Soap that is properly cured (6 weeks or longer) and are kept out of standing water, will last just as long, if not longer, than commercial soap. Soap that not allowed to dry between uses will tend to get mushy or soft and will not last as long. Soap savers or soap dishes will help extend the life of your soap by keeping it out of standing water. If you don't have one, check out these: https://hivibescollective.com/product-details/product/soap-savers/

We use both natural colorants and skin-safe micas. We also use essential oils and phthalate-free fragrance oils. We used to be a "natural" only company. However, after much research, and from the preferences of my customers, I use the type of colorant and fragrance based on the goal of that soap. I do, however, only use micas that are skin-safe (the kind used in make-up) and fragrance oils that do not have cancer-causing ingredients.

Because many of our soaps are made with only natural ingredients, some fading of scent or color is completely normal. Essential oils are delicate and can evaporate as the soap cures or is stored, especially lighter scents like citrus. Likewise, natural colorants such as clays, herbs, and plant powders may soften in shade over time since they aren’t stabilized with synthetic dyes.

This gentle change doesn’t affect the quality or effectiveness of the soap—it’s simply part of the charm of using a truly natural product. To keep your bars at their best, we recommend storing them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

As with all "real" soap, lye (sodium hydroxide) is used to change the butters and oils into "soap". Without lye, all you would have is a bar of butters and oils. However, once the saponification process is complete (within the first 48 hours), no lye remains in the soap. What is left is only soap and glycerin.

Note: Some commercial soaps are made of synthetic detergents and use no lye. Dove bars are one example. Synthetic detergents are not bad, they just use man-made cleansers rather than the old-fashioned style of soap-making. (We use synthetic detergents in our shampoo bars because they are much gentler and more pH balanced for your hair.)

If you have sensitive skin, it's best to always test first. You will find that less ingredients may be better for sensitive skin rather than adding extras that may aggravate it. Look for our single-oil/butter soaps that are unscented, such as our Pure Tallow Soap or our Pure Lard Soap. Both of these are very mild and gentle on the skin without stripping any extra oils.

As an artist of handmade products, I can attest that we are not machines. We can't always do things exactly the same time, every time. This includes everything from the ingredient amounts to how many poppy seeds we drop on top. You will know its handmade when every bar you see has its own personality, it's own look.

Whereas, commercial soaps are made by machines and are produced exactly the same way every time. There is definitely consistency, but no artistry in commercial products.

As someone who thanks God for the wonderful products that come from animals, I tend to create soaps that use animal fats. However, I also realize people don't think the same way as I do or who have allergic reactions to animal fats. Once we started creating our soap making courses, I wanted to offer more variety to those who prefer plant-based soaps and skincare. Now we offer many vegan soaps and skincare items. If you don't see what you want or need in a vegan product, let us know!

In addition, being a small handcrafting business, our products are not tested on animals. We also try to find ingredient brands who share these same values.

Most of my soap recipes do not use Palm oil. However, you might see one or two soaps that do include it. When we do use Palm Oil, we buy sustainable palm oil that is certified RSPO. Palm oil is a well-known oil in soap because it creates a wonderfully rich lather that cleanses well and makes a hard bar of soap. We like to test different recipes and will not hesitate to offer a great bar of soap that includes RSPO palm oil. If a soap includes Palm oil, we will include it in the Soap Profile section as well as in the list of ingredients.

RSPO palm oil is palm oil that meets the rigorous sustainability standards set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a global non-profit organization. You can read more about the RSPO here: https://rspo.org/why-sustainable-palm-oil/

As a handcrafter, we try to use a more sustainable way of packaging our product. We do use plastic shrink wrap on some products, but our soap packaging is plastic-free.

Currently, we ship our soap with just the vellum label. 

We have used muslin bags to package our soap in the past and you may receive your soap in a bag as well as with a vellum label. The bag is cotton and you can even leave the soap in the muslin bag for a more exfoliating experience and to add more lather. In addition, you can reuse the muslin bag for your soap scraps so even the little bits of soap from other bars won't go to waste.

Sometimes trying new products, especially natural products that may work differently from commercial products, your body might start to detox and make change to your skin, hair, etc. Sometimes the change may be a negative one at first while your body adjusts to the new product. If this happens, don't immediately set aside the product. Your body may take a few days to a few weeks of use to work itself out and come to a balance.

However, if you are having an allergic reaction, discontinue use immediately and seek medical help, if needed. (Even natural ingredients have allergens that people can react with. Patch test first if you are worried about sensitives.)

If our product(s) just don't work for you after consistently using them for several weeks, or if you have an allergic reaction to one of our products, please contact us so we can discuss a refund or replacement of the item(s).

Yes! Law requires us to include the INCI name for our products that are considered cosmetics which is anything other than soap. Soap is not considered a cosmetic, so we don't include usually the INCI ingredient list. Whether we are required to include the INCI list or not, we always include the common name list so the ingredients are easily recognizable. 

We want you to know how each ingredient affects the final product, if just out of curiosity or allergy-related. We've compiled lists of each ingredient and what they bring to the table. Check them out here: Butters & Oils, Additives (special oils, etc.), Scents (essential oils & fragrance oils), and colorants (powders & clays). You will also find these links in our footer at the bottom of each page as well as in the drop-down menu. If you don't see a particular ingredient listed, let us know, and we will add it. You can also google the standard name or INCI name for a good snapshot of the ingredient and its uses.