We have found that consumers have many questions about handmade soap, and that there are many misconceptions out there about it. Here are some common questions and concerns:

Do you make glycerin soap?

Glycerin is a natural by-product of the soap making process, and as such it is present in all soap. However, many manufacturers remove the glycerin from their soap and sell it separately for commercial use in products such as toothpaste, shampoo, and lotions. Our soaps all contain glycerin because we do not remove it. Glycerin is the best part of soap, as it attracts moisture to the skin and leaves it soft and supple.

Is your soap natural?

Our soaps are between 95 and 100% natural, depending on whether fragrance oils or essential oils are used, and what kind of colourants are used. Our essential oil soaps are 100% natural, containing no artificial fragrances or colours. Our fragrance oil soaps contain high-grade cosmetic fragrances and food-grade dyes, and range from about 95-99% natural.

Why do you use artificial fragrances?

We use fragrance oils in many of our soaps because they provide a greater range of scents than essential oils. Many consumers feel that fragrance oils are harsher than essential oils, or that they are more damaging to the environment or your health, however we believe that both fragrance oils and essential oils have advantages and disadvantages. For further information about this topic, please see “Essential Oils vs Fragrance Oils” .

Does your soap contain lye?

All soap is made with lye, also knows as sodium hydroxide. Without it, saponification wouldn’t be possible. However, once the lye is mixed with oils, soap is formed, thereby eliminating the lye completely. Science is a wonderful thing!

Are your soaps made with animal fat?

Our soaps are 100% vegetable based. Only vegetable oils are used in Purple Urchin soap. Most of our soaps are vegan, however some do contain milk, honey and/or beeswax. Please check the ingredients listed on each product’s page. And no, there are no urchins in our soap :)

What is melt and pour (M&P) soap and how is it different from Purple Urchin soap?

Melt and pour soap is just that: melting a purchased soap base in the microwave and pouring it into fun molds. It’s a fun and easy craft to do with your kids and you can buy the M&P kits at craft stores. However, be wary of the ingredients in the soap bases. Most M&P bases are not soap at all, they are detergents made with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), coconut DEA, preservatives, and other harsh chemicals such as PEG-6 methyl ether, triclosan or triclocarban, and/or tetrasodium EDTA. Some handmade soapers use M&P bases, but Purple Urchin does not. We make all of our soap from scratch, and use the cold-processed, old-fashioned method and do not use any preservatives. It may be a lot more work for us and take a lot more time, but we like to be in complete control of everything that goes into our products, and our customers revel in the benefits!

How long does a bar of Purple Urchin soap last?

Each 3.5 ounce (100 grams) bar of our soap lasts 2-3 weeks per single person daily use. This is ONLY if it is cared for properly. Since we do no use preservatives in our soap, it has a shelf life of about 12 months from the purchase date. This does not mean that our soap cannot be used after this date, it simply means that the oils we use in our soap will have lost some of their nutrients and the scent may be faded or altered. Please note that we always make our soap in small batches to ensure our customers receive the freshest bars available.

How do I care for my handmade soap?

Handmade soap needs to dry out between uses, therefore use a slotted soap dish to allow the water to drain away from your bar. There are many different styles of soap dishes available for handmade soap and you can use whichever works for you. We recommend one like the Molger from Ikea. (www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80051302).

Is your soap safe for pregnant women and babies?

We recommend that all pregnant and breastfeeding women and babies (under the age of 2) use fragrance-free products. Even soaps scented with natural essential oils can be unsafe. Essentials oils are medicinal just like herbal tea, and pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to stay away from many of these. Although our fragrance-free products may have a light smell to them because of the vegetable oils we use, they DO NOT contain any added fragrance or essential oils whatsoever. Our fragrance-frees soaps are completely safe to use on anyone, including your precious newborn. Babies come out so soft and pure, why not keep them that way?

Please note our soaps are not tear-free, and will irritate the eyes. Please be sure to avoid getting soap in your or your child’s eyes.

I have extremely sensitive skin and/or a skin condition, can I still use your products?

Most people with sensitive skin or skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or acne actually notice an improvement in their conditions after using handmade soap like ours. This is because our soap is free of harsh chemicals, detergents, and additives, and doesn’t strip the skin of its natural moisture content. The combination of vegetable oils such as olive and coconut, gently moisturize the skin without feeling greasy or filmy, so you are left with pure, clean, soft skin. In fact, some people who use handmade soap completely cut out the need to use extra moisturizers and creams because of this! Also, people with acne are always told to stay away from cleansers and soaps that contain oils, however when companies create cleansers without oils, they add loads of harsh chemicals to make up for it which can worsen the condition and trick you into buying more of their products. Wouldn’t you rather use natural, beneficial ingredients like olive oil to improve your condition? Don’t get us wrong, we are not saying that we have the answer to all skin conditions, because we don’t, but we do encourage you to be proactive and use whatever works best for you!

I am sensitive to fragrances, natural and/or artificial, can I still use your products?

There are a lot of misconceptions about fragrances, natural and artificial, and quite frankly there is no straight answer. However, many of our customers who thought they were sensitive to fragrances, can use our scented soaps without any negative effects. Sometimes, it is a sensitivity to SLS or other detergents or chemicals that is the culprit. Many different products out there (even ones that claim to be 100% natural!) contain such ingredients. These chemicals can also produce reactions such as rashes, sniffles, headaches or full-blown allergic reactions that can be confused with a scent sensitivity, so just avoiding fragrances all together wouldn’t help. That being said, everyone is different and there are cases of mild or even extreme scent sensitivity out there and we are not downplaying this at all. This is why we offer some fragrance-free products for those who prefer this, and recommend fragrance-free for all pregnant and breastfeeding women and babies under the age of 2. Please note that unscented/fragrance-free does not mean it doesn’t smell at all. Unscented/fragrance-free means we do not add any scent like essential oils or fragrance oils to these products, but they may have a slight smell to them because of the oils we use (olive, coconut, soybean, and/or canola). We do, however, take care not to store them with our scented products. Like we always say, be proactive: do your own research and simple skin tests and find out for yourself what works best for you. Never use anything you are not comfortable with.