More Than Just Soap

What You’re Really Paying For When You Buy Handmade Soap

When you pick up a bar of handmade soap at a market or order one online, it might look like “just soap.” But the price tag isn’t only about oils and lye. What you’re really paying for is a whole process — one that takes time, care, creativity, and a lot of behind-the-scenes work to bring that bar into your hands.

The Finished Product

The Cost of Ingredients

Let’s start with the obvious: soapmaking supplies aren’t cheap. Quality oils, butters, fragrances, colorants, and lye all add up — and prices continue to climb. I choose ingredients I feel good about because I want my soaps to be something I’d proudly use and share. That means selecting better oils & butters, essential oils or high-quality fragrance oils, and skin-safe natural colorants.

My Misc. shelf of Essential Oils. I have another shelf of common essentials oils in bigger bottles.

Research & Development (R&D)

Before a soap ever makes it to my table or shop, there’s a lot of trial and error. Testing recipes, experimenting with scents, tweaking oil blends for the right balance of lather and conditioning — that takes time, energy, and yes, more ingredients. Some batches never see the light of day, but each “failure” teaches me something new and brings me closer to the recipe I want to share.

I keep my favorite clays and additives on rolling carts for easy access.

The Human Side

Every bar carries a little piece of me in it. There’s the thrill of seeing a swirl come out beautifully, the satisfaction of cutting into a perfect loaf, and even the frustration of a batch that doesn’t work out. Handmade soap isn’t just a product — it’s a craft, an art, and a passion that I pour into every batch.

Time Spent Making Each Batch

Handmade soap isn’t instant. Each batch takes time to measure, mix, pour, design, and clean up after. And there is always a ton of oily dishes to wash. Then it has to cure for weeks before it’s ready. While those bars sit on the curing rack, I’m planning the next batches, ordering supplies, or working on packaging. It’s a cycle of patience and persistence.

I love to make simple labels

Designing & Wrapping

That pretty bar wrapped in a neat label or tucked in kraft paper didn’t just happen. I design packaging to reflect the feel of Rustic Roots & Simple Living, create, print and cut my labels, and wrap every bar by hand. It’s a time-consuming step, but it makes each bar gift-ready and special — because I want the outside to match the care I put into the inside.

The Experience of Handmade Soap

A handmade bar isn’t the same as something off the shelf at a big-box store. It’s often longer-lasting when cared for properly, and the lather, scent, and feel on your skin are completely different. Using handmade soap is a small, everyday luxury — a simple ritual that makes a routine feel special. There are so many options for that experience due to the number of different oils, milks, fruit purees and clays. Handmade soap is a completely different experience than a bar off the shelf.

Marketing & Sharing

There’s also the work of getting that bar in front of you: photographing soaps, writing descriptions, creating social media posts, setting up online listings, and spending weekends at markets. Every step of that process is done with the hope that someone will discover and enjoy something I’ve created.

Last Market of the Summer!

Supporting Small Business & Community

When you buy handmade soap, you’re not just buying soap. You’re supporting a small business, a craft, and a family. Your purchase helps keep traditional skills alive, supports creativity, and contributes to the community in a way that buying from a corporation never will. Thank you for supporting my in my journey!

Why Handmade Soap Costs More (and Why It’s Worth It)

So yes, a handmade bar of soap costs more than the one you can grab at the store. But what you’re really paying for is quality, artistry, time, and care. You’re paying for something made by real hands, in small batches, with intention.

And honestly? That’s worth so much more than a bar off the shelf.

Thank you for choosing to support handmade, for supporting Rustic Roots & Simple Living, and for valuing the work that goes into each bar. I thought you might enjoy learning a little more about what I do — and I’m so grateful you’re here on this journey with me. You can visit my Etsy shop for a limited supply of my products, visit Wildcat Creek Emporium or the Park Street Curiosity shop in Stanberry, MO for a wider selection.

Summer Market

Stay rooted,

Roxanne