FAQ's

So, aside from the obvious question, Why Handmade Soap?, I have compiled a few of the FAQ's I get.

Q: How long does it last?
A: That depends on how you care for it! A standard bar of my soap will last me about 3-4 weeks. Of course, the bars I use on the kids go more quickly since they see the equivelent of 5X the use I give mine! Keeping your soap dry between uses will help ensure that it will last to it's potential. Using a soap deck that drains (not puddling!) or hanging your soap in a soap sack in the shower will do the job just fine!

Q: How do you get them to smell so good?
A: There are several means of fragrancing soap. My first preferrance is fragrance oils (similar to the kind you would get to make a candle smell good) because of the variety of yummy scents available! Also, I use essential oils which can add to the different properties the soap has, as well.

Q: Which one is the most moisturizing?
A: That's a tricky one! That's like trying to pick out one pair of glasses that will enable the whole world to see clearly. Everyone's skin is so different, it would be impossible to pick just one soap that is the best. Generally speaking, though, soaps with less coconut oil (a high cleansing oil) will be more gentle to a wider variety of people. Most tvala Handmade soaps (with just a few exceptions, such as 'Bayside') have a very small portion of coconut oil.

Q: Will they melt?
A: Cold process soap (what I make) can be 'melted' down when it reaches very high temperatures. The soap would have to be brought to 200* or more to become 'melty'. The soap will, however, 'sweat' in higher heat and humidity. The glycerine in the soap is a natural humectant; meaning, it actually draws moisture to it. If a bar of soap appears to have water droplets on it, that just means that the soap is collecting the moisture from the air around it. This does not effect the preformance of your soap, but I suggest moving it to a spot that is more dry, to again ensure the bar lasts to it's potential.

Q: Can I use this on my baby?
A: Aside from my soaps that have exfoliants added (oatmeal, apricot seed powder, lavender buds, etc.) , the spa sticks (which have a high salt content) and the bars with high coconut quantities, I use them all on my kids and babies. They are not tear-free, however, so keep the soap away from their faces. I sometimes put a chunk of soap into a squirt bottle of water to dissolve and used that in the tub on the kids so I don't have to deal with a slippery bar.

Q: Where do you get goat milk?
A: From my back yard! We have 2 dairy does that provide me the gorgeous creamy milk I use for those thick sudsy bubbles.

Q: What about shaving with it?
A: Yep, shave away! The Cucumber Aloe bar is especially nice for this; the aloe juice adds a good 'slip' to the lather.

Q: And shampooing with it?
A: I've been no-poo for a while now, just using a bar of my soap and a detangler (though I caution, it took my hair about a week to 'detox' from having used shampoo for so long; it had forgotten how to balance it's natural oils on it's own!).

Q: Laundry?
A: Grate up any natural colored bar right on top of a load of laundry. Or try this recipe I use for my laundry detergent: 1 box of Borax, 1 small cylinder of Oxy-clean (or store brand equivelent), 1 box of washing soda, and 3 natural colored bars of grated soap. Mix it all together in a big container ( I use an old popcorn tin or 5 gallon bucket) and 2 TBS/ load does the job with few exceptions.


and lastly,

Q: Is it hard to make soap?
A: Nope. Not hard to make soap. But it is hard to make good soap.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. Any others I missed? I'd love to answer them!!