9 Handmade Cold-Processed Soaps To Add To Your Shower-Shelf Now

Last Updated on August 29, 2025

I’ve always had sensitive skin that flares up after showers. It often feels itchy, dry, and uncomfortable, especially with commercial soap bars. The switch to cold-processed handmade soaps changed everything.

Cold-processed soaps have been around for nearly 5,000 years. Somewhere along the way, detergent bars and body washes took their place. But today, with the growing shift toward sustainable, zero-waste skincare, these artisanal bars are making a comeback in India and redefining bathing as a conscious, skin-loving ritual.

What Exactly Are Cold-Processed Soaps?

Not all handmade soaps are created equal. Some makers lean on the hot-process method, speeding things up with heat and boosting the scent with artificial fragrances. But cold-processed soaps are in a league of their own.

Made the traditional way by blending plant-based oils with lye and enriching them with botanicals, they are scented only with pure essential oils. The absence of heat means every nutrient in those natural ingredients stays intact, gifting your skin more benefits with every wash.

The difference? A creamy lather, a scent that feels luxuriously real, and a bar so gentle it’s a savior for sensitive skin. Once you experience the softness of cold-processed soaps, there’s no going back to commercial cleansers.

4 Key Benefits Of Using Handmade Cold-Processed Soaps

Beyond their artisanal charm, cold-processed soaps deliver real benefits for your skin, your senses, and even the planet.

• Made with natural ingredients- Crafted with plant oils, butters, clays, and pure essential oils, these soaps skip synthetic detergents entirely, giving you a cleanse that’s as natural as it gets.
• Gentler on our skin: Unlike commercial bars that strip away glycerin, cold-processed soaps retain it to leave your skin soft, nourished, and hydrated.
• Less irritation: Free from artificial dyes and heavy fragrances, they’re less likely to trigger redness or itching, making them a savior for sensitive skin.
• Better for the environment: With biodegradable ingredients and minimal impact, every wash is kinder to both your skin and the planet.

Where To Buy Best Cold-Processed and Handmade Soaps in India?

Here’s a curated list of Indian brands crafting handmade cold-processed soaps the traditional way—gentle, skin-loving, and beautifully authentic.

1. Juicy Chemistry

If luxury had a fragrance, it would smell like Juicy Chemistry’s cold-processed soaps. Certified organic under EcoCert Cosmos Standards, these bars are as clean as they are sensorial. Every variant is a spa moment in itself. Refreshing, soothing, and never drying, even on the face.

Best for: Aromatherapy lovers seeking certified-organic skincare.

2. Rustic Art

Rooted in tradition, Rustic Art celebrates India’s indigenous ingredients like Champa, Vetiver, Ashwagandha, Turmeric, and Sandal. Each bar is crafted with organic saponified oils, 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and beautifully wrapped in soft cotton fabric. It’s skincare that feels as mindful as it does luxurious.

Best for: Ayurvedic-inspired rituals with an eco-conscious touch.

3. Vilvah

Born in Coimbatore, Vilvah blends sustainability with skincare that feels indulgent. Their cold-processed soaps are crafted with organic, locally sourced ingredients, and the goat milk range is a standout. Perfect for dry or sensitive skin, these bars cleanse gently while cocooning your skin in creamy nourishment.

Best for: Nourishing dry and sensitive skin.

4. Bare Necessities

A true zero-waste pioneer, Bare Necessities keeps sustainability at the heart of every bar. Their cold-processed soaps are simple, affordable, and eco-conscious, making it easy to try different variants until you find your perfect match. It is conscious bathing made accessible.

Best for: Affordable, everyday eco-friendly skincare.

5. Nat Habit

Handcrafted over 6–8 weeks with nourishing oils, pure butters, herbs, fruit pulps, and fresh botanicals, these bars are a caress for the skin. Think ultra-gentle, non-drying, and moisturizing soaps that make your post-shower glow feel luxurious, never stripped. They are 100% natural and dermatologically tested.

Best for: Gentle, natural cleansing that keeps skin soft and hydrated.

6. Bon Organics

With over two dozen USDA-certified organic variants, Bon Organics proves handmade luxury doesn’t have to come at a high price. These bars skip clays and artificial colourants, so they may look alike. But their mild, natural scents and gentle cleansing make them a reliable everyday choice. They’re affordable, authentic, and skin-friendly.

Best for: Budget-friendly organic soaps that work.

7. Ruharoma

Rooted in slow living, Ruharoma crafts soaps that are as beautiful as they are nourishing. Each bar is made in small batches with solar-infused oils, rich butters, clays, herbs, and pure essential oils, turning your daily cleanse into a mindful, luxurious ritual.

Best for: Aesthetic, small-batch luxury with a slow-living ethos.

8. Mollis

At Mollis, each soap is handmade in small batches using the age-old cold process method, where no heat interferes with the natural potency of plant oils, butters, and clays. Even their packaging carries this ethos forward with not a hint of plastic waste in sight.

Best for: Conscious consumers seeking sustainable, skin-loving luxury.

Also Read: How To Make Your Natural Soaps Last Longer

Vegan, aesthetic, and thoughtfully made, Vaanya’s soaps use only natural clays as colourants, giving each bar a clean, earthy charm. With low-waste, gift-worthy packaging, they are perfect for treating yourself or someone special. Don’t miss their Soap Trios and haircare bars for a complete sustainable ritual.

Best for: Gifting and beautifully aesthetic bathing essentials.

Have you tried any cold-processed handmade soaps yet? Share your favourites in the comments below.

Also Read: 7 Best Solid Shampoo Bars in India

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