What is soap?

Soap, in very simple chemical terms, is the sodium or potassium salt of a fatty acid. Common salt, which we all know as table salt, is not the only salt in the chemical world. There are many salts all being the result of an acid and an alkali reacting together. Soap is not found in nature; but it can be created by very simple processes. Saponification is a chemical term for the rather complex but easy to create soap making reaction. Saponification is what happens when a fatty acid meets an alkali (in this case, lye). When fats or oils, which contain fatty acids are mixed with a strong alkali, the alkali first splits the fats or oils into their two major parts--fatty acids and glycerin. After this splitting of the fats or oils, the sodium or potassium part of the alkali joins with the fatty acid part of the fat or oils. This combination is then the potassium or sodium salt of the fatty acid. This is why most commercial soap labels have the word sodium or potassium before each ingredient (i.e. sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate)

Why is handmade soap better for our skin?

Most commercial soaps are not soaps at all, they're detergent bars that contain soap as an ingredient along with cleansers, stabilizers, and other harsh additives. In an effort to harden their soap bars, commercial soap makers take out the natural moisture...glycerin...and without the natural moisture, you have a soap that's dries out the skin. One of the most important differences between handmade soap and mass produced soap is glycerin. Handmade soap has it and commercially made soap does not.

Does your soap contain lye?

The finished product does not contain lye, but we do use lye in the soap making process. All "true" soap is made with lye. Yes, even the soaps you buy at the grocery store have lye in them. Lye is necessary for the soap mixture to saponify and form soap, but once, we have cured it for 4-6 weeks after the process is complete, there is no lye present in the soap we offer to you.

What makes your soap so special?

Our soaps are special for so many reasons. All our soaps are made with pure vegetable oils. We never use animal fat (tallow) which can dry and irritate the skin. We pride ourselves on our vast selection of soaps. We don't just use the same basic recipe for all of our soaps and change the scent. We customize each of our soaps so that they each have their own unique qualities. We also offer one of the quickest delivery times in the industry. As long as we have all ordered items in stock, we usually ship our orders within 24 hours of receipt. We make all of our soaps from "scratch". No melt and pour soap and no shortcuts.

Why do you use fruit and vegetables in your soap?

We began incorporating fruits and vegetables into our soap recipes a few years ago because we wanted our product line to reflect our core values.  Our heavy emphasis on ingredients that can be found in just about every kitchen is done with the hope that it will inspire consumers and show them how easy it is to adopt a truly natural skin care regimen.  We want our product line to reflect the raw origins of natural skin care.  Before all the fancy packaging and technological advances in skin care, Cleopatra took a bath in milk and Japanese women used rice bran to cleanse their skin.  Natural skin care does not have to be complicated.  It can be as simple as taking a trip to the health food store or organic farmer's market.

Won't the fruit or vegetable spoil?

We don't see how it will.  The chemical process that occurs when soap is being formed requires the mixture to self-heat in excess of 150 degrees Fahrenheit.  When we add the fruits and veggies to the soap mixture, the heat, for lack of a better term, cooks the added fruit or vegetable much like it would be cooked on a stove top.  The saponification process further serves to "preserve" the added fruit or vegetable.

What about the shelf life of these soaps?

We'd like to say that soaps don't have a shelf life.  You can literally keep bars of soap around for years and they won't be affected---if you take care of them.  While soap that is a few years old is still OK to use, some characteristics like scent and color may become degraded over time.  To experience the aromatherapy benefits of our soaps we recommend that you use your soaps within the first year of purchase.  We encourage you to experience your soap soon after purchasing them, but if you do not plan to use them right away, keep them dry and away from direct sunlight.  When you are using them, do not allow them to sit in water as this will melt your soap almost overnight.  We have not noticed any difference in shelf life between our soaps that contain fruits and vegetables and our soaps that do not contain them.  We have kept some fruit and vegetable soaps well over a year to observe any signs of mold or rancidity and have yet to observe any.  

Is your soap suitable for people with sensitive skin or allergies?

Although our handmade soaps are much gentler on the skin than commercially prepared soaps, we conservatively recommend only soaps with no added colors or fragrances for sensitive skin.

Can your soaps cure skin conditions?

Although handmade soap has been reported to have done amazing things for certain skin conditions, we are not medical doctors. Therefore we are not qualified to diagnose or treat any disease or skin condition. This precludes us from making any such claim.

Do you offer free samples?

In an effort to keep costs down, we offer free samples with purchase only.

Do you have a printed catalog?

No. We have found that it is quicker and more effective to communicate with our customers via our website. We focus on keeping our pages updated instead of printing and mailing catalogs. This helps us keep costs down so we can offer you the best products at the best prices possible