Ingredient Deep Dive, Part 1: Why We Use Olive Oil

TL;DR: Olive oil is the gentle workhorse in our bars. It nurtures the skin, makes a creamy low-bubble lather, and helps your soap stay kind to your moisture barrier. In our standard base it sits at about half of the recipe so every wash feels clean, not tight.

What olive oil brings to your skin

• Gentle cleanse: Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, which translates into a soap that cleans without stripping. Your skin’s natural lipids stay happier, which means less “squeaky” dryness after the shower.

• Comfort for sensitive types: Many people who react to harsh cleansers do well with an olive-forward bar. It is a great everyday choice for dry, mature, or easily irritated skin.

• Creamy lather: You will not get giant clouds of bubbles from olive oil alone. You will get a silky, lotion-like lather that feels cushy on the skin.

• Post-wash feel: Balanced olive oil soaps leave skin soft and flexible. That comfortable feel is what most of our testers comment on first.

What olive oil does inside the recipe

• Mildness builder: Olive oil is the base note in our formula. It tempers the “cleaning punch” of other oils and keeps the bar gentle enough for daily use.

• Bar longevity and cure: Olive oil hardens slowly and keeps improving as the bar cures. This is one reason our soaps age before they ship.

• Label-speak: You might see Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil on our ingredient list. After saponification the proper INCI name becomes Sodium Olivate.

Why not 100% olive oil

Pure Castile (all olive) can feel a bit slimy when new and takes a long time to cure. We blend olive oil with coconut oil, shea butter, and castor oil to balance mildness, lather, and bar hardness. In my house base, olive oil makes up roughly half of the oils, which hits the sweet spot between gentle cleanse and satisfying bubbles.

Where olive oil fits in a daily routine

• Body: Use the bar with lukewarm water. Massage the creamy lather, rinse, then pat dry.

• Follow with moisture: Seal in hydration with your favorite lotion or oil.

• For very dry days: Lather, let it sit for 10 to 20 seconds like a quick “cream wash,” then rinse.

Skin is personal. If you have known sensitivities, patch test first.

Quick facts

• Skin feel: soft, conditioned, not squeaky

• Lather style: creamy, small bubbles

• Best for: normal to dry, mature, sensitive

• Plays well with: shea butter for cushion, castor oil for lather support

FAQs

Will olive oil clog pores?

In rinse-off soap, the oil is transformed into soap molecules and rinses away. Most people do not experience pore issues from an olive-heavy bar.

Why does my olive oil soap feel even better after a few weeks?

Olive-forward soaps keep curing, which improves hardness and lather. A little patience rewards you with a longer-lasting bar.