Soap FAQ's
What is the difference between your soap and the stuff in the store? Our handmade soaps are made with premium, wholesome ingredients that are carefully selected for their quality and their contributing beneficial qualities to our finished soap.
Most soaps that you find in the store commonly use detergent-based synthetic ingredients. I invite you to compare the labels and you will see for yourself what the differences are.
Is Sodium Hydroxide the same as lye? Yes it is. Sodium Hydroxide is a molecule (NaOH) that is required in order to make soap. However, during the process of soap making, all lye is consumed and the finished soap contains no active lye. To make soap, you combine oils, butters, water, and lye. Once they have complete the saponification process, lye is no longer present in the finished product.
How do you make soap? I use the cold process method the majority of time. I also use the hot process and sometimes a glycerin based melt and pour methods of soap making.
For cold process and hot process soaps, the soap is poured into molds and left to "sleep" for 24-48 hours before it is unmolded. After that time, the saponification process is fully completed and we have soap! I then cure the soap for 4 to 6 weeks in order for the water content to evaporate out of the soap to make the bar harder and last longer.
Each bar is double checked, weighed, packaged, and labeled before making it’s way to you! My soaps are made in small batches and because of this, there may be a design variation between batch or between two bars of the same batch, it is a handmade product so no two are exactly the same. Every bar made is uniquely different.
Why are some of our soaps brown or turn darker with time? Many things affect the color of soap. The most common is the vanilla content in the batch. Vanilla adds a sweet scent to the soap but vanilla, or vanillin, typically causes soaps to turn brown over time. The amount of vanillin effects the rate of the color change but in no way affects the quality of the soap. Fragrances with vanillin will turn a dark chocolate brown over time.
How do I care for handmade soaps? Caring for your handmade soaps may be a bit different than what you are used to with store bought soaps. After each use, make sure to place handmade soaps in a well-drained dish away from direct streams of water. Because there are no detergents in handmade soap, the bar should be allowed to completely dry between uses in order for it to last longer.
Refunds and Exchanges - Because of the personal nature of our products, I can not accommodate any returns. However, my goal is to make you happy with your purchase and if you are unsatisfied for any reason, please contact us and I will do my best to work something out for you.
Please make your selections with care because I generally cannot accept returns/exchanges on personal care items. You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item unless otherwise agreed upon. Original shipping costs are non-refundable.