1. Why not cold process?
LYE (also known as sodium hydroxide, caustic soda, or “saponified oils”) is
the ingredient in ALL cold process soaps used to convert fats/oils into a soap base. When used properly, lye is not a
problem… but if the lye-to-oil ratio is wrong or the bar is not aged/processed properly, the following reactions may
occur:
n blindness
n hair loss
n chemical burns
n general skin irritation
The other problem with lye is that when disposed of down the drain, it can cause waterway pollution and has been known
to kill fish.
Because of these factors and the potential risk that may arise if we were to handle the lye ourselves, we have chosen
to use the melt-and-pour method of soap-making using a non-animal fat glycerin base.
2. Why not
organic?
Although many ingredients in a lot of soap bars may be organic (meaning that they were grown without pesticides/fertilizers),
cold process soaps rely on lye and melt-and-pour soaps rely on propylene glycol – neither of these ingredients can be
organic. It is important for soap-makers to carefully examine their materials to choose the least harsh ingredients possible,
but to make a homemade soap 100% “organic” is not a possibility.
3. Why is
SLES (sodium laureth sulfate) in your beauty bar?
You may have heard (especially on the internet) that sodium laureth sulfate, is a carcinogen (meaning that it
can cause cancer). There are two major problems with this rumor that we would like to dispel.
- The myth says that sodium laureth sulfate is abbreviated as SLS, but in reality,
its abbreviation is SLES. SLS is sodium lauryl sulfate, so you can see where the confusion arose. SLS is a harsher detergent
used in industrial cleaning. So the rumor may say that it is about sodium laureth sulfate, but it also says that it is about
SLS – which doesn’t make much sense.
- That said, neither SLS nor SLES have been proven to cause cancer. This is a complete
internet fabrication. At worst, SLS (which is not even the ingredient that we use) can cause minor skin irritation and redness.
That is why it is used in industrial cleaning and not in skin care. SLES is a common ingredient in hand cleansers and shampoos
and has NEVER been known to cause skin problems and certainly is not linked to cancer.
4. Cautions
n Keep out of reach of children and
animals (especially cats – one of the ingredients in our beauty bars is both tasty and toxic to felines)
n Product is meant for skin care use
only – do not eat
n If product gets into eyes, rinse
with warm water
