Soap Box Products - blue sky thinking for holistic skin-care.
Modern
mass-produced soaps often contain worrying toxic chemicals
such as parabens (preservatives used in cosmetics and
shampoos), harsh detergents which strip the skin of natural
oils, and synthetic surfactants, often made using
petrochemicals, such as sodium lauryl sulphate which create
a lot of (artificial) foam. Many people associate a lot of
lather with cleaning power however this is an erroneous
connection, natural soaps can clean just as well despite
producing less of a lather. Many ingredients used in
mass-produced commercial soap-making produce soaps which are
seriously depleted in terms of natural goodness, they are a
cheap and nasty alternative to natural soaps, which foam
less, but clean well and interfere a great deal less with
the skin’s natural oils, and in fact nurture the skin. In
addition glycerine, which has fantastic moisturising
properties, is often removed, further degrading the products
on offer. Recent research has also linked some of the
additives in commercial soaps to carcinogens, making them
even less appealing to health conscious soap-lovers.
Based in the Moray Triangle I am a small-scale producer and currently sell via craft fairs and farmers markets, though I hope to have some produce in local shops soon.
In contrast traditional soap making makes the most of natural ingredients and the goodness inherent in these, plus the glycerine created through the blending process, which enriches and moisturises the skin. The cold process soap blends base oils with lye and water which then merges into a new substance, a chemical reaction called saponification, creating a thick liquid soap mixture. At this point colour scent and any other additions can be included in the mix before pouring into moulds. Once in the moulds the soap mixture is left for approximately 24 hours until hard enough to turn out of the moulds, the soaps are then cured for several weeks while they become milder and gentler and ready for use. As well as creating a product which is good for the skin the actual process itself - the act of turning oil and lye into something new - seems, to me anyway, something of an act of alchemy, which is further enhanced by the creativity allowed in choice of ingredients, additions, botanicals, scents and colours. Using natural ingredients in soap-making means I have confidence in producing a high quality wholesome product. For colour I mainly use root powders or other minerals such as mica pigments to keep the product untainted by artificial chemicals. For scent I use a wide range of essential oils supplemented with some good quality fragrance oils. I use a number of different additions or inclusions, mainly mineral or botanical such as clays, pumice powder, flower petals, poppy seeds and sea salts. The oils I use are also high quality and include olive, coconut, sweet almond and castor oil.
Product range
I make bath bombs and melts in a diverse array of shapes colours and scents, some with inclusions and additions. These are a welcome treat for tired bones, fizzing up or melting giving their goodness into the bath to smooth and nurture the skin. Relaxing in a warm scented bath is often just the trick to revive one after a hard day so I try to ensure my products do their best to ensure a fantastic bath-time experience - visit our shop.
I am happy to make individual personalised batches where the client chooses scents, colours and moulds for an event, presents, as wedding favours or for personal indulgence. Please contact me to ask about the bespoke service.
If for any reason you wish to return a product please ensure it is
returned unused and in its original packaging within 7 days of
receipt
