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Home > Blog > Archives for FAQ Friday

FAQ Friday: Clays, Classes, and Chaos

September 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

FAQ Friday – September 7th 2018

What’s up, Sudsers! As I mentioned on Sunday, I am restarting the old blog thang. No word on how long it will last, but I have high hopes that I will last at least a week longer. Kidding! Kinda.

Anyway, FAQ Friday is where we discuss the most frequently asked questions that get thrown my way. From process and design to sales and shipments, there are lots of questions that I get to answer every day. Which is awesome, because I really dig when Sudsers are interested in the behind the scenes madness of this soapy game. Some questions get asked more often than others, so this is where I will drop those queries for future reference and all that.

Today we are discussing the “clay” in Soap & Clay, the classes offered at the shop, and managing the chaos of running a business with an active family. Ready? Let’s go!

So, where does the “clay” come from?

benefits of clay soap bentonite soap activated charcoal soap kaolin soap red clay in soapExcellent question – glad you asked! Soap  & Clay was formed following the death of my grandmother. The original intent was to bring three members of my family together (my mother, brother and myself) and allow us to productively use the hobbies and interests we had found while my grandmother was ill while spending time with each other. Kind of like healing without having to talk to each other about what the loss of grandma meant to us. So the clay piece was my mother’s piece – she has been playing with clay for a number of years. The original plan was to have some of her pieces for sale alongside the soaps. That evolved into an interactive clay studio with classes and a paint your own pottery component. As the clay side has been slow to start (I promise – soon!) and the business had already been named, I needed to insert clay into the soaps somehow. So I literally inserted it. Into the soaps. And created a mess of super awe

some soaps in the process.

What is the benefit of clay soap?

There are lots of benefits to clay soaps over standard artisan bars. The lather is instant – some artisan bars you really need to work at to get that lather going. The clays also aide in detoxifying the skin and balancing your pH – two pretty cool things. From an economic standpoint, a clay soap produces a harder bar with a longer shower life, so it’s basically a win all around.

Each clay brings a different set of benefits to a soap batch; kaolin clay is very gentle and soothing and moisturizing, while bentonite clay is great for oiler skin. Activated charcoal purges pores and balances the skin’s acid mantle. And these are just three of the clays that I use!

What classes are offered at your shop? Do you have online options?

make your own bath bombs

I have yet to meet a class I don’t like. Soaps, scrubs, bombs, lotions, face oils and serums, glycerin soaps – we’ve done several types of classes in the past year and I have fun every time. I put a monthly schedule in the window of the shop and on the Facebook page, so if you’d like to find a class that you’re interested in that’s where to look! If you don’t find a class or time, I’m happy to host private parties. Workshops for company team building, birthday parties, or just a night out with friends are easily arranged and always a lot of fun.

I don’t have any options for online classes yet, unfortunately. I did create the bath bomb kits that can be purchased through the website and come with detailed instructions for the home maker, but videos and classes online are not a reality yet.

How do you manage everything you have going on?

Honestly? Not well. And for the days that I somehow manage to get everything done, I’ve relied heavily on a great support system to do it. Mr. Soap & Clay builds things and collects babies before classes, my senior apprentices build bath bombs and collect the loose ends of my partially finished thoughts and projects and tie them up. Sudsers that come into the soap shop never know exactly what they’re walking into, but they are almost guaranteed to find me chasing the Soap & Clay kidlets around the shop (we play zombies a lot) or elbow deep in five different batches of products at various stages of completion, or even in the middle of an epic cornstarch fight (that just happened the one time. Let’s go with that). It’s chaotic and messy and full of laughter and fun.

And honestly? So is your life. I don’t work any harder than any of you – you are all moms and dads and professionals and friends and humans with busy lives and busy schedules and busy things. And I’m grateful when you take a bit of time out of your day to stop in and say hi, or to chat on the social media pages, or read blog posts like this. Thanks for including me in your life – my life is certainly enriched because I include you in mine!

Happy Sudsing!

Filed Under: FAQ Friday Tagged With: Activated charcoal, bentonite clay, classes, clay soaps, kaolin, managing business

FAQ Friday: Soap for Sensitive Skin

March 3, 2017 Leave a Comment

Sensitive Skin Needs Love Too!

FAQ FridayGreetings and salutations, Sudsers! Mrs. Soap & Clay here with this week’s edition of FAQ Friday. First up, a few updates. I am still sans printer which makes labeling my products tough. SO…I am having a naked bar sale  – all soaps are $5 each! Coupon code is GONAKED and is extended through the weekend, so stock up!

Also, the giveaway for three months of soapy love packages is still underway. I’m super anxious to pick a winner and thank everyone who has entered! We are still short of our contest goal, though, so if you could pretty please send everyone you’ve tagged a message and ask them to like our Facebook page, I would appreciate it!

Sensitive Sally Skin

raspberryAs some of you may know, I have a shop in Tacoma, WA smack dab in the middle of the historic Freighthouse Station. I get lots of questions from travelers and building wanderers in search of an adventure when they walk into my shop. I’m often asked to recommend a soap best suited for sensitive skin. Short answer: all of them! Because that seems like a bit of a non-answer, let’s explore why I can recommend every bar of Soap & Clay soap for even the most Sensitive Sallies among us.

The thing is, I am a Sensitive Sally. I have an olive complexion that is easily damaged and when it is (acne, cuts, sunburn, etc.), it loves to pigment and scar. I’ve spent boatloads of dollars and more time than I care to add up on lightening products and treatments. The Soap & Clay kidlets also have sensitive skin; growing up in the cloudy PNW means they don’t get enough sunlight to fight mild eczema and the occasional kerotosis, so when I started formulating products, I knew that I needed to make them super effective but also gentle enough for all of our skin ailments. I know what you’re thinking right now: cool story bro. But what does this have to do with MY sensitive skin? Glad you asked!

I’ve been frustrated with the “sensitive skin” product world because, while they don’t make my skin freak out, they also don’t do much else. And they usually smell boring. And thus my mission was clear: create effective products that work for the most sensitive skinned among us while still inserting a bit of fun into our daily cleansing routines.

Skin AbsorbHandmade = Less Skin Irritation

In reality, moving to a carefully designed handmade soap from commercial cleansing products will alleviate most sensitive skin concerns. There are a number of reasons as to why this is. Commercial bars are formulated in a specific way to achieve big batch production, long shelf life, and a super low price point. One of the additions in commercial bars and body washes is water, which means the benefits of the oils are heavily diluted, so it’s less effective while it’s pulling needed moisture from your skin during use. They then add synthetic bubbling agents (because water doesn’t lather up very well), and these synthetic bubblers dry out the skin and cause irritation. They also add preservatives to ensure a long shelf life, which can irritate all skin types. 

Glycerin

freighthouseSynthetic additives aside, the biggest difference between commercial bars and handmade soap is the glycerin. In commercial production, companies remove the glycerin (a naturally occurring, skin loving humectant that is a result of the saponification process) and either sell it individually or use it in high-end skincare products. Handcrafted soapers don’t do this; the process to remove glycerin is long and yields an inferior product. We haven’t talked about glycerin in a while, but it is perhaps the most important difference between commercial soaps/body washes and handmade soap. See, glycerin is a humectant, which basically means that it binds to moisture in the air and uses it to moisturize the skin. For most sensitive skin ailments, the added moisture is a welcome relief. For more information on the benefits of glycerin for sensitive skin, check out this blog post.

Clay

I touched on the benefits of clay in last week’s FAQ Friday, but for a quick recap: clay is awesome for sensitive skin. The negative charges in clay bind to the positive charges in toxins and free radicals, gently pulling from the skin while leaving skin nourishing minerals behind. Clay is also super soothing; not for nothing are mud baths an extremely popular spa treatment. And as I add clay into each and every batch of soap I make, each Soap & Clay bar is loaded with mud. But you still get clean. I know, it’s weird to me too.Black & Tan

Now you see why I can confidently recommend every bar of soap in my line, but if you’re looking for soap super-specifically designed for super-specific Sensitive Sallies among us, check out C’mon Get Happy, The Lavender Bar, Black & Tan, and Raspberry Stout. These four bars are made with very gentle oils and are infused with skin loving colloidal oatmeal. Also, be on the lookout for the new beer soaps line in the next few weeks, as beer is a great addition for sensitive skin applications.

Enjoy the rest of your day, Sudsers – the kidlets and I are on our way to the shop to do some more work on the expansion!

Happy Sudsing!

Filed Under: FAQ Friday Tagged With: bubblers, clay, detergent bars, faq friday, glycerin, handcrafted, handmade, humectant, moisture, sensitive skin

FAQ Friday: The “Clay” in Soap & Clay

February 17, 2017 Leave a Comment

Benefits of Clay Soap

Hey Sudsers! Mrs. Soap & Clay here with a new edition of FAQ Friday! Yes, I know it’s been a while. No, I haven’t run out of frequently asked questions. I have, however, found myself running out of time to sit down and type posts, and when I finally DO have time, I find myself with a broken computer. And then a broken camera. And finally a broken printer. Not that a printer is needed for a blog post, but it’s terribly upsetting all the same.

2017 has been weird. Feel bad for me.

Anyway, the Soap & Clay kidlets are spending the day with grandma and grandpa, I have whittled away at my soap to-do list, and I find myself with just enough time to get a blog post in, so here we go! Today’s post is all about the “clay” in Soap & Clay, and the benefits of clay soap.

benefits of clay soap bentonite soap activated charcoal soap kaolin soap red clay in soapSo what’s with the “clay” in Soap & Clay?

Great question! It can be a bit confusing; I don’t seem to sell many clay based products, right? WRONG! I have a bit of a love affair with clays – the idea of, essentially, dirt being both beneficial for the skin AND cleansing is fascinating to me and I have spent boatloads of time playing with it.

Slathering it on my skin. Mixing it with water. Testing absorption rates. Drinking it. Letting it sit on a windowsill during the full moon to charge. Clay is cool. We all have hobbies. Shut up.

Anyway, this fascination with clay actually started my entire product line. Once you’ve mastered the basics of soapmaking – which oils yield a hard bar, or a super lather, or a bar best suited for laundry soap, or for shaving – you find yourself experimenting with additives. And I’m not talking about commercial filler additives; that stuff is for chumps who cheapen their products. Handcrafted soap additives are used to yield an even better bar than what you ever thought possible. In theory. And my favorite additive is, you guessed it, clay. Each and every batch of soap I make includes a clay of some sort. My most frequently used clays are Kaolin, Bentonite, Red Clay, French Green, and Activated Charcoal. Which I’m counting as a clay. Because why not.

using clay in soapCool…but why?

So glad you asked! Clay is super fun and I like talking about it. The benefits of clay are numerous, and it will take many, many more posts to fully explore all of said benefits. So here’s my Top Five, bulleted list of why I use clay in my soaps. High Fidelity style. Because Nick Hornby and John Cusack are life.

  • Clay detoxifies the skin. This is a well known benefit of clay; it acts like a magnet, pulling toxins, impurities, and chemicals from the skin and whisking them away to toxin-death-land. Which is great, right? Right!
  • Clay balances the skin’s pH. Various healing clays, such as bentonite, produce electrical charges when mixed with water. These negative charges created bind to the positive bits of toxins, as mentioned above, but through this process releases minerals that the skin needs. This results in a balanced epidermis that yields fewer breakouts (I’m looking at you, acidic skin!) or less eczema flareups (alkaline skin woes), depending on which side of the pH spectrum you fall. For more information on the importance of balanced skin pH, click here.
  • Clay oxygenates the skin and helps maintain the skin’s natural moisture. This is also part of the negative electrical charges bit. Another benefit of this process is that certain clays help the skin receive more oxygen by binding to excess hydrogen. This results in healthier skin, better blood flow, and more efficient oil production. Science is freaking awesome.
  • Clay produces an exceptional lather. We’ve all been there. We’ve picked up a bar of artisan soap, took it home, and were dismayed to learn that it took some real work to work up a lather with said bar. The clays in a Soap & Clay bar produce a super bubbly, super cleansing, beautiful lather with ease.
  • Clay soaps have a longer shelf and shower life. Handmade soaps are great for the skin, but can be murder on the pocketbook. Because artisan soaps do not contain the chemicals, fillers, and preservatives that result in a bar of soap that can last through the apocalypse, they tend to disappear faster than you’d like. With clay soaps, however, you actually get a longer shelf life and an extended life in the shower. So while other artisan soaps will last you a few weeks in the shower, with proper soap care a Soap & Clay bar will get you a month. Economical times two!
skin benefits of healing clay

Activated Charcoal + Kaolin Clay = a wicked awesome soap.

So there you have it – the clay method to the soapy madness! Have an excellent weekend, Sudsers – go do something fun that gets you dirty. So you can use some soap. My soap, preferably. But soap, for sure.

Happy Sudsing!

Filed Under: FAQ Friday Tagged With: Activated charcoal, bentonite, clay, faq friday, french green clay, kaolin, red clay, soap

FAQ Friday: Soap & Clay Favs, Soap Life, and the Mildest Bar for Your Delicate Skin

February 26, 2016 Leave a Comment

Favs, Soap Life, and Gentle Bars (of soap, not music.)

It’s Friday, Sudsers! I hope you’re as excited for the weekend as I am! The weather is supposed to be great, so I’m planning on taking the Soap & Clay kidlets out for an adventure walk at Mt. Rainier. For those that don’t know (I admittedly did not before I moved to the PNW), Mt. Rainier is an active volcano that sits in Seattle’s backyard.

faq friday

Photo Credit: Tiffany Von Arnim

soap life

Photo Credit: Tiffany Von Arnim


See there? That thing covered in snow? A freaking VOLCANO.

Yeah, I don’t believe it either.

 

At any rate, I will be spending the rest of today packing up for what is sure to be the worst idea I’ve ever had an epic adventure in the great outdoors with two citified girls that really enjoy indoor plumbing. So without further ado, on to FAQ Friday!

Mrs. Soap & Clay’s Favorite Product

You make a lot of soap. Which bar do you use?
I do make a lot of soap! Which one do I use? Well, I use a bar from every batch I make. 

soap life

Not a bad swirl, either.

soap life

Coffee FTW!

This is part of my testing process, and I never ship a bar from an untested batch. My favorite bar? I have two. Hello, Gorgeous is my daily go-to; the warm vanilla bean mixed with the bright and zesty lime makes me blissfully happy. The Chocolate Espresso is my favorite exfoliating bar; I look forward to scrubbing off the day with those hard working coffee bits.

 Soap & Clay’s Mildest Bar

I have very sensitive skin and worry every time I try a new product. What’s your mildest bar?
I get it. Trust me, I get it. Sensitive skin is my middle name. My parents have a weird sense of humor. 

Cmon Get HappyraspberryReally, all of my soaps are formulated to be very mild while still delivering an exceptional cleansing experience. I can say that I have not had any issues whatsoever with any of the soaps that I’ve made and added to the Soap & Clay line. If I had to pick the most mild bar, though, I would pick two. Because I don’t like odd numbers. C’mon Get Happy and Raspberry Stout are both packed with oatmeal (rolled and colloidal), which is great for soothing and protecting all skin types. For more information on the benefits of oatmeal, check the link!

Soap Shelf Life

How long do your bars last in the shower? I’m concerned about spending money on soap that doesn’t last as long as my body wash.
There are a number of factors that influence artisan soap’s life. Frequency of use, storage of soap, formulation of the recipe, and time the bar spent curing before using all impact how long a bar will last.  

For my part, I use soap recipes that produce hard, stable bars with excellent lather and cure every batch for at least six weeks before selling. for your skin onlyFor your part, a proper draining dish to keep the soap out of standing water will extend the life of the bar. My customers have told me that Soap & Clay soaps outlast commercial bars and body washes. Before falling into the artisan soap world, I went through a bottle of body wash every two weeks. My soap bars last around four weeks, on average.

I want your soaps to last as long as possible; if I’m getting repeat orders closer together than I’d expect, red flags go up. This isn’t to say I don’t want your business; I really do! I also want the product you’ve spent your hard earned dollars on to out-perform and outlast the detergent stuff. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Happy Sudsing!

Filed Under: FAQ Friday Tagged With: C'mon Get Happy, Chocolate Espresso, Favs, fresh soap, Hello Gorgeous, Lime, Mild Bars, oatmeal, preservatives, Raspberry Stout, sensitive skin, shelf life, Soap Dish, soap life, Vanilla Bean

FAQ Friday: Ingredients, Glycerin and Subscription Box

January 22, 2016 Leave a Comment

FAQ Friday

Ingredients, Glycerin, and Subscription Box Announcement

How’s everyone’s week been? The Soap & Clay kidlets and I have been flying sans Mr. Soap & Clay this week while he’s living the road warrior life. Thanks for working so hard, hot husband. We appreciate the food and heat and stuff. While he’s been gone, we’ve spent our days practicing our spelling (I’m getting really good) and our nights enjoying floor picnics while watching Downton Abbey Super Why. I’ve enjoyed all of the extra girl time, but without my nightly relief, I haven’t had much time to focus on soap. As such, I’m behind on site updates and will be spending all day Saturday soaping to replenish my stock from the week’s orders. As additional such (yup), this week’s FAQ Friday will be as short as my three year old’s fuse when she needs a nap. Ready, steady, go!

FAQ Friday

Ingredients List

Do you have a list of ingredients used in your products? I have noticed that many soap companies don’t list them.

Answer: I am a big fan of transparency. So yes, everything I put into my products I list on my site and on the individual packaging. The reason you haven’t seen ingredients listed on other sites or products is because, simply put, we aren’t legally required to. Soapmakers are currently living in an FDA shade of grey; we don’t have to list our ingredients as long as we don’t claim our products have any medicinal or curative properties. I do think this relative freedom will soon come to an end, however, and we will all be required to list our ingredients per FDA regulations. Which I personally think is a great thing; don’t you have a right to know what you’re putting on your skin?

Glycerin

ingredients, glycerin and subscription box

Singer. Sexy man. Soapmaker. Why not.

Isn’t glycerin dangerous? That’s a chemical that is really bad for your skin.

Answer: No. Nope. Not so much. No. I have heard this quite often at trade shows and events. Glycerin is a byproduct of the saponification process – where the oils mix and mingle with the sodium hydroxide solution to create soap. Before being introduced to the soaping process, glycerol exists within the oils themselves, as the backbone of fatty acid chains (triglycerides). The glycerin byproduct of the soapmaking process is actually great for your skin – so much so, in fact, that many commercial companies remove the glycerin from their detergent bars and use it in high-end, expensive skincare products. Soap & Clay leaves all of that skin-loving glycerin in each and every bar we make, giving you exceptional skin with no upcharge! For more information the benefits of topical glycerin, check out this link.

Subscription Box, Part Deux

ingredients, glycerin and subscription box

Look at all of that awesomeness!

In last week’s FAQ Friday, I answered Sudser questions regarding Soap of the Month boxes. This week, I’m happy to announce that Soap & Clay will be teaming up with Lavish Bath Box for all of your skincare needs (and wants, and desires, and guilty pleasures), conveniently boxed together and delivered to your door. This monthly subscription box will be full of bath and shower goodies – from artisan soaps and scrubs to bath bombs and bubble bars, even tubside perks like candles and dishes will find their way into the line. I am over the moon excited to be a part of this! For more information on the bath box, follow the link and enter in your email address. You’re not going to want to miss this!

 

Filed Under: FAQ Friday, Uncategorized Tagged With: fda, glycerin, ingredients, lavish bath box, soap of the month, subscription boxes

FAQ Friday: Solid Shavers, Custom Orders, and Soap of the Month Club

January 8, 2016 1 Comment

Solid Shavers, Custom Orders, and Soap of the Month Club

FAQ Friday

It’s Friday, and the first FAQ of 2016! My new year has been a great kind of hectic – the Soap & Clay parental units have been visiting us in the PNW, Mr. Soap & Clay took some time off of work to spend with his little family, and I have spent every free second in the soap shop, scheming. Soap scheming is the best, yeah? I have big plans for the new year, and am excited to launch new products (including solid shavers!), promotions, and Sudser deals!

On FAQ Friday’s agenda today: solid shavers, custom orders, and a SOTM Club. Ready to get to it? Me too!

Shaving soaps for the ladies

I have been using my husband’s solid shaver to shave my legs, and I love it! Do you have any shaving soaps for women?

 

solid shavers

Can’t you just see these sitting side by side in your bathroom?

Answer: I have been working on expanding the shaving line for the past few months. My testers have, well, tested, and I am pleased to announce that I will be rolling out new shaving soaps for men and women in the coming months! First up will be a women’s solid shaver. The pumice powder provides a gentle exfoliation, opening up hair follicles for a closer shave without clogging your razor blades. The clay blend provides good slip for your razor and draws impurities from the skin, ensuring nothing gets trapped in the pores. The moisturizing oils and butters nourish and protect your skin – no more razor rash! This supersoap will be making her debut in the Valentine’s gift sets, which will be available for purchase in about a week.

Custom Orders

I love your products and think they would be great for an upcoming event. I’d like something themed. Do you do custom orders?

Answer: I sure do! I have enjoyed working closely with Sudsers to create custom soaps, bath bombs, or gift sets for various events. From gender reveal bath bombs to monogrammed wedding soaps, I’ve dabbled in a bit of it all. I love the creative ideas customers bring to me! I do require a minimum of 4 weeks lead time for custom orders, however; most of my products require curing time before they can be used. If you’d like more information about custom orders, send me a message!

custom orders

Soap of the Month Membership

I have a hard time choosing between your products and would like to try them all! Do you have a membership program where you send me soaps each month?

Answer: I will soon! I love subscription boxes (Stitch Fix is a personal favorite) and have planned on having a monthly offering of my own since Soap & Clay was in the planning stage. I’m very close to rolling our SoapBox out but am working through a few of the finer details to ensure a smooth launch. In the meantime, sign up for Soap & Clay’s newsletter for access to our existing promotions and exclusive specials. I will likely announce the SoapBox subscription to my Preferred Sudsers first via the newsletter, so sign up today!

That’s it for me today, Sudsers. Don’t forget to check out the January special – 25% off of all full-sized scrubs! Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Chantine

Filed Under: FAQ Friday, Uncategorized Tagged With: custom orders, programs, promotions, shaving soap, soap of the month, solid shavers

FAQ Friday: Clays, Face Soaps, and Product Creation

December 4, 2015 Leave a Comment

FAQ Friday

Good morning, Sudsers! It’s Friday again – we’ve survived another workweek! As always, I hope you have something awesome planned for the weekend, even if that something awesome is playing video games in your PJs for two straight days. I understand; Fallout 4 is calling my name, too. Before you head off on adventures, check out this week’s FAQ Friday and see if your questions made the list!

I’ve received a ton of questions this week from Sudsers and booth visitors, so we’ll jump right in after a few reminders. First, I’ve extended the Gift Box sale through December 16th, so if you’re looking for a unique and useful gift idea outside of the Big Box, check them out. Also, Free Shipping continues on all orders through December 16th. Now, on to this week’s most frequently asked questions!

FAQ Friday

The “Clay” in Soap & Clay

The “Soap” bit I get. Where does the “Clay” come in?
Answer: Well, the “clay” represents, for now, the ingredients used in my soap recipes. I use clays – primarily Kaolin and Bentonite – in each and every batch of soap. Clays have tons of amazing benefits in skincare, and as my goal with each and every recipe I formulate is healthier skin for every Sudser, clays are an excellent ingredient to incorporate. Cosmetic clays are great for detoxifying skin, cleansing, purifying, removing excess oils without drying the skin, as well as providing good slip for shaving soaps! I love the extra lather, cleaning abilities, and skin softeners that come from a bar of clay soap, so I have made these hardworking additives a staple in my soap recipes.  

Face Soaps: Best skincare for face

I have very sensitive skin and am worried about breakouts. Do you have a product designed for the face that won’t make me break out?
Answer: I understand the fear of new face products. I have struggled with acne for years and am always hesitant to try something new on my most sensitive feature. While all of Soap & Clay’s soaps are designed to be irritant free, I still get nervous using them on my face whenever it’s time to test a new product. I created the Face Paste and Face Polish for this reason. These soaps are face-specific, unscented, and are full of ingredients that will clarify, calm, soothe, and gently remove dead skin and debris without causing irritation. Activated charcoal shines in the Face Paste, and pumice powder takes the Face Polish to a new level of gentle debris removal. I can confidently recommend either (or both!) of these products for all skin types!

face soaps

Soap & Clay Product Creation

So…do you make all of this?
Answer: I do! Each and every product found at Soap & Clay’s website or at booth events are handcrafted by yours truly. Further, all of the products I create are thoroughly tested for pH, performance, lathering, cleansing, irritants, and moisturizing properties before being added to the line. This means that every bar from Soap & Clay is not only handcrafted with love, but is also pretty great for your skin. Pretty awesome, amirite?

That’s it for me today, Sudsers. Remember, if you have any questions, concerns, suggestions (or even praise!), please don’t hesitate to reach out. I can be contacted a number of ways, including the contact form on the website. I love hearing from Sudsers, so keep the questions coming!

Happy Sudsing!

Filed Under: FAQ Friday Tagged With: Activated charcoal, artisan, bentonite clay, exfoliation, face soaps, handcrafted, kaolin clay, pumice powder, sensitive skin, small batch

FAQ Friday: Activated Charcoal, Bath Bombs, and Holiday Gift Boxes

November 20, 2015 Leave a Comment

Bath Bombs, Activated Charcoal, and Holiday Gift Sets

It’s Friday! Cheers to the freakin’ weekend! We’ve been busy getting ready for holiday booth events this week, which has meant very limited sleep and lots of coffee. Mmmm, coffee. Before getting to this week’s most frequently asked questions, I have a few housekeeping items. After that, we will talk about bath bombs, activated charcoal, and holiday gift sets. Excited? I am!

Whipped Soap Minis

  1. Whipped Soap Minis are back in stock!
    Whipped Soap Minis have been wildly popular lately, and I’ve had a tough time keeping them in stock. They’re back and ready to be shipped. First priority goes to all of the Sudsers that sent me a preorder message (thanks for doing that!), though, so quantities are limited. Head over the the site and claim yours today.
  2. Final Days for Buy 3 Get 1 Free and No Shave November
    Our Buy 3 Get 1 Free sale ends on November 30th, as does our Movember Foundation promotional event. Buy 3 Get 1 Free is a stellar deal that you don’t want to miss, and the Movember Foundation event supports a great cause (men’s health research and education). I’m looking forward to writing them a big fat check, so don’t miss out! For more information on the Movember Foundation and what they do, click here.

Now that we’ve handled that, on to the questions!

What are bath bombs?

I’ve seen pictures you’ve been posting on your Instagram and Facebook pages of bath bombs. What are they??
Answer: Bath bombs are amazing. The end. 

bath bombs

Simply amazing.

Ok, so maybe a bit more explanation is needed. Bath bombs are tightly packed balls of dry ingredients (mostly baking soda, citric acid, and epsom salts) that do some pretty fun stuff when they come in contact with water. When plopped into bath water, these porous balls (my favorite Sudser description of bath bombs to date) fizz, they float, they zoom and twirl before your very eyes. Amazing! As an added bonus, they also scent, soften and sometimes color the water, resulting in a fun bathtub experience that’s also pretty great for your skin. They basically take tub time to the next level.

What’s the deal with activated charcoal?

I recently received an order. One of the bars of soap had a tag that talked about the activated charcoal in the soap. What does activated charcoal DO?
Answer: Activated charcoal is pretty powerful, and one of my favorite ingredients. It’s long been used as a detox aid, to treat bug bites, as well as to whiten teeth! In soap, it acts as a magnet, pulling toxins, dirt, and contaminated oils from your skin. It’s great for detoxifying the skin and works wonders on acne. Be aware, however, that soaps containing activated charcoal will have grey lather. This is totally normal and the suds will become bubbly and white once the activated charcoal has done its job. Enjoy your newly detoxed skin!

Holiday Gift Sets

bath bomb

Not knowing what’s inside is killing you, isn’t it? I know.

I saw your post about holiday gift boxes! They aren’t online, though. What’s inside and how do I purchase them?
Answer: First off, thanks for following my posts! That makes me smile. Now, our holiday gift boxes are selling like hot cakes at local gift bazaars, so thanks to my local Sudsers! I will have the gift boxes up next week for the online crowd, just in time for Small Business Saturday. More information on the boxes in the days to come, but we do have a Man-scape Box, a Bomb Box, a Spa Box, and a Hello Lovely Box (for the lovely ladies) that will hit the site soon. SPOILER ALERT: They will be on sale AND part of November’s Buy 3 Get 1 Free deal, so it’s an excellent opportunity to get some unique, thoughtful and fun gifts for your nearest and dearest. And also for yourself.

Filed Under: FAQ Friday Tagged With: Activated charcoal, bath, bath bombs, detox, dry skin, faq friday, gift box, gift sets, holiday

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