Journal

Why We Keep Our Ingredient Lists Short
In Short A longer ingredient list doesn't automatically make a better bar of soap. We've found that the best formulas often come from knowing what to leave out just as much as knowing what to include. When people first discover handmade skincare, there's a tendency to turn the ingredient list into a scorecard. The longer it is, the more impressive it seems. If a label is filled with exotic oils, botanical extracts, flowers gathered from somewhere you've never heard of, and ingredients that sound rare or expensive, it can feel... Read more...
Does More Lather Mean Better Soap?
In Short Big bubbles can be satisfying, but they don't automatically mean a soap is better. After making hundreds of bars, we've learned that the best soap isn't the one with the most lather—it's the one that leaves your skin feeling clean and comfortable. When Janae first began making soap, one of the easiest things to judge was the lather. We'd pick up a freshly cured bar, work it between our hands, and immediately notice the bubbles. Some bars produced large, fluffy lather almost instantly. Others felt creamier and more... Read more...
How Long Does a Bar of Handmade Soap Last?
  A well-made bar of handmade soap can last surprisingly long, but how you care for it matters just as much as how it was made. A few simple habits can help every bar stay firm, last longer, and become part of your everyday routine. One of the questions we hear fairly often is, "How long should a bar of handmade soap last?" It's a practical question, and we understand why people ask it. Handmade soap feels different from many of the products lining grocery store shelves, so it's natural... Read more...
Why Does Handmade Soap Feel Different?
In Short One of the first things people notice about handmade soap is that it feels different. The lather is different. The way it rinses is different. Even the way your skin feels afterward can be different. That isn't an accident—it's the result of countless small decisions made long before the bar reaches your home. There are moments at markets when someone picks up one of our bars, turns it over in their hands, and says something we've heard many times before: "Handmade soap just feels different." Sometimes it's said... Read more...
Does Handmade Soap Kill Germs?
Soap isn't valuable because it "kills everything." It's valuable because it helps lift away dirt, oils, and many of the germs on our skin so they can be rinsed away with water. That's one of the reasons proper handwashing has remained such an important habit for generation Read more...
Why Doesn't Handmade Soap Look Exactly the Same Every Time?
In Short One of the beautiful things about handmade soap is that no two bars are perfectly identical. Small variations in color, texture, and appearance are a natural part of the craft and a reminder that every batch is made by hand. If you've ever purchased handmade soap before, you may have noticed something that doesn't happen very often with mass-produced products. One bar might have a slightly different swirl. Another may be a touch lighter in color. The edges may not be perfectly identical, and one bar might even... Read more...
How Many Bars of Soap Should I Buy?
In Short There isn't a perfect number of bars every home should keep on hand. For us, it has always been less about building a collection and more about having a few dependable bars ready when you need them. One question we don't hear as often—but probably should—is, "How many bars of soap should I actually buy?" Most people are used to grabbing a single bottle of body wash when they're running low, so buying handmade soap can feel a little different. Some people order one bar because they want... Read more...
Handmade Soap vs. Commercial Soap: Does It Really Matter?
Handmade soap isn't automatically better than commercial soap. The real difference is often found in the decisions behind the product—how it's formulated, why certain ingredients were chosen, and the care taken during the process. Learning to make soap changed the way we looked at those decisions. Read more...
A Family Bar Soap: Why We Believe One Good Bar Is Often Enough
Not every family needs a different soap for every person. While everyone's skin is unique, we've found that many homes benefit from one dependable bar that quietly serves the people who reach for it every day. That's the idea that eventually became Kin. Read more...
Why We Chose Babassu Oil Instead of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has been used in handmade soap for generations, and for good reason. We simply chose a different path. After months of testing recipes, babassu oil became the ingredient that consistently helped us create the kind of soap we wanted our own family using every day. Read more...
10 Ingredients We Chose Not to Use in Our Soap—and Why
In Short Every soapmaker has a different philosophy, and that's one of the things we love about handmade products. These aren't ingredients we're telling everyone to avoid. They're simply ingredients we've chosen not to use because they don't fit the kind of soap we want to make for our own family. Walk through any skincare aisle and you'll quickly notice that ingredient lists can feel overwhelming. Some names are familiar. Others sound like they belong in a chemistry classroom. It's easy to understand why so many people start searching online,... Read more...
Why Is Handmade Soap More Expensive?
In Short Handmade soap often costs more than the bars you'll find in a grocery store, but the price isn't simply about ingredients. It's about the time, care, and countless small decisions that shape the finished bar long before it reaches your home. One of the questions we're asked from time to time is why handmade soap costs more than the bars sitting on a supermarket shelf. We understand the question because, at first glance, they seem to serve the same purpose. They both clean your skin. They both sit... Read more...
Is Handmade Soap Worth It?
In Short Whether handmade soap is worth it depends less on the soap itself and more on what you value. For some people, a bar of soap is simply another household item. For others, it's one of the small things they use every single day, and that changes the way they think about it. If someone asked us whether handmade soap is worth the extra cost, we wouldn't answer with an automatic yes. That might sound like a strange thing for a soap company to say, but we've never believed... Read more...
Which Curtis & Kin Soap Should I Start With?
In Short If you're choosing your first Curtis & Kin bar, don't worry about finding the "perfect" one. We'd rather help you find the one that feels like the right place to begin. Soap should simplify your routine, not make the decision more complicated. One of the questions we receive most often is, "Which soap should I start with?" We understand why people ask it. Looking at several bars with different ingredients, scents, and descriptions can make it feel like there's a wrong choice hiding somewhere among them. It's easy... Read more...
The Everyday Luxury of a Better Bar of Soap
Soap as More Than Utility For most of us, soap is an afterthought. A functional purchase. Something you toss into your cart without much consideration. But here’s the truth: soap is one of the most intimate products you’ll ever use. It touches your skin daily, from head to toe, morning and night. Shouldn’t it be more than an afterthought? A better bar of soap turns an ordinary routine into an everyday luxury. Why the Right Soap Feels Different A better soap isn’t just about being clean. It’s about how you... Read more...
Minimalist Skincare: Why Fewer Ingredients Are Better for Every Skin Type
The Problem With “More” Walk down any skincare aisle and you’ll notice something: products keep getting more complicated. Serums packed with 20+ “active” ingredients. Soaps that read like chemistry textbooks. Moisturizers that promise to solve every skin concern in one jar. But here’s the truth: more isn’t always better. In fact, for most skin types—including perfectly normal, healthy skin—less is often the smarter choice. Minimalist skincare isn’t just a trend; it’s a movement toward balance, clarity, and healthier skin for all. The Case for Simplicity in Skincare The skin is... Read more...
Essential Oils vs Fragrance: Which Irritate Skin More?
Essential oils vs fragrance oils—neither is perfect. Discover which scents trigger irritation and how to choose safer soap. Read more...
Why Coconut Is in So Many Skincare Products | Curtis & Kin
Coconut oil appears in countless soaps and skincare products. Here's why it's so common, why some people choose to avoid it, and why we decided to formulate differently. Read more...
How to Choose a Bar Soap for Sensitive Skin
Learn which ingredients to avoid, what to choose instead, and how minimalist soap keeps sensitive skin balanced and comfortable. Read more...
Best Daily Soap for Eczema
Gentle, fragrance-light soaps calm eczema flare-ups. See which ingredients help, what to avoid, and how to create a daily skin routine. Read more...
You need to know this about face masks..
Face masks are a wonderful thing. To be honest, I don’t face mask enough. When I do face mask, however, I use clay face masks which is essentially a face mask made from clays. They are huge in the skincare world and have been for decades, and for a reason. They work. Clay face masks are amazing for drawing out impurities from the skin, cleansing your skin, shrinking pores, helping get rid of acne. The list can go on and on. However, many people are not getting the full benefit... Read more...
Why We Chose Babassu Oil Instead of Coconut Oil
Why We Chose Babassu Oil Instead of Coconut Oil
People often ask why our soaps are made with babassu oil instead of coconut oil. The answer isn't because we believe one ingredient is universally better than another. It's because,... Read more...
The Beauty of Coconut-Free Handmade Soap: Discover Curtis & Kin Skincare
Coconut oil can be comedogenic, meaning it can clog pores and potentially lead to breakouts. Read more...
The Organic Myth Bebunked - Why our products aren't all 'organic'
Here’s the reason why all of our ingredients aren’t certified organic.. Read more...