We are a small family business in sunny southern California. For as long as we can remember, we have had a passion for caring for the environment and making things from scratch. Some of our favorite things to make are yogurts, breads, and mayonnaise. Recently, we have ventured into making our own household cleaners, air sprays, and personal care products.
We have always believed in using only natural ingredients and those that are of the highest quality.
HOW DID IT ALL START?
It all started last year when we found out our little boy has the inability to digest wheat (gluten) or dairy (casein). Since everything we put on our body is absorbed through our skin, we had to make sure all of his soaps and shampoos were 100% all natural. We began to research gluten-free and casein-free products and realized that either or both are in almost every soap, lotion, and bubble bath. We ALSO SAW SO MANY INGREDIENTS THAT WE KNEW WERE HARMFUL FOR EVERYONE.
Why on earth would "pure and gentle" baby shampoo and soaps contain carcinogens? Why does personal care products marketed to women contain toxic chemicals linked to birth defects? In the United States, it is legal for beauty products to contain chemicals linked to cancer, learning disabilities, infertility and other chronic diseases that are on the rise. Find out what's going on by checking out Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: What's Going On? Ad Campaign.
Since cooking everything from scratch has been a way that we express love to those around us, we decided to experiment in the kitchen to make our own natural soaps. Our first success came with our Lavender soaps. They were a huge hit. Before long, people were asking to buy our soaps. Never did we imagine the products we shared with our friends and family would be so popular. Requests started coming in for more AND MORE soap, different scents or types and the next thing we knew, we were in the soap business!
OUR SOAP MAKING PROCESS
We make our soaps by hand in our Zen soap room, using the cold process method. This is done by taking a lye mixture and adding it to a specific blend of organic coconut, olive, and palm oils, mixing it until it is ready for the addition of scents (100% pure essential oils) and additives (herbs, clays, spices), and then poured into a mold. The soap is insulated with wool blankets (VERY special wool blankets that my son had when he was a baby) and the soap is left alone for 24 hrs to saponify. Saponification is the chemical reaction when lye and oils are mixed and the end result is a very gentle bar of soap, which contains glycerin, a natural by-product of the saponification process.
We hand cut the soaps 24-48 hrs after they are taken out of the mold and then they are air dried for 6 weeks before labeling. The ends of the bar are left open so they can be smelled while leaving the rest of the bar protected. This also allows the bar to continue drying. A really dried bar lasts much longer. You may notice that some soap may vary in color. Please keep in mind that you may never see the exact same "look" again. This illustrates the individuality and beauty of "handmade" soaps.
All of our products are truly all natural, cruelty free, minimally packaged, and do not contain ANY toxic synthetic fragrance oils, preservatives, petroleum products, FD&C colorants or dyes or other harmful chemicals. We use only the best food grade organic oils, essential oils, and herbs hand-picked from our Zen garden. All colors come from herbs, essential oils, spices, and clays. On occasion, we may add flowers, oats, and seeds, which will lend some texture to a particular soap. Our soaps are also GLUTEN FREE, CASEIN FREE, SOY FREE and VEGAN FRIENDLY.
It is important that we run our business in an eco-friendly and socially responsible way. We reuse or recycle all boxes and packaging materials. We keep all printed materials to a bare minimum. We print our product labels on recycled paper.
Please see our USE AND CARE section to read about how you can help your soap take care of you!
We hope that you enjoy our products as much as we have enjoyed making and bringing them to you!
Enjoy your soaps
Annmarie
USE AND CARE
Handcrafted soap requires
special attention due to its natural state.
Use of a loofah or wash cloth will extend the life of your soap.
Do not let soap rest
in water.
Do not let soap sit in a puddle.
Allow soap to dry between uses.
Use a soap dish, with air holes, when possible.
We recommend that you store soap in a dry, cool place away from excessive heat and humidity. Since our soap is preservative free, we suggest that it be used within six to nine months. For prolonged storage, soap may be stored in a freezer.
Please use products only as intended.
Avoid contact with eyes and do not consume.
Our essential oils, botanicals and other nutrients often have methods, treatments, traditional properties and uses listed. This information is provided purely for informational purposes.
Any reference to medicinal or health benefits are not meant to treat or diagnose any problem. It is not meant to replace professional medical advice and should not take the place of any prescribed medication.
We use essential oils and botanicals in the creation of our products. However, some people have reactions to these types of products. Additionally, persons with allergies or skin sensitivities should pay careful attention to the ingredients listed with each product. Though rare, if irritation occurs, please discontinue use.
Each bar of soap is distinct. Any imperfections are due to the handcrafting and natural curing process and do not affect the quality of the soap. Many consider this one of the benefits of using a handmade product and enjoy the individuality of each of the soaps.
