ZenSoaps
Ingredients
We
use no additives or preservatives. The ingredients
we begin with are all edible. We don't recommend that
you eat our soap, since after the soap making process,
the ingredients have become... soap. But this fact
ensures that what you are putting on the outside of
your skin has no ingredients that you would worry
about putting inside your skin. Please see the 'ingredients'
section on our individual soap description page (in
our shop) for details.
Below
are the main oils and components used in our soaps.
The specific oils for a given soap will be given in
it's individual description. Not every soap will contain
every oil listed. This is an overview of the goodies
we use to make our soap, what they are and what they
do.
Basic
Oils and Components of our Hand Made Soaps
Glycerin
Up to 25% of this expensive
lotion component in each bar of our soap. Glycerin
is a natural byproduct of the saponification soap-making
process. Contains humectant properties -- it attracts
moisture to the skin and then holds it down. Most
commercial soap companies skim off the natural glycerin
formed as a byproduct of soapmaking, and sell it separately
for cosmetic use. We don't do that. Every bit of the
natural oils and glycerin produced during the process
stays with the soap you bought. Our soap is extremely
mild. Try just one bar, you'll have a very hard time
using regular commercial soap again. The difference
is very very noticeable.
Aloe
Vera Juice
The
product is thick when the Aloe leaf is first cut,
but after a few minutes, an enzymatic reaction causes
it to become liquid. It is the consistency of water
and is often used to replace water in lotion and soap
recipes. Aloe Vera is reputed to be an excellent moisturizer.
We use Aloe Vera juice in every single bar of soap
we make.
Coconut
Oil
Coconut
oil makes soaps lather beautifully. It helps make
soap hard and white with abundant, fluffy lather (even
in very hard or even sea water). Coconut oil is a
saturated fat. Coconut Oil is one of the most common
raw material used in the soap and toiletry industry.
It comes from the seeds of Cocos Nucifera and is primarily
cultivated from Southeast Asia and the Philippines.
Castor
Oil
Castor oil is extracted from the Castor Bean Plant.
It is a thick, viscous liquid with a slight distinctive
smell. It acts similar to glycerin, as a humectant,
drawing moisture to the skin. Castor oil contributes
to thick, large bubbles in soap and is used in most
shampoo bar recipes.
Cocoa
Butter
It acts to lay down a protective layer which holds
the moisture to the skin, so it is an excellent skin
softener. It has a natural chocolate scent which works
well in many concoctions.This oil is a hard solid
at room temperature, making the term "butter"
a bit misleading. It is an edible vegetable fat that
is obtained from cocoa beans. It has a mild chocolate
flavor with a very chocolate-y aroma. Cocoa butter
is one of the most stable fats (having a shelf life
up to five years) and also contains natural antioxidants.
Lard
A nice lathery, white bar of soap, soaps that contain
it tend to feel more slippery to the touch. Not included
in all our soaps, but when it is, the soap is smoother
and richer. Lard is the primary component of 'traditional'
handmade soaps, and it is still the best 'main' ingredient
today.
Olive
Oil
Olive oil is frequently used as a base because it
is extremely gentle. Castile soap is primarily or
entirely composed of Olive Oil. It is usually used
for an especially mild soap, good for babies (unscented
of course). This soap is very soft, but has very little
lather.
Palm
Oil
Palm oil is a nice conditioning oil which also produces
good lather as well as contributes to the hardness
of the soap. It is used to replace lard or tallow
in our all vegetable soap recipes because it provides
similar benefits.
Rice
Bran Oil
A nice conditioning oil which provides more lather
than many other oils. Its most notable feature is
its high level of components with nutraceutical value
such as gamma-oryzanol and tocotrienols, which means
it's similar to peanut oil in its conditioning properties,
without the risks of peanut oil for those who are
sensitive.
Safflower
Oil
Safflower oil is another unsaturated oil, usually
used in combination with coconut to harden it up more.
It is valuable for its moisturizing properties.
Soybean
Oil
Mild, and has a stable lather. It also contributes
conditioning properties and contains higher amounts
of EFA's, which are proven to repair dry skin conditions.
Sunflower
Oil
It
contains Vitamin E and is very gentle and mild in
soaps. It is considered one of the more conditioning
base oils in soapmaking.
Beeswax
The most commonly used wax in the toiletry industry.
Beeswax is a substance secreted by the worker honey
bees used for the construction of their honeycomb.
In addition to making an excellent hardening agent
in lip balm and lotion bars, Beeswax is a wonderful
fuel for candles. We use it in our soaps that contain
honey as a hardener and also because the wax helps
protect the skin from elements.
Very
Special Additive Oils
These oils are typically used alone or in creams,
lotions or massage oils due to expense. The quantity
of these additive oils is what determines the pricing
of our soap. Commercial soaps contain none of them,
and we use far more of each than other handmade soap
makers. They add tremendously to the silkiness of
each soap, alone or in combination, although not frequently
used, again, due to expense. Please check the individual
soap descriptions for which additional oils are included.
The feel is worth the price.
Sweet
Almond Oil
Excellent as a massage oil, this luxurious oil is
also wonderful in soap. Sweet Almond Oil is renowned
for its rich concentration of oleic and linoleic essential
fatty acids which help to give it unequalled penetrating
and restructuring properties.
Avocado
Oil
Avocado oil contains vitamins A, D, and E, which makes
it healing as well as moisturizing. This oil is a
wonderful additive for all kinds of personal care
products and seems to soak into the skin fairly quickly.
Excellent for soothing dry or damaged skin and for
wrinkle prevention. It has also been shown to be a
most effective sun screen oil.
Emu
Oil
Helps heal damaged skin tissues, and helps draw other
ingredients (like Wintergreen) down into your skin
so they are more effective.
Evening
Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil provides essential fatty acids
that the skin absorbs quickly. These acids help inhibit
bacterial growth and encourage antibodies so the skin
is better able to defend against infection or inflammation.
It can help retain water in the skin to fight against
dry skin, eczema, scaly skin, and dandruff. It is
not suited for oily complexions.
Jojoba
Jojoba helps to promote a stable lather and is good
at conditioning skin. Because of its expense, it's
usually used to superfat, or in shampoo bars. Used
in other toiletries, it is an excellent emollient
for skin conditions like psoriasis, because it has
a chemical composition very close to the skin's own
sebum. It is suitable for all skin types, beneficial
for spotty and acne conditions, and good for sensitive
and oily skin. Jojoba has been used for centuries
by the native Americans for skin care moisturization
and hair conditioning. It also helps to unclog the
pores and remove any embedded grime. Jojoba is actually
a liquid ester wax rather than a true oil. Renowned
for its absorption and moisturizing abilities, jojoba
oil is expeller pressed from the Jojoba Seed. Because
of its fatty acid make up, jojoba oil is very resistant
to oxidation (and rancidity).
Macadamia
Oil
Macadamia is a luxury oil that is a little more expensive
than some others, it is easily absorbed into the skin
and acts as an emollient, and contains ingredients
which some studies suggest may protect skin cells
from deterioration, leading to better condition for
your skin. Tones aged or dry skin, and is skin-softening
and wound healing. In France is used as an aid against
sunburn. Macadamia's fatty acids are helpful in maintaining
the skins water barrier functions. It is self-stabilizing
and requires no antioxidants.
Macadamia Nut Oil is obtained by cold pressing of
the nuts (seeds) followed by a full refining process
to render an oil which is light in color and mild
in odor. Offers an exceptionally good emolliency and
good dermal penetration.
Mango
Butter
With basically no scent, it is a great moisturizer.
Mango Butter is extracted from the fruit kernels of
the Mango tree. The butter is solid at room temperatures
but melt upon contact with skin (approximately 87
to 90 degrees Fahrenheit). The butter is carefully
refined and deodorized and is usually used straight
as a balm, creams and lotions.
Sesame
Seed Oil
Sesame oil is good as a superfatting agent because
it is very good at moisturizing, but has a strong
odor, so is used sparringly.
Shea
Butter
Shea butter is a truly superior superfatting agent
because it contains a large percentage of elements
which do not saponify, but instead remain in the soap
to nourish your skin. We use raw shea butter that
is hand pressed in Africa by native tribeswomen. It
is a natural fat obtained from the fruit of the karite
tree. We believe this is the absolute best possible
oil for your skin that there is, and its use in the
most expensive cosmetics in the world bears us out.
Shea butter will start to melt on contact with the
skin, and absorbs quickly. This butter has a high
allantoic content which makes it great for creams,
lotions and salves.
*Warning-
if you are allergic to peanuts, you may also be allergic
to Shea Butter!*
Tamanu
Oil
Thousands of years ago, the natives of Tahiti found
a large, strange tree growing near the ocean. They
soon found that the dried nuts from this tree, which
they name the "ati" tree, contained a special
oil that they used to help protect their skin from
the hot sun, humidity and sea winds. There is a very
small supply of Tamanu oil in the world because of
the small growing area. It takes a full 100 kilograms
of Tamanu fruit (which is the annual production of
one adult tree) to make just 5 kilograms of cold pressed
Tamanu oil. Reputed uses by the people of Tahiti are
wide and varied - from burns, to insect bites, to
stretch marks this oil is truly multi faceted. Due
to scarcity, we only offer soaps made with this as
'specials' from time to time.
Tea
Tree Essential Oil
Tea Tree Oil is made from the Melaleuca Tree, common
to Australia and other sub-tropical regions of the
world. Tea Tree Oil has excellent antiseptic qualities
and may be used in a wide array of product applications
where natural anti-bacterial properties are desired.
Exhibits a pleasant, menthol-like odor which is clean
and refreshing. An excellent choice for use in toners
and cleansers.
Wheat
Germ Oil
This oil is one of the richest natural sources of
Vitamin E, containing up to 10 times more of the vitamin
than other oils, the largest percentage of natural
vitamin E we know of. It also contains vitamin A and
K and has high antioxidant power. It is said that
when applied to the skin, it helps reduce acne problems,
smooth skin and increase resistance to the sun. It
also adds to lather stability and is very conditioning.
We love wheatgerm oil in our soaps, and use it generously
in our soaps which contain it.
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ZenSoaps. All Rights Reserved. 2002-2007
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