. By leaving a small percentage of oils unsaponified—typically 5-8%—the soap retains extra moisturising properties. This is especially beneficial for dry skin in winter.

Choosing the Right Winter Soap for Your Skin

Not all handmade soaps are the same, and selecting the right one depends on your skin type:

• Dry Skin: Opt for a soap containing shea butter, cocoa butter, or avocado oil for maximum hydration.

• Sensitive Skin: Look for bars with calming ingredients like oatmeal or chamomile essential oil.

• Oily Skin: A soap with clay or activated charcoal can help balance natural oils without over-drying.

For exfoliating soaps, be cautious. While ingredients like coffee grounds and salt are great for elbows and heels, they can be too abrasive for delicate areas. Always listen to your skin and avoid over-exfoliating.

Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Choices

At The Humble Shepherd Co., sustainability sits at the heart of how we design our winter bars. Our handmade soaps are wrapped in plastic-free packaging and made with biodegradable, plant-based ingredients, so you can care for your skin and keep your bathroom shelves aligned with your values. Life-cycle assessments of soaps suggest that bar formats, especially those with minimal packaging, usually carry a lower environmental footprint per wash than heavily packaged liquid cleansers – another quiet advantage of swapping to solid winter bars where you can.

By choosing natural soaps, you’re not only avoiding harsher surfactants and unnecessary additives, you’re also supporting traditional craftsmanship and eco-conscious living. If you’re refreshing your whole bathroom routine for the colder months, you might find it helpful to explore our round-ups of eco-friendly bath products in the UK and chemical-conscious, low-toxin soaps for more ideas on gentle, planet-aware swaps. And when you’re ready to upgrade your own routine, you can browse our full handmade soap collection to pick out winter favourites, or join the Shop Now waitlist if you’d like to be first to hear when new seasonal batches are released.

Ready to Rescue Your Winter Skin?

Whether you’re battling dryness, irritation, or simply craving a more comforting cleanse, our winter-ready soaps are crafted to support your skin through the colder months. From the nourishing richness of shea and cocoa butter to the calming touch of oatmeal and honey, each bar is formulated with dry, weather-beaten skin in mind. For more reading on how our blends bring nourishment and aroma together, you might also enjoy our guide to essential oil soap for skin-friendly luxury.

If you’re unsure which bar is right for you, you’re always welcome to reach out with your skin type and concerns, or simply start by exploring our handmade winter-friendly soap collection and shortlisting a few to try. And if you love the idea of limited seasonal scents and small-batch releases, you can join our Shop Now waitlist so you never miss a drop. Let’s make winter skincare a simple, indulgent ritual built around bars that are kind to both your skin and the environment.