One of the best reasons to use a handmade soap is the ingredients but before diving into that, it is important to first understand what makes soap actually soap versus a detergent.

Handmade soap is created by blending oils, liquid and lye. Once the lye and oils emulsify and start to combine, the process, called saponification, turns the lye and oil into soap. There is no lye leftover in the finished handmade soap. A true soap does not contain harsh ingredients like chemical detergents, hardeners and synthetic lathering agents.

The majority of commercial products on the shelf don't actually say soap on their labels. They might be called beauty bars, moisturizing bars, or body bars. These soaps are actually detergents that include chemical hardeners, foaming agents, and the majority have removed all the good stuff that occurs in the soap making process.

Our all natural soaps include glycerin, which is produced naturally during the soapmaking process. Gylcerin is a humectant that attracts moisture from the air to the skin. Commercial soap manufacturers make it a practice to remove the glycerin that is produced during the saponification process. The glycerin is then resold to other companies to produce lotions and moisturizers. Once glycerin is removed from soap, the resulting product will become drying or irritating on the skin. Glycerin will softens and maintain water balance and naturally produces a rich and luxurious lather.

Only the best ingredients nature offers are used in our soaps and we do not test on animals. Our soaps are vegan, GMO-free, paraben and phthalate free. Check our individual soap listings for a full listing of ingredients.

• GMO free -This means that we do not use any ingredients containing genetically modified organisms.

• Paraben free - Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products such as soap, moisturizers, shaving cream and deodorant. Companies use parabens to extend the shelf life of products and prevent growth of bacteria. Parabens may be linked to breast cancer and fertility issues. Our soaps contain no parabens.

• Phthalate free - Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in products like toys, detergents, nail polish, and hair spray. They’re used to make products more flexible and harder to break. Our soaps contain no phthalates.