Many of our customers ask whether they should purchase our white label bar or liquid soap for their soap business. As a soap seller, you’re sure to have a business plan and a certain set of goals in mind. While there are certainly benefits to both types of soap, there are differences in public perception, sustainability, packaging and shipping that sellers can use to determine the product that best fits their business needs, wants and desires.
Selling White Label Bar Soap
Public Perception
Some customers believe that you get more bang for your buck with bar soap than body wash because it can last longer. With bar soaps, it’s easier to tell when you’ve acquired enough on your washcloth or loofah to get the job done. When you’re using a liquid soap, overuse is more common.
There can also be a perception that bar soaps can be more drying to the skin. A good bar soap balances bar hardness (durability), lather quality (both fluffiness and stability), and moisturizing ability. These different properties come from the different fatty acids that make up molecules of the organic vegetable oils we use as the base of our herbal soap. Unfortunately, the fatty acids that are moisturizing are not those that contribute much to lather quality, and the ones that make great lather are drying to our skin. A perfect bar soap—like ours—is the result of carefully balancing the fatty acids to maximize the bar’s hardness, lather quality, and moisturizing ability.
Current Market
Soap used to only be used for cleaning purposes. However, the recent trend in mindfulness and meditation has made soaps more attractive for other uses, like relaxation and self-care. While there is little evidence soap does anything more than clean the body, the current market is also interested in the other benefits and potential of bar soap. If you’ve ever felt something different when you’ve sniffed roses versus basil or sage versus coffee, you know that scent can uplift and change your mood. Our 15 different scents of bar soaps can elicit different emotions and be popular in different times of year.
Packaging + Shipping
Luckily, bar soap packaging is fairly simple. Most soaps only need a thin wrapping for protection. Boxes provide additional protection and are a better option than envelopes. Envelopes are great for shipping small, durable items, but are not great for shipping products that do not lie flat.
Sustainability
Since bar soaps do not require much packaging, there is not much waste. Some bar soap sellers use a thin layer of recyclable paper or cardboard to package their products. We’ve even seen some responsible sellers use compostable packaging and labels. The bar soap boxes we sell at Botanie for our 4 ounce bars are made of recycled materials. Available in 6 neutral colors that blend perfectly with all our mix-match soap bars or your custom made-to-order soap, these boxes can truly be customized for your brand.
Unlike other products contained in a bottle (especially one that is translucent), bars of soap are used entirely. The consumer sees how much of a product is left and uses the soap until it is completely gone. With other packaging, it becomes hard to use every last bit of a given product if you have to shake, squeeze, or pump out the remaining product.
Selling Liquid Soap
Public Perception
Liquid soap is generally seen as a “cleaner” soap alternative since the product is typically packaged inside of a bottle, leaving it less exposed to bacteria growth and other dirt. Additionally, the consumer does not use the product and put it back for reuse like a bar of soap requires, which makes body wash more attractive to some consumers.
Current Market
Much like bar soap, liquid soap is used for more than just its cleanliness factor. Today, the current market boasts washes that cleanse, moisturize and exfoliate. Additionally, body washes can be a gel or a cream, and different consumers have different preferences. It’s a good idea to test out which formula, whether gel or cream, attracts the majority of your audience.
Packaging + Shipping
When it comes to liquid soap, the packaging process is a bit harder than that of bar soap. Liquid soap bottles can contain a mechanical pump to help administer the soap. Although this may seem like a minor detail, it’s an additional step and cost to your body care business. When you sell your items in bulk, the cost of these mechanical pumps can add up.
Sustainability
Body wash undeniably produces more waste than bar soap. As previously mentioned, bar soap can be packaged in boxes made of recycled material. On the other hand, body wash tends to be packaged in plastic bottles. Since the bottles tend to be translucent, it is rare for a consumer to use up all of the product. It’s almost inevitable that some of the body wash will be thrown away with the bottle it is packaged in.
We Are Here For Your Soap Needs
Whichever type of soap you choose to sell as part of your business, we can help you with your soap needs. View and shop all of our ready to ship white label products today!