. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What makes Ellie’s Handmade Soap “all-natural”?
All of our ingredients come from natural, plant-based sources, like fruits, vegetables, and herbs. We never use artificial dyes, synthetic fragrances, preservatives, or detergents to any of our soaps. Many handmade soap companies add brightly colored dyes and artificial fragrances to their soaps, but we think soap is better without all that. Instead, we use natural essential oils to scent our soaps, and we add herbs, spices, coffee and clays to give our soaps their natural colors.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How are essential oils different from fragrance oils?
Fragrance oils are synthetically produced chemical compounds. While fragrance oils are available in an endless array of scents, they not only add zero skin care benefits to the soap, they often irritate sensitive skin and noses, and they can dry out your skin.
Essential oils are natural, fragrant, therapeutic botanical oils that come directly from plants, flowers, herbs, spices, and fruits. To make essential oils, large quantities of fresh flowers, leaves, and other fragrant plant material (such as citrus peels or cinnamon bark) are pressed or steam distilled to release their natural oils. Essential oils contribute clean beautiful scents to our soaps, but they also carry the healing properties and skin care benefits of the plants themselves. To learn more about natural essential oils, read Our Ingredients.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How is handmade soap different from store-bought soap?
It’s all about the ingredients! Our handmade soaps are made from moisturizing vegetable oils that nourish and protect your skin. Commercially mass-produced soaps are made from tallow (animal fat) and other low-cost oils that offer negligible skin care benefits. Handmade soaps are rich in glycerin, a natural skin-softening moisturizer that is created during the soapmaking process. Soapmaking factories remove the natural glycerine from their soaps so that it can be sold separately. Commercial soap companies also rely on synthetic detergents, such as sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) to make their soaps lather more, but the result is a harsh bar of soap that strips your skin and leaves it tight and dry. Our handmade soaps are gentle and natural, have a rich creamy lather, and clean your skin without drying it out. Once you treat your skin to our natural handmade soap, you’ll never want to use anything else!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Is your handmade soap good for sensitive skin?
Yes! Our natural handmade soaps are a wonderful choice for sensitive or easily irritated skin. They are
natural and gentle and do not contain any of the chemical additives that are often responsible for skin irritation. Everyone’s skin is different, so if you have extremely sensitive skin, try one of our soaps that are especially recommended for your skin type, such as Olive & Shea Butter Soap or Honey Blossom Soap.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How long does a bar of soap last?
A full sized bar of our handmade soap will last anywhere from several weeks to several months, depending on use. Because there is lots of natural glycerin in handmade soap, and because we don’t add hardening agents, handmade soap is usually a little softer than store-bought soap, but with proper care it will last even longer than regular soaps. If you use it in the shower (which we highly recommend!), be sure to keep it on a ledge where it stays dry between uses. Try one of our wooden soap dishes or handmade pottery soap dishes, which are specially designed to make your handmade soap last longer.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Do you have a store in Chicago?
No, not right now. The best place to get our products is right here on our website! With our economical flat-rate shipping and quick order-processing, you can have a fresh stash of Ellie's Handmade Soap delivered to your doorstep before you know it. We occassionally do a market or craft show in the Chicagoland area, and we'll always keep you posted when we have an up-coming event.
For our loyal Ohio customers, you can still purchase Ellie's Handmade Soap at our small family-run store at its new location in Hartville, Ohio:
Phoebe's Nature Shop
885 Wales Dr, Suite B
Hartville, OH 44632
330-877-3786
