Ingredients
I use a wide variety of ingredients in my soaps, there is not one basic recipe used for everything with simple colour or scent alterations. I use vegetable oils such as olive, soybean, sustainable palm, sunflower, sweet almond etc., as well as exotic butters like unrefined shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter and many more. Fragrance is added using pure essential oils, or skin safe, phthalate free fragrance oil. I also use a variety of botanicals and clays.
All ingredients are listed with each soap or product. All of my soaps are formulated to be very mild
and non drying for your skin, and facial bars even more so.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have a question.
All ingredients are listed with each soap or product. All of my soaps are formulated to be very mild
and non drying for your skin, and facial bars even more so.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have a question.
A little more info about the ingredients I use most often...
Unrefined Shea Butter - a Fair Trade product that comes from Ghana where it is processed by hand in the traditional way. It is imported directly by a company in BC, Baraka Shea, and sold. The owner of this company has direct involvement in the community in Ghana where the butter is produced, and is always working to improve the lives of the people there.
Soybean oil - the soybean oil I use is cold pressed. Soybean oil is very high in lecithin and vitamin E and is therefore very good for the skin. It has replaced a portion or all of the olive oil in my recipes, as it's becoming increasingly difficult to obtain real olive oil that hasn't been adulterated in some way, which makes it unpredictable to use in soap. Real olive oil has become very expensive due to numerous crop failures in Europe, so I reserve it for Castile soap. Soybean oil has very similar properties to olive oil, and makes a suitable, cost effective substitute.
Sodium Lactate is a natural salt derived from lactic acid, it has various uses in the cosmetic industry, but in soap making it helps to produce a harder bar of soap, which in turn makes it last longer.
Various Milks - whether in a fresh or powdered form, milks add a creaminess to the soap, and the natural sugars in milk improve lather.
Colloidal Oatmeal - improves the texture of the soap and can be soothing
Clays - natural clays can be used as a colorant, they provide silky texture, hardening and purifying properties; can be used in many different products
Coconut Oil - this is the heavy hitter in soap making. Coconut oil is a major source of the big bubbly lather we expect in soap, although not necessary for actual cleansing. When too much is used, while you will have wonderful bubbles, it will also strip the skin of the natural oils and protection.
Castor Oil - this oil also plays an important role in soap making, it too can be an important lather booster, but it also contributes to the non-drying qualities of a soap. Castor oil is a humectant, it's attracts moisture from the air, which can also help hydrate your skin.
A Note About Preservatives
Preservatives have come to be equated with all things evil, when in fact many of them are perfectly safe when used properly, and are absolutely necessary in certain bath and body products. While none of our soaps or anhydrous (without water) products contain preservatives, some products, water based lotions and creams, or products that could be exposed to water, must and do contain a preservative. To do otherwise is irresponsible and un-safe, even if 'no preservatives' looks good on a label. An un-preserved product has almost no shelf life, and even refrigerated, is still very short. When left un-preserved, these products WILL spoil in a very short time, and all the while exposing the user to dangerous bacteria or mold, or both.
I use only paraben free preservatives.
Preservatives have come to be equated with all things evil, when in fact many of them are perfectly safe when used properly, and are absolutely necessary in certain bath and body products. While none of our soaps or anhydrous (without water) products contain preservatives, some products, water based lotions and creams, or products that could be exposed to water, must and do contain a preservative. To do otherwise is irresponsible and un-safe, even if 'no preservatives' looks good on a label. An un-preserved product has almost no shelf life, and even refrigerated, is still very short. When left un-preserved, these products WILL spoil in a very short time, and all the while exposing the user to dangerous bacteria or mold, or both.
I use only paraben free preservatives.
About Essential Oils
Use of essential oils in any of our products is for the sole purpose of scent, no therapeutic benefits are intended or implied, and they are not used in quantities that would be considered therapeutic. Generally, while essential oils can be beneficial, they also have the potential to be very dangerous and should be used with caution. Never use an essential oil undiluted, never ever consume an essential oil. Essential oils are sold in glass bottles because they dissolve plastic, imagine what they could do to flesh! All essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy. Just because something is 'natural' does not make it safe!
Please consult a qualified aromatherapist if you wish to use essential oils in a therapeutic fashion.
Many essential oils are toxic to our animal friends, especially tea tree oil.
Use of essential oils in any of our products is for the sole purpose of scent, no therapeutic benefits are intended or implied, and they are not used in quantities that would be considered therapeutic. Generally, while essential oils can be beneficial, they also have the potential to be very dangerous and should be used with caution. Never use an essential oil undiluted, never ever consume an essential oil. Essential oils are sold in glass bottles because they dissolve plastic, imagine what they could do to flesh! All essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy. Just because something is 'natural' does not make it safe!
Please consult a qualified aromatherapist if you wish to use essential oils in a therapeutic fashion.
Many essential oils are toxic to our animal friends, especially tea tree oil.