Soap: The Real Deal

Did you know that “soap” is a regulated word by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)?

Who knew!

Not everything that looks like soap is actually soap—and in fact, many of the bars lining store shelves can’t legally call themselves that.

Real soap is made through a process called saponification, where natural fats or oils are combined with an alkali (like lye) to create a gentle, effective cleanser. The FDA has strict rules about what can and can’t be labeled as soap, and to qualify, a product must:

1. Be made primarily of alkali salts of fatty acids—which is just a fancy way of saying oils or fats mixed with lye.

2. Get all of its cleansing power from these alkali salts—meaning no synthetic detergents.

3. Be marketed strictly as soap—if it claims to moisturize, deodorize, or kill germs, it’s considered a cosmetic or even a drug.

In short, true soap is simple, straightforward, and made the way it has been for centuries. But if your “soap” contains synthetic detergents, it’s something else entirely.

A Simple, Time-Tested Formula

Soap-making goes back thousands of years, from early civilizations mixing animal fats with wood ash to today’s handcrafted bars made with plant-based oils. While modern methods refine the process, the core recipe remains the same: fats, lye, and water come together to create a mild, skin-friendly cleanser.

Not to Be Confused with Beauty Bars

If you’ve ever picked up a bar labeled “beauty bar,” “moisturizing bar,” or “cleansing bar,” you might assume it’s just another name for soap—but it’s not. Many big-name brands use synthetic detergents instead of real soap ingredients, which is why they can’t legally call their products “soap.” (Want to know the full story? Check out our guide on What is a Beauty Bar?)

Why Real Soap Matters

Unlike mass-produced beauty bars that can strip your skin of its natural moisture, real soap works with your skin, not against it. It’s made from high-quality ingredients that cleanse gently while keeping your skin balanced.

At Friendly Goods Company, our handcrafted goat milk soaps are made using time-honored soap-making techniques. Each bar is made on a family farm just 20 minutes from us here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, using skin-loving oils and real soap ingredients—no synthetic detergents, no gimmicks.

Want to experience the difference? Shop our handcrafted goat milk soap today.