FAQs

Is there lye in the soap?

Yes. There is lye (sodium hydroxide) in all soap. No lye is in the finished product, however. By the time you come to use this soap, all lye will have been turned into soap.

Why isn’t lye listed on the ingredients label?

UK cosmetic regulations dictate how a soap label should be written. There are certain details that must be included on the label, for example the weight of the product and the contact details of the ‘responsible person’ (this is the person whose name appears on the relevant Cosmetic Product Safety Report - it’s usually the person who manufactures the soap). The label must list all ingredients, in descending order of weight, and it’s best to list them by their INCI (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) name to avoid any doubt as to what exactly each one is. These ingredients can be listed in their ‘finished state’, i.e. what they are called after having been saponified (mixed with a lye solution to produce soap). So instead of listing ‘olive oil’, or rather olea europaea fruit oil (which is the INCI name for olive oil), the label will list ‘sodium olivate’, which is saponified olive oil. The label lists the ingredients in the finished product, not what goes ‘in the pot’ (although you can list them that way if preferred). And it’s for this reason that lye isn’t included in the list of ingredients when written in this way because no lye remains in the finished product, even if it is an ‘in the pot’ ingredient!

On a similar note, you’ll notice on our soap labels that glycerin is included in the list of ingredients but glycerin isn’t something that’s used to make soap, it’s a natural by-product of the soap-making process.

On the soap labels, I include what I refer to as the ‘regular names’ in brackets after their saponified names so you know what oils are in the soap.

Why does some soap have what looks like white powder on the bar?

This is soda ash and it forms when unsaponified lye comes into contact with carbon dioxide in the air (usually when the soap is first poured into its mould). Soda ash is completely harmless and washes away on first use of the soap. It’s possible to steam it off but some soap makers leave it on as it’s one of the hallmarks of handmade soap, another characteristic that sets handmade soap apart from commercially produced soap.

Why does handmade soap go soft?

Handmade soap usually goes soft because it is left to sit in water between use. If you want to make your soap stay hard and last longer, then try to keep it away from water when not using it. If your bathroom is particularly humid, you may find that your soap softens a little. Putting it to one side for a few days somewhere where it’s not so humid should help harden it up.

Why isn’t the fragrance in the soap very strong?

When first opening your soap you may find that the fragrance isn’t quite as strong as you thought it would be. However, once you start using the soap you will find that the fragrance usually ‘wakes up’ and will be just right.

How long does soap last?

Although the PAO (period after opening) symbol on the label states 6m (6 months), it should last a lot longer than that! (This symbol is a little inaccurate anyway, as the soap bar isn't ever ‘opened’ as it's never closed, at least not in terms of being sealed, it's simply wrapped in glassine paper.) Soap improves as it ages as the water continues to evaporate making the bar harder which means it will last longer when you come to use it (i.e. there’s less chance of it going soft). I also find that an older bar of soap produces a creamier lather which I think is connected with the age of the soap. If you do want to keep your soap bar for a while before using it, it’s best to store it in a cool dark place away from extreme temperatures and harsh lighting (including sunlight).

What are surfactants?

We use surfactants in our hair and conditioner bars. These surfactants are derived from plant sources to keep our products vegan-friendly and sustainable. The primary role of a surfactant is to clean. Although these surfactants are obtained from plants, they undergo a chemical process in the lab to turn them into ingredients that are suitable for use in products such as shampoo and body wash, for example. One of the benefits of using surfactants in a product is that the pH of the surfactant can be balanced so that it doesn’t upset the pH of our hair or skin.

The surfactants we use are mild and conditioning. When combined with the natural ingredients we use in our shampoo bar they help to produce a bar that gently and effectively cleans hair whilst generating a stable, foamy lather.