If you've ever raised an eyebrow at the idea of washing your face with beer, you're not alone. But beer-infused soaps are one of the most exciting innovations in the natural skincare world, and once you understand the science behind them, you might never go back to ordinary soap again.
What Is Beer-Infused Soap?
Beer-infused soap is exactly what it sounds like: artisan soap crafted with real beer as one of its key ingredients. At Tub and Bubble, we use craft beer brewed with care, combining it with all-natural, eco-friendly ingredients to create bars that are as good for your skin as they are for the planet.
The beer is typically added during what soapers call "the lye solution" or "water phase" of the soap-making process, replacing some or all of the water in the recipe. As it saponifies (the chemical process that turns oils and liquid into soap), the sugars, proteins, and hops from the beer become locked into every bar. It boosts the soap's beneficial nutrients, lather, and adds a sweetness to the aroma of our essential oil blends.
Why Beer? The Skin Benefits Explained
Beer isn't just for happy hour, it's packed with skin-loving compounds:
- Hops: A natural source of antioxidants that help fight free radicals and soothe irritated skin. It is also used as a historical preservative, which is how it found its way into brews in the first place!
- Barley & Malt Sugars: These natural sugars act as humectants, drawing moisture into the skin and keeping it hydrated. They also boosts lather to ensure every wash is an indulgent experience.
- B Vitamins: Beer contains B vitamins like niacin and riboflavin, which can help improve skin tone and texture. These lovely "B's" nourish during each wash.
- Yeast: Known for its skin-balancing properties, yeast can help regulate oil production and promote a healthy complexion. Though living yeast does not exist within most beers (and certainly not by the time the soap is made and cured), yeast contributes to the proteins left behind during the soap-making process.
Together, these ingredients make beer-infused soap a surprisingly effective choice for most skin types!
Is Beer Soap Good for Your Skin?
Most commercial soaps are made with synthetic detergents (something we soapers call "syndet") and harsh surfactants that strip your skin's natural oils without replenishing, leaving it dry and tight. Beer soap, especially when made with natural oils like coconut, olive, tallow, or shea butter, cleanses gently while maintaining your skin's moisture barrier. We ensure every bar of soap contains a small "super-fat percentage". This means that each bar of beer soap has un-saponified oils left over to replace what soap naturally takes away.
The natural glycerin produced during the cold-process soap-making method (which we use at Tub and Bubble) is retained in every bar, adding another layer of skin-softening goodness. In fact, some of our bars produce enough glycerin to create what is called "glycerin rivers", or visible streaks of glycerin that spiderweb across the bar. This is random, and depends on environmental conditions that the soap underwent during the curing phase. To some, this is visibly undesirable, but to us it just proof our bars are going to leave your skin feeling great!
Does Beer Soap Smell Like Beer?
This is the question we get most often! The short answer is... Kind of, but not really? The brewing process and saponification transform the beer's aroma significantly. What you're left with is a subtle, earthy, slightly malty undertone that blends beautifully with essential oils and natural fragrances. Our bars smell like heaven, not like a college frat house. All existing alcohol is evaporated off (despite the name "cold-process", soap undergoes a chemical reaction and gets very hot ) and what remains is the lather-boosting sugar content from the beer, and it's naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. Beer adds a delicate sweetness to each scent, and so while no it doesn't directly smell like beer, it does add a depth and complexity to our essential oil blends that only beer can!
Who Should Try Beer-Infused Soap?
Beer soap is a great fit for:
- Anyone looking to switch from synthetic, chemical-laden soaps to something more natural.
- People with dry or sensitive skin who need extra moisture.
- Eco-conscious shoppers who want sustainable, handcrafted product using local ingredients.
- Gift-givers looking for something unique and conversation-starting.
- Anyone with a sensitivity to the proteins commonly found in ingredients like goat's or cow's milk.
Why Local? Craft Vs. Commercial
It is vitally important to support and build up our local communities. That is why we strive to supply as many ingredients as we can from local and domestic suppliers.
Just like how our cosmetics include local beeswax from Kansas and Missouri apiaries, the craft beer we use comes fresh from the source! Tub and Bubble has been using beer from Red Crow Brewing Company in our soaps since we made the move to our new home in Kansas several years ago! Switching our beer supply from commercial to craft is something we were happy to adopt, and has added a quality and decadance to our product that, in our opinion, allows our bars out-perform other similarly made soaps found at big box stores.
Sourcing local ingredients from nearby businesses strengthens our economy's buying power, reduces carbon footprints by cutting emissions from shipping, and embraces trusted brands within local communities.
Ready to Try It?
Curious to experience the difference for yourself? Browse our collection of all-natural, craft beer-infused bar soaps — each one handcrafted in small batches with eco-friendly ingredients and real craft beer. Your skin will thank you.