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Frequently Asked
Questions...
What is your shipping
and return policy?
Please SELECT THIS LINK to view our
policy.
What is "saponification"?
This is the process of adding lye and water to oils to make soap. Soap
in this form is technically a salt. The caustic properties of the lye
are eliminated and evaporate during the process and over the curing
period.
What is glycerin?
Glycerin is a natural humectant. It attracts moisture. The glycerin in
the soap attracts moisture from the air to your skin.
Do you use tallow
(animal fat) in your handmade soap?
No. We do not use tallow (animal fat) or other animal products in our
soaps. The common animal products used in soap making are tallow,
lanolin, milk and beeswax. Tallow can be found in most of the
commercial soaps produced today and is usually listed as sodium tallowate.
Does Shea Butter contain naturally
occurring latex?
Most people are familiar with latex from the tissue beneath the
bark of the rubber tree responsible for the multitude of rubber
products. Shea butter contains natural latex. Although it is
not exactly the same as the sap-like latex extract from the Rubber
Tree (Hevea brasiliensis), it is very similar in chemical composition.
Although the quantities of latex in shea butter are small, this
natural latex is responsible for the sealing property that shea
butter has that may aid in protecting your skin and also contributes
to its ability to protect the skin from sun damage.
It should be noted, however, that anyone with a known latex allergy
should do a patch test before using. To date, there have been no
Shea Butter latex allergic reactions reported to the FDA.
Can I use handmade
soap to wash my hair?
Yes, our hemp oils shampoo bars were created for this purpose. They
are made with premium quality hemp oil, Shea Butter, and aloe oil. Wet
your hair and rub the bar of soap across your hair a few times to
lather. There's no residue left on your hair, it rinses out and leaves
your hair squeaky clean with out feeling dried out.
Do you use dyes to
color your soap?
No, we do not use dyes in the making of our soaps. We use flowers,
herbs, and spices for their individual qualities and to provide
texture and color.
Can I bathe my baby
with your soaps?
Yes. Our Shea Baby Line is especially mild but does not have the
chemicals which are added that produce a ‘no more tears’ effect. So, be careful
not to expose to the eyes of your baby.
How long does your
soap last?
In
general, soap has a very long shelf life (years). Depending on your
bathing habits, you can expect your bar to last two to three weeks. Please
remember to place your soap in a dish that drains to extend the
longevity.
How do I store my soap?
We recommend that once you use one of our uniquely shaped soaps, you
place it on its side in a dish that drains. This way it
will be easier to pick it back up when you are ready to use it again
and the soap will dry faster and last longer.
Is your soap edible?
Yes. We pride ourselves on the fact that the quality of oils used is
better than what finds it way to most dining room tables. Our
question is why you would want to eat soap unless you have a potty
mouth. ; )
What do you recommend
for skin with eczema?
The Ebony Tar Soap is outstanding for extreme cases of eczema. The
recipe is at least 75 years old and is the same recipe that my grandmother
made for us when we had skin issues. It sooths itchy and patchy
rashes and pulls out the impurities in the skin. Our Fresh Soap is
great for light cases of eczema and is made with tea tree and lime
oils. It also has a healthy dose of oatmeal and is antiseptic, but is very
gentle at the same time.
Is your soap friendly
to the environment?
Yes. We add no phosphates. Our own output of waste is minimal and
typically makes its way to our sample bins in stores or at local
farmers markets.
Do you mass-produce
your soap?
No. Our handmade soap is made in small batches of 100 bars or 40 lbs.
We prefer to make small batches as this assures our customers they are getting the freshest soap possible.
What is the
difference between handmade soaps and mass-produced soaps?
Handmade soaps are traditionally called cold process. Cold pressed soaps are made at low
temperatures by saponification and retain the natural glycerin that is
produced. Commercial soap making uses a continuous process and
generally uses petroleum based synthetic ingredients and fragrances.
This old-fashioned method of soap making creates and retains glycerin,
which helps to moisturize your skin. You will not have that dry, itchy
feeling you get from using commercial soaps. We do not use any animal
or petroleum byproducts. Glycerin is a valuable byproduct of the
soap making process. It is usually extracted from commercial soap and
sold or used for other purposes.
Why do your soaps
cost more than mass produced soaps?
We make our soap from the finest food grade oils available. Olive
oil from Spain and Italy, Shea Butter and coconut oil from Africa,
domestic aloe oils, Kosher Vegetable glycerin, and hemp oil from
Canada. We will not cut corners in the quality of oils that we
procure because we are making product for both your families and
ours. In addition, petroleum compounds and byproducts tend to cost
less and are more advantageous in mass-produced products and for cost
containment and/or reductions.
Do you test your
product on animals?
No. We are cruelty free, as our friends and
family very willingly test our soaps.
What are your soap's
ingredients?
We make five different types of soap containing all or just some of
the ingredients listed below:
Aloe Vera Oil
Aloe Vera Oil benefits dry and cracked skin, burns, blisters,
frostbite, insect bites and allergic reactions. Aloe Vera allows for
the highest concentrations of the natural healing agent delivered
directly to your skin and scalp.
Burnt Kiln Pine Tar
Is a golden brown pine tar produced according to the old kiln method
from stumps of the pine tree Pinus Silvestris, also known as "peasant
made" tar. This type of tar is characterized by high resin content
(rosin acids and retene), low content of pitch and high purity, i.e.
free from soot and other impurities. This is the type we use and is
most beneficial for problematic skin conditions such as eczema,
Itching, and psoriasis.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil (originated from
Africa and South
America) dramatically enhances a soap's ability to provide lathering
qualities.
Hemp Seed Oil
Hemp seed oil is one of the world's richest sources of polyunsaturated
fats, including both of the essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega
6) and GLA (gamma Linolenic acid), which make it an excellent natural
emollient and moisturizer. It imparts gloss and manageability to
hair, bringing relief from dry scalp or hair damage by blow-dryer
heat, chemical perms, coloring or sunlight.
Olive Oil
We like to use a pure Pomace Olive oil (originated from Spain and
Italy), and this is our primary soap making oil as olive oil and it
helps determine the soaps hardness and longevity
Shea Butter
Shea Butter (Sourced from West Africa) is the best and most effective
moisturizer that we have available to us. Shea Butter has a wide
range of healing properties stemming from its physical make up of
vitamins A, E, and cinnamic acid. Shea Butter has anti-inflammatory
capabilities and has been utilized for these benefits for centuries.
Please see our detailed page on Shea Butter. We use it as a super
fatting agent and as a core ingredient in all of our soaps. You can
expect to find from 20 – 70% Shea Butter in all of our soap and shower
gels.
Traditional Vegetable (Soy) Oil
Soybean oil contains 61% polyunsaturated fat and 24% monounsaturated
fat. Saturated fats in the diet can raise blood cholesterol levels and
increase the risk of heart disease. Soybean oil is one of the few
non-fish oils containing linoleic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. It also
contributes nicely to the firmness of our soaps.
Essential Oils
We use only first quality pure essential oils to add a unique and
lasting aroma to our soaps. We avoid the essential oil blends that
contain impurities.
Essential oils we use are:
Basil
Cedar
Virginia
Citronella
Cinnamon Leaf
Eucalyptus
Frankincense
Geranium Egypt
Ginger
Jasmine
Juniper Berry
Lavender
Lemon
Lime
Myrrh
Orange sweet
Living
Osmanthus
Palma Rosa
Patchouli
Pink Grapefruit
Peppermint
Pine
Rose
Rosemary
Sandalwood
Tea Tree
Ylang Ylang
Vanilla
Botanical Fragrance Oils
Our fragrance oils are created from botanical based ingredients
including roots, bark, flowers, berries and leaves. They are distilled
using a method that is similar to extracting essential oils, and may
contain pure essential oils and absolutes in the blend. Botanical
fragrance oils we use are:
Gardenia
Lilac
Organic Botanicals & Spices
We use fresh
Maryland grown organic botanicals whenever possible, and rely on a
few domestic suppliers for the botanical ingredients that are not
available here or are out of season. The botanic ingredients we use are:
Basil
Calendula
Cinnamon
Cornmeal
Flax Seed
Ginger
Jasmine
Kelp
Lavender
Lemongrass
Marigold
Rosehip
Oats
Orris Root
Poppy Seeds
Roman Chamomile
Rose
Turmeric
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