Abstract: A cleansing composition includes 25% to 35% by weight of a surfactant, 1.5% to 5% by weight of a co-surfactant, 5% to 9% by weight of water; and 50% to 60% by weight of a fatty acid and soap mixture, wherein the fatty acid to soap ratio is 2.3:1 to 1.8:1. A method of making cleansing bars includes heating the cleansing composition to a temperature sufficient to provide a molten composition, cooling the molten composition to form flakes and/or chips, refining the flakes and/or chips to form billets, and stamping and/or cutting the billets to form the cleansing bars. Another method of making cleansing bars includes heating the cleansing composition to a temperature sufficient to provide a molten composition, pouring the molten composition into a mold, cooling the molten composition until the cleansing bars are formed, and removing the cleansing bars from the mold.