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Why don't we make liquid soap?  Many customers have asked and there are several reasons which fall under two overlapping headings: technical issues and product quality.

The main technical reason that we don't make liquid soap is that we can't use raw goat milk to make it.  Liquid soap is made by "cooking" the batter, and the goat milk would burn and be nasty.  Most companies get around this issue by sprinkling in some powdered goat milk at the end of the process.  From a product quality perspective, this method is just "label appeal," and all the skin enhancing benefits of goat milk are lost.

Because of the cooking process, handmade liquid soap is very labor intensive, with a lot of potential for error.  Packaging becomes more expensive as well, so the non-goat milk liquid soap we would make would have to be considerably pricier to justify the time to make it and the cost to package it.

Here is where technical considerations and product quality really overlap.  Liquid soap, by its very nature,  is diluted soap.  Yes, it is very convenient and comes in attractive bottles, but the the product itself contains a significant amount of water compared to the actual soap portion.  I would be more correct to say water to "cleanser."  There will be very little, if any, moisturizing oils contained in a typical, commercial liquid "wash." 

Skip this paragraph if you don't want to "get into the weeds" of soap making.  Liquid soap requires a different kind of lye from bar soap (there is no lye remaining in well made soap of any kind), called Potassium Hydroxide.  Potassium hydroxide is essentially the same as "potash."  The finished product of potash and oils is a thick paste.  That paste is then diluted with enough water to make it "liquid."  By definition, then, liquid soap is diluted soap.  To contrast, the goal with bar soap (made with sodium hydroxide) is for the liquid to evaporate out as much as possible: what we call "curing."  The end result is a super concentration of the moisturizing oils and skin enriching proteins from goat milk--QP Goat Soap.

So here is our challenge to you liquid soap fans: compare our bars to your favorite liquid cleanser.  Wash your hands with our soap, then wash your hands with your liquid product.  Then tell us if you think your liquid cleanser leaves your hands feeling as clean AND moisturized as a bar of QP Goat Soap.  You may still prefer the aesthetic of liquid soap, but you will also admit that a bar of QP Goat Soap benefits your skin much more.

Take the Bar Soap Challenge! If you read this blog use the code CHALLENGE for 15% off your purchase of any QP Goat Soap.  We believe you will throw away those bottles of liquid cleanser forever! 

Why Do We Use Palm Oil?

Soap is just a combination of liquefied salts (goat milk and sodium hydroxide aka lye) and fats (oils in our case). Why don’t we use just one oil and cut costs? Well, all the oils we use have qualities that make a special, luxurious, stand out product that can “suds up” against anything.

We talked about coconut oil in a previous blog, and now we’ll talk about palm oil. Most of our goat milk soap contains palm oil. Here in the states, we are not as familiar with palm oil, but in Europe, it is a common cooking oil. Now, to me, it seems like palm oil is God’s gift to soap making! It is a creamy, rich oil that is solid at room temperature. It contributes to the hardness of the soap bar, and is full of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, and adds to a creamy, stable lather. Vitamins E and A are fat soluble nutrients that are easily absorbed through the skin. Since palm oil adds to the hardness of the bar, it also makes it more stable and longer lasting. Even better, it is abundant and relatively inexpensive. Win-win!

Why doesn’t everyone use palm oil in soap making? Well, believe it or not, politics. Yes, there is even politics in soap making. Palm oil is a significant industry in Indonesia, Malaysia and various African countries. My view is that the citizens of these countries are well aware of the need to replant trees to have long term viability. In fact, they have been doing so for years. For those who are worried about environmental impact, the only palm oil that can be purchased must be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.

There are substitutes for palm oil like lard, tallow or shea butter, but for our money, palm oil can’t be beat! Along with our goats’ raw milk, we think you won’t find a better bar anywhere else!