Olive Oil Soap vs. Shea Butter Soap: What's the Difference?
Olive oil soap has been around for hundreds of years, and for good reason. It's gentle and simple. But people often ask me how it compares to the shea butter soaps we make. Here's the honest answer.
What's Good About Olive Oil Soap
- It's gentle. A soap made mostly from olive oil is soft on skin.
- It's simple. Old-fashioned olive oil soap only needs a few ingredients.
- It keeps its glycerin. Like all true soap, it keeps the natural glycerin that forms when it's made. Glycerin helps skin stay soft.
The downside? A soap made with only olive oil has a thin, slippery lather and can get soft and mushy in the shower.
Why We Use Shea Butter
We use a blend instead of just one oil, and the star of every bar is shea butter. Shea butter helps your skin hold on to moisture, and it makes a bar that feels creamy and lasts longer.
Every bar we make also has coconut milk, which makes a rich, creamy lather, and kaolin clay, which gives the bar a silky feel.
Which One Is Right for You?
If you love a very plain, low-lather bar, olive oil soap is a nice choice. If you want a creamy lather, a bar that lasts, and skin that feels soft after your shower, give shea butter soap a try.
Our Tip
No matter which soap you choose, keep it on a soap dish that drains. Any handmade soap will last much longer if it can dry out between uses.
Ready to feel the difference? Try our Champagne Kisses or Sea Salt Agave shea butter bars.
A little about us: I'm Gracie, a third-generation soap maker. My grandmother started our family's soap making, and I'm proud to carry it on. We're a small, faith-centered family business in Waddell, Arizona, and we make everything by hand in small batches.
