Greetings, Lightb!
Yes you have come up with an actual ask your LOR question!
While everyone will tell you bar soap is no good, at issue is smearing and rubbing thick liquids or lotions. Many people will water down their regular liquid hand soap or dishwashing liquid (if your LOR thinks you should do that let him advise you as to the proportion) for use on Shabbos. Like ChadG already said, you can make more watered down soap on Shabbos if you run out. I just thought I’d mention that while you’re talking to LOR about this, you might want to include other similar things in the discussion, like moisturizing lotions, cosmetics, suntan lotion, diaper rash ointments, and other things people tend to “shmeer”, as all can be problematic on Shabbos. Someday in the not so distant future when you have a baby boy and have to take care of him after his Bris on Shabbos, the Mohel will advise you exactly how to deal with using the antibiotic ointment!
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