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Sunday Soap Case: Shine Bright with Amibrite!

June 5, 2016 Leave a Comment

Shine Bright Like A Diamond…

Happy Sunday, Sudsers! It’s June, which is my favorite of all of the months. The sun is bright, the days are long, and there’s no shortage of fairs, festivals, and outdoor activities. All of that extra time spent outside can result in dry, burnt, tight and weathered skin though, so I thought that today I should do a write-up on my favorite women’s exfoliating and rejuvenating soap: Amibrite.

The Starting Point

Most of my soap recipes start with the same question: what do I want the soap to do? I always want a bubbly lather that doesn’t take an hour of bar massage to obtain. I always want the bar to effectively cleanse and moisturize without drying the skin (or leaving it greasy, which soap should obvs never do). But after that, then what? Do I want the soap to polish the skin, to promote cell turnover, to soothe skin conditions such as eczema? After smelling the blend that ultimately went into Amibrite, the answer to all of the above questions was yes. This scent was so amazing that I wanted this bar to do it all. I wanted it to super-cleanse. I wanted it to super-lather. I wanted it to super-moisturize. I wanted it to super-scrub. I wanted it to be super-rific.  So I got to work.

shine bright

The Lineup

Rice Bran Oil – as far as skincare is concerned, rice bran oil is an absolute powerhouse. This lightweight, cold-pressed oil is high in Omega 6’s and Vitamin E, absorbs easily, and naturally protects against free radicals and UV damage. Rice bran oil is commonly used in high-end skincare products as it helps keep skin smooth and wrinkle-free. This oil is so effective and so nourishing that it is a staple in every bar of soap found in the Hey, Girl line.

orangepeel

Photo Credit: Dvortygirl

Orange Peel Powder – this antioxidant rich powder is a natural cleanser, promotes cell turnover, fights blemishes, and can help lighten scars on skin from sun damage or injuries (or both, if you’re Mrs. Soap & Clay). It acts as a skin brightener to boot! It’s also a mild exfoliant and has a wonderful citrusy scent.

Jojoba Beads – I have been a microbead fan since microbeads became a thing. Every skincare product I purchased had to contain them – until I learned what they were made of, and how terrible they are for our aquatic friends. The jojoba bead is the microbead’s cooler, healthier, sexier cousin. Completely biodegradable, jojoba beads are derived from jojoba oil (another staple of mine in soap recipes), are perfectly round and won’t cause microscopic tears in the skin, making them the perfect scrubby companion.

The Blend – this scent blend is my happy. One of them, at least. Bursting with citrusy goodness, this blend contains all of my favorite fruity treats. Orange, grapefruit, and tangerine mixes with blackberry and mango and finishes with a warm coconut scent that is just…well, it’s my happy for a reason. It’s bright, uplifting, energetic and all things summer. Once fully cured, the scent reminds me of Nerds candy.

Yes, I just provided you a link to buy Nerds in bulk. You’re welcome. It’s Prime eligible!

The Pour and the Name

As stated above, this scent is my happy. And sometimes my happy can be…a bit over the top. This pour reflects that manic excited state. Using my two happy colors, I drop-swirl the loaf from staggering heights while employing my very best mad scientist cackle. Then I take a skewer to it while unabashedly belting out Mandy Moore’s Candy loud enough for the neighbors three houses down to hear. And complain about. Because they’re jerks. And because I’m tone-deaf.

The end result amibritelineis a bright, beautiful bar of soap with bold streaks of color interspersed with wispy swirls. A pour like this is not uniform; each bar is a bit different than the next.

The name dates back to my very first batch of this soap. After cleaning up the soap shop, I called Mr. Soap & Clay in to admire the freshly poured loaf. With a grin on my face and a lye burn on my neck (a story for a later date), I stepped back and allowed him to inspect my handiwork. Before he could say a word, I proclaimed “that ish is AMAZING, amirite?” That was the first time I had ever used the term amirite, so I felt an homage to that moment was fitting.

So now that you’re to this point, here’s what you do. Click the link. Add the bar to your cart. Use coupon code LIKEADIAMOND and get a bar of Amibrite on me. Coupon code is valid on all orders between now and next Sunday (June 12th). Happy Sudsing!

Filed Under: Soap Science, Sunday Soap Case Tagged With: amibrite, citrus, happy, hey girl, jojoba beads, know your soap, natural, orange peel powder, rice bran oil, sunday soap case

Sunday Soap Case: Bath Bombs

May 29, 2016 Leave a Comment

Bath Bombs for DAYS!!!

Sunday Soap Case: Bath Bombs.soap case: bath bombs

Greetings and Salutations! I hope everyone’s May has been amazing. Here at Soap & Clay, we have hit the busy season for vendor events and booth exhibits (and by we, I mean myself and my super helpful booth designer, Mr. Soap & Clay). I’ve done a number of shows over the past few weeks, and I have noticed a new trend in visitor questions. Customers have been asking me about my soaping process; what I put into soap recipes and why, the color and design selection, and the overall inspiration behind my product lines. While this may have something to do with my newly released Game of Soaps line, answering questions about the method to my madness (there is one, I promise) has been so much fun! So, I decided to start a new weekly series, showcasing products and/or lines and my creation process. The idea to make this a weekly series comes from one of my favorite entrepreneur/blogger/soaper/kick-ass women on the planet, Anne Marie Faiola. Do check her out, she has a wealth of knowledge. But then make sure to come right back and read Sunday Soap Case: Bath Bombs to learn some cool things about my fizzy favorite!

Bath Bombs – A Basic Primersoap case: bath bombs

I may have exaggerated a bit when I said “favorite.” Bath bombs and I have a dysfunctional relationship. I love using them, I love smelling them, I love designing them. When it comes to making them? We tend to butt heads. There are too many uncontrollable variables in a bath bomb recipe. With a soap recipe, I know that if I use the proper percentage of certain oils, soap at a certain temperature, and use the proper amount of scents and additives it will yield a successful batch of soap with exceptional lathering, cleansing, and moisturizing properties. It’s not so with bath bombs; they are finicky.

This may have something to do with the extras I put into my bath bombs, however. A basic bath bomb can be made with baking soda and citric acid. But I’ve never been one for “basic” anything. So I try to throw a ton of skin loving ingredients into each bomb so they’ll be both fun AND beneficial. Some of the extras I put in my bath bombs include:

Cornstarch juicebomb

From balancing skin’s pH, soothing red, inflamed, or sunburned skin to treating diaper rash, cornstarch is pretty amazing stuff. It’s a natural cleansing agent, helps with conditions such as athlete’s foot, and is an excellent odor eliminator – cornstarch does it all. As such, I throw some into every batch of bombs I make.

Epsom Salt

Epsom salts soothe sore muscles, help detoxify the body, and can ease the pain of arthritis and fibromyalgia! Pretty cool, right? I thought so, too. So Epsom salts also find their way into my bombs.

beachbombswirlExtracts

Avocado, chamomile, primrose, carrot, buckthorn (an actual thing) – there are loads of extracts available that help with a slew of skin ailments. When used topically (like in a bath) some soften skin, others help with the pains of eczema, psoriasis, PMS, and others tone the skin and assist in achieving a healthy glow. While I don’t use these in my kid’s bombs, I do add extracts to my adult bath bombs quite regularly.

Oils

With all of these dry ingredients, it makes sense to add a skin loving oil to the mix. I tend to favor sunflower oil for its high content of linoleic fatty acid chains. This means sunflower oil is lightweight, ultra-hydrating and anti-inflammatory, all good things when dealing with the skin.

Melts & Botanicals, Soap & Sparklesberrybomb

Making all of the above ingredients play nice is difficult enough, so of COURSE I have to play with inserting bath melts and botanicals into my bombs. Bath melts are great as they add a bit of cocoa or mango butter to the bath, thus extending your tub time. Botanicals such as rose petals or lavender buds are said to have therapeutic properties, but I add them because they’re pretty and make me feel like royalty as I’m lounging in the tub with my candles and book of the week.

Whipped soap tops and sparkly surprises are just the epitome of bathtime fun. I often experiment with both to add a little something special to my bombs. Necessary? No. Fun? You bet your booty.

Soap & Clay’s Bath Bomb Line

Outside of holiday specific gift sets and custom orders, I have been dragging my feet in regards to putting bath bombs on the site. I’ve had a tough time deciding which bombs should make the lineup. I finally decided that the best way to solve this dilemma is to change the line when the mood strikes. As such, the new line will basically always be a new line, so make sure to check back regularly!

Oh, and one last thing for those diligent Sudsers that have managed to make it this far. A coupon code. For a free bath bomb. Consider it a reward for reading (hooray, literacy!). Enter coupon code BOMBSFORDAYS to get a bath bomb on the house. Offer is good on all orders placed between today and June 5th (next Sunday).

 

Filed Under: Soap Science, Sunday Soap Case Tagged With: bath bombs, detoxifying, dry skin, fancy bath, relaxation nation, sensitive skin, skin ailments, skin care, sunday soap case, take a bath

Soap & Clay the Lavish Way – Membership Box

March 2, 2016 Leave a Comment

Lavish Bath Box Meets Soap & Clay

membership box

So membership boxes? Insanely popular right now. From clothing to baking kits, there’s not much you can’t get delivered to your door on a monthly basis. The concept is simple and appeals to people from all walks of life. For the super busy super humans that don’t have time to shop, subscription boxes are a great way to get their favorite products, update their wardrobes, even get fresh produce without having to visit a dozen stores. For the aficionados of the world, subscription boxes deliver fun and exciting wine, food, baking, fashion and beauty products every month, ensuring that they are always in the know. For the truly madly deeply passionate fanboys and girls out there, monthly boxes slake their thirst for everything trendy and new. No matter the motivation, monthly subscription boxes are guaranteed to deliver satisfaction.

Soap & Clay is joining the subscription box fun by teaming up with Lavish Bath Box! This company really has its finger on the pulse of the bath and beauty world and has assembled a rockstar group of artisans to deliver subscribers the best and most exciting soaps, scrubs, lotions, bath bombs, bubble bars, and bath accessories.

membership box

Rockstars. Seriously.

Fresh Products, Fair Prices, Fun Pampering

Each month, Lavish Bath Box ships out a beautifully packaged boxed packed with high-quality, fun, skin-loving products all centered around a monthly theme. This month’s theme is Interstellar, a collection of out of this world crazy awesome products. Check out those bath bombs!

Soap & Clay’s contribution? Lemon Galax-Tea, a mini whipped sugar soap scrub that smells good enough to eat! Don’t eat it. We’ve been through this before. The soap whip is super bubbly, ultra cleansing, and the perfect all over body exfoliant suitable for all skin types. Each package contains enough goodies to get subscribers through a full month of pampering. As an added bonus, each monthly box will include a bath accessory – this month’s bonus is a soy candle from Soy Much Brighter. These clean burning candles burn brighter, longer, and don’t release chemicals into your home like paraffin candles. What a great bonus, right?

membership box

Tell me you wouldn’t want to find that on your porch.

Membership Box Subscription Info

Lavish Bath Box has a great subscription plan set up – you can choose between one month, three month, and six month options for discounts each tier. Each option includes free shipping for your boxes, so no hidden fees! I’m a fan of no hidden fees. You can also cancel at any point for any reason – no fine print! I’m a fan of no fine print. For more information, visit Lavish’s site! For more information on the Soap & Clay products you can expect to see in the membership box, check out our shop!

Filed Under: Specials Tagged With: artisan soap, free shipping, fresh products, lavish, membership box, subscription boxes, treat yourself

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

The Denver Broncos are going to Super Bowl 50…

January 25, 2016 Leave a Comment

Which means you get super deals!

super bowl 50

Yesterday was a nail biting, nerve wracking, breath holding day that ended in a BIG BRONCOS WIN!!! For the second time in three seasons, the boys in orange and blue will be heading to the Super Bowl. Our house was in full celebratory swing yesterday – cheering until we were hoarse, giggling every time Tom Brady ended up on his back (we aren’t nice people) and eating delicious, Colorado inspired food.

Any appearance at the Super Bowl is a big deal, but getting to play in Super Bowl 50 feels monumental. The Denver Broncos have made it to the big game several times (and won a couple), but this one? The celebration of a 50 year tradition? Incredible!

So, because it’s such an exciting event, I am throwing out an exciting event of my own. On, you know, a much smaller scale. Ready for it?

FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS, EVERYTHING ON THE WEBSITE IS 50% OFF! Everything!

How does it work?

You know, the usual way. With a coupon code! Enter coupon code WERIDETOSB50 to get 50% off of your cart.

SHOP NOW

This offer expires at 4pm EST on January 26, 2016, so don’t delay! Thanks to all the fans, be they representing orange and blue or not, for an amazing NFL season. I know I had a great time!

Go Broncos!! On to Super Bowl 50!!

Filed Under: Specials Tagged With: broncos, deals, denver broncos, football, sale, super bowl 50

Soap Challenge – Circling Taiwan Swirl

January 22, 2016 7 Comments

Circling Taiwan Swirl

Well, it’s happened. After months of debating, I’ve finally screwed my courage to the sticking point and signed up for Great Cakes Soapworks Challenge. Amy Warden of Great Cakes hosts a monthly contest, providing a theme, guidelines, pour parameters, and an instructional video for those unfamiliar with the month’s pour. There are some amazing soapers that participate in this challenge each month, and being a noob in the artisan world, I have been hesitant to throw my name in with such heavy hitters. When Amy announced the theme for this month’s soap challenge, however, I knew that I had to participate, if only to get access to some pro-tips for a pour I’ve had difficulty mastering.

This month’s challenge is swirl based – the Taiwan Swirl, to be precise. To be uber-precise, the Circling Taiwan Swirl. This is a process involving three or more colors striped in a mold and then skewered and swirled in a specific way. The end result is supposed to be a lovely interior swirl, as well as 2-4 Lotus Blossom end pieces. When done right, it’s truly a beautiful pour.

The Process

First up, I commissioned some stainless steel mold dividers from Mr. Soap & Clay. I’ve had success using cardboard dividers, but as this was for a competition batch, I thought it a perfect time to take advantage of one of my husband’s many skill sets. Next, I needed to decide on a color scheme and scent. I’ve been sitting on a delicious mint blend for some time and decided that this pour would fit the bill. To enhance the scent’s intricacy (and to further fit the intricate pour), I blended it with a bit of ripe blackberry to add a bit of sweetness to the crisp and refreshing mint.

Finally, the pour. I used my tried and true slow trace recipe that I use for all design batches. This recipe has always given me enough time to perform intricate swirl and design work, but just to be safe I soaped at a much lower temperature than I normally do (around 90 degrees). The batter stayed wonderfully fluid throughout the process. *whew*

circling taiwan swirl

Check out those dividers! Mr. Soap & Clay is handy with the stainless!

After pouring the colored soap into each slot, it was then time to remove the dividers. This can prove more difficult than it sounds. Up and out of the mold as quickly as possible works best. I finally got to move on to the fun part: the skewer. Taking a chopstick, I ran perpendicular to the divided soap, skewering the width down the length of the mold. I then ran the perimeter of the soap 6-7 times to pull the pattern in one direction, thus achieving the “circling” bit of the Taiwan Swirl. Clear as mud? Great! I then popped the soap into the oven for a nice warm cure to make sure the soap gels and the colors really popped.

The Results

A few days later, I cut into this beauty. I separated the log into four blocks, which I then cut horizontally to expose the pattern within. And what a pattern!

taiwan

Oooooooooooh

taiwan

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

The lotus blossom actually appeared on both ends of my soap. I think. Honestly I’ve been staring at the swirl for so long that my eyes have gone crossed and I’m seeing lotus blossom tracers in my vision.

taiwan

Lotus blossom? No? Octopus? Upside down Jelly fish? Maybe it’s abstract. Squint your eyes and tilt your head to the side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

taiwan

The interior swirl was also quite lovely. Here it is on the wifi soap dish. Momma Soap & Clay has embraced the 21st century.

All in all, I’m very pleased with the result. This was a great way to up my soap game, and I am officially hooked on the Taiwan Swirl!

 

Filed Under: Teaser, Uncategorized Tagged With: artisan, blackberry, great cakes soapworks, mint, soap challenge, swirl, taiwan

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

Artisan Soap: Cruelty Free, Vegan Friendly, Gluten Free…?

December 10, 2015 Leave a Comment

Soap Science: Gluten in Skincare

Good morning, Sudsers! This week has zoomed by, right? I’ve been busy with holiday orders, activities with the Soap & Clay kidlets, and booth events. I’ve spent the past few weeks at vendor events around the greater Seattle area, and I loved mingling with members of the community, chatting about soap and skincare needs. I tend to field a set of basic questions regarding my soaps multiple times throughout any event, questions I can readily answer and provide takeaway literature for, but the lovely community members in Bellevue, WA threw me a curveball on Saturday. I still got the basics: are your products responsibly sourced and cruelty free, do you have any vegan offerings, do you stock anything for sensitive skin, but there was one question I wasn’t prepared for. Are your soaps gluten free? 

Gluten free? Hunh. Admittedly, my first thought in response to this question was, you don’t EAT soap. Please don’t eat my soap.

gluten free

Don’t be like this kid.
Who also happens to be my kid.

Gluten free?

I answered as best I could, which was basically an inelegant stammering consisting of “I don’t use flour in my soap recipes, so I think I’m gluten free…wait, is oatmeal gluten? No? well it’s likely that I don’t…I want to say yes, but I’m really not sure.” Surprisingly, in spite of my less than stellar speaking skills, this customer still purchased some items and I sent them on their way, but not before collecting their email address to get them a definitive answer on the gluten question. A few minutes later, another patron asked the same thing: are your soaps gluten free? Four other customers asked about gluten over the course of this event, so the moment I got home, the research began.

What is Gluten?

First off, I obviously needed a better understanding of gluten and what those with gluten sensitivities actually need to avoid. My belief was that gluten sensitivity was a food concern; anything that a person ingests that contains gluten can have a negative impact on their body’s overall health. And while this seems to be the general consensus in the medical world, there is also a case to be made for removing gluten from skincare products as well. Which makes sense; every soap in my line has been designed to produce specific, topical results as the skin readily absorbs many things. In this day and age, there are even drugs that are administered topically because certain components can and do enter the system through the skin. So gluten in skincare products? Could be a concern.

So what is gluten? According to celiac.org, gluten is the name given to the elastic proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and various other grains to a lesser degree. For those with Celiac disease (about 1% of the population), this protein can cause a number of health problems if ingested. Through further sleuthing, however, I came across a number of articles discussing potential problems with Celiac patients and gluten found in topical products. The Mayo Clinic has some interesting information regarding topical gluten, which you can find here.

So is there gluten in soap? How about other cosmetic products? Yes, in large part. Turns out it’s pretty difficult to find commercial products that don’t contain gluten (another way of adding insult to injury for the gluten sensitive among us).

How about Soap & Clay products?

Well, that depends. Soap & Clay soaps contain no gluten. My basic soap recipe contains olive oil, coconut oil, responsibly sourced palm oil, canola oil, and sweet almond oil. I then add extra goodies, mostly in the form of oils, butters, and exfoliants. So according to this list of safe vs unsafe products for those with Celiac/gluten intolerance, Soap & Clay does not use any ingredients that contain gluten in the soaps themselves (**see below for a note about bath bombs). However, a number of Soap & Clay soaps contain oatmeal, an item that is listed on both sides of the safe/unsafe list. The reason for this is cross-contamination; any oatmeal that has been processed in a facility that also processes wheat, barley, or rye can come into contact with gluten. I use gluten-free oatmeal in my soap recipes, so by happy accident I can say that we are gluten free!

**A note about bath bombs: I’ve been unable to find definitive information regarding corn products and Celiac, so in the spirit of full disclosure and transparency, a word of caution for those concerned with gluten: all of my bath bombs contain cornstarch. If you have been told by your medical professional to avoid cornstarch, either topically or internally, please avoid Soap & Clay’s bath bombs.

So there you have it, Sudsers – all of the information you never knew you needed about soap. Remember – check your labels, know your labels, and if you have any questions, please contact me! Don’t forget – we have FREE SHIPPING through December 16th and gift boxes are still on sale. I’m hearing “craft time” turning into “mess time” in the kitchen, so I’m off to wrestle a glue stick away from a Soap & Clay kidlet. Enjoy the rest of your day!

gluten

Glue stick. Not gluten free.

Filed Under: Know Your Labels, Soap Science, Uncategorized Tagged With: artisan, bath bombs, celiac, commercial, gluten, gluten free, oatmeal, soap, Soap & Clay Kids, vegan

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

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