About Our Handmade Soap

About Our Handcrafted Soap Bars
Our cold-process handcrafted soaps are very gentle and non-drying to the skin because each bar is "super-creamed" with 6-8% excess oils that remain available to moisturize your skin, and due to the natural glycerin retained in the soap, which draws moisture to your skin. Mass-produced commercial bars contain no excess fats, and the glycerin is removed and sold separately for its emollient properties. Basically, that leaves a harsh detergent bar!

We handcraft our soap using the slow "cold process" method, which means no external heat is used so the goodness of the natural ingredients are preserved for you. Even though it is much more time consuming, we choose this 200-year-old process because we are able to control every ingredient in the soap and the amount of oils and butters left in the soap that remain available to the skin. Our soaps take three to four weeks to cure.

Each bar begins with a high percentage of skin-loving cold pressed olive oil to which we add food grade coconut, organic palm and castor oils, along with jojoba, evening primrose, sweet almond and avocado oils for a rich creamy lather that nourishes as it moisturizes. Next we add responsibly wildcrafted and organic botanicals, vegetable butters, and cleansing earth clays for their exceptional skin care benefits. Finally, we scent our fragrant olive oil soaps with either pure essential oils extracted from plants or with premium fragrance oils because many popular scents are not available in an essential oil. However, the choice is yours: The ingredients of each product will clearly define which type of oil is used for scent.

Soap Basics
There are two basic types of claims to "handcrafted" soaps: transparent “melt and pour” decorative soaps, and “cold process” soaps. Transparent soaps have a high amount of glycerin, which makes them far superior to supermarket soaps, but they have zero excess fats left in them. Most clear glycerin soaps are not truly handcrafted, because the crafters don't actually make the soap, but simply melt down a purchased base to add color and fragrance. Usually, these bases are made with sulphates and other synthetic ingredients to increase lather. In addition to having synthetic ingredients, these soaps have other downfalls. To quote from the Real Handmade Soap site (www.realhandmadesoap.com), " Those of us that work craft shows and farmer's markets could cite many examples of statements heard at craft shows such as: “handmade soap melts in the sun,” “handmade soap doesn't lather,” “handmade soap doesn't last.” When we heard these statements we knew that, unfortunately, these particular people had their first so-called “handmade” soap experience with melt and pour bars but it is difficult to counter such experiences when the customer had already been erroneously told that what they purchased was “handmade” soap."

Mass Produced vs. Handcrafted
Mass-produced soaps have many synthetic ingredients—such as sulphates to increase lather, preservatives, alcohol, and free alkali. The amount of fats used (typically low grade oils or animal tallow) are little more than the alkali can process, and any excess glycerin is removed and sold for a profit. In addition to the extra profit, removing the glycerin and limiting the amount of fats makes an easily packaged hard bar that can handle the vast distribution channel and has an indefinite shelf life. However, the end result is a harsh synthetic detergent that is drying and irritating to the skin.

Unlike the mass-produced bars, handcrafted soaps have a high amount of glycerin and other skin nutrients left in them. The softer the bar, the more oils are in them. However a too-soft bar will melt too quickly when used, and may not be effective enough. So the skill is finding the perfect balance between a good lather and mildness; moisturizing and effectiveness.

Fake synthetic soap stuff is defined as all those mostly synthetic, so called "soaps" that are full of harsh detergents and cancer causing chemicals . . . the ones that fill the shelves of many stores today. This includes those pretty "glycerin" soaps shown above (real handmade soap contains much more natural glycerin than those do), most of the commercial shower gels and liquid soaps on the market, many of the supposedly "natural" soaps found at your local health food store, the highly touted "hypoallergenic" soaps recommended by dermatologists (there's no such thing), and virtually all of those triple milled ooh-la-la French soaps. Check out the ingredients (if they bother to give you any) and you'll see just how many cheap oils or animal fats (also known as sodium tallowate) and synthetic petro-chemicals their so called "soaps" really contain. Don't buy into it!

You can't add a pinch of herbs and a natural sounding name and make fake synthetic soap real. Read labels carefully, ask questions, inform yourself . While it's true, some of you may have been using commercial soap for years now without noticing any terribly ill effects, after you read this page, you'll know just how much better and safer your bathing experience can be!

Armed with a little bit of knowledge, real handcrafted natural soap is fairly easy to spot. First, it should say "soap" on the label. By law, fake soaps can't use that term so they call it a "beauty bar" or a "moisturizing bar" or some other nonsense. Next, look for soaps with cold pressed olive oil as a main ingredient which is rich in antioxidants and skin nutrients. Most evil corporate soaps contain very little or none because it's quite expensive. Is your skin worth only the finest? We think so!

In addition to cold pressed olive oil, we add coconut oil for a big bubbly lather, organic palm oil to increase the longevity of the soap, and a little castor oil for a creaminess second to none. Then, we superfat the soaps with nutrient-rich evening primrose, jojoba, sweet almond and avocado oils. We intentionally use certified organic palm oil because it doesn't deplete the rainforest like the conventional palm oil used in most soaps.

Try the microwave test to distinguish real soap from glycerine soap a.k.a. melt and pour soap. (You know, the little kits you can buy at the craft store for "making soap" with kids?) These soaps don't have nearly as much skin care value as real soap and many of them contain harmful ingredients. A melt & pour soap will begin to liquify with a minimum of 10 seconds in the microwave. A true cold process soap won't melt that easily.

Of course the real test will be when you use the soap. If it dries your skin out or makes it feel tight or itchy, question its origin. There's nothing like well made, glycerin rich, handcrafted natural olive oil soap to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth, and nourished. So i f you're looking for skin loving soap, take the time to seek out natural handmade real soap. It may cost a little more, but your skin will thank you for it.

Antibacterial Soaps? Find out why they're a bad Idea!
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON TRICLOSAN : Triclosan, the antibacterial agent commonly found in antibacterial soaps, lotions, acne products, cosmetics and other personal care products is dangerous! It is classified as a pesticide by the EPA and as a drug by the FDA. The EPA considers it a major risk to human health and to the environment. "Chemically triclosan is almost the same as some of the most toxic chemicals on earth: dioxins, PCB's, and Agent Orange. Its manufacturing process may produce dioxin, a powerful hormone-disrupting chemical with toxic effects in the parts per trillion (one drop in 300 Olympic-sized swimming pools!). "If you use any products containing triclosan, my advice to you is to stop using them immediately and throw them away. It's that dangerous." - from Dr. Christine H. Farlow, author of Dying to Look Good.

Since our olive oil soap is in its pure and natural state, it doesn't contain any synthetic preservatives or artificial hardeners. It doesn't need to. With just a little care and feeding, you can prolong the life of your soap and it will serve you very well.

Aloe Vera - Aloe barbadensis - native Texas succulent, often called "The Miracle Plant", soothing, emollient, antibacterial, heals skin irritations, burns, and wounds, promotes new skin growth, moisturizes, protects, and counters the effects of aging; we use certified organic aloe

Annatto Seed - Bixa orellana - imparts a beautiful earthy yellow color to foods and cosmetics and is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, astringent, and emollient

Beeswax - Cera alba - unbleached and pure, cosmetic grade, used to give a waxy feel to cosmetics, also possesses healing qualities, only our balms contain beeswax, our soaps do not

White Willow Bark Extract - Salix nigra - analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, potent antimicrobial, contains salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid) which is the ingredient that aspirin was originally synthesized from, increases cell renewal by increasing turnover of the stratus corneum layer, non-irritating and very gentle botanical extract

Calcium Bentonite Clay - adsorbs and absorbs dirt, oil, and toxins from the surface of the skin, cleanses, tightens, and tones, lends a slippery feel to soaps and increases lather, great for purifying the skin, helpful in treating acne, eczema, itching, hives

Castor Oil - Ricinus communis - soothing, lubricating, rich in fatty acids, acts as a humectant to draw moisture to the skin and hair, gives a rich creamy lather to soaps

Clay (Kaolin, Moroccan Red, French Green, Rose) - cleanses and tones, absorbs dirt, oil, and toxins from the skin, increases lather, and lends natural color to our soaps

Cocoa Butter - Theobroma cacao - the fat of the cocoa bean, smells like chocolate, super emollient, for chapped skin and lips, dry skin, mature skin, stretch marks, skin irritations, and wrinkles. Read more

Coconut Oil - Cocus nucifera - emollient and healing, used in soaps to produce a big fluffy lather

Coffee - Coffea arabica - scavenges free radicals which cause premature aging and many other skin disorders, acts as an astringent, sunscreen, odor absorber, and anti-cellulite ingredient

Cucumber - Cucumis sativus - cooling, soothing, and healing, useful for irritated skin, freckles, windburn, sunburn, wrinkles, and skin eruptions

Earth Pigments (ultramarines & iron oxides) - We use only naturally derived cosmetic grade earth pigments which have been used safely for many many years. These pigments are made from naturally occuring compounds like iron, sulfur, china clay (kaolin), and sodium carbonate. We never use harmful synthetic FD&C dyes or CI colors. Almost all artificial FD&C and CI colors approved for use by the FDA are made from coal tar oil, or are synthetically produced from petroleum products. Despite these derivatives having been shown to cause cancer when injected into the skin of mice, they are still widely used today.

Essential Oils - fragrant natural botanical extracts that possess many healing properties on both the physical and emotional levels, used in the ancient art and science of aromatherapy. See all our essential oils

Honey - provides emollience, healing, antimicrobial properties, and vital nutrients for the skin

Juniper (also known as Cedar) - Juniperus virginiana/Juniperus mexicana - native Texas trees, known by native Americans as "The Medicine Tree", antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, astringent, deodorizing, detoxifying, healing, useful for oily skin, acne, wounds, burns, cellulite, dandruff, psoriasis, sore muscles and joint pain, and as an insect repellant, the essential oil is calming, soothing and strengthening; all of our cedarwood products come from Texas and are responsibly wildcrafted from fallen trees

Jojoba Oil - Simmondsia chinensis - our organic golden jojoba oil is unrefined thereby retaining all of its healing properties, a natural mimic of the oil secreted by human skin used to protect against premature aging and wrinkling and to lubricate skin and hair, a pure liquid ester that will never go rancid, non-comedogenic (will not clog pores), a powerful antioxidant, antibacterial, a soothing and conditioning agent,and useful for the treatment of acne, great for sensitive skin. Read more

Oats - Avena sativa - native Texas grass, soothing, moisturizing, demulcent, softening, calming, good for rashes, itching, bites, and all skin irritations, oatmeal also serves as a gentle exfoliant and cleanser; we use certified organic oats

Olive Oil - Olea europaea - used extensively in skincare for centuries, high in monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant and a superior moisturizer, used to nourish and protect the skin and to combat the effects of aging, draws moisture to the skin while allowing normal skin functions to take place, one of the very best oils for natural skin care; we use only cold pressed and/or organic olive oils (never the cheaper solvent extracted pomace oil): recent has shown that olive oil possesses oleocanthal - a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-aging compound and pain killer. Read more

Palm Oil - adds longevity and hardness to the soap, we intentionally use certified organic palm oil because it doesn't deplete the rainforest

Red Sandalwood - Pterocarpus santalinus - we use it for the gorgeous deep purplish rose color it lends to our soap and as an exfoliant, but it is also said to have analgesic properties; responsibly wildcrafted

Sea Salt - sodium chloride - contains 84 elements and minerals found naturally in the human body which are essential to good health, used as a treatment for psoriasis, eczema, acne, and general good health, relieves muscle tension, soothes and softens the skin; we use natural solar dried salt from pristine waters

Shea Butter - Butyrospermum parkii - Extracted from the kernels of a wild African tree, shea butter is an excellent emollient with great healing properties. High in triglycerides and fatty acids, its soft buttery texture melts easily into the skin. Traditionally used by indigenous people for burns, wounds, sunburn, muscle aches and as a moisturizing beauty aid for hair and skin. Read more

Sodium Hydroxide - Commonly known as lye, this is what transforms our premium vegetable oils into pure natural soap. All bar soap is made with it. If you make the soap properly though, there is no active lye left in the final bar. Please don't compare our lye soap with grandma's old fashioned lye soap. Our exact scientific formulations and improved ingredients insure a milder product that's much gentler to your skin than the soaps of yesteryear.

Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - native Texas wildflower, the herb was traditionally used to heal wounds, burns, bruises, and in the bath for arthritic pain, light penetrating sunflower oil leaves a protective moisturizing barrier on the skin and is high in antioxidant vitamin E and essential fatty acids, the seeds and petals are a gentle exfoliant

Vitamin E - tocopherols - a natural anti-oxidant that helps to slow the aging process by scavenging free radicals, heals, moisturizes, and protects, prevents scarring, and reduces UV exposure; we use only natural vitamin E, never synthetic

Witch Hazel - Hamamelis virginiana - native Texas tree, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, soothing, healing, helps prevent wrinkles

The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any physical or emotional condition. While allergic reactions to our pure and natural ingredients are uncommon, we recommend you test our products first on a small patch of skin for 24 hours. In the unlikely event that redness or irritation develops, discontinue use.