Why Old Fashion Natural Soap?
Ingredients
Unfortunately the modern process of making soap includes the removal of glycerin (the moisturizing, soothing, and cleansing part of the soap). This is a very profitable move on their part, as now we need moisturizer too! We end up with a harsh bar of soap to which many synthetic ingredients have been added, or it may just be detergent. It may smell good, but does not clean as well, and leaves your skin dry and itchy. Now we can go into the stores and find all sorts of products to help us improve our skin's health - some that actually have glycerin in them - which can be very costly.
Lye was originally extracted from wood ashes by leaching water through them. We can now use sodium hydroxide, which is more stable and easier to use in the home. It has been used for many years in many ways, and is extremely valuable to our life. It is very poisonous, but when used properly it is very beneficial. The chemical process (called saponification) that takes place when the fats and lye are combined, creates a very gentle, pure soap.
Fragrance: I am very careful to use only pure essential oils in my soap. They are highly concentrated oils that are extracted directly from the plant. They carry the scent and benefits of the plant they come from. In contrast, fragrance oils are not pure, and generally have synthetic ingredients in them that can cause skin irritation.
Oils: I use only vegetable oil in my soaps. Since many people are sensitive to animal fats and oils we have decided to use only vegtable oils in our soap.
Goat Milk Milk has long been known for the effect it has on the skin. Cleopatra is known for bathing in milk to keep her skin beautiful and young looking. Modern day skin care manufacturers use the lactic acid from milk as well as the whey in their products to strengthen the skin, and keep it young looking. Many people who are unable to drink milk easily digest Goat milk, and those same qualities make it gentle, and soothing to the skin. It is naturally homogenized making it compatible for the soap-making process. It is also a natural cleanser, which is very high in nutrients and vitamins.