Product Info: Handmade Soap Benefits

Why Use Handmade Soaps?
Handcrafted soaps are made by combining oils (or fats) with an alkali and water.  The products of this reaction are soap and glycerin. Soap cleanses the skin, while glycerin moisturizes it.

What is a superfatted soap?
Our handcrafted soaps are "superfatted". That means they are enriched with additional oils that are suspended in the soap and applied directly to the skin while bathing, giving even more emolllience (moisturizing) to the skin.

What is glycerin and why is it important?
Glycerin, a natural by-product of soap making, is the magic ingredient in handcrafted soap.  Pound-for-pound, glycerin costs more than soap, which is why many soap companies remove the glycerin from soap and sell it to manufacturers of other products.  With our handcrafted soap, you get a soap and moisturizer in one!

Will I notice a difference when using handmade soaps?
Yes you will! Many commercial soaps contain ingredients that, over time, actually dry the skin.  Our handmade soaps are rich and nourishing because they are made with better ingredients that are not harmful to your skin. In fact our handmade soaps are made with ingredients that will help your skin function the way it was designed to function.  Whether your skin is normal, oily, dry, sensitive or problem skin, our handmade soaps can help.

Why are handmade soaps more expensive than commercial soaps?
There are two reasons why handmade soaps are more expensive than commercial soaps. Those things are the reasons commercial soap manufacturers turn out the product they do.  Natural ingredients are more expensive than synthetic ingredients. The prices of essential oils fluctuate from season to season and crop to crop depending upon supply and demand. The quality of natural ingredients also varies. 

Our handmade soaps are made from the best natural ingredients available.  We use the finest natural ingredients available. The second reason handmade soaps are more expensive is that hand made soaps are- well, Making soap this way takes time and care.  This care and personal attention produces a better bar of soap, which does cost a little more.

How should I care for my handmade soap?

Before use, keep your soap in a cool, dark, and dry place.  You want to retain the volatile components of the soap in the bar before you use it.  After using your soap, never leave it sitting in a puddle of water after use. The bar will become waterlogged and soggy causing the soap to dissolve much faster.

Why JGI handmade soaps? 

Our natural soaps contain the finest vegetable oils, essential oils, herbs and other ingredients available.  They use ingredients known for their beneficial properties to improve the way your skin works to protect your body. Our goat’s milk soaps use lots of pure essential oils, herbal extracts and goats milk. 

The naturally occurring glycerin is then left in and the batch is “superfatted” with castor oil to make them extra rich.  Our soaps are not only great for your skin, they are pleasing to the eye and aromas are soothing, stimulating and relaxing for the mind and spirit.  Every bath or shower with our soaps is a luxurious experience.

What’s the difference between handmade soaps and what I can buy at the local store?  Most of what you buy at your local store is not really soap. Soap making is time consuming and relatively difficult.  It requires a number of steps. Beginning with an acid from animal or vegetable fat, soap is made by combining this acid with a base or alkali that causes a reaction called saponification to occur. Technically, soap is a salt, which is a product made when you combing an acid and a base. 

A detergent is a synthetic imitation of a soap, i.e. a laundering agent made from chemicals. Detergents were developed in Germany in 1916. They are not just "imitation soaps." Detergents are different from soaps. The list of the chemicals used to produce these detergent effects is hair raising.

Generally, you get a synthetic detergent bar filled with chemicals, artificial fragrances, and preservatives that might have been sitting on the shelf for years. Most store bars contain detergents and chemicals, and are usually labeled: "beauty bars", "deodorant bars", or "cleansing bars".

The word "soap" doesn't appear on the label because they contain substances which true soap does not contain--such as detergents, fillers, synthetic substances, builders, and binders to name a few. Try pronouncing the ingredients on commercial detergent bars...many of the names are extremely difficult to pronounce.

Natural handmade soaps contain pure and natural ingredients so the ingredients list on the label should be easy to pronounce and understand. It's important to know what you're putting on your skin. If you can't pronounce the ingredient then it's likely that the product may contain a lot of synthetic and harsh chemicals.

Having said this general truth, we need to point out exceptions. However, sometimes natural ingredients (like Vitamin E and Vitamin A) will be referred to by their chemical names. So, you really need to research the ingredients you see listed.

Can I get an allergic reaction from your soap?

While our soaps are sensitive skin friendly, they are not hypoallergenic.  People with chocolate or nut allergies may react to cocoa butter or almond oil.  People with pollen allergies may react to honey or beeswax.

Do you use any animal products or by-products in your soaps?  None of our soaps contain any animal products or by-products.  We do not do animal testing on any of our soaps, either.