Have your ever picked up in the shower and wondered, "Hey, what's in this bad boy?" I'm here to fill you in! Let's dive into the world of soap ingredients and discover what goes into that bar that gets your clean.
The Cold Process Method: Like great-grandma would make, but better.
All our soaps are lovingly crafted using the cold process method, a traditional technique that preserves the integrity of ingredients and allows for our soapmaker to create soaps that clean well but also look and smell beautiful. Each batch is hand-poured, cut, and cured for 4-6 weeks before it is ready to use.
Base Oils: Nourishing the Skin
At the core of our soap recipes are a variety of 6 vegetable based oils each selected for their skin-loving properties. Olive oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, castor oil and avocado oil each play a roll to great a bubbly bar that gently washes away dirt and grime without drying out your skin.
Sodium Hydroxide: Not as scary as it sounds
Sodium hydroxide, a.k.a, lye, is the key ingredient in cold process soapmaking. Lye, dissolved in water interacts with the oils creating a chemical reaction called saponification. The highly alkaline lye breaks down the fats in the oils and turns them into a fatty acid salt. That fatty acid salt is soap. The process starts as a liquid so it is poured into a mold and as saponification happens the soap solidifies. No active lye is left in the process so there is no need to worry about dangerous lye in your soap.
Additives, scents and colors: Life is too short for boring soap.
Laura, our head soapmaker uses things like botanicals, clays and activated charcoal to enhance the feel and the cleansing power of our soaps. Micas mined from sustainable sources are used to create bright color and unique designs in each bar. She uses both essential oils and fragrance oils to create scents that leave you smiling when you are done with your shower.