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August 23, 2018

What's In This Stuff? A Closer Look Into Our Bar Soap.

Image of two Fulton & Roark Bar Soaps stacked

There’s archeological evidence that humans have been making and using soap for more than 4,000 years. After that long, you’d think everyone making bar soap would have perfected their formula by now. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Have you ever used a soap that left your skin feeling so waxy you wanted to take a second shower to wash that feeling away or left your skin so dry you thought it might crack?

Not surprisingly, it all comes down to the ingredients of the soap.

When we set out to create the ideal bar soap for a man, we had several big goals in mind. First, we wanted a soap that left your skin feeling healthy and clean. Second, we wanted a bar that was a pleasure to use. That meant, it needed to smell great, it needed to create a great lather (whether you were using a washcloth or not,) and it needed to last a long time. We’re not into the kind of soaps that get goopy in the shower or seem to disappear within a week or two. So, we made a massive triple-milled bar of soap that is designed to last well over a month for any guy.

Finally, we wanted to make a soap made of ingredients that we felt good about. They had to be safe, good for your skin, and responsibly produced. Below is a list of the ingredients and an explanation of what function they provide. We think you’ll like what you see.

  • Sodium Palmate: A fatty acid created in a process called saponification, where palm oil is reacted by sodium hydroxide. Found in many soap and makeup formulas, sodium palmate acts as a surfactant that gently cleanses the skin.
  • Sodium Cocoate: A combination of fatty acids retrieved from coconut oil and a sodium hydroxide base. The fatty acids promote cell membrane function and healthy skin while coconut oil is used as a skin moisturizer and softener. It helps to get rid of dirt, oil, and other pollutants.
  • Water: Plain and simple, H2O.
  • Glycerin: A humectant compound found in vegetable and animal fats. It works as a protective layer to moisturize the skin by attracting water from the air to the skin.
  • Shea Butter: A fatty substance obtained from the nuts of shea trees. Its properties reduce inflammation, moisturize and soothe skin.
  • Cocoa Butter: An oil extracted from cocoa beans used as an emollient. It reduces signs of aging, aids in reducing hair loss, and skin inflammation. It can also help reduce the appearance of scars on the skin.
  • Olive Oil: An oil pressed from ripe olives. Rich in vitamin E, vitamin A, and antioxidants that help reduce wrinkles and other sun damage. Its hydrating agents soothe damaged skin.
  • Grapeseed Oil: An oil retracted from the residue of juiced grapes. It is used to moisturize skin, heal acne, tighten pores, remove makeup, and reduce the appearance of scars.
  • Rhassoul Clay: A mineral-rich clay high in magnesium, silica, calcium, and potassium. It exfoliates dead skin cells, reduces oily skin, deeply cleanses pores, softens skin, and soothes irritated skin. In our particular formula, the combination of Rhassoul and Oat Flour is also what makes the soap glide over even the hairiest of chests without tugging or pulling.
  • Oat Flour: A flour made from finely ground oats. It acts as an anti-inflammatory to prevent itching when applied to the skin. Oat flour also moisturizes skin, and helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles., and minimizes scarring.
  • Eucalyptus Oil: Made from the oil of eucalyptus leaves, this oils aids in the treatment of acne, eczema, sun spots, blemishes, and aging. And of course, it smells great.
  • White Spruce Oil: Steam distilled from the needles of the white spruce tree. Its anti-inflammatory properties help to soothe skin. Often added in soap because of its fresh scent and antibacterial properties.
  • Sage Oil: Extracted from sage leaves via the process of steam distillation. It helps to eliminate the appearance of scars, reduce inflammation, and it also possesses antimicrobial properties.
  • White Grapefruit Oil: A sweet and citrusy essential oil that helps reduce the presence of unwanted microbial activity. It is also responsible for the clean top note that makes the bar soap fragrance so invigorating.
  • Fragrance: We wouldn’t have the best-smelling grooming products around without it! A mix of naturally sourced essential oils and perfumers’ ingredients with the express purpose of enhancing the experiential element of your grooming routine. While we keep a few of our ingredients trade secrets to prevent the imitators from borrowing too heavily from us, each of these ingredients is sustainably-sourced and deemed safe for use in our products by the International Fragrance Association, one of the most demanding organizations in the grooming and cosmetics industry
  • Black Pepper Oil: Rich in antioxidants, black pepper helps fight free radicals that cause fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. Rich in vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, potassium and selenium, black pepper helps to revitalize skin and hair.

And that’s it! Want to try it out? With our 30-Day No-Questions-Asked Guarantee, if you don’t love it, we’ll be happy to exchange it for something you do love or refund your purchase. 


Free US shipping on orders $50+

Roark's Cove is now available!

Free US shipping on orders $50+

Roark's Cove is now available!

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