HANDMADE SOAPS VS COMMERCIAL SOAPS
Why handmade soaps and the difference between store brought soap.
Handmade soap benefits far outweigh their cost when compared to factory made soaps. Handmade soaps are made of ingredients that we all know of such as olive oil, coconut oil and Sweet Almond oil. Factory made soaps, however, are made of petroleum chemicals, many of which are claimed to be carcinogenic by an increasing number of researchers. Many factory soap ingredients are known to be skin irritants and allergens. Why are these ingredients persistently used? The public has very little awareness of soap ingredients and do not demand better. In this article we outline the benefits of handmade soaps for you to compare. At Lustrum Bath and Body We have created a superior standard of handmade soaps that are medicinal or aromatherapy based which contains:
No Sodium Laureth Sulfate, or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) = Safe for sensitive skin and most importantly No Carcinogenic Chemicals. SLS is a harsh surfactant proven to cause irritation to the skin, hair and eyes. It also carries a by product which is carcinogenic if not removed by the factory. Unfortunately, there is no way of being sure that factories do remove it. Handmade soaps however are made with oils you know and trust. Our base oils are either made with predominantly olive oil, which is high in Vitamin E or coconut oil which is also a well-known moisturising oil. Because of our soap making process, we ensure that a high percentage of raw oil is present in the soap, therefore making a super moisturising soap.
No Soap Oils = Your Soap is free of Solvents. We also do not use soap oil to make soap. Sounds confusing? That’s right, oils that are drawn out by solvents are sold as soap oils to soap makers, but we use only food grade oils because we do not trust the solvents used to draw out soap oils.
No Glycerin is removed = A Moisturising Soap. Glycerin is a natural component of soap that is moisturising to the skin. And precisely because of this, soap factories draw out the glycerin and place this into additional products such as lotions and creams. The reason being that instead of buying one product that cleanses and moisturises, you as the consumer now have to buy two products to serve the same purpose, thus an increase in profit for large soap companies. Handmade soaps retain their full amount of glycerin because soap makers who make soap by hand do not have the equipment or the inclination to remove this goodness from the soaps they make. That is why we have our soaps cure for 6 weeks so that they cure true to its integrity and skin loving goodness.
No Surfactants = No Allergies, no skin irritation. Surfactants (e,g, dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)) allow soap factories to make very cheap soap that lathers and cleans well. However, they are excessively drying and can cause reactions in skin such as acute dermatitis.
No Soap Hardeners
No Petroleum Products
No Artificial Colouring
No Preservatives
No ingredients with long chemical names! When you read the ingredient list of Lustrum Bath & Body products, you will be pleasantly surprised and ensured that you exactly know what you are putting on your skin because we use food grade ingredients to make our handmade soaps.
Soap ingredients can be roughly divided into several categories:
- base oils and butters
- feature oils and butters
- colouring
- Fragrance or essential oils
- exfoliation additives
What is the difference between Base Oils and Butters and Feature Oils and Butters?
In our soap making, we differentiate between base oils and butters and feature oils and butters. Base oils and butters are the oils and butters used as the main soap ingredients whereas feature oils and butters are added in after the soaping process is completed. Feature oils and butters tend to retain their characteristics whereas base oils and butters are more likely to be fully cured and therefore give features of their characteristic as a soap not as a fresh oil or butter.
Our Base Oils and Butters and Feature Oils and Butters are all food grade
Our oils and butter ingredients are all food grade oils. Some oils are extracted using solvents and are sold to soap makers to use as soap oils. This is acceptable, but we prefer food oils because of their benefits and cleanliness.
Here is a list of the oils we use and their benefits:
Olive Oil – The properties found in antioxidants and vitamin E fight infections and hormone imbalances, hydrates skin cells, and promotes healing.
Coconut Oil- antioxidant Vitamin E, known to protect skin cells from damage over time. The Vitamin E found in coconut oil soothes eczema, sunburn and psoriasis.
Sweet almond oil- protecting the skin from damage, moisturizing the face, lightening the skin, reducing inflammation, preventing premature aging
Castor Oil- has antiseptic abilities. When applied to pimples, castor oil cleans and penetrates the skin deeper to kill the bacteria.
Canola Oil- high in vitamins and antioxidants that are just what your skin needs to glow. It also helps you to prevent spots, wrinkles, acne, and blemishes, which is not good to look at for your skin. It can also slow down the aging process,
Sustainable Palm Oil- is fully of many healthy fatty acids, as well as an assortment of vitamins, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients. Additionally, the oil has incredibly high levels of vitamin A and vitamin E, making it a wonderful ingredient in skin care products and in natural soaps.
You can be rest assured that when you make the switch the experience will be well worth it. All products are loving made here in Melbourne, Australia.