Soap Ingredients 101: What's in Your Bar

The Basics of Cold Process Soap

Let's get into the science of soap for a second.

At it's core, soap is the result of a chemical reaction between oils and lye (sodium hydroxide). That's it. Pretty simple, right?

During the soap making process, the lye fully reacts with the oils through a process called saponification. This reaction creates both soap and glycerin, a natural humectant that helps your skin retain moisture.

That's the foundation. But the real magic? It's in the oils, butters, scents, and additives we choose to add from there.

Ingredients We Love

Ingredients You Won't Find in Our Bars

We handpick every ingredients in our bars for a reason. Each one brings its own unique benefits to your skin and the overall feel of the soap.

Animal Fats
Our bars are always cruelty-free and 100% plant-based, made without animal fats or byproducts. It's a cleaner choice for your skin and a more sustainable one for the earth, because great soap shouldn't come at a cost to animals or the environment.

Palm Oil
Palm oil is widely used in soap making, but it's often tied to deforestation and unsustainable farming practices. We choose to leave it out entirely because protecting forests and supporting ethical sourcing matters to us.

Parabens
Parabens are synthetic preservatives that raise concerns for both your health and the environment. We leave them out completely because safety shouldn't be a question mark.

Sulfates (like SLS/SLES)
These harsh foaming agents are tough on skin and the planet. They can cause irritation, strip your skin's natural barrier, and are often contaminated with questionable byproducts. We leave them out, no question.

Synthetic Dyes with Heavy Metals
We use natural clays, botanicals, and ethically sourced micas for color. Never FD&C dyes or artificial pigments that can contain harsh additives or contaminants.

Hidden Ingredients
Some brands rely on catch-all terms or confusing ingredient lists to keep you in the dark. We don't do that. Every ingredient we use is easy to find, easy to understand, and there for a reason. Your health and safety should never come with surprises.

Avocado Oil
Packed with skin-nourishing fats and vitamins A, D, and E. Avocado oil adds richness and a conditioning feel that leaves the skin soft and nourished.

Castor Oil
A little goes a long way. Castor oil amps up the bubbles and gives the soap a smooth, cushiony texture that glides over skin.

Coconut Oil
Naturally cleansing and full of lather, we use it in small amounts to avoid drying the skin. In balance with our other oils, it adds bubble lather and effective cleansing power.

Olive Oil
A classic soap making ingredient that creates a mild, moisturizing bar that is great for dry or sensitive skin.

Shea Butter
Deeply moisturizing and luxurious, shea butter adds body to the bar and helps protect skin from dryness.

Sweet Almond Oil
Lightweight, gentle, and rich in vitamin E, sweet almond oil helps soothe irritation and supports soft, hydrated skin without heaviness.

Clays (Kaolin, Sea Clay, French Green, Moroccan Red, Rose)
We use natural clays for their gentle exfoliating properties, silky texture, and ability to draw out impurities. They also give the bars subtle, earthy colors and a spa-like feel.

Essential Oils & Skin-Safe Fragrance Oils:
Our bars smell amazing thanks to the high-quality essential oils and fragrance oils that are always phthalate- and paraben-free scents you'll actually want to use and smell every day.

Many commercial soaps aren't actually soap at all. They're detergent-based bars packed with synthetics that can be harsh on your skin and the planet. Here's what we leave out:

Why Ingredient Transparency Matters

Your skin is your largest organ and it's one of your body's first line of defense. At Real Soap, we believe in keeping things simple, honest, and intentional. That means using ingredients:

• you can recognize;

• chosen for how they feel, how they work, and how they support your skin;

• always listed on every product page.

You should always know what's in your bar and what's not.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to soap, the ingredients matter. Whether you're trying to avoid irritants, shop more sustainably, or simply want to understand what you're using daily, looking at what's in your soap is a great place to start.

We're proud to make soap that's simple, clean, and real. From the nourishing oils we use to the (minimal) packaging it comes in, every choice is made with care—for your skin, your health, and the planet.

Want to Learn More?

Check out our

What Is Cold Process Soap? A Beginner's Guide

blog post to learn what makes

cold process soap so special, or follow us on Instagram for ingredient highlights, soap cutting videos, and behind-the-scenes peeks at our process.