How to get the most out of your handmade soap

Nobody wants to purchase an artisan soap with quality ingredients just to see it used up in a week or less.  Unlike commercially-produced soap bars that are filled with detergents and surfectants (and can leave an icky sticky layer on your skin with every use, not to mention the chemical load), handmade soaps are not made to sit in any amount of water between uses or they will get prematurely soft, sticky, and may get used up VERY quickly.  The best way to preserve the integrity (and long life) of your soap is to ensure full drainage of the soap between uses.  

We recommend use of a soap deck, "soap saver" style dish or another dish with good drainage capacity that allows your handcrafted gem to fully air out between uses.  A 2-piece dish (soap saver set inside a closed dish that can catch moisture) can be useful if you tend to buy very colorful soaps and don't want any colored water to dribble on your kitchen or bath fixtures.

Here's a strategy that's good for large families or families that tend to wash their hands very often, and results in the longest life for every bar of soap purchased.  In each area of your house where you wash hands (or bodies), keep one "in-use" soap in a good draining dish, and one "backup" handy.  Once every few days, switch them out.  Allowing a real FULL dry-out between uses will let the surface of the bar harden again and you will notice the difference in your pocketbook over time.  It helps to let the dishes dry out too, particularly if you use real wood soap dishes.  Thank you for reading and for continuing to support the artists!