In pursuit of the perfect bar (of soap)...

A study in bar formulation...

One of my favorite breweries on California's gorgeous Central Coast has a simple philosophy: achieving the perfect beer is impossible, hence the quest for such will be unending (to paraphrase a bit). I love it. They take their craft seriously and their loyal fans are to benefit from this commitment, getting to sample beer after awesome beer in the quest for unattainable perfection. Mmmm...delish.


At the risk of sounding way too serious about a silly little bar of soap, the truth is the real joy in this business is hearing customer feedback and using that to create an even better batch of soap on the next go-'round. Like our brewery friends, I know there's no such thing as the perfect soap. But seriously...who doesn't love a challenge?

So what's in Horsethief Canyon soaps?

The Oils

Almost every HTC soap starts with a simple base of olive and coconut oils. Occasionally I add in something a little different, but I subscribe to the wisdom that good doesn't have to mean complicated.


Like we discussed in the prior post, olive oil lends itself to gentle, moisturizing cleansing. Coconut oil, on the other hand, adds a big, luxurious lather and enough bar hardness to keep it in the shower longer than a minute and a half.


The combination: awesome.

The "Other Stuff"

Remember our soap formula from the last post? oil+lye (water)=soap. So, why would I add anything else? Simple. Because that's what makes you excited about the mundane task of getting clean. Well, that and the fact that no one wants to be smelly (at least I don't think anyone wants to be smelly).

You put BEER in your soap?

Short answer: You bet your sweet bippy! (Don't ask. It's something my mom has always said. I'm kinda embarrassed having just typed that.)




Long answer:
So, I attended many, many craft fairs last year. It was fun. And exhausting. And kinda funny. You see, I learned a lot about soap lovers. To start with, they belong to two groups: the Purists and the Adventurers.


The Purists are soap lovers from way-back. Very little compares to a classic bar of lavender or patchouli soap for these soap gladiators. They will NEVER pass-up a handmade soap booth and their faces light up as they begin to smell each bar. They are giddy when they start stacking-up the bars they want to take home with them. But, then they come across the BEER SOAPS. And they almost walk right by them with a bit of a wrinkled nose. You see, the Purists cannot image the appeal of a bar of soap containing beer. It seems a bit cavemanish (yes, I know that's not a real word) and worse...what if it actually smells like beer? I guess I can't blame them. When you think of the smell of beer it's hard not to go straight to beer-breath. And no one, I repeat NO ONE wants soap smelling like beer breath. Yet, with a little encouragement, they stop, hesitantly pick up a bar and gingerly take a sniff...then smile (at least most of them do).

Craft fair booth sign.

On the other hand, we have the Adventurers. They need no convincing to smell the beer soap...but sometimes they almost walk right by the booth. They aren't necessarily soap-lovers (yet). But, they see the sign: "Honey, there's BEER in my soap!" and they're hooked. They come to a screeching halt, shift into reverse and greedily smell every single beer bar. They are either beer lovers themselves or know someone who is and the idea of using a bar of soap that actually has beer in it is mind-blowing.

So why the beer? And more importantly, what kind of beer?

The why is easy: Because it's awesome. I know. Seems a bit oversimplified, but the truth is it's fun to find something as utilitarian as bar soap dressed-up with something so different! From a soap formulation standpoint, it also brings a whole new level of bubbliness to the lather. You see, the sugars in the beer lend themselves to increased lather. And since our bars already lather like a dream, the beer soaps produce an uber-rich, luxurious lather.


As for the kinds of beer I use, it has to meet one basic criteria: it must be something I would enjoy drinking (or at least trying) myself. I'm not knocking Miller Lite, but you won't find it in our soaps. Adding beer for the sake of adding beer isn't what it's all about. It's about incorporating a carefully-crafted local beer that is full of interest and amazing flavor.


So, to answer the question, "You put BEER in your soap?", Yes. Yes I do. Because it's awesome. Because it's totally fun. And because I really can't think of a good reason why not.

Clays, Herbs & Goodies...Oh My!

Beyond adding beer to the soaps, I get a real kick out of some of our other ingredients as well.


Let's start with clays. I love clays. They all do something a little-bit different, but what they all have in common is how silky they leave your skin feeling. They are said to be drawing of toxins and also lend themselves to a harder, longer-lasting bar of soap. They also add some fun and natural colors to the soap. So far, I've used bentonite, rhassoul, French green (aka sea clay), Brazilian purple, rose clay and yellow clay...and I love them all!


As for herbs, the list is long and varied. Elderflower for hair and skin health, calendula and chamomile for soothing and hops to go with the beer soaps of course. Technically, I'm not allowed to make health claims about any of these things, but I love them anyways for the visual interest they add to each bar (you can make your own assessments about the rest).

Elderflower-infused beer soap.

Last comes the other "goodies". Oh yes. This is the "anything goes" category. You want honey in your soap? You got it. Molasses? Yep there's one of those. Goat milk, buttermilk, condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream? Uh huh. Caramel and vanilla bean? Yessirree Barberino. How about some activated charcoal, blue-green algae (aka spirulina), Japanese indigo or even some Himalayan pink salt? Yeah. Been there, done that. Add some micas, oxides and glitter for bold color and sparkle and you've got yourself some pretty darn fun bars of soap.

Last but not least...the smelly stuff.

A hard (but early) lesson learned was people don't like soap that doesn't smell! Purist, Adventurer or somewhere in between, the consensus seems to be nothing is more important than the scent! Don't worry. I heard ya'll loud and clear. I offer only a select few unscented/lightly scented bars (for those with sensitive skin & noses). Everything else is full of exciting and different scents! If you're looking for a basic bar of lavender soap, you're not going to find it here. But you will find blends of lavender with other classics like citrus, palmarosa, and peppermint. If you prefer more manly soaps...don't worry. I'd consider that the bread-and-butter of this funky little soap company. Whether it's clean & fresh man, woodsy man or sexy man, the choices are varied and abundant!

So what's with the soapbox? (you see what I did there?)

In case you haven't seen the soap labeling, I'm a big fan of storytelling. In this beautiful new world where "Makers" are leading innovation and authenticity matters, it's become essential to be able to relay the story behind what you do. This is a little sliver of the Horsethief Canyon story. I'm not sure I'll ever tire of the effort to find "the perfect bar" but I hope you'll join me on this silly, soapy ride.




Now it's your turn...what would you LOVE to see in our soaps soon? Leave a comment below!




Peace, Love & Soap,


Nat