Facts about Handmade soaps


Will handmade soap be gentle to my skin?
Yes!  The reason the Real Handmade Soap is gentle to the skin is because of the glycerin content. Glycerin is a natural by-product of the soapmaking process.
Commercial manufacturers remove it because it "gums" up the milling machines and because it is a valuable commodity that can be sold to the cosmetic and other industries.  Real Handmade Soapmakers do not remove the glycerin. because glycerin is a "humectant" which is a category of substances that attracts moisture. What this means to you is that soap with glycerin actually moisturizes your skin. Soap without glycerin dries it out. Glycerin is also what creates the lovely, silky feel that people typically associate with Real Handmade Soap. 
(information obtained from http://www.realhandmadesoap.com)

How long will my Real Handmade Soap last?
Place your Real Handmade Soap on a soap saver between use and it will last as long as a commercial bar. Some of my customers swear it lasts much longer. Please do not use soap dishes that have no drainage holes -- all soaps will dissolve when sitting in a pool of water.
Does all soap contain lye?
No! A well-made, superfatted soap does not contain lye (sodium hydroxide).

This "old wives tale" started because the alkali, sodium hydroxide, is used during the manufacturing of soap. It is necessary to use a strong alkali as a reagent during saponification -- the chemical reaction that changes fats and oils into soap and glycerin. However, once saponification is complete, you are left only with soap, glycerin and a bit of skin-loving superfat.

And . . . as our customers will happily tell you, Real Handmade Soap is gentle to the skin and a silky pleasure to use.
Is this a "milled soap?"
Milled soap is a commercial process of soapmaking. Glycerin is removed from the soap and then it is ground into a fine powder before being rolled through the mills and extruded into molds. Milling produces a very hard bar but it is brittle and often cracks and looks untidy towards the end of the bar. It may not actually last as long as is generally thought.

You know what I mean -- let's say you are cleaning up for company -- you clean out the sink and while doing so you notice that your soap has those dirty vertical cracks. So what do you do? You throw it away and get out a nice, fresh bar of soap for your guests.

Real Handmade Soap never develops those dirty lines and is wonderfully usable right down to the last tiny sliver.

Sometimes you will hear the expression "handmilled." This is not an actual milling process and is more correctly called rebatched soap. It is made by melting down a base soap and remolding it. If you decide to purchase handmilled soap, make sure to ask the maker if they are melting down their own Real Handmade Soap made from scratch or are they simply melting down a commercially manufactured base.
Why isn't your soap transparent?
We make Real Handmade Soap from scratch! Really! You can have a look at the pictures here.


The transparent soaps you see at crafts shows and boutiques are not Real Handmade Soap. The crafter simply purchases a commercially manufactured Melt & Pour base that is clear and meltable because of the addition of solvents. 

Additionally, the base is often made of detergents that are harsh to the skin. The crafter melts the base down in a microwave or double boiler, adds fragrances and dyes and pours it in a mold to set up. Melt & Pour soaps can melt in hot sunlight and quickly dissolve in the bath. Transparent Melt & Pour soap can be pretty or contain novelty toys but please save it for decoration. For skin-loving cleansing, treat yourself to the luxury of Real Handmade Soap made from scratch.
What is a superfat?
A superfat is extra oil that is added to the bar to make it especially rich, emollient and gentle to the skin. All of our soaps are superfatted.
information from : http://www.lesliesgarden.com/folders/faq.htm


Dangerous facts about harsh chemicals in your normal soaps
Read on....

1.  Ever heard of sodium-lauryl-sulfate (SLS)? This harsh chemical is frequently used in commercial soapmaking - yes...even those branded ones. Have a quick read here - SLS

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