*Why is handmade soap different than commercially made soap?

 Many commercial soaps aren't soaps at all. They are made with ingredients that would qualify them as detergents or "cleansers". Soap is made with fats that have been saponified, that is, combined with sodium hydroxide. That's it. You can add other ingredients to enhance the soap but it is a pretty simple product. And if it's done well, it is pretty great. If it is done on a mass scale using substandard, super cheap filler ingredients to maximize profits, it can be pretty awful. Another huge difference in commercially produced soaps is glycerin. Soap contains glycerin. It occurs naturally in the saponifcation process. Glycerin is a natural emollient, meaning that it draws moisture to itself. This is great for your skin but not so great for the shelf life and economical packaging of mass produced soaps. So all that wonderful glycerin is removed from many commercially made soap to extend its shelf life and then it is sold to us as an added luxury ingredient in their other cosmetic products and we pay dearly for it because that cheap soap keeps our skin thirsty and dry. 

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*Is there lye in this soap?

No. HOWEVER, let me clarify. All soap is made with lye but no soap contains lye. Soap is made by combining oils/fats with sodium hydroxide (lye) that has been dissolved in liquid (water, milk, beer, wine, etc). Each fat has what is called a SAP value which tells the soap maker exactly how much lye is required to turn that fat into soap. Once the fats and lye are combined in the proper ratio a chemical reaction called saponification begins. Saponification is a fancy word that means, in very simplified terms, that fat and lye combined turn into a salt.

That melt and pour soap kit from the craft store? That was made with lye. That stuff called glycerin soap? Also made with lye. That person who said they don't use lye in their soap? Someone else made the base for them...with lye. The bottom line is, if it is labeled "soap" and everyone is being truthful, at some point in the production of that product, lye was involved. Don't be scared to use "lye soap". You already do. That stuff from the big famous store in the mall with the scented liquid soaps is totally made with lye. Baby soap is made with lye.

So...soap is just the alkali salt of fatty acid and there is NO LYE left in it. And that's no lie.

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*How long will a bar of handmade soap last?

Longer than you might expect. It's best to use a draining soap dish or even remove it from the shower between uses. Handmade soap retains its naturally occurring glycerin which means that it can draw moisture to itself if you let it. Just be sure it isn't left sitting in a puddle, or it could melt away to mush pretty quickly. If you take care of it, we find that a full-size bar will last about a month with average daily use (assuming one adult taking an average of one shower per day). 

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*Are your products hypoallergenic?

Please read the ingredient list if you have any allergies. We use a wide variety of ingredients in our products, and we cannot guarantee that you won't be allergic to them. If you have an allergy to one of our ingredients but would still like to special order a product that would suit your needs, please contact us.

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*When will my order be shipped?

Most in stock orders are packed and shipped within 3 business days. If a delay in shipping time is expected, we will let you know as soon as possible. 

Special orders will be shipped as soon as they are ready, and the time needed for production, packaging, and shipping is discussed with each customer at the time the order is placed.

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*I placed an order and I got a notification that it is out of stock. What happened?

Sometimes that happens right after we do a live event like a craft show or a farmers' market because these events happen at a fast pace and rarely do they have Wi-Fi available for us to be able to update our inventory in real time and pull orders that may be placed during the event.

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*Can I pick up my order if I don't want to pay shipping?

Yes. Choose local pick up as your shipping option during checkout. You will be contacted when your order is ready for pick up.

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*Can I come tour your studio/workshop or shop in person at your workshop?

We do not allow tours or visitors to the production facility at this time.

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*Is this soap good for/will this product cure my (insert condition here)?

We do not make any medical claims. We do not give any medical advice. Our soap will clean you. Please read the ingredients lists and make any decisions for your skin care based on your own judgement or discuss it with a licensed healthcare professional.

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