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Cold process method
Unlike the hot process or boiling method, both which use heat created artificially, the cold process method uses only natural heat, and it takes 4 to 6 weeks for the soaps to mature. It does take time, but this delicate process prevents soap oils from oxidizing.
The cold process method makes soaps especially mild, with natural glycerin and other pure ingredients that are great for your skin.
What is “Real” handmade soap?
There are several handmade soaps on the market that claim to be “additive-free” or “natural”, but most of them contain artificial chemicals, such as soap base and MP soap for flavoring or coloring.
Real handmade soap, made completely from scratch by combining oils with lye or sodium hydroxide, uses raw ingredients through the cold process method.
Real handmade soaps should describe the ingredients in detail, and explain the process they use to create the soaps.
Soaps on the market v.s. Real handmade soaps
Soaps on the market usually do not contain natural glycerin, which helps to lock in moisture in the skin. Because most soaps on the market do not contain natural glycerin, they can cause dry skin.
Handmade soaps made from the cold process method contain natural glycerin from vegetable oil, helping to keep skin moist. Natural glycerin also works as a detergent, washing oily and water-soluble stains away.
Old soaps on the market become dry and cracked, but real handmade soaps
retain their moisture because they include natural glycerin.
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Generally, sodium lauryl sulfate is used to make soaps frothy, but more than 200 forms of sodium lauryl sulfate exist. It is used to strengthen the washing effect, enrich fragrance and prevent spoilage for a long period of time.
Many shampoos, conditioners, toothpastes, cosmetics and other toiletries on the market contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
An unknown fact about SLS is that it may contain ingredients that melt protein
and lead to the destruction of your skin, blood vessels and organs.
Sodium lauryl sulfate tends to penetrate through the skin, ripping the barrier zone, melts the cell membrane and destructs the cell itself, causing various skin diseases.
In addition, because SLS does not dissolve in water, it can pollute ground water.
Real handmade soaps, made with all natural ingredients, easily dissolve in water and are great for both your skin and the environment.
Our handmade soaps
All oils we use are high quality vegetable oils, including 100% pure olive oil made in Italy, palm, castor, shea butter, coconut, sweet almond and jojoba oil. We never use animal oil, lard or tallow.
Many of our soaps contain medicinal herbs, such as horsetail plant, loquat leaves and Japanese green tea leaves. They are infused in olive oil for 3 weeks, and the entire process takes up to 2 months.
For fragrance, we use only 100% pure essential oils.
The weight of our soaps vary, depending on the process of evaporation during the
drying process. They are all about 4.0oz to 4.5oz.
None of our soaps contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), propylene glycol, petroleum products, parabens, artificial colors, artificial fragrances, and NO chemical preservatives. They are truly additive-free handmade soaps.
Not only can you use them to wash your body, but your hair and face as well.
Fragrance and essential oil
Most fragrance oils contain artificial and chemical substances used to preserve and extend the life of the fragrance. Most of the soaps on the market which are labeled "handmade" contain these artificially-enhanced fragrance oils.
Soaps including fragrance oils can cause allergic reactions in some people, and cannot provide any of the healing effects that essential oils can.
Essential oils are natural substance extracted from flowers, leaves, fruits, barks, roots, seeds and resin.
More than 300 kinds of essential oils exist. It takes many plants to produce essential oils and tends to be more expensive than fragrance oils
Glycerin
Glycerin is known to draw moisture from the air and used as a moisturizer. It is also good for wounds and chapped skin and even removes stains as a detergent.
Lye
Lye is necessary in order to make soaps because it is essential to the mixing of oil and water. Lye is also known as sodium hydroxide, and its main component is salt.
Oil and lye go through the process of saponification, changing into fatty acid salt, and the original characteristics of lye vanish during the maturing process of the soap.
Loquat
Loquat is a beautiful evergreen fruit tree native to Japan and China, with fragrant white flowers and pear-shaped yellow fruit with large seeds. Loquat has been used as medicinal plant in Japan and China for centuries. Loquat is rich in beta carotene, Vitamin C, critic acid, and Vitamin B, and helps strengthen immunity.
Loquat extract is used in softening and smoothing your skin.
Horsetail plant
Horsetail plant can resemble a small Christmas tree but changes appearance as it develops an ashy-gray shoot with a brown cone that contains spores.
Horsetail plant contains high amounts of minerals, including iron, magnesium, silica and calcium. It contains about 150 times more calcium than spinach, which is used to strengthen bones, hair, and fingernails.
Horsetail plant also helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
How to shampoo your hair with our soap
Our soaps can be used both for skin and hair. When using as a shampoo, wet your hair thoroughly, directly apply the soap to your hair and froth.
Wash your hair with your fingertips, and rinse out completely. It may take up to a month for your hair to adjust to the soap, and your hair might temporarily become even drier due to alkalization.
This problem can be remedied by neutralizing your hair. Just mix 300cc lukewarm water with 20cc vinegar, apply to your hair, then rinse out right away.
You can add essential oil or glycerin if you like.
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