An iridescent continuous phase soap bar with an ordered layered microstructure containing soap, water and specific ethoxylated alcohols is described. The phenomena of continuousphase iridescence in a soap bar is characterised as blue hue which intensity depends on the viewing angle and on the background colourused for its observation by the user. In a preferred embodiment, the iridescent soap bar is prepared with mixing equipment capable of creating intensive mass shearing conditions and which generate high compression and extensional forces on the processed soap mass.