What makes handmade soap better then regular soap I buy at the grocery store?
Handmade soap differs from commercially made soap in many ways. The most important difference in handmade soap is glycerin. Glycerin is a natural humectrant, which means it has the ability to draw moisture to your skin. Glycerin is a byproduct of the saponification process (the process of producing soap that occurs when an alkaline salt is introduced to oils). Handmade soap contains all of its skin loving glycerin. Commercial soap companies have found that glycerin by itself is actually more valuable than the soap they produce. They extract the glycerin, selling it off separately, and then add artificial fillers to their soap. In addition to these fillers they also add artificial foaming agents, emulsifiers, preservatives, and hardeners.
Do your soaps contain Lye?
The simple answer to this question is no. No finished soap contains sodium hydroxide..a.k.a. Lye. Lye, an alkaline salt, is used in the production of soap to cause the chemical reaction necessary to turn the base oils of Olive Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, etc, into a completely new compound that we call soap! Once the Lye and the oils are combined, a chemical reaction begins call the saponification process. Once the process is complete, all of the separate ingredients have now turned into on single end product. Through precise mathematical calculations and measurements, we determine the exact amount of Lye needed (down to the tenth of a gram) that is needed in a recipe to transform our pot of melted oils into the exquisite bars of soap we are known for. Because of the ultra precise measurements we can ensure that there is absolutely no sodium hydroxide left in the finished bars of soap.
Can I use your soaps on my dog?
We've spent a great deal of time researching and testing our soaps on human skin. Believe it or not, we've researched the physiology of dog's skin as well. As much as we'd love to produce soothing products for our pet's skin, we've concluded that the differences between human skin and animal skin is too vastly different for us to ever be able to produce high quality pet products. Please stick to using veterinarian approved products on your animals to ensure their health and happiness.
We also get asked frequently about using our perfumes and body mists on pets. We strongly discourage you from using highly scented products like these directly on your animals. Dogs’ sense of smell is about 1000 times stronger then our own. What smells good to us, could very well be overwhelming to our pets.
How long will soap stay “good” for? Does it have an expiration date?
When stored properly (dry, dark, and cool place) your soap will stay “good” for quite a long time, up to two years or more. The scent of your soap however, may be a little less vigorous in standing up to the years. For the best experience with your soaps we recommend using them within eight months.
I’ve been using your soap in the shower and it has gotten mushy and a bit slimy. What happened?
Ah, this is an easy one! Your soap has been allowed to lay in a puddle of water. Handmade soaps, because of the high glycerin content, will absorb moisture. Handmade soap must be stored on a well draining soapdish to allow all sides of the bar to dry between uses. We sell several different types of soapdishes on our “Bath Essentials” page. Your mushy soap can be saved. Simply allow it to set somewhere dry for a few days (turning it ever so often so all sides are exposed to the air) until it has hardened back to its original consistency. Also, be sure that the water from the shower head is not beating down onto your soaps as this will cause them wear away quicker.