Frequently Asked Questions
How do you ship your products?
All products are shipped via UPS, you will be provided with a tracking number to follow your order. Please allow 5 business days to process your order.
Do you make custom, personalized orders?
If you can't find a product in my shop that meets your needs I could create a new product just the way you like it! All you have to do is contact me!
Is there wholesale availability of your products?
Unfortunately for the time being I do not offer wholesale.
Returns, Cancellations and Refunds:
What do you mean your soaps use natural colorants?
The first thing anyone sees about your soap creation is its color. A lot of soap makers are choosing synthetic lab colors, micas and pigments, but there are many options for coloring your soap naturally. Instead, I use herbs, dry botanicals, spices, teas and clays to impart natural colors.
Why does Soap sting the eyes?
Let’s Talk About pH. As you may have learned in science class, the pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is and ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, a pH less than 7 is acidic, and a pH greater than 7 is basic (alkaline).
The Human Eye. Human eyes have a natural pH level of around 7, which is neutral. Our eyes are extremely sensitive to any variations in pH and have a very low tolerance for alkalinity. Soaps have a pH of between 7.5 and 9, so their chemical nature is more alkaline.
Since our eyes can't handle an alkaline substance, they begin watering to get rid of the potentially harmful substance. Blood vessels then enlarge, coming closer to the surface of the eye and making them appear red. This is what we usually experience when soap gets in our eyes.
Thankfully, before soaps are put on the market, they are tested to ensure they are non-toxic if they do come into contact with eyes. Even so, it’s best to try to keep soap out of your eyes as much as possible. After all, no one wants to have stinging, red eyes!
Why is there lye in your soaps? Isn't it a hazardous material?
Well, yes, and no. All soap is made with lye. There are no exceptions to this rule. Lye or sodium hydroxide is most commonly known as a drain cleaner, but also plays a role in the soap making process. A lye solution and oils are combined and a chemical reaction takes place called saponification. The lye and the oils undergo a chemical change and form a salt that we commonly known as soap. Don't worry, a properly made soap does not contain any lye in the finished product.
There is no lye present in the finished bars of soap or shampoo. While all real soap must be made with lye, no lye remains in our finished product after saponification (described below).
Important! Always Read the Ingredient List on the Label. Commercial "soap" bars and handmade soap bars are also made with lye even though the words "sodium hydroxide" or "lye" do not appear on the labels. Does your bar of "soap" contain ingredients such as...
• saponified oils: oils and butters are mixed with sodium hydroxide and a liquid (usually water).
• sodium cocoate: the generic name for the mixture of coconut oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium palmate: the generic name for the mixture of palm oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium palm kernelate: the generic name for the mixture of palm kernel oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium tallowate: the generic name for the mixture of beef fat (tallow) with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium olivate: the generic name for the mixture of olive oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
We once had a customer who returned a bar of our soap because her dermatologist told her that she should not use a soap made with lye. What did he recommend? Dove.
It is true that the words "lye" or "sodium hydroxide" did not appear on the ingredient label.
But, the first ingredients listed were sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate and sodium palm kernelate. So, you can guess what I told her! Yes, Dove is made with lye!
These words are not usually used to deceive consumers. But soap makers know that consumers are afraid of the word "lye." We believe that today's consumers are pretty savvy and the best practice is to educate.
INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT LYE!
Lye has many uses in the food industry. The secret to great pretzels is a lye bath! Lye gives pretzels their characteristic flavor, crispiness, and glossy finish. Hominy is dried corn kernels reconstituted by soaking them in lye water until the germ is removed. Lye may also be used in the preparation of olives and pickles.
All products are shipped via UPS, you will be provided with a tracking number to follow your order. Please allow 5 business days to process your order.
Do you make custom, personalized orders?
If you can't find a product in my shop that meets your needs I could create a new product just the way you like it! All you have to do is contact me!
Is there wholesale availability of your products?
Unfortunately for the time being I do not offer wholesale.
Returns, Cancellations and Refunds:
- If you wish to cancel an order please contact me within 24 hours of purchase.
- Due to the natural state of our products I accept returns or exchanges only on unopened and unused soaps. Shipping charges are not refunded. The buyer is responsible for paying to have a product returned to us.
- If you wish to return an item please contact me within 7 days from the time of delivery.
- No refund on custom orders.
What do you mean your soaps use natural colorants?
The first thing anyone sees about your soap creation is its color. A lot of soap makers are choosing synthetic lab colors, micas and pigments, but there are many options for coloring your soap naturally. Instead, I use herbs, dry botanicals, spices, teas and clays to impart natural colors.
Why does Soap sting the eyes?
Let’s Talk About pH. As you may have learned in science class, the pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is and ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, a pH less than 7 is acidic, and a pH greater than 7 is basic (alkaline).
The Human Eye. Human eyes have a natural pH level of around 7, which is neutral. Our eyes are extremely sensitive to any variations in pH and have a very low tolerance for alkalinity. Soaps have a pH of between 7.5 and 9, so their chemical nature is more alkaline.
Since our eyes can't handle an alkaline substance, they begin watering to get rid of the potentially harmful substance. Blood vessels then enlarge, coming closer to the surface of the eye and making them appear red. This is what we usually experience when soap gets in our eyes.
Thankfully, before soaps are put on the market, they are tested to ensure they are non-toxic if they do come into contact with eyes. Even so, it’s best to try to keep soap out of your eyes as much as possible. After all, no one wants to have stinging, red eyes!
Why is there lye in your soaps? Isn't it a hazardous material?
Well, yes, and no. All soap is made with lye. There are no exceptions to this rule. Lye or sodium hydroxide is most commonly known as a drain cleaner, but also plays a role in the soap making process. A lye solution and oils are combined and a chemical reaction takes place called saponification. The lye and the oils undergo a chemical change and form a salt that we commonly known as soap. Don't worry, a properly made soap does not contain any lye in the finished product.
There is no lye present in the finished bars of soap or shampoo. While all real soap must be made with lye, no lye remains in our finished product after saponification (described below).
Important! Always Read the Ingredient List on the Label. Commercial "soap" bars and handmade soap bars are also made with lye even though the words "sodium hydroxide" or "lye" do not appear on the labels. Does your bar of "soap" contain ingredients such as...
• saponified oils: oils and butters are mixed with sodium hydroxide and a liquid (usually water).
• sodium cocoate: the generic name for the mixture of coconut oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium palmate: the generic name for the mixture of palm oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium palm kernelate: the generic name for the mixture of palm kernel oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium tallowate: the generic name for the mixture of beef fat (tallow) with sodium hydroxide (lye).
• sodium olivate: the generic name for the mixture of olive oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
We once had a customer who returned a bar of our soap because her dermatologist told her that she should not use a soap made with lye. What did he recommend? Dove.
It is true that the words "lye" or "sodium hydroxide" did not appear on the ingredient label.
But, the first ingredients listed were sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate and sodium palm kernelate. So, you can guess what I told her! Yes, Dove is made with lye!
These words are not usually used to deceive consumers. But soap makers know that consumers are afraid of the word "lye." We believe that today's consumers are pretty savvy and the best practice is to educate.
INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT LYE!
Lye has many uses in the food industry. The secret to great pretzels is a lye bath! Lye gives pretzels their characteristic flavor, crispiness, and glossy finish. Hominy is dried corn kernels reconstituted by soaking them in lye water until the germ is removed. Lye may also be used in the preparation of olives and pickles.