A simple bar soap made by turning beef tallow and oils into soap with sodium hydroxide (lye). Once everything has saponified and cured, there is no free lye left, just a firm bar that lathers, rinses clean, and holds up in everyday use. Tallow is a traditional soap fat and is often noted for playing well with skin’s natural oils, which is one reason many people like how it feels in a wash off product.

I render and filter my own beef tallow in Midland from Wagyu Angus fat sourced through Midland Meat Co. (Scharbauer Cattle Co.), so I know the people and the place it comes from. Tallow makes a dense, creamy lather, works well in West Texas hard water, and helps the bar last instead of washing away quickly. I make small cold process batches, about four loaves at a time, and cure each bar at least six weeks before it is wrapped and sold.

A short, familiar list: beef tallow, extra virgin olive oil, whole kernel virgin coconut oil, water, a touch of local Midland honey, and bentonite clay. Tallow gives the bar its backbone and creamy lather; olive oil softens the feel on the skin; coconut oil boosts cleansing and lift to the bubbles; honey and clay are there in small amounts to improve the feel and slip of the lather. When I add scent, it is a light touch of steam distilled essential oils. I do not use fragrance oils, dyes, or preservatives.

This is a normal part of how cold process soap behaves in the mold. As fresh soap sits, it naturally warms up; the center of the loaf is usually the warmest, and it can go through something soapmakers call “gel phase”, which makes the soap there look slightly darker or more translucent. The cooler outer edges stay lighter, so when the loaf is cut you sometimes see a soft circle or “bullseye” in the middle. This recipe includes a small amount of honey, which encourages that gentle gel in the center. It is purely cosmetic. The bar is fully saponified, cured, and safe to use, and it will lather and wear the same as any other bar in the batch. If you are ever unsure about how a bar looks, email a photo to chris@kaitandchris.com and I am happy to take a look.

All true soap is made with lye. In a finished, cured bar, the lye has reacted with the fats to become soap. There is no free lye remaining in the bar you are using.

No. My bars are not vegan because they are built on beef tallow. If that offends you, eating a steak might help.

Net Wt. 4 oz (113 g). Because the bars are hand cut, there is natural variation from bar to bar. Lifespan depends on how you use and store it; let the bar dry between uses, keep it on a draining dish, and avoid leaving it under a running stream. In heat or humidity the bar can soften or develop surface “sweating”, which is cosmetic only. Natural variations in color, cut, and scent are normal in small batches.

Unscented is truly unscented. Scented bars use essential oils at a light level, noticeable up close in the shower, not a strong or room filling perfume. If you are scent sensitive, choose Unscented.

I make an everyday body and hand bar. Some people also use bar soap on face or hair; if you try that, start with Unscented and patch test to see how your skin and scalp respond. Everyone’s routine is different, and if you have a diagnosed skin condition or allergies, check the ingredients and talk with your clinician before changing products. I do not make medical or therapeutic claims.

Questions about a batch, scent, or ingredient? Email chris@kaitandchris.com