DEAL ALERT!! Use 4FOR25 code at checkout to get 4 soaps for $25!! (Inspired by a new customer! Thank you!!) <3

Soapmaking FAQ & Ingredients Info

Kids often ask me, "How do you make soap?  What IS soap?" or "What is in this soap?"  I LOVE blathering about the soapmaking process, what ingredients I use (and don't use) and why.  I put together this FAQ for anyone interested in these questions! 

  • What is soap? How do you make soap? True soap is a unique substance made by Saponification - natural chemical reaction.  We dissolve a strong alkaline substance ( “lye” / sodium hydroxide) in water, then add this mix to natural oils and butters. The mixture undergoes a chemical change that creates a whole new substance called soap! (No lye is left once saponification is complete.)

  • Why does soap clean so well? Soap’s unique molecular structure breaks the surface tension of water and “grabs” oil, dirt, and grime, holding onto them so water can rinse them away. True soap is also naturally antimicrobial because of its higher pH, which is inhospitable to germs.  Soap is magical!

  • How do you choose which ingredients to use? One major reason that people make their own soap is to have control over the ingredients. Parents often want soap for their families that is free of allergens and harsh additives. I choose high-quality, natural core ingredients for my soap because they produce a skin-pampering, gentle soap that naturally cleans while nourishing and protecting your skin. I make sure my bar soap never has harsh synthetic detergents, SLS, parabens, or phthalates.

  • What ingredients DO you use? Organic unrefined coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado oil, and castor oil.  I love supporting our local farms and making use of in-season, fresh ingredients like pumpkins, apple cider, Maple syrup, fresh milk, grassfed tallow, and herbs or flowers.  I get honey from several local beekeepers.  I also harvest unsprayed herbs and flowers from my own wild backyard, like lemon balm, dandelion, native hyssop, chamomile, bee balm, and native goldenrod.






I'm going to make a page all about the ingredients I use and why they are AMAZING!  

Here are some key ingredients that are in almost every soap I make: 

  1. Olive Oil (Organic)
  2. Coconut Oil (Organic, Virgin, Unrefined)
  3. Avocado Oil
  4. Shea Butter (Raw or Refined)
  5. Cocoa Butter (Natural or Deodorized)
  6. Castor Oil (Organic)
  7. Aloe Vera Juice (Organic)
Below are more beloved ingredients I use often in my soaps. 
  1. Goat Milk (Raw, Organic, Local)
  2. Honey (Raw, Local)
  3. Oatmeal (Colloidal Oats)
  4. Clays from the Earth (Kaolin Clay, Brazilian Clay, Sea Clay,  Bentonite Clay)
  5. Activated Charcoal
  6. Fruit & Vegetable Purees (Pumpkin, Pear, Blueberry, Strawberry, Cucumber, Nettle Leaf, Sweet Potato)
  7. Sea Salt (Himalayan Pink Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, Sel Gris French Grey Salt)
  8. Maple Syrup (local to NYS)
  9. Tallow (Organic, Grassfed, Local)
  10. Natural Colorants (Indigo, Spirulina, Clays, Annatto Seeds, Paprika, Turmeric, Madder Root, Himalayan Rhubarb, Cocoa Powder)
  11. Herbs (Dandelion Root, Chamomile, Calendula, Spearmint, Patchouli,