My Secret Ingredient for Hard Water

If you've ever tried a handcrafted soap and thought,

"Why doesn't it lather like I expected?"

or

"Why is there soap film on my shower?"

...you're not alone.

When I started making soap, I experienced the same thing.

Like many homes in Florida, we have hard water. Hard water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium that can interfere with the way natural soap performs.

I spent months chasing the perfect recipe, only to realize part of the problem wasn't my soap—it was my water.

So I changed my approach.

I still make every batch with distilled water, because that's the proper way to create consistent, high-quality soap.

But I test every recipe in my own hard water before it ever reaches my customers.

If it doesn't perform well in my shower, it doesn't earn a place on my shelves.

My "Secret"

One ingredient you'll find in almost every Bode Bars recipe is citric acid.

Why?

Because citric acid helps reduce the effects of hard water minerals, allowing my soaps to produce a richer lather and helping minimize soap residue.

It's a small ingredient that makes a big difference.

It's one of those details most people never notice—but I do.

Why I Care So Much

I've thrown more batches back into my rebatch pot than I can count.

Friends would tell me they loved a soap.

I'd smile...

...and remake it anyway.

Because if something wasn't quite right, I knew it.

That's why every Bode Bars recipe is tested the same way it'll be used—in a real home, with real hard water, by me.

If I wouldn't use it every day, I won't ask you to.

That's been my philosophy since day one, and it's one of the reasons I can honestly say...

The only soap I use is my own.