Contributed by Ruth Esteves at Sirona Springs Handmade Soap. Soapmakers often get asked about the use of lye in their soap. The fact is that lye (sodium hydroxide) is indeed used to make soap. While in many minds, “lye soap” brings up images of grandmas and washboards and red, red hands, anyone who has used […]

The green movement continues to grow as more consumers are becoming aware of the impact that the products they use have on themselves, society and the environment. This new green consciousness is making consumers change their consumption habits and thus their purchasing criteria. In concrete terms, consumers are increasingly interested in products that contain natural ingredients and respect the environment.

From the California Olive Oil Council Making extra-virgin olive oil (the best of the olive oils) is a time intensive and expensive process. For millennia, growers have monitored olives, waiting for the precise moment of invaiatura when the succulent drupe turns from green to black. Only then are olives harvested by hand and pressed for […]

When you first get introduced to the addiction that is making soap, it’s easy to buy your materials at the grocery store. But as your addiction grows, or you find that people are throwing money at you to buy your creations, or you suddenly feel a burning desire to do an arts and crafts show, […]

Working with small batches is often trickier than doing the huge batches I often do. But doing small batches lets you get all kinds of creative. Best of all, if you make a mistake, you’re not tossing out hundreds of dollars in materials. It’s fairly easy to “rebatch” a mistake batch when it’s a small […]

Sometimes, you may have a soap idea, but can’t find a commercial mould that fits your need, or you just want to create something silly or personal.  For those times, making your own mould is your best option.  Mind you, this method does not create professional grade silicon moulds that will hold up to hundreds […]

What’s the history? The earliest known evidence of soap use are Babylonian clay cylinders dating from 2800 BC containing a soap-like substance. A formula for soap consisting of water, alkali and cassia oil was written on a Babylonian clay tablet around 2200 BC. The Ebers papyrus (Egypt, 1550 BC) indicates that ancient Egyptians bathed regularly […]