Why I Make Soap

I started making my own soaps and moisturizers because I have super sensitive skin and many products on the market don't work well for me. On top of that, I like to get outside and go for runs, hikes, rock climb, and I used to horseback ride. With my sensitive skin, that meant lots of blisters, heat rashes, chafing, sore muscles, beat up hands, and mysterious bruises. 

I needed products that were going to be function at the level I wanted. That's why in my soaps and lotions, I don't focus on fancy colors and designs as much as on the properties and functionality of the product. For my soaps especially, I wanted soap that would feel good to use, have a creamy and bubbly lather, and leave my skin feeling good. That's why I formulated my recipes especially to have particular functions for your skin. I want my soap to be a good experience and leave your skin feeling how you want it to feel. 

As for scents, I do love a product that smells great and leaves me smelling great, so I've chosen to invest in high-quality fragrance oils and essential oils. Essential oils can offer some skin benefits and the fragrance oils I use often include essential oils. That's why I've chosen to formulate my products to smell great and function at an optimal level. 

As for color and design, soap coloring usually comes from colored micas but micas offer nothing beneficial for your skin. I chose to leave out as many non-functional ingredients as possible from my products. Colors in my soap come from either the oils I use or plant-based colorants that are good for the skin. 

But there's another reason I love to make my own skincare. For me, there's also something inherently therapeutic in working with my mind and hands using an established process. Maybe that's why I like climbing. There's a form to it, a process you follow to get to the end, but within the form is space for creativity and exploration. 

Soap is the result of a chemical reaction between lye and oil or fat. This fact doesn't change, but it does have variation. Different oils produce different kinds of soaps and adding other non-fat ingredients like oats, herbs, spices, etc all add another dimension. Playing around in this world is like exploring a city. Where will this ingredient lead me? What will the soap end be like? I'm continually refining my process and my recipes, allowing for endless exploration. 

I hope to extend a similar sense of exploration to my customers who can choose soaps with a custom soap base and custom scent if they want. In rock climbing, each new route is a little adventure.  In soap making, each new recipe or scent combo is a fresh experience. 

You see my list of products here.