Should You Make Bar Soap or Liquid Soap?
The truly seasoned soap makers have done it all. They make bar soap, they produce liquid concoctions, body scrubs, masks, mixtures for body wraps, etc.! Basically, if it has anything to do with cleaning the body, moisturizing the body, or taking care of the body they have probably dabbled into it. What is amusing, however, is that despite being so well versed in all these things, most of them still can't decide which product to focus on.
For some the answer is simple: choose the product you have the most fun making. When you're running a business, though, it's never really that simple. You have to focus on keeping things well stocked, making sure you have variety, and come up with new products so that your operation never loses its momentum. Despite this tricky balancing act that all businesspeople know they have to do, the question of whether to make bar soap or liquid always comes up. Even if you're running a business, surely there's one that more customers prefer, right?
Well, let's look at the pros and cons of each product, starting with liquid. Most people tend to feel that liquid body cleansers are more hygienic men's soaps because it is never sitting on a dish being exposed to the elements and/or bacteria. Liquids tend to be more fragrant, as the bottle is great at keeping in the scent, and the texture is also usually smoother and silkier than what you'd feel when using a bar. Drawbacks are that they don't last as long and they are often more expensive.
Bars last longer and are cheaper than liquids. They last longer because people tend to use too much liquid soap, and they are cheaper because the are just cheaper to make! (Usually because a batch of bar soap will make several products, while you can only fill so many bottles with a batch of liquid soap.) However, they are harder to use as they get smaller, and sometimes they turn to mush and look pretty gross on your soap dish.
So do consumers have a preference? Well, yes. We all do. Almost everyone uses both bar and liquid for different areas of the body or for different bathrooms in the home. Women tend to use liquid more than men, but that doesn't mean men use bars alone. That means the answer to the question of whether or not you should make bar soap or liquid soap, is just make both because there are definitely customers for both! As to which one you should focus on, well, look at your sales. Which sells better? Go with that one! You will know what to focus on based on the market you're facing.
Though, here's a hint. It's almost always bars!!
For some the answer is simple: choose the product you have the most fun making. When you're running a business, though, it's never really that simple. You have to focus on keeping things well stocked, making sure you have variety, and come up with new products so that your operation never loses its momentum. Despite this tricky balancing act that all businesspeople know they have to do, the question of whether to make bar soap or liquid always comes up. Even if you're running a business, surely there's one that more customers prefer, right?
Well, let's look at the pros and cons of each product, starting with liquid. Most people tend to feel that liquid body cleansers are more hygienic men's soaps because it is never sitting on a dish being exposed to the elements and/or bacteria. Liquids tend to be more fragrant, as the bottle is great at keeping in the scent, and the texture is also usually smoother and silkier than what you'd feel when using a bar. Drawbacks are that they don't last as long and they are often more expensive.
Bars last longer and are cheaper than liquids. They last longer because people tend to use too much liquid soap, and they are cheaper because the are just cheaper to make! (Usually because a batch of bar soap will make several products, while you can only fill so many bottles with a batch of liquid soap.) However, they are harder to use as they get smaller, and sometimes they turn to mush and look pretty gross on your soap dish.
So do consumers have a preference? Well, yes. We all do. Almost everyone uses both bar and liquid for different areas of the body or for different bathrooms in the home. Women tend to use liquid more than men, but that doesn't mean men use bars alone. That means the answer to the question of whether or not you should make bar soap or liquid soap, is just make both because there are definitely customers for both! As to which one you should focus on, well, look at your sales. Which sells better? Go with that one! You will know what to focus on based on the market you're facing.
Though, here's a hint. It's almost always bars!!
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