If you're trying to avoid animal-derived ingredients, soap labels can be surprisingly hard to decode. "Natural" and "handmade" don't tell you what's actually in the bar. Here's what to actually look for if you want a truly vegetarian bar of soap.
What Makes a Soap NOT Vegetarian
Traditional soap has always been made by combining a fat or oil with lye. Historically, that fat was often tallow (rendered beef or mutton fat) or lard (pork fat) — both animal-derived. Some soaps also include goat milk, cow's milk, or honey, which are animal products but don't come from slaughter, putting them in a different category than tallow or lard for many people avoiding animal ingredients.
What Makes a Soap Vegetarian
A vegetarian soap uses only plant-based oils and butters as its fat source — think olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter — combined with lye during saponification. Vegetarian soap can still include animal products that don't require killing an animal, like milk or honey, which is why the distinction between "vegetarian" and stricter "vegan" matters: a fully vegan soap excludes milk, honey, and beeswax as well.
Why This Matters Beyond Labels
Choosing plant-based soap oils isn't only an ethical or dietary preference — different oils genuinely behave differently in a bar. Olive oil brings gentle conditioning, coconut oil brings rich lather and cleansing power, and shea or cocoa butter add richness and hardness. A well-formulated vegetarian soap isn't a compromise; it's simply built from a different ingredient palette.
How to Actually Check
- Look at the ingredient list, not the marketing. Words like "natural" or "handmade" say nothing about whether tallow or lard is inside.
- Watch for "sodium tallowate" or "sodium lardate" on an ingredient list — these indicate the soap was made with animal fat.
- Decide where you land on milk and honey. If you're vegetarian rather than vegan, soap containing milk or honey (but not meat-derived fat) is generally consistent with that choice.
- Ask the maker directly. Small-batch soap makers can usually tell you exactly what fats are in a specific bar, which isn't always true of mass-market brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is all handmade soap vegetarian?
No. Handmade doesn't specify the fat source — some artisan soaps still use tallow or lard, which is why it's worth checking ingredients directly rather than assuming based on "handmade" or "natural" labeling.
What's the difference between vegetarian and vegan soap?
Vegetarian soap avoids animal fats like tallow and lard but may still include milk or honey. Vegan soap excludes all animal-derived ingredients, including milk, honey, and beeswax.
Does vegetarian soap clean as well as soap made with animal fat?
Yes — oils like coconut and olive oil are longstanding, effective soap-making ingredients in their own right, not a substitute standing in for something better.
Why did soap makers historically use tallow?
Tallow was widely available, inexpensive, and produces a hard, long-lasting bar, which made it a practical choice before plant-based alternatives were as accessible as they are today.
Try It Yourself
Every bar we make is built from plant-based oils and butters. Browse our full collection to find a bar that fits how you choose to shop.