If you're making bar soap, why not liquid soaps? I take some pride in the fact that all of the soaps in our shower, by the sinks (both bar and LS), in the kitchen for dish soap and the laundry soap has been made by me. It makes me feel very prairie woman, and hubby and I dont have itchy skin any more. I wont say that my LS for dishes is as good as some detergents on really greasy dishes, but hey - thats what the dishwasher is for. And I really really like having a non-scented dish soap that doesn't make the wine glasses smell of lemons and doesn't trash my hands. Have you seen how expensive the "green" unscented dish soaps are?
Id like to experiment more now with scented hand LS or CS, and perhaps a shampoo.