About Our soap
We have received a lot of e-mail from those of you that will like to know more about our handmade soap and our soap making process. Thank you for all your inquiries. Here are answers to the questions we are most often asked.
Why make soap when it is more convenient to buy it at the grocery store?When ever I announce that I make my own soaps, people usually look at me as if I have lost my mind, and I can understand that. After all, it is easier to pick up a bar at my local grocery store than make my own. However a well-crafted all-natural bar of soap is far better for our skin than any commercial bar. Once you try a bar of our soap I am sure you will not want anything else.
My family purchased and used commercial soap for years - in fact, my favorite was Dove moisturizing bar. We honestly believed we were using one of the most gentle, moisturizing soaps around until we tried just one homemade soap. It was not even the best handmade soap, but the effect it had on our skin could not be ignored. From then on I started researching handmade soap and realized that commercial soaps were made with so many chemicals and created health problems like dry skin, sensitive skin, eczema and the like. Problems that one would never have guessed were created by commercial soaps. The end result- I stopped purchasing commercial soaps and many other products and started making them for myself and my family, now I know exactly what we are putting on and into our bodies.
How do you make your handmade soaps?Our soap is created using the cold process method from food grade fixed oils, each of the oils we use contribute significant properties to our soap, these oils are combined perfectly with sodium hydroxide solution and stirred together to create soap. Just prior to pouring the saponified oils into our molds, essential oils and botanicals are added at precisely the right time. Soap making is a labor intensive process that takes up to six weeks to produce a bar of soap. The result is a mild all-natural soap that nourishes your skin.
What ingredients do you use?Our products are carefully formulated without using any detergents, harsh chemicals, or petroleum based ingredients. Our soap making method produces a firm bar of soap that is creamy, smooth and has lots of lather. Our soaps contain no animal products, artificial colorants, preservatives or synthetic fragrance oil. We are cruelty free, as our friends and family willingly test our soaps. We use essential oils to softly scent our soaps, we add organically grown botanicals and herbs that compliment the essential oils and sometimes add color to our soap.
Why don't you sell vanilla or sandalwood scents?The soap kitchen use only essential oils derived from plants by steam distillation, expression, or extraction. We do not use imitation fragrances. Nor do we use endangered plants, such as sandalwood. If you are searching for a particularly lovely scent and don't see it on our soap menu, most likely the natural source of fragrance is prohibitively expensive. Vanilla absolute, for example, currently cost around $1,500USD a pound and if used would make one bar of soap cost about $30.00 USD ( $180.00 TTD). Mysore sandalwood essential oil usually retails for $900.00 USD a pound. Again, you can see the cost of one bar of soap will have to retail for way too much money. We want our soaps to be an affordable luxury for all.
How is handmade soap different from commercial soaps?Our soap is handmade using the cold process method. This old fashioned method of soap making creates and retains glycerin, which moisturize your skin. You will not experience that dry, feeling you get when you use commercial soap. We do not use any animal or petroleum by products. Commercial soap contains animal products and by-products they also contain petroleum based ingredients, and is actually considered a detergent and not a soap.
Do you use tallow in your handmade soap?We do not use tallow. Tallow is animal fat and/or other animal products. Some of the commercial animal products used in soap making are tallow,lard,lanolin,milk and beeswax. We know we can produce a premium handmade soap without the use of any animal products in our formula. Tallow can be found in most of the commercial soap produced today, and it's usually listed in it's saponified state as sodium tallowate.
Do you mass produce your soap and other spa products?
No. Our handmade soap and spa products are made in small quality controlled batches. We prefer to make small batches of soap and spa products more frequently, as this assures our customers that they are getting a fresh product.
I have sensitive skin, can I use handmade soap?
Yes. For those with sensitive skin, I recommend that you try one of our handmade soap. I think you will be surprised at how mild handmade soap really is. If you have highly sensitive skin, I recommend using one of our baby soaps or a soap without any additive and a discounted percentage essential oil used.
What is your best soap for sensitive skin?We have gotten great feedback on our Lavender Oatmeal soap, another good one to try is the sensitive skin fragrance free soap. Consider this, though: your sensitive skin issues may be related to unnatural ingredients prevalent in ordinary soaps, shampoos and detergents. For that reason you may find that you can enjoy any one of our soap.
Why do you put oatmeal in your soap?
Oatmeal has exfoliating and colloidal properties. In the exfoliating action, oatmeal flakes scrub your skin and remove dead cells. The colloidal action of oatmeal binds moisturizing emollients to your skin so that it is softer and more elastic. Oatmeal also soothes and reduces redness, itching and minor skin irritations.
Does handmade soap have a shelf life? Unlike commercial soaps, natural soap contains no preservatives. Therefore natural soap does have a shelf life. Kept cool and dry, our bars will be fine for several years. We do not use preservatives to extend the shelf life of our soaps. Once stored according to manufactures' guidelines your soap will last and last. Handmade soaps will continue to lose a little of their moisture over time, and need air to stay firm. It is always best to store natural soap in a cool, dry place until you're ready to use it. Do not store your soap in plastic bags or containers, or let your soap sit in a dish that collects water.
The fact that natural soap and our spa products do have a shelf life is an incentive for retailers to buy our products. Our products are shipped directly from our manufacturing site. We do this to insure that we ship the most recently manufactured soap so you enjoy the longest possible shelf life. The soap kitchen creates our soaps and other spa products in small batches to insure the rapid turnover of inventory. It's a more expensive way but the best way to run a natural soap company.
Why does handmade natural soap cost so much?
First, all natural ingredients used to produce our soap and spa products are of the highest quality ingredients available. Making natural soap is extremely labor intensive which is particularly true when manufacturing soap as wonderful as ours.
Second, it depends what you're comparing it to. Our products are priced very competitively with other handmade soaps and spa products. Of course it's more expensive than commercial soaps. Most commercial soaps extract many of the most useful substances in their soap while hot processing thousands of pounds of soap at the same time. Most noticeably they extract the glycerin from the soap. Glycerin is important for moisturizing your skin. The commercial soap companies are happy to sell the glycerin back to you in their lotions and creams to treat the conditions their soap causes you in the first place.
Third, put the cost of natural soap in perspective. How many baths or showers can you take using a 4 oz. bar of natural soap? 30? 40? Let's use thirty for an example. We currently charge $25.00TTD for a bar of regular natural soap. That would mean it costs you about 0.83 cents for each shower or bath. Suppose your bath takes 15 minutes. How many things can you think of that are this pleasurable and healthy for you that you can enjoy for 15 minutes for .83 cents? You can indulge yourself 15 minutes each day for three weeks for about the cost of a pack of Bourbon biscuits that you can eat in five minutes that isn't that good for you or you can enjoy an all natural handmade soap that will do wonders for your skin.
So is it expensive? No. And I didn't even consider the value of the beauty and incredible fragrance this soap adds to your home 24 hours a day when you’re not taking a bath or a shower. Our products are a bargain.
Will the soap my customers receive look exactly like the soap that appears on the web site? The soap kitchen soaps are produced in small batches and will probably never appear exactly the same twice. The batches are hand stirred. There are variations in the color in the natural ingredients used. Furthermore the images on the web site are produced using a calibrated computer monitor to produce the closest possible reproduction of the colors of the soap photographed for the product pictures. There is no guarantee that the colors produced by anyone graphics card on their computer monitor will be the same. I do give you a 100% money back satisfaction guarantee if you or your customers are displeased. I know how beautiful this natural soap is and I feel confident you'll agree.
Are all natural soap bars exactly 145g.?No, because the bars are hand cut. We do guarantee that each natural soap bar is at least 145g.
Is there anything my customers can do to make their bar of natural soap last longer?
Yes. Simply use a soap dish with ridges that allows the soap to dry between each use. Your natural soap will last up to 50% longer using a soap dish with ridges. Don't leave the soap in bath water while you're using it. Store unused soap in a cool, dry place.
Will my favorite soap scent last after my bath or shower?Soap is not a perfume, it is a wash-off product made for cleansing. It's fragrance is included mainly for it's aromatic enjoyment during use. Some scents will linger a bit, but most will not "perfume" the skin. I suggest ordering a bottle of any one of our body butters, in order to "layer" your favorite scent and help them last. A light re-application from time to time may be necessary to prolong the scent throughout your day.
Which soap kitchen soaps are the most moisturizing?All of our soaps are moisturizing, as glycerin is a natural by-product of soap making. In the soap kitchen soaps we do not extract the glycerin it remains in the soap. Also, every bar begins with olive oil, which for centuries has been esteemed for it's excellent skin care. Every bar (except a few) is superfatted, which means that additional emollients, such as Shea Butter, Almond Oil , Cocoa Butter, Macadamia Nut Oil soften and soothe your skin.
Do you make soap on a rope?No we don't but you can! With a nail, put a small hole through one of our bars from front to back at least one inch from either end. Thread heavy twine or rope through the hole and then tie the ends. Suspend the bar from a hook in the shower and it will dry out nicely between uses.
Can you make the edges of your soap rounded?
Because our goal is to make soap you can afford to enjoy and use everyday, We don't form our bars in individual molds. We hand cut a large block of soap into bars. You'll notice the soap edges will round out after the first shower. If you'd like, bevel the edges of your new bar with a vegetable peeler.
Is your soap friendly to the environment?
Yes. We add no phosphates. Our own output of waste is minimal and most time makes its way to our sample bins in stores.
If you have any questions that I have not answered here please feel free to contact us
Are all the ingredients natural and organic?Our soaps are 100% natural and organic. This is what makes our soaps unique. They contain naturally occurring glycerin and rely on 100% naturally pure coconut oil, olive oil and soybean oil.
Our soap is free of artificial colors, preservatives, lanolin, SD alcohol, formaldehyde and animal products and by products. There is no Sodium Laurel, Sodium Sulphate or Sodium Hydroxide. They are suitable for vegetarians and vegans, cruelty free and no animal testing are done.
Why is there a slight gritty feeling to the soaps?
The soap kitchen soaps contain soya beans, rice and oats among others, which provide a light nourishing scrub for the skin. This gentle exfoliation leaves the skin smooth and moisturized.
Do all the soaps smell the same or different?
Each soap has its own unique smell based on its unique mix of natural ingredients.
How many different type of soap are in the Caribbean Spa line?There are 6 Caribbean Spa line soaps in the Exotic collection.
Do you have other types of soap?We are currently working on new soap lines, which will be in the market in the near future.
What is used to create the scent in the soaps?
We use over 20 natural and organic ingredients to make the distinctive soaps. The natural ingredients come from the earth to produce the most exotic aromas.
Is there perfume in the soaps?No. Our soaps are made of 100% natural ingredients. The distinctive scent comes from natural ingredients that include flowers, spices, grains and tea leaves.
Can I use this soap on my face?
Yes. The natural ingredients will create an exceptional super rich and creamy lather. The result is a soap designed to mildly and gently moisturize your skin while deeply cleansing the pores.
What is your best selling soap?Everyone has their own preference when it comes to colors and ingredients. That's what makes this line of soaps so unique. There is something for everyone.
What makes your soap different from other soaps?Each soap is made with the finest ingredients and hand cut, so no two are exactly alike. These qualities separate the soap kitchen from other conventional and natural soap companies.
Why are we a green company?
What does it mean to be "GREEN”?To be "green" means a lot of things. Green is about making better choices -- ones that impact the environment and the planet in a positive way, such as not littering. Sometimes it simply means taking the time to clean up your Local Park or school grounds. It can be about refusing to take a plastic shopping bag when you only have a few items to carry. It also means making smart decisions about the products you buy and how their ingredients effect the environment in the long run.
Why doesn’t THE SOAP KITCHEN make body lotions?
Lotions contain a lot of water and without preservative, spoil quickly. Some lotions contain paraben-based preservative which is not safe for use on our skin. Our solid lotion is a much better and safer choice. It is made from 100% natural ingredients, feels great, has a long shelf-life and does not contain water -- therefore, it doesn't require preservative.
So? What's wrong with parabens?
We'll let the EPA answer that: --The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?" reported that the chemical preservatives called parabens—methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates)—displayed estrogenic activity in several tests. This means that these chemicals mimic your body´s own hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. These disruptors interfere with your body´s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, and your thyroid—virtually every system in your body. The EPA also stated that "continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms." Scientists in Europe found other endocrine-disrupting body care chemicals in the bodies of fish that humans are eating, and in human breast milk. ---In our own words...... Yuck!
Fragrance candles and soaps made with fragrance are everywhere. What is so bad about fragrance?
The short story? They are chemicals created to smell pretty. --- Okay, the longer version: The synthetic fragrances that are used in cosmetics and household cleaning supplies can consist of many undisclosed ingredients and, most of the time, none of them are natural. The chemicals used in fragrances do not have to be listed separately from the other ingredients. For instance, fragrance oils that contain a variety of synthetic chemicals do not list any of them on the ingredient list. The label simply reads “fragrance” or “perfume” or “parfum.” The consumer is being deceived into believing that one harmless ingredient is in their beauty product and not made aware of the cocktail of dangerous artificial fragrance chemicals that they are putting onto their skin and breathing in. The consumer has such negative reactions to cosmetic fragrances because each artificial fragrance typically contains one hundred or more chemicals to produce just one fragrance. Over 5000 aroma chemical are available for creating synthetic fragrances. ---
AT THE SOAP KITCHEN we'll stick with real essential oils that came from plants. Simple and better.
What do you do at home that is Green?
We use fabric shopping bags at the grocery store. We wash all dishes by hand. We refuse plastic bags whenever possible in stores. We have a trash bin that is specifically for recycling. Everyone can begin at home with small steps and add more as you go.
All this green talk. Are you guys Hippies or something?
Hippies? Naw, we're just very down-to-earth and aware that what we do and the choices we make can affect the world we live in.