The handmade soap revival is heavy in the air, and it’s no surprise to me. With the growing awareness of contact dermatitis, skin irritation, climate change, and unfair labor due to the products we use, the handmade movement is the answer for the planet and for us. Here are my top eight reasons why everyone should be using handmade soap.
8. It’s sustainable
I’m going to tell you right now that this isn’t always the case. Palm oil is a common ingredient not just in other companies’ soap, but in other body care products and foods. The palm oil industry is so saturated that many acres of rain forests are cleared for palm crops every year. The orangutan population is nearly extinct due to the palm industry. The workers who grow and harvest palm, many being children, are paid very little, and the working conditions are often dangerous.
Rest assured that Grunge Goddess soap does not contain palm oil. All the ingredients are sourced and researched carefully before using.
(In your own life, you can do the same. Pay close attention to the ingredient labels of food and products you buy. If you choose to buy something that includes palm, make sure it is 100% RSPO certified palm. Many brands include only the minimum percentage of sustainable palm just so they can use the RSPO stamp.)
7. It supports small business
Does a big box brand do a killer air guitar jam every time you buy from them? Probably not. Us “little guys” really love you and care for your well being. Just look at how your order is packaged, the customer service and satisfaction, and, well, the products themselves. I know in my case there’s just so much love in every part of this business!
6. The ingredients are hand picked
I’m a very to-the-point person, and you can probably tell if you knew how I formulate my products. Each ingredient is considered carefully for sustainability, certification of fair trade, sourcing as local as possible, purpose, possible toxicity, quality, and effectiveness before using. And of course, I leave out everything that should never be in soap – namely detergents, parabens, phthalates, and palm. I can’t forget to mention the amazing scents, either. You can’t get that kind of a tailored formula from a commercially made product.
5. It’s free of detergents
Most commercial soaps aren’t soap at all, but detergents. These lab-made cleaning agents strip skin of all its natural hydration, and that can cause redness and flakiness. Stick with true handmade soap to get rid of the irritation and dirt while keeping and even gaining insane moisture.
4. It’s healthier and gentler on skin
I use a process called “superfatting” when I make soap. That means that a percentage of fats will be left over after the soap creating chemical reaction is complete. Basically each bar of Grunge Goddess has moisturizing butters and oils without caustic agents, and that keeps skin feeling delightfully supple.
3. It lasts longer
No doubt, commercial soap doesn’t even hold a candle up to handmade soap when it comes to their lifetimes. Think months vs. week(s).
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