Ingredients We Use

We believe in continuous quality improvement and make constant efforts to improve the quality of our soaps and the ingredients we use in them.

Cruelty-Free/Not Tested on Animals

All of our soaps are officially cruelty free! Since the very beginning, none of our products or ingredients have been animal tested, nor have they ever contained any animal-based products. We have also been approved for inclusion in the "Leaping Bunny Program". Check it out, we are listed on www.leapingbunny.org as a part of their Compassionate Shopping Guide!

Vegan/No Animal Products

In addition to being cruelty free, our soaps are completely vegan. Each and every ingredient that we use to make our soaps are plant derived. None of our ingredients are derived from animals or their byproducts such as goat's/cow's milk, beeswax, or honey. The stearic acid and lauric acid we use in a few of our soaps are derived from plants such as coconut and/or palm.

Halal/Muslim Friendly

In conjunction with being cruelty-free and vegan, our soaps are all halal (Muslim-friendly). “Halal” means “permissible” in Arabic. It ultimately signifies that a product is produced following established ethical Islamic rules, often pertaining to the humane and safe treatment of animals. To make sure that we follow these guidelines, we thoroughly ensure that all of our ingredients are plant-based.

Non-GMO/No Genetically Modified Organisms

Our products are 100% Non-GMO!* This means that we do not use any ingredients containing genetically modified organisms. We learned that some common soapmaking ingredients, such as soybean oil and canola oil, often contain GMOs. Upon this realization, we switched right away to certified organic Non-GMO soybean and canola oils. We also upgraded our palm kernel oil from non-organic to organic. Each of our ingredients were thoroughly researched to ensure that none of our products would contain any GMOs.

*Please note, only soaps with the last 4 digits LOT #0087 or later are considered to be completely Non-GMO.

Gluten Free/No Wheat, Barley, or Rye

Our soaps are now officially gluten free!* We have never used wheat, barley, or rye in our soaps, but after discovering that oats often contain gluten through contact with other grains, we immediately switched to gluten-free certified organic oats. Rest assured, no gluten is present in our soaps.

*Please note, only soaps with the last 4 digits LOT #0087 or later are completely gluten free and make use of the certified gluten-free organic oats. If you require your soaps to be gluten free due to medical reasons, please be sure to note it when you place your order. We will ensure that you receive soaps made with our new gluten-free certified organic oats.

Sustainable Palm

We specifically source sustainable organic palm oil and sustainable organic palm kernel oil in order to preserve natural habitat and wildlife. Both oils are rainforest alliance certified.

Ingredient Descriptions

Essential Oils:

Cedarwood (Juniperous virginiana) - The red cedar tree is native to colder climates and high altitudes. The essential oil is extracted through the process of steam distillation. Its color can range from clear to pale yellow. It has a sweet and woody scent. We love the natural smell it adds to our products!

Organic Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) - Citronella oil is extracted from citronella grass. The oil ranges in color from clear to pale yellow and it smells fresh, woody, and sweet. It can help reduce oil in skin and hair. When bugs are on the way, Citronella is there to save the day... We know we’re corny. :-)

Clove leaf (Eugenia caryophyllata) - Clove leaf oil is extracted from an evergreen tree native to Indonesia and the Malacca Islands. The oil tends to be a dark brown color and has a burnt-woody scent.

Organic Lavandin (Lavandula hybrida) - Lavandin essential oil is extracted from a three budded variety of the lavender plant. The color tends to be clear. It is known for its powerful aroma. We use organic lavandin in our soaps to cultivate a unique scent that’s stronger than regular lavender. It’s great to have in the home and can help keep your rooms stay fresh and smell great!

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) - Lemongrass essential oil is extracted from dried lemongrass through steam distillation. Its color can be a yellow, amber, or reddish-brown. The oil has a light grassy scent with hints of citrus. It is known to be a calming oil. Our lemongrass essential oil is food-grade. Use it during a massage to help calm the skin and enhance your relaxation.

Orange (Citrus sinensis) - Orange essential oil is extracted from orange rinds through a cold-press process. Its color can range from yellow-orange to dark orange. The oil exudes a sweet, fruity scent. It’s invigorating properties are known to help keep a glow on the skin. Our Sweet Orange essential oil is food-grade. It's great to use in the kitchen sink to cover-up any nasty drain smells.

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) - The patchouli plant is native to the tropical regions of Asia but now it is cultivated all over the world. The oil is extracted from the leaves through the process of steam distillation. The essential oil is an amber or orange liquid that exudes an herbaceous-earthy scent and is good at masking unpleasant smells. It is also known for its excellent skin cleansing properties. We always use the highest quality patchouli essential oil. After weight lifting our bars of soap and sweating up a storm, we like to apply patchouli to stay fresh!

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) - Peppermint essential oil is extracted from the peppermint plant, which thrives in North America and Europe. The oil has a clear color and exudes a prominent grassy-mint scent. Our peppermint essential oil is very high in menthol, which enhances its wonderful tingly quality for the skin. We love walking around Bloomington smelling minty fresh. Sometimes we feel like a walking stick of gum.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) - Rosemary essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the rosemary bush, which is part of the mint family. The oil has a clear color and it exudes a strong minty scent. Like clove, this traditional cooking scent is delightful when added to soap. Its invigorating properties keep hair and skin smelling clean! One of our interns at Soapy Soap Co. like calling our Rosemary Mint bars of soap Rosie for short. We think it's cute.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) - Spearmint essential oil is steam-distilled from spearmint leaves. The oil has a clear color and it exudes a spicy-mint scent. It is gentler than other mint plants and provides soft soothing for the skin.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) - Tea tree essential oil is extracted by steam distillation from native Australian Melaluca shrubs. The oil has a pale yellow or clear color with a warm spicy scent. It blends very well with other essential oils. It is recognized as one of the best natural supporters for skin.

Base Oils:

Olive (Olea europaea) - Olive oil is pressed from olive plants. It is rich in vitamin E, beta-carotene, and antioxidants, it stimulates new cell generation, slows the progression of wrinkles, and gives skin a youthful look. It is also an excellent moisturizer, emollient, and humectant (draws moisture from the air to skin). The lather is mild and suitable for sensitive skin. We use food grade olive oil. It is like a time machine to youth, but in a bottle.

Almond (Prunus dulcis) - Almond oil is extracted from almonds which have plenty of oil in them. It is a humectant (draws moisture from the air to skin) with natural water-retention properties that prevents dehydration of skin. It is cleansing and nourishing, often used to treat very dry skin. Our expeller-pressed almond oil is food-grade. We get pretty nutty when we use it! We still think we’re funny...

Canola - Organic (Brassica napus) - Canola oil is extracted from the rapeseed plant. It is a great source in minerals, vitamins, and GLA acids. The oil also functions as an emollient, which makes it extra soothing for skin. We use organic canola oil because it is NON-GMO.

Castor - USP (Ricinus communis) - Castor oil is extracted from castor seeds. It is also a humectant, emollient, and its rich, creamy lather is excellent for skin conditioning. In particular, we use USP-grade castor oil (Pharmaceutical)

Palm - Organic, Sustainable (Elaeis guineensis) - Palm oil is derived primarily from the pulp of African oil palms. It is high in palmitic acid, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, and natural antioxidants. We specifically use sustainable organic palm oil in order to preserve natural habitat and wildlife. The palm oil helps makes the bar harder which can help the bar last longer.

Palm Kernel - Organic, Sustainable (Elaeis guineensis) - Palm kernel oil is derived primarily from the kernels of African oil palms. It is rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, oleic acid, and antioxidants. It also can be used as an emollient. The oil penetrates very well without leaving a greasy film on the skin, so it is good for mature and dry skin types. Kernel Mohammed here, reporting for duty. We’ll be here all day folks.

Coconut - Organic (Cocos nucifera) - Coconut oil is extracted from the kernels of coconut plants or coconut palms. It creates a very bubbly lather and is a great moisturizer. Once applied, it creates an oily, protective barrier so it’s great for dry and itchy skin. We only use organic, minimally-processed, food-grade coconut oil to produce a fluffy lather. Organic coconut oil is also the main ingredient in all of our balm products, including lip balms and body balms.

Stearic Acid - We use a plant-based stearic acid. This comes from palm kernel oil that has had the other fatty acids filtered out, leaving pure stearic acid. It is a great cleanser because its particles attach to dirt and oil on your skin, loosening them so they are easily washed away with water.This comes in handy after gardening, or just spending a lot of time out in the sun.

Lauric Acid - We use a plant-based lauric acid. Lauric acid is one of the fatty acids found in many vegetable oils. Ours is primarily filtered out of coconut oil, removing other fatty acids and impurities, leaving only the lauric acid. It has a rich and thick lather and disperses easily in water, making rinsing easier. We use food grade lauric acid.

Soybean - Organic (Glycine max) - Soybean oil is a vegetable oil extracted from seeds of soy plants. Soybean oil is a great oil to use as a moisturizer. We use food-grade organic soybean oil. We specifically chose organic soybean oil because it is NON-GMO

Additives:

Bentonite clay - Bentonite clay comes from waterbeds of volcanic ash and is classified by the presence of various key minerals. We use very pure bentonite clay, minimizing extra fillers such as quartz dust, so it has the best cosmetic effect possible. The clay gives the soap a distinct slippery quality.

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) - Cardamom comes from the seed pods of particular ginger plants. We use cardamom pods to scent soaps and to provide gentle exfoliation. Cardamom is known to have soothing properties for the entire body. We grind the whole pods to a certain consistency while keeping some exfoliates!

Cornmeal - Organic, Gluten-Free - Cornmeal comes from stone-grinding dried corn kernels to make a fine flour. Cornmeal is known for its skin soothing properties, so we use it in our soaps to provide extra exfoliation.

Coffee - Organic, Fair Trade (Coffea arabica) - We buy our coffee locally. Our coffee is ground from fair trade, organic, and community sourced beans. It is known to help absorb odor and is a great exfoliant!

Colloidal Oatmeal - Organic, Gluten-Free (Avena sativa) - Colloidal oatmeal is simply ground oatmeal, which we grind ourselves! Since oats often are contaminated with wheat, we buy only organic, gluten-free oats to ensure that all our products are gluten-free. Oatmeal is a good moisturizer, exfoliant, pH buffer, and oil absorbent. It also unclogs pores and improves the appearance of skin. We also our organic colloidal oatmeal locally.

Oatmeal - Organic, Gluten-Free (Avena sativa) - These gluten-free organic oats are larger than our colloidal oatmeal to provide even more exfoliation.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) - Fennel seeds come from the flowering plant species of the celery family. We make sure our fennel seeds are as fresh and green as possible with fewer stems and less powder. We like placing fennel seeds in our products because they are really great at exfoliating.

Marigold (Calendula officinalis) - For that extra flair, some of our recipes include marigold petals. The petals are soothing for the skin. Our marigold petals are sourced from potted Calendula plants, which we grow organically ourselves!

Spirulina - Organic (Arthrospira platensis) - Spirulina is a natural algae that is sourced carefully from freshwater ponds and lakes. It is recognized as a “superfood” and is very high in nourishing protein. To ensure we get the highest amounts of replenishing vitamins and minerals, we use organic Spirulina.

Sugar - Organic, Cane - Our sugar is organic, free-trade evaporated cane juice sourced from the stalks of sugar cane plants, which means it is an unrefined and natural sweetener. We add sugar to some of our soaps to provide extra lather and bubbles. If you have a sweet tooth bite into some candy, but not into our soap. We’ve been tempted before...

Syrian Rue (Peganum harmala) - Syrian rue seeds come from a plant native to the Iranian region west of India and have been a sacred part of ancient rituals for centuries. During the soap-making process, we mix Syrian rue seeds in the soap and, once they are heated up, they explode in a brilliant red dye, giving our soaps a unique appearance. It makes for a great exfoliant for the skin too!