While i have been researching hand made products i have been lucky enough to meet some really creative people who's soap making skills made me look at soap in a different way.
Over to Emma who is the proud owner of Spiralsoaps.com
In the current economic climate it is hard to justify purchasing perceived luxury items such as handmade soap. Why should you pay £4 for one bar when you can get a whole bottle of shower gel or a multi pack of supermarket soap for £1?
OK, times may be hard, but is this not false economy? Does your skin appreciate the synthetic detergents and other additives that you find in most mass produced soap & gels? Does your skin feel tight, dry, itchy even after you bathe?
I think your skin deserves a little TLC, some love and attention, it's your skin, and you have to live in it!.
Many commercial soaps and all shower gels contain synthetic detergents that some people find irritating. These detergents work in a similar way to soap, but may not be as gentle or kind to your skin as handmade soap.
Handmade soap recipes include a small percent (usually 5-10) of it's oils and butters that are not saponified (turned into soap), so that they remain in the bar to help keep your skin soft. Also, the glycerine in each bar adds to the skin softening properties.
When you shower or bathe with handmade soap it is a completely different experience to commercially produced soaps & gels. Handmade soap makers are passionate about their craft and choose ingredients carefully, mindful of environmental issues, quality & origin. We use luxurious essential oils and premium fragrance oils to scent our soap, so that when you shower or bathe with it, you can enjoy the wonderful aromas, relaxing with lavender & geranium or refreshing with citrus blends for example.
Handmade soap scents are rich and sustained, far from the regular soapy smell you find in lots of supermarket type soap that fades as you use the bar. The scent in a handmade soap bar endures throughout the bar, so that you experience the same intensity of aroma every time you shower or bathe, right down to the last sliver!
We also choose wonderful vegetable oils and butters to make our soaps with, these are rich and indulgent, and chosen for the specific qualities they bring to each recipe.
During the soap making process, glycerine, a natural humectant (skin softener) is produced. Mass produced soap usually has the glycerine removed during manufacture, as it is a valuable commodity, and is sold on for use elsewhere, as a baking or lotion making ingredient.
Because handmade soap retains all of the glycerine produced, it is less likely to result in dry, itchy skin, and can help your skin feel soft & supple, enhances the shower or bathing experience and has a lather to die for, so creamy and abundant, you'll never want to wash with anything else, your skin won't let you!
Thanks so much to Emma for this post and please check out some of her amazing work on her website. A few of my favourites are these two stunning looking soaps below:
( Made with Cocoa Butter, Olive Oil & Real Snow)
( Scented with Spicy Frankincense & Myrrh & Dusted With Gold )
Do you buy handmade soap ladies?
I have recently been buying more handmade
ReplyDeleteproducts thanks to an introduction to etsy. All the soaps above look beautiful!
I make it! I love making soap and agree with everything Emma said. Handmade soap feels so much better on your skin!
ReplyDeletei dont currently but I may know. I only use organic showergels though as the checmicals in normal ones irritate the hell out of my skin so this might be worth a try.
ReplyDeletethanks
Ooh, Snow Baby sounds lovely!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Emma! Thank you so much for that. Those soaps look fabulous!! x
ReplyDeletethankyou lovely ladies! so glad you enjoyed reading it :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post Emma, on why handmade soap is so much better for you than commercial soap. Well done xx
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