Video

---

 Oregon Hazelnut oil is a wonderful oil to use in soap making! It offers several beneficial properties to the final soap product. 

Properties of Hazelnut Oil in Soap:

• Moisturizing and Conditioning: Hazelnut oil is rich in oleic and linoleic fatty acids, as well as Vitamin E, which contribute to its moisturizing and conditioning properties. It helps to keep the skin hydrated and soft. 
• Mild Cleansing: It provides a gentle cleansing action, making it suitable for sensitive skin. 
• Stable Lather: Hazelnut oil contributes to a stable, medium lather that is often described as creamy.
• Light and Absorbent: It's a light oil that absorbs well into the skin without leaving a greasy residue. This makes it particularly appealing for facial soaps and those designed for oily skin. 
• Considered Astringent: Some sources suggest it has mild astringent properties due to the presence of tannins, which can be beneficial for oily or acne-prone skin by helping to tighten pores. 
• Contributes to a Softer Bar: Being a liquid oil high in unsaturated fats, using a high percentage of hazelnut oil on its own will result in a softer bar of soap. It's typically used in combination with harder oils and butters.
• Cost and Availability: Organic Oregon Hazelnut oil can be much more expensive than most other common soap-making oils.
• natural soap making organic soap making natural soap ingredients

 It's important to clarify that coconuts do not naturally grow in most of the continental United States, including Portland, Oregon. Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) are tropical plants that require warm temperatures, high humidity, and plenty of sunshine to thrive. They are primarily grown in tropical regions around the world, such as Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Central and South America.

Therefore, "organic American coconut oil" typically refers to coconut oil that has been processed and packaged in the United States using organically grown coconuts sourced from these tropical regions.

So, while the coconuts themselves are not grown in most of America, we certainly purchase and use organic coconut oil that has been processed within the United States. 

Properties of Organic Coconut Oil in Soap:

• Hardness: Coconut oil is a very hard oil and contributes significantly to a firm bar of soap.
• Bubbly Lather: It is known for producing a copious and bubbly lather.
• Cleansing: Coconut oil is a powerful cleanser, effectively removing dirt and oils from the skin.
• White Color: It generally contributes to a whiter color in the finished soap.
• Cost-Effective: Compared to some other specialty oils, coconut oil is often relatively affordable.
• Drying: Due to its strong cleansing action, using a very high percentage of coconut oil can be drying to the skin for some individuals, Soap Organiocally uses well tested recipes in percentages below those that cause drying or clogged pores. It's often balanced with more moisturizing oils, or other liquid oils.
• Lather Quality: While the lather is abundant, it can sometimes be less stable or creamy on its own. Combining it with oils like tallow, or castor oil can improve the lather's stability and creaminess.
• Scent: Organic coconut oil typically has a mild, sweet coconut aroma, especially if it's virgin or unrefined. Refined coconut oil has a more neutral scent.
• natural soap making organic soap making natural soap ingredients

Organic USP grade castor seed oil is an excellent choice for soap making. 

• Organic: This ensures the castor beans were grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This is a preferred choice for those seeking more natural and environmentally conscious ingredients.
• USP Grade (United States Pharmacopeia): This designation indicates that the castor oil meets the standards for purity and quality set by the USP. This is a significant advantage for soap making as it assures a high-quality and consistent ingredient, free from harmful contaminants.
• Castor Seed Oil in Soap: Castor oil is a valuable ingredient in soap making, offering several unique benefits: 
  • Lather Booster: It's well-known for increasing the lather in soap, producing a rich and bubbly texture. 
  • Humectant: Castor oil is a humectant, meaning it attracts and retains moisture in the skin, helping to prevent dryness. 
  • Conditioning: It contributes to the conditioning properties of the soap, leaving the skin feeling softer and smoother. 
  • Stable Lather: Even in small amounts, it helps to create a more stable lather that lasts.
  • Silky Feel: It can impart a slightly silky feel to the soap.
• Usage Rate: Generally, castor oil is used in soap recipes at a rate of 5% to 10% of the total oils. 
• Combining with Other Oils: Castor oil is almost always used in combination with other base oils like coconut oil, lard, tallow, etc., to create a balanced soap with good hardness, cleansing, and moisturizing properties.
• Cold Process and Hot Process: Castor oil can be used in both cold process and hot process soap making methods.
• natural soap making organic soap making natural soap ingredients

 Organic U.S. made vegetable stearic acid is a valuable ingredient used in soap making to enhance certain qualities of the soap bar. Let's break down its properties and how it's used by us:

  (note we do not use palm products)

What is Stearic Acid?

• Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid that occurs naturally in both animal and vegetable fats and oils. 
• For our soap making, it's typically derived from vegetable sources like Oregan grown soy. When it's labeled "organic vegetable stearic acid," it means the source oils were organically grown and processed. 
• In its pure form, it's a white, waxy solid. 

Benefits of Using Organic Vegetable Stearic Acid in Soap:

• Hardness: Stearic acid is a significant contributor to the hardness of a soap bar. 
• Stable Lather: It helps to create a stable and creamy lather. While it doesn't produce a lot of bubbles on its own, it improves the quality and longevity of the lather generated by other oils which is why we use it in our shaving soaps.
• Opacity: Stearic acid can help to make the soap bar more opaque (less translucent). 
• Smoothness: It can contribute to a smoother, more polished feel to the soap bar.
• natural soap making organic soap making natural soap ingredients

 US-made organic nutmeg butter is used in our soap making, although it's considered a more luxurious and highly expensive additive rather than a primary base oil.

Properties of Nutmeg Butter:

• Rich and Exotic Scent: Nutmeg butter has a warm, spicy, and slightly sweet aroma characteristic of nutmeg. 
• Moisturizing: Like many natural butters, nutmeg butter contains fatty acids that can contribute to the moisturizing properties of the soap, leaving the skin feeling soft.
• Potential Antioxidant Properties: Nutmeg contains compounds with antioxidant properties, which might offer some benefit to the skin, although this is more significant in leave-on products.
• Scent Retention: While the initial scent of nutmeg butter is strong, the saponification process (reaction with lye) will diminish or alter the fragrance in the final soap. 
• Cost and Availability: U.S. Organic nutmeg butter is likely to be very much more expensive and less readily available than common soap-making base oils. This makes it more suitable for specialty or luxury soaps.
• Usage Rate: Due to its cost and potential impact on the soap's overall balance, nutmeg butter is typically used in smaller percentages, often as an additive to contribute its unique properties rather than as a significant portion of the base oils. 
• Potential for Discoloration: Some natural ingredients can cause slight discoloration in soap. 
• natural soap making organic soap making natural soap ingredients

 Oregon-grown organic olive oil is an excellent ingredient for soap making! While Oregon isn't as widely known for olive oil production as some Mediterranean regions or California, there are dedicated olive groves in certain parts of the state, particularly in the southern and western regions where the climate is milder.

Benefits of Using Oregon-Grown Organic Olive Oil in Soap:

• High Quality: If it's truly organic, it means the olives were grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, resulting in a pure and natural oil. 
• Moisturizing: Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that is very moisturizing and conditioning for the skin. Soap made with a good percentage of olive oil tends to be gentle and hydrating. 
• Mildness: Olive oil soap is known for being very mild and suitable for sensitive skin, including baby skin. 
• Stable Lather (in high percentages): While 100% olive oil soap (Castile soap) takes a long time to cure and produces a low lather initially, the lather becomes surprisingly stable and creamy over time. 
• "Superfatting" Benefits: Olive oil is often used at higher percentages in soap recipes, allowing for a good amount of "superfat" (unsaponified oils) which further enhances its moisturizing properties.
• Local and Sustainable: Using locally grown ingredients supports local farmers and can reduce the environmental impact associated with long-distance transportation. Choosing organic further supports sustainable farming practices. 
• Cost and Availability: Depending on the scale of olive oil production in Oregon, organic options will be more expensive and less readily available than commercially produced olive oil from larger regions.
• Lather Quantity (in high percentages): Soap made with a high percentage of olive oil (like Castile soap) will have a lower, more subtle lather compared to soaps with coconut oil. This isn't necessarily a negative, but it's something to be aware of. 
• Cure Time (in high percentages): 100% olive oil soap requires a very long cure time (several months) to harden properly and develop its lather. However, when used in combination with other oils, the cure time is more typical (4-6 weeks).
• Scent: Oregon-grown olive oil will impart a mild, characteristic olive oil scent to the soap, which usually fades during the curing process or can be complemented with essential oils.
• natural soap ingredients organic soap making natural soap making

 Oregon-grown organic Buena Vista lavender is an excellent and highly desirable ingredient for soap making, especially if you are located in Portland or nearby! Buena Vista Lavender Farm is a well-known and respected lavender farm located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, which is indeed a prime growing region for high-quality lavender.

Benefits of Using Oregon-Grown Organic Buena Vista Lavender in Soap:

• High Quality and Potency: Buena Vista Lavender Farm is known for its fragrant and high-quality lavender. Using their organic lavender ensures you are getting a potent and pure botanical. 
• Wonderful Aroma: Buena Vista lavender varieties (like 'Folgate', 'Hidcote', 'Royal Velvet', etc.) are prized for their beautiful and long-lasting fragrance, which imparts a lovely scent to our soap.
• Aesthetic Appeal: incorporating the dried lavender buds into our soap for visual appeal, adding texture and a natural touch. 
• Potential Skin Benefits: Lavender is known for its calming, soothing, and potentially antiseptic properties, which can be beneficial for the skin. 
• Organic and Local: Using organic lavender aligns with our preference for natural ingredients grown without synthetic pesticides or herbicides. Being Oregon-grown, it supports local agriculture and reduces transportation impacts, which is particularly relevant in Portland.
• Marketing Advantage: Oregon-grown organic Buena Vista lavender is a significant selling point for our soap, appealing to customers who value local, organic, and high-quality ingredients.
• Directly Added Buds: Dried lavender buds can be added directly to our soap batter at trace (the point when the batter has thickened slightly) providing a mild exfoliation.
• Lavender Essential Oil: For a stronger and more consistent lavender scent, Soap Organically uses organic lavender essential oil distilled from Buena Vista lavender

Considerations:

• Scent Retention: As with any botanical scent in soap, the lavender aroma might fade over time, especially if only dried buds are used. Essential oil will provide a stronger and longer-lasting scent.
• organic soap making natural soap making natural soap ingredients

 Oregon grown organic meadowfoam oil is a wonderful and relatively unique oil to use in soap making! It offers several beneficial properties to the finished soap bar. 

Properties of Organic Meadowfoam Oil:

• Highly Stable: Meadowfoam oil is exceptionally stable and resistant to oxidation (rancidity) due to its unique fatty acid composition, particularly its high content of long-chain fatty acids. This contributes to a longer shelf life for our soap. 
• Moisturizing and Conditioning: It's a medium-weight oil that is easily absorbed by the skin, providing excellent moisturizing and conditioning benefits without feeling greasy. It helps to soften and smooth the skin. 
• Emollient: Meadowfoam oil is a great emollient, meaning it helps to lock in moisture and prevent water loss from the skin. 
• Lather Enhancer (indirectly): While it doesn't produce a lot of lather on its own, it can contribute to a more stable and luxurious lather when combined with other lather-producing oils.
• Unique Fatty Acid Profile: Its high content of eicosenoic acid and docosenoic acid (long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids) is responsible for its stability and skin-feel properties.
• Relatively Sustainable: Meadowfoam is often grown as a rotational crop, which can contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices. Choosing organic further supports environmentally friendly farming. 
• Cost and Availability: Meadowfoam oil is much more expensive and far less readily available than some common soap-making base oils like olive oil or coconut oil.
• Scent: It has a very mild, slightly nutty scent that generally doesn't overpower other fragrances in our soap.
• Softness: Being a liquid oil, using a very high percentage of meadowfoam oil on its own might result in a softer bar. It's best used in combination with harder oils and butters.
• Lather Quantity: It's not a significant lather producer on its own, so we need to include oils like coconut or castor oil in our recipe for good lather.
• natural soap making organic soap making natural soap ingredients

This is a short list of the ingredients we use in Soap Organically's Luxury Soaps. Soap Organically tries to use only the very best organic ingredients available in the U.S., however, sometimes a recipe calls for something we cannot grow in the U.S. When this situation occurs, we source only from established organic farms to ensure we are using the very best ingredients available at any cost. 

Soap Organically doesn't try to be the biggest soap maker nor the cheapest soap maker, we try to be the very best soap maker in the world. Our products are made by hand each and every time, with careful attention only a real human person can achieve. Even our soap cutting is done by hand with an actual knife, not a machine or wire cutter. Our soaps have variability in shape and size because of this and as such we wrap them by hand as well!

If you're going to use soap, you might as well Soap Organically and use the very best money can buy.

natural soap making 

organic soap making

natural soap ingredients

We care about the environment, which is why all of our packaging is eco-friendly. We use recycled materials and biodegradable packaging to minimize our impact on the planet.

natural soap making 

natural soap ingredients

organic soap making

Why Willamette Valley Peppermint is Great for Soap:

• High Quality: The Willamette Valley in Oregon is renowned for producing some of the finest peppermint in the world due to its ideal climate and soil conditions. This often translates to a potent and aromatic essential oil. 
• Refreshing and Cooling: Peppermint essential oil, rich in menthol, provides a wonderful cooling and invigorating sensation on the skin. This makes peppermint soap a popular choice for a refreshing cleanse, especially in warmer weather or after a hike on the Oregon Trail. 
• Aromatherapy Benefits: The crisp, minty scent of peppermint essential oil is known to be stimulating, help improve focus and potentially alleviate headaches. Using peppermint soap can provide these aromatherapy benefits during your shower or handwashing routine. 
• Antimicrobial Properties: Peppermint oil has natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties that can help cleanse the skin and may be beneficial for acne-prone skin. 
• Anti-inflammatory Effects: The menthol in peppermint oil can also help to soothe irritated or inflamed skin. 
• natural soap ingredients 
• natural soap making 
• organic soap making

 Oregon organic beeswax can be a wonderful addition to soap making, offering several benefits:

Benefits of Beeswax in Soap Making:

• Hardens the Soap Bar: Beeswax adds firmness to soap, making it last longer in the shower and preventing it from becoming mushy quickly. 
• Increases Lather: Some sources suggest that beeswax can help to create a more stable and luxurious lather.
• Gentle on the Skin: Beeswax is known for its moisturizing and protective properties. It can help create a gentler soap that doesn't strip the skin of its natural oils. 
• Adds a Natural Appeal: Using beeswax, especially if it's locally Oregon sourced and organic, enhances the natural and wholesome nature of our approach to soapmaking 
• natural soap making
• organic soap making
• natural soap ingredients

 Port Orford Cedarwood Essential Oil is a wonderful choice for soap making, especially if you're located in Oregon and appreciate locally sourced ingredients. 

Properties and Benefits for Soap Making:

• Aroma: Port Orford Cedarwood essential oil has a unique aroma that is often described as: 
  • Sweet and woody
  • Earthy and grounding
  • Coniferous (pine-like) 
  • With hints of pine and fennel 
  • Some describe it as lighter and sweeter than other cedarwood varieties like Atlas or Himalayan.
• Aromatherapy Benefits: The scent can provide: 
  • Relaxing and grounding effects.
  • Increased awareness and a sense of being present.
  • Stress reduction.
• Skin Benefits: While research specific to Port Orford Cedarwood in soap is limited, cedarwood essential oils in general are known for their: 
  • Antimicrobial properties: May help cleanse the skin. 
  • Anti-inflammatory properties: Could soothe irritated skin. 
  • Astringent properties: May help to tighten pores. 
• Fixative Properties: Like other wood essential oils, it can act as a mild fixative in soap blends, helping the scent last longer.
• Unique Origin: Using an essential oil derived from a tree native to a specific region like Southern Oregon and Northern California adds a special, local touch to your handmade soaps. 
• Repels Mosquitos: Port Orford Essential Oil is also an excellent mosquito and bug repellent 
• natural soap making
• organic soap making
• natural soap ingredients

Soap Organically uses organic rosemary from our own garden, which provides the seasoning for our cooking and an ingredient for our soaps. We also use organic rosemary grown on our Hidden Hill Farm in Southern Oregon.

• natural soap making
• organic soap making
• natural soap ingredients

Soap Organically uses organic Neroli Essential Oil (IMPORTED)

Organic neroli essential oil is a wonderful addition to soapmaking, offering a luxurious aroma and potential skincare benefits. Here's what you should know:

Benefits of Neroli Essential Oil in Soap:

• Fragrance: Neroli oil has a sweet, floral, and slightly citrusy scent that is considered uplifting and exotic. It provides a beautiful natural fragrance to soaps. 
• Skin Benefits: 
  • Rejuvenating and Revitalizing: Neroli is known to help regenerate skin cells, potentially reducing the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and wrinkles. 
  • Balancing: It can help balance oil production, making it suitable for various skin types, including dry, oily, and combination skin. 
  • Moisturizing: It helps maintain skin hydration, leaving it feeling soft and supple.
  • Soothing: Neroli has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that can be beneficial for sensitive skin, acne, eczema, and dermatitis. 
  • Antioxidant: It contains compounds that can help protect the skin from environmental stressors.
• Aromatherapy Benefits: The calming and soothing aroma of neroli oil can help reduce stress, anxiety, and promote a sense of well-being. 

Cons of Neroli Essential Oil: 

• Neroli essential oil is relatively expensive because it takes a large amount of fresh orange blossoms to produce a very small quantity of oil, an ounce can cost several hundred dollars. 
• Neroli doesn't grow in Oregon and comes from the Northern African region
• natural soap making
• organic soap making
• natural soap ingredients

Another little secret ingredient from our Hidden Hill Farm. The Hidden Hill Forest and Farm is part of our family heritage to source our own organic high quality juniper berries and botanicals. It is an ongoing endeavor and far from the city lights and sounds. Only nature lives in our forest! 

• natural soap making
• organic soap making
• natural soap ingredients

 Using Oregon-grown organic spearmint essential oil in soap making is a wonderful choice! Here's why it's beneficial:

Benefits of Spearmint Essential Oil in Soap:

• Refreshing and Uplifting Aroma: Spearmint oil has a sweet, minty scent that is less intense than peppermint, making it a pleasant and invigorating addition to soap, especially for a morning or refreshing bar. 
• Cooling Sensation: The natural menthol content in spearmint oil provides a mild cooling sensation on the skin, which can be soothing and help with muscle relaxation. 
• Skin Benefits: 
  • It can help to nourish dull skin and improve the texture of oily skin. 
  • Spearmint has antioxidant properties that may help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and skin imperfections. 
  • Its antibacterial properties make it a good cleanser for the skin. 
  • It can help to relieve itching associated with dryness and skin irritations. 
• Mood Enhancing: The aroma of spearmint is known to have an uplifting effect and can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. 
• Natural and Organic: Using an Oregon-grown organic spearmint essential oil ensures Soap organically is incorporating a high-quality, pure, and environmentally conscious ingredient into our soap.
• natural soap making
• organic soap making
• natural soap ingredients

Whether sourced from highly specialized organic growers in Oregon or the renowned organic farms of Italy, bergapten-free bergamot essential oil offers a range of compelling benefits, particularly for skincare and overall well-being. The "bergapten-free" aspect is crucial, as bergapten is a compound that can cause phototoxicity, making skin sensitive to sunlight. Removing it allows for safer topical application.

Here are the key benefits:

• Gentle Cleansing and Balancing: Bergapten-free bergamot is known for its natural cleansing and purifying properties. It can help balance oil production, making it beneficial for both oily and combination skin types.
• Acne Support: Its antiseptic and antibacterial qualities make it a valuable ingredient for managing acne-prone skin, helping to reduce bacteria and inflammation.
• Skin Tone and Radiance: It may help to even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of blemishes, contributing to a more radiant and balanced complexion.
• Soothing and Calming: It offers anti-inflammatory benefits that can help soothe skin irritations and reduce redness.
• Antioxidant Protection: Like many citrus oils, bergamot contains antioxidants that help protect the skin from environmental stressors and promote overall skin health.

• Mood Enhancement: Bergamot is widely celebrated in aromatherapy for its uplifting and mood-enhancing properties. Its refreshing, citrusy, and subtly floral aroma can help alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety, and tension.
• Relaxation and Sleep Support: It has a calming effect on the mind, making it an excellent choice for promoting relaxation and supporting a more restful night's sleep.
• Emotional Balance: It can help diffuse feelings of anger or frustration, promoting a sense of peace and emotional balance.

• Reduced Chemical Exposure: Organic certification ensures that the bergamot is grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This means the essential oil itself is purer, with a lower risk of chemical residues.
• Environmental Stewardship: Organic farming practices promote soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable land management, reducing the overall environmental footprint.
• Unadulterated Quality: Choosing organic, trusted sources (whether from Oregon or Italy) minimizes the risk of adulteration common in lower-quality essential oils, ensuring you receive the true therapeutic benefits of the plant.

In essence, organic, bergapten-free bergamot essential oil offers a powerful blend of skin-benefiting properties and mood-uplifting aromatherapy, all while upholding the commitment to purity and environmental responsibility.

Looking for the perfect gift? Our selection of curated gift sets includes a variety of products that are perfect for any occasion. From birthdays to weddings, we've got you covered.

Where It's From: Vetiver essential oil is a deeply grounding oil steam-distilled from the extensive, fragrant roots of the perennial grass, Vetiveria zizanioides. Native to India and Sri Lanka, it is revered in these regions and often called the "Oil of Tranquility" or "Khus." We source certified organic vetiver to ensure the highest quality and purity.

How It's Used in Our Organic Soap:In soap making, Vetiver is prized as an exceptional natural fixative. Its unique, low-volatility composition means its rich scent lingers much longer than lighter oils. It provides a luxurious, long-lasting fragrance that anchors our blends. The aroma is distinctively earthy, woody, and deep, with subtle smoky and sweet balsamic undertones, making it a perfect base note for a truly calming and sophisticated bathing experience.

Benefits for Skin (Why We Use It): Vetiver is a powerhouse of natural skin benefits that complement our organic formulations:

• Soothing & Calming: Its potent anti-inflammatory properties help to calm the skin, reduce redness, and soothe minor irritations, making it excellent for sensitive or troubled skin.
  
• Cleansing & Clarifying: Vetiver is known for its antiseptic and antibacterial qualities, which are beneficial for clarifying the skin and helping to manage concerns like acne and excess oil.
  
• Rejuvenating: It supports the skin's natural regeneration process and is often sought for its ability to promote elasticity and aid in the healing of scars, contributing to a firmer, more even-toned appearance.
  
• Aromatherapy: The oil's deep, warm aroma offers a profound grounding and tranquilizing effect, helping to alleviate feelings of stress and promoting mental calm during your daily self-care ritual.

Where It's From: Tobacco Absolute is an aromatic extract obtained through a process called solvent extraction from the cured leaves of the Nicotiana tabacum plant. This method is used to capture the plant's true, complex scent profile. We source our high-quality absolute from regions like Bulgaria or France, which are renowned for their aromatic tobacco crops. Crucially, the resulting absolute is washed and purified, making it nicotine-free and safe for use in organic skincare.

How It's Used in Our Organic Soap: In our organic soap, Tobacco Absolute is used to provide an unparalleled richness, depth, and tenacity to the fragrance blend. Unlike the harsh smell associated with smoke, the absolute has a warm, sophisticated aroma reminiscent of cured pipe tobacco, sweet hay, and honeyed leather, with subtle mossy or sweet floral notes. It functions as a classic base note in perfumery, grounding the lighter scents and ensuring a luxurious, long-lasting aroma throughout the life of the bar.

Benefits for Skin (Why We Use It): Beyond its complex, grounding fragrance, Tobacco Absolute offers benefits when used topically in our soap:

• Antioxidant Support: It is naturally rich in antioxidants, which help to protect the skin from environmental stressors.
• Anti-Inflammatory Properties: The absolute is known for its mild anti-inflammatory qualities, helping to soothe and calm irritated skin.
• Skin Conditioning: Its thick, balsamic composition leaves the skin feeling moisturized and conditioned.
• Aromatherapy for Grounding: The deep, warm scent is incredibly grounding and calming, helping to reduce feelings of stress and promoting a sense of emotional balance during your wash.

Where It's From: Amyris essential oil, often referred to as West Indian Sandalwood, is steam-distilled from the wood and bark of the Amyris balsamifera tree. This small, bushy evergreen is native to the Caribbean, primarily found in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Historically, its high oil content caused its wood to be used as "torchwood" by fishermen. We prioritize ethically sourced Amyris, ensuring the material is often collected from dead, fallen wood to promote sustainable forest health.

How It's Used in Our Organic Soap: Amyris is an invaluable component in our soap formulations, acting as a natural fixative to stabilize and extend the life of lighter fragrance notes. It lends a beautiful, medium-to-base note aroma that is distinctively woody, subtly smoky, and sweet with a delicate, vanilla-like balsamic undertone. It blends beautifully to create complex, tranquil scents. Furthermore, Amyris contributes to a luxurious feel, helping to create the rich, quality lather you expect from your bar.

Benefits for Skin (Why We Use It): Amyris essential oil offers several gentle, restorative benefits for the skin:

• Calming & Grounding: Its gentle, warm aroma is used in aromatherapy to help calm the mind, reduce feelings of stress, and promote mental clarity and restful sleep.
• Skin Conditioning: Containing natural emollient properties, it helps to moisturize and soften the skin, improving its overall texture and suppleness.
• Supportive for Maturing Skin: Rich in beneficial compounds, Amyris is valued for its potential to help regenerate skin cells and reduce the visible appearance of fine lines, making it an excellent ingredient for gentle, anti-aging routines.
• Mildly Antiseptic: Its natural properties help to cleanse and clarify the skin, promoting a healthy, balanced complexion.

Where It's From: Lard is rendered fat from a pig (Adeps Suillus). We source our lard ethically as a sustainable byproduct, ensuring that all parts of the animal are utilized. High-quality lard is virtually odorless when properly rendered and is a crucial, traditional ingredient in natural soap-making. It is considered an excellent, locally-sourced alternative to imported oils like palm oil, which aligns with our values of sustainability and reduced environmental impact.

How It's Used in Our Organic Soap: Lard is one of the most effective traditional fats used in soap-making. It is prized for creating a very hard, white, long-lasting bar that holds its shape well and doesn't turn to mush in the soap dish. While it produces a milder, creamier lather rather than large, voluminous bubbles, it is an exceptional conditioning ingredient. When combined with other oils like coconut or olive oil in a balanced formula, it contributes to the overall stability and luxurious feel of the final product.

Benefits for Skin (Why We Use It): Lard is exceptionally beneficial for the skin because its cellular makeup is incredibly similar to human skin's own natural oils (sebum). This high compatibility makes it an ideal, non-irritating base:

• Superior Moisturization: Lard is rich in fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, which helps the skin lock in moisture and creates a protective barrier without feeling greasy.
• Gentle & Nourishing: It is a very mild cleanser, making it ideal for dry, sensitive, or mature skin. It cleanses effectively without stripping the skin of its essential, natural oils.
• Rich in Vitamins: When sourced from pasture-raised pigs exposed to sunlight, lard is a natural source of Vitamin D, along with Vitamins A and E, all of which are vital for healthy skin regeneration and anti-inflammatory support.
• Does Not Clog Pores: Despite its creamy texture, properly saponified lard soap is non-comedogenic and is actually reported to be beneficial for balancing the skin's natural oils, even for acne-prone complexions.

Where We Source It:We can commit to sourcing our beef tallow from ethically raised, 100% grass-fed and finished Oregon cattle (a readily available product from local ranches in the state). This ensures the highest quality suet (fat around the kidneys), which is then rendered into pure tallow. Sourcing locally and sustainably uses a byproduct of the meat industry, aligning perfectly with a zero-waste philosophy and supporting Oregon's agricultural community.

How It's Used in Our Organic Soap: Tallow is highly valued in soap making for its fatty acid composition, which results in a distinct bar quality:

• Exceptional Hardness: Tallow produces an even harder, more durable, and longer-lasting bar than lard. This means your "Soap Organically" bars will resist softening and dissolving in the shower.
  
• Rich, Stable Lather: It contributes to a wonderfully creamy, dense, and stable lather that feels luxurious and nourishing on the skin. While it may not produce big bubbles on its own, its presence greatly enhances the quality of the foam when blended with other oils like coconut or castor oil.
  
• White Color: Tallow soap typically cures to a clean, very white bar, providing an excellent base for any natural colorants you may want to add later.

Benefits for Skin (Why We Use It):

Tallow is a skin powerhouse because its fatty acid structure closely mirrors the lipids (fats) in human skin cell membranes. This makes it highly "biocompatible."

• Deeply Moisturizing: Tallow is rich in stearic and palmitic acids, which help strengthen the skin's barrier function, prevent moisture loss, and improve skin elasticity.
  
• Nutrient Density: Tallow from grass-fed cattle is particularly high in essential, fat-soluble Vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). These nutrients are vital for cell turnover, reducing inflammation, and offering anti-aging properties.
  
• Non-Irritating: It is incredibly gentle and nourishing, making it an excellent choice for individuals with dry, mature, or highly sensitive skin—including those prone to conditions like eczema.

Get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your manufacturing needs and how we can help.