What are botanicals?

Most simply put, botanicals are plants with properties for which humans have found a use. It gets more complicated from there. For example: not all plants that are suitable for ingesting are suitable for applying to skin (as in the case of essential oil of cinnamon); some botanicals recently have been found to pose risks that may offset the benefits of some traditonal uses (as in the case of comfrey); and some parts of plants are safer than other parts (as in the case of borage and castor).

What is artisanal?

As artisans, we practice a skilled craft with traditional methods. Our formulations are hand-crafted in small batches from natural plant oils, essential oils and botanicals--not from melt-and-pour kits or pre-made bases. We design and print our packaging, adapting motifs from the Art Nouveau movement with which we share core values of love of craft and the importance of art and nature in everyday life. We combine these sensitibilities under a strict sustainability ethic in our workshop--where we live with salvaged furnishings and high-efficiency systems, and live by REDUCE (such as low-waste production techniques), RE-USE (such as shipping materials shared with neighboring merchants) and RECYCLE (such as packaging materials of recycled and/or recyclable content).

Are your formulations tested on animals?

Never. Our formulations are tested first on us, then on volunteer beta-testers. Honesty and adjectives are essential to us, and we have been fortunate over the years to have had beta-testers who provide at least one, if not both.

Do your soaps lather?

Yes. So does our shampoo bar.

Do your soaps have glycerin?

All true soap contains glycerin. It is a byproduct of the saponification of fatty acids (plant oils) with a base (a salt).

How do you cook your soaps?

We don't. Sustained high temperatures would degrade nutrients in our botanical ingredients. We use a three-phase cold-process soapmaking method in which natural plant-based ingredients are carefuly measured to the gram and combined at or below body temperature, allowing nature to take her course. Our thorough understanding of the math and chemistry of soapmaking allows us to go with nature's flow and craft soaps with desired characteristics such as bar hardness and abundant lather, plus botanical properties imparted by natural plant oils, essential oils and botanicals.

What is an exfoliant?

An exfoliant is an agent used to remove dead cell debris from the outermost layer of skin. Exfoliants can be mechanical (such a rough fiber sponge or cloth, or a razor) or chemical (such as AHAs--alpha hydroxy acids, or BHA--beta hydroxy acid). They pose different risks. For example, in the case of mechanical exfoliants, probably everyone who has used a pumice stone on wet heels, knees or elbows has learned how easy it is to slough too hard and end up abrading skin. It is probably not as well known that AHAs can pose a risk of photosensitizing skin.

We use a range of botanicals as mechanical exfoliants in our soap scrubs, from mild to brisk--with ground Lavender buds at the mildest to shredded Loofah at the most brisk--and many in between such as ground Chamomile buds, Lemon Balm, Iris root and Rosemary.

We do not use any concentrated or isolated forms of AHAs. We use Rosehip Seed oil--naturally higher in retinoic acid than most other plant oils, in low concentrations in selected balm and lotion formulations. We use Black Willow Bark extract, a natural source of the only BHA, at low concentrations in select lotion and cleanser/toner formulations.

Are you soap scents strong?

We offer a range of botanical soaps, and we consider some to be milder (such as Honey Oatmeal) and some relatively stronger (as in Honey Almond). We formulate our soaps so that someone who shares the bath or shower with you will share the scent, but someone who shares the elevator with you likely will not. That said, olfactory receptors and sensitivities vary from person to person.We have wrung our beta-testers, our imaginations and our dictionaries to provide scent descriptions. Alas, text conveys only so much, and you can't smell on the Internet...yet.

Do all of your formulations have scent?

Our Basics line is free of essential oils for those who are hypersensitive or particularly committed to a perfume or after-shave. The line includes the Basics Set of Body Care, Special Care and Loofah Scrub soaps, Basic Balm and Basic Lotion.

What is the difference between a balm and a lotion?

A balm is formlated with oils only. A lotion is an emulsion of oils in water (we use aloe juice). A cream is an emulsion of water in oils.

How long do your soaps last?

We have soaps at our workshop and home sinks that last weeks and months despite our frequent hand washing. It's difficult to estimate for bath and shower usage because those habits---how often, how long, whether a wash cloth or sponge is used vs. the bare bar on skin, whether the skin is smooth or furry, etc.--vary from person to person.

What is the shelf life of your soaps?

That depends on storage conditions such as heat, light and humidity, as well as the properties of each soap's botanicals ingredients or lack thereof (our Basics line is free of essential oils for those who are hypersensitive or particularly committed to a perfume or after-shave). Nature is at work on all of us, as well as our soaps, so you should not expect to store a bar of natural soap for more than 12 to 18 months under favorable conditions. We discourage the purchase of our soaps early in the year intended as gifts late in the year. It is for those customers who are only rarely able to visit our retail workshop in person that we learned how to add commerce to our website.

Do you teach soapmaking?

No. Our insurance does not cover offering classes in soapmaking, and we have found that most folks who are interested in classes want a recipe with a set of instructions to follow rather than an in-depth understanding of soapmaking, botanicals or skin. We are frequently imposed upon by those who seek to "go to school" on us as a shortcut to research and practice. Occasionally, we have the pleasure of encountering someone whose earnestness and diligence match ours, and with whom we will informally share learnings from our experience, expertise and explorations.

Do you do Patchouli?

No.

Will you ever do Patchouli?

Never say never; but probably not.

Let us know if you have a question we haven't answered here or elsewhere on our site.