Search Results: soap

Looking for soap for sensitive skin Australia? Learn what actually matters, which ingredients to avoid, and how to choose a gentler daily wash.

Why does soap feel drying on skin? Learn what soap really does, why tightness happens after washing, and how to cleanse without stripping.

Choosing soap for dry skin comes down to what it leaves behind, not just what it removes. Here’s what to look for in a gentler daily wash.

Six simple ways to help handmade soap stay firm and last longer, from better drainage to proper storage between uses.

Learn how to choose gentle soap for dry, sensitive skin: read labels with confidence, avoid unnecessary irritants and find a wash that feels good daily.

Bar soap vs body wash - which is better for dry, sensitive or everyday skin? A clear guide to cleansing, ingredients, feel and what matters.

Wood ash, fats and thousands of years of practical ingenuity. Discover how soap developed, why ashes still supplied an alkali, and what happens when we make a bar today.

A practical low-scent deer tallow soap for hunters, fishers and campers, made with sea clay and activated charcoal to help wash away outdoor grime without leaving a perfume or artificial fragrance trail.

I didn’t realise how many soap makers are using drain cleaner until recently… and it definitely raised a few eyebrows for me. And what surprised me even more is how normal this has become in some soap making groups. It shouldn’t be. First — what customers need to know All real soap is made using sodium hydroxide (lye). It reacts with oils in a process called saponification, and when done properly, there is no active lye left in the final bar. That’s how soap has always been made. So the issue isn’t lye. The issue is what’s being used You’ll see drain cleaners labelled “100% sodium hydroxide”. But that doesn’t mean it’s been produced, handled, or packed to a standard suitable for skin products. Drain cleaner is made and packaged as a cleaning chemical. That means: it may be packed in general chemical facilities it can sit in storage absorbing moisture packaging environments are not controlled for cosmetic use traceability is limited labelling focuses on hazard, not formulation quality It’s designed to unblock pipes — not to be used as a controlled raw ingredient. A simple way to understand it Sodium hydroxide is also used in food — pretzels, for example. But no pretzel maker is allowed to use drain cleaner. They must use food-grade sodium hydroxide, because of how it’s handled, stored, and supplied. Same chemical. Completely different standard. DIY vs selling — this is where it matters most If you’re making soap at home for yourself, you get to choose what you’re comfortable using. That’s your call. But the moment you’re selling a product to someone else, the standard changes. You’re no longer just making something for your own skin — you’re responsible for what goes on someone else’s. And that’s where using a product designed to clean drains instead of a properly supplied raw ingredient becomes a serious issue. Where we stand We only use pure sodium hydroxide from a proper cosmetic/raw ingredient supplier. That gives: known purity consistent quality proper documentation full traceability Why this matters By the time soap is finished, the lye is gone. But how your ingredients are sourced and handled before that point still matters. A professional manufacturer doesn’t formulate skincare using cleaning products. They use ingredients supplied and handled to the correct standard for that purpose. This isn’t about fear — it’s about standards Lye isn’t the problem. Lowering standards is. And normalising the use of cleaning products in skin formulations — especially for products being sold — is something that needs to be questioned, not accepted.

Raw honey may be naturally stable, but adding it to lip balm or melt-and-pour soap changes the formulation. Here is what makers need to know about water activity, separation and preservation.

Find the best plastic free toiletries for sensitive, dry skin, from deodorant and soap to hair care. What works, what to avoid and why packaging matters.

A mild oat and calendula hand soak for a quiet clean-up after gardening.

Are shampoo bars worth it? We break down performance, ingredients, scalp comfort and value, so you can decide if a bar suits your hair.

A quick wash-off hand polish after a day in the garden.

A simple warm-water nail soak followed by a drop of plant oil around each cuticle.

A quick, single-use sugar scrub for cleaning garden-worn hands.