Ingredients
We're often asked about the ingredients in our soap, so thought we'd put all the information in one place for you to read. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Core Ingredients:
Virgin Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil
Coconut Oi
Vitamin E Oil
Mango Butter
Shea Butter
As part of our formulation we also use organic unrefined virgin coconut oil. Known for its skin softening properties, it is also moisturising, creates a rich lather and is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. It is widely believed that coconut oil is the best oil for saponification (the conversion of oil into soap). It is known for its excellent natural foaming capabilities and creates a firm, hard soap.
Our next star ingredient is Vitamin E oil. This oil is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It has the added benefit of extending the soap's shelf life, which means you can enjoy your handcrafted natural soap for longer!
The final oil used in our formulation is cold pressed Rapeseed oil. Sourced from local Norfolk farms where it was processed into a beautiful golden yellow oil.
Essential Oils
We use only the purest essential oils of lavender, rose geranium, lemon, lemongrass, orange, patchouli, grapefruit, sandalwood, cedarwood, bergamot, rosemary, cinnamon, and palma rosa, as well as Kaolin and French Pink Clay in various combinations.
What are the other ingredients listed and what is their purpose?
Sodium Hydroxide
Also known as lye or caustic soda, without sodium hydroxide you would not be able to make soap. It is the ingredient, when mixed with water, that turns the oils into soap. A process known at saponification.
Cane Sugar
Citric Acid
Distilled Water
It is the purest water that you can get, there is no purifying agents or chemicals in distilled water, this helps to create consistency and clean, and pure, high quality soaps. As we produce the soap in a hard water area, we feel it’s necessary to use distilled water to help with lather and soap suds.
Kaolin Clay
Helps anchor the essential oils so that their lovely fragrance can last longer and improves the overall feel and look of the soap bar.
French Pink Clay
We include this as a natural colourant. Whenever we use colourant we use natural colourants like French Pink Clay. It is a mild clay that gives a lovely soft pink tone.
What’s not in our soap?
We do not include:
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
- Parabens
- Animal products
- Palm oil
- Synthetic fragrances
Allergens
Always patch test a product to ensure compatibility and discontinue use if irritation occurs. Despite our best efforts, we cannot guarantee the absence of other essential oils or additives and accepts no liability. Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the ingredients and allergens stated on our products. If you have an allergy, please proceed with caution or avoid buying.
All of our recipes have been certified to be safe for use, we have a Cosmetic Product Safety Report for verification.
We are proud members of The Guild of Craft Soap and Toiletry Makers, which recognises that our products have been safety tested and that we're compliant with the Cosmetics Regulations.
Why is legislation important?
The legislation sets standards. It ensures that every ingredient in handcrafted soap and toiletry products is safe to use on the human body in a wash-on wash-off product like soap, or in lotions which may stay on the skin of long periods of time. Some ingredients are banned because they’ve been found by scientific testing to be potentially harmful. Other products are banned or restricted because they are potential allergens. The aim of the legislation is to protect the general public and the craft soap and toiletry maker. The legislation is law, anyone manufacturing soap and toiletry products who does not ensure that they do so in compliance with the legislation risks being prosecuted.
~Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)x
https://gcstm.co.uk/helpful-info/