What is the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils?

The simplest way to describe this is that essential oils are made naturally by extracting oil from the plant or fruit whereas fragrance oils are a blend of synthetic oils produced artificially, essential oils can be present but since this is not guaranteed they are deemed fragrance oils. Essential oils are a lot more expensive as hundreds of pounds of the plant are harvested to produce small amounts of the oil. Essential oils are fragile and unstable unlike fragrance oils which have stabilizers and preservatives allowing them a longer shelf life.

Why handmade soap is softer than store bought soap?

In the process of making handmade soap, glycerin is produced. Glycerin is an excellent moisturizer as it draws moisture from the air. Handmade soap retains all the natural glycerin and so the content of glycerin is many times that of commerical soap. Commerical soap making is an entirely different process. A method called milling is used to remove the naturally occurring glycerin under high heat and pressure. This is replaced by less superior synthetic chemicals which can be irritating to the skin. The soap is then dried and shredded into flakes, which are then compressed between rollers to make a hard shiny bar.

What is supper fatting?

All our soaps are super fatted which means that the soap is super-enriched with additional oils. These oils are literally suspended in the soap to directly contact the skin, to increase moisture and mildness.

Is there Lye in my soap?

No. Lye is used to make soap BUT there is no Lye left in the final bar. Handmade soap is made to a specific recipe using a Lye calculator so that all the Lye is reacted away. The soap then cures for 4 weeks to make sure there is no trace of Lye in the final bar.

How do I take care of handmade soap?

Ideally, when in use keep soap in a well drained soap dish. Otherwise store in a cool, dry place.