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Why Do You Use Handmade Soap?

10/1/2015

25 Comments

 
Handmade Soap. What's so special about it anyway? For many years I didn't even know such a thing existed, at least not since the time of little houses on the prairie. After all, bars of Ivory or Dial soap are commonplace in stores, along with that green Irish Spring soap. Personally, I preferred body wash which came in pretty colors and scents all contained in a plastic bottle. No messy soap dish. No slippery bar to drop. And so for years I was content with body wash. But one day that all changed. I discovered handmade soap and learned how to make it.
Handmade soap bars from TheLatheredLamb.com
A Trio of Handmade Soap
Handmade Soap from TheLatheredLamb.com
Handmade Soap
Have you ever suffered from dry, itchy skin? As time went by, my skin, especially my legs, became itchy, itchy, itchy. Why it was so was a mystery to me. Until I learned about sulfates. Sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, and sodium lauryl sulfate are powerful detergents, foaming surfactants which effectively remove oils and residues. Sulfates are commonly used in floor cleaners, engine degreasers, toothpastes, shaving cream, bubble baths, dish washing detergent, shampoos, and - body washes. Sulfates can cause skin and eye irritation. Mystery solved! The harsh detergents in the body washes I used were stripping my skin of its beneficial body oils resulting in dry, itchy skin. The detergents in shampoo work the same way and can cause a dry, itchy scalp or dandruff.

The natural alternative to these harsh detergents is something that has been around for centuries - ordinary soap. As explained by the FDA, "Ordinary soap is made by combining fats or oils and an alkali, such as lye. The fats and oils, which may be from animal, vegetable, or mineral sources, are degraded into free fatty acids, which then combine with the alkali to form crude soap. The lye reacts with the oils, turning what starts out as liquid into blocks of soap. When made properly, no lye remains in the finished product. In the past, people commonly made their own soap using animal fats and lye that had been extracted from wood ashes.

Today there are very few true soaps on the market. Most body cleansers, both liquid and solid, are actually synthetic detergent products. Detergent cleansers are popular because they make suds easily in water and don't form gummy deposits. Some of these detergent products are actually marketed as "soap" but are not true soap according to the regulatory definition of the word."  


Ordinary soap. Made from scratch. "There are very few true soaps on the market." But handmade soap is available from soap makers, like myself. Take a look in my shop to see what I have available now. 

Handmade soap. Simple, yet extraordinary. 
If you don't already use handmade soap, why not try a bar today? If you do, tell me why.

​~Debbie

25 Comments
Lisa B link
10/5/2015 08:26:02 pm

Great post Debbie - thank you for the education about hand made soaps. I also love the Poll feature you added to the blog :)

Reply
Ewenique link
10/5/2015 09:13:36 pm

Handmade soap is the best, and it's great on your skin! Thanks for your participation in the poll.

Reply
Catherine @ShadowDogDesigns link
10/5/2015 08:39:33 pm

I actually grew up with homemade soap - my Mom made it. The bars were very utilitarian and were used for just about everything. Of course, when I moved away to go to the university, I bought soap not thinking much about it. but as I got older, my sensitive skin got MUCH more sensitive and I've gone back to homemade soap. Of course, you know I LOVE your white tea soap - am actually using a bar of it in the shower now. PLUS, an added bonus about homemade soap is that it is aged and lasts MUCH longer than store bought. Can you tell I LOVE homemade soap?? LOL! Thanks for the great post, Debbie!

Reply
Ewenique link
10/5/2015 09:19:11 pm

Handmade soaps are sometimes utilitarian, but some are actually works of art when the soap maker uses the soap as an art medium to create miniature landscapes or shaped to look like cupcakes, slices of pie, or candy. I like to make my soaps pretty, but fairly simple in design.

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PrettyGonzo link
10/5/2015 08:48:06 pm

Nice blog post and interesting poll, Debbie! And the pix of your luscious soap are wonderful. :)

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Ewenique link
10/5/2015 09:20:21 pm

Thank you for your kind words. I do try to photograph my soaps to look luscious!

Reply
Cathy link
10/5/2015 10:16:07 pm

I did not know that about soap. I have very dry skin but I am allergic to most soaps. Pretty much I have to use the same soaps (soap, shampoo, etc) all the time or I get an infection. Is there a chance with that happening with homemade soap?

Reply
Ewenique link
10/6/2015 10:40:47 am

Cathy, everyone's skin is different. Most people do better with handmade soap, especially if it is fragrance and color free. But there could be other factors involved. Some may be sensitive to the minerals in their water, a particular ingredient in the soap, or there could be other skin conditions. It's usually wise to check with a doctor, but sometimes we have to be our own detective when it comes to our health.

I would be happy to send you a sample of my Unscented Goatmeal soap to try. Some of my customers use my handmade soap to wash their hair, too.

Reply
DianesDangles link
10/6/2015 12:37:48 am

Interesting and educational blog post, your soaps look so luxurious.

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Ewenique link
10/6/2015 10:41:36 am

They feel luxurious, too! Thanks for stopping by, Diane.

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Ewenique link
10/7/2015 11:54:46 am

Thank you, Diane, for stopping by!

Reply
Barbara @SolanaKaiDesigns link
10/6/2015 12:43:04 am

As someone who has sensitive skin, it was good to read and learn about the additives in most soaps. Your soaps look delightful and I agree, great photos!

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Ewenique link
10/6/2015 10:44:18 am

Thank you, Barbara! My sensitive skin does so much better with handmade soap instead of detergent based bars. And many others have had the same experience.

Reply
Sharon Troncalli link
10/6/2015 09:48:24 am

Such an informative blog post on handmade soap! I learned a lot about commercial soaps and why handmade is better. Thanks. Will share.

Reply
Ewenique link
10/6/2015 10:52:20 am

Thank you, Sharon, for taking the time to read my post and to pass it on. I agree, handmade is better.

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Charlotte Hayes @Covergirlbeads
10/6/2015 03:54:31 pm

Thanks for your informative blog about handmade soap. Your soaps look fabulous!

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Ewenique link
10/6/2015 04:33:26 pm

Thank you for stopping by, Charlotte! Handmade soap is fabulous!

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Jo link
10/6/2015 06:55:15 pm

What fun to vote and learn why others buy handmade soap! I love your soap!

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Ewenique link
10/6/2015 07:00:54 pm

Yes, I thought it would be fun to see why people like handmade soap. I might have to do another poll as to why people don't buy it! lol

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Donna Lee Karlson
10/6/2015 07:38:25 pm

Great blog post Debbie! Very informative. Love your poll!
Beautiful soap!
Best regards!

Reply
Ewenique link
10/6/2015 08:18:32 pm

Thanks, Donna Lee, for stopping by and participating in the poll!

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Julie and Blu link
10/6/2015 10:03:33 pm

What a great blog post, Debbie. I just love handmade soap. I love the way it smells and feels. I don't have any special skin conditions, but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate how it lathers and smooths my skin. Also, I love to support handmade.

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Ewenique link
10/7/2015 11:58:17 am

Handmade soap is wonderful! I wish that more people would discover the benefits and simple luxury of using it. Thanks for your participation, Julie and Blu!

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Natalie link
10/7/2015 02:50:45 am

Great info about handmade soaps. I agree with others, your soaps looks so luscious.

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Ewenique link
10/7/2015 12:00:58 pm

With more and more people wanting a more natural lifestyle, the use of handmade soap should grow as people discover how wonderful it is. Thank you, Natalie, for taking the time to stop by my blog.

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    Handmade Soaps - Free Shipping - Courage

    Discover the benefits of using handmade soap - gentle cleansing, luxurious lather, soft skin. Handmade from start to finish, with beautiful color and wonderful fragrance, natural ingredients are combined to produce a simply unique bar of handcrafted soap.


    You are sure to be delighted with my handcrafted artisan soaps. Due to the handmade nature of these beautiful soaps, individual bars may vary from the photos shown. Each bar of handmade soap from The Lathered Lamb is truly one of a kind!


    My handcrafted artisan soaps are made using the cold process method of soap making from scratch. Vegetable oils and butters are mixed with sodium hydroxide, resulting in a chemical reaction which produces natural soap. Small batches are made in my kitchen with care and attention to detail. Some batches are limited edition, so snag a bar while they are available because once they're gone, they're gone!


    My original soap formulas produce luxury soaps with silky, bubbly lather that gently cleans the skin. These handmade soaps are scented with body safe fragrance or essential oils and are colored with natural pigments. Each bar of my handcrafted soap weighs over 4 ounces and comes wrapped in an attractive label with a complete ingredient list. Shrink wrap protects the soap while ensuring the fragrance can be smelled through an opening in the back.


    Did you know that body wash is made with detergents? Sodium lauryl sulfate and other sulfates strip the skin of beneficial body oils. Sure a body wash smells great and looks pretty. Plus the plastic container is convenient, even if it usually ends up in a landfill, but many folks don't realize that they could wash their dishes with that bubbly body wash!


    Handmade soap is a simple solution. Sometimes the old ways are better after all. Detergents have only been around for 100 years, after being developed in Germany during World War 1. Soap making, however, has been an ongoing craft for thousands of years. 


    Handmade soap is an affordable luxury. Pamper yourself or someone special today with a bar of soap from The Lathered Lamb. Live Simply. Use Soap.


    To order other fragrances, see individual product listings.



    Courage - 4 oz net wt

    6 available

    Price includes shipping


    Courage handmade soap is scented with masculine notes of black peppercorn and leather are carefully crafted with warm woods, patchouli, musk and citrus. The slate blue soap has a textured top.


    Ingredients - palm oil, coconut oi, olive oil, sodium hydroxide, castor oil, shea butter, fragrance, ultramarine blue, silk



    To order other fragrances, see individual product listings.





    Local customers, enjoy the reduced price of $7 a bar, 4 bars for $25, or 12 bars for $70. Please contact me for either pick up or meet up delivery, and I will refund the shipping.

    Up to 12 bars of soap from The Lathered Lamb will fit in a flat rate padded envelope.

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