A Word about Soap

Terms to Note:

• Castile soap is another term for vegan or plant-based soap that has used coconut oil, olive oil or a combination of the two instead of traditional acids derived from animal fats such as lard, tallow or other animal fats.

  • Not all brands label their plant based soaps as Castile soap

• What is the difference between soap and detergents? It all comes down to chemistry

  • Soaps are made from naturally occurring ingredients such as plant oils or acids from animal fats. Detergents on the other hand are made from man-made, synthetic ingredients more commonly known as surfactants.

    More on the science, here

• What about the Surfactants such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, abbreviated as SLS or SDS, or Sodium Laureth Sulfate, SLES?

  • Great question- both of these raise some eyebrows because SLES is known to have potential carcinogenic contamination. And while SLS/ SDS hasn’t been proven to have the same potential for carcinogenic contamination it has been proven to irritate the skin and is toxic to rats…

  • More on this science, here.

• What’s up with lye?

  • Also known as sodium hydroxide, It is an inorganic compound commonly found in drain cleaners and is very dangerous if not handled properly. It is used in cold processed soap making.

  • More, here and even a tutorial if you’re feeling adventurous enough to make your own soap.

• What is borax?

  • Borax is a natural mineral that has been used as a cleaning product for several decades.

• Sodium Carbonate and Baking Soda

  • Sodium carbonate is often referred to as soda ash or washing soda. Sodium bicarbonate is popularly known as baking soda.

• And finally a few questions for you…

  • Do you want synthetic surfactants in your hair and skin care?

  • Maybe you don’t mind them in your household cleaning products or do you?

  *** Currently none of the products available via our refill bar are made with synthetic surfactants. More on our refill bar and the hygge | HABIT standards here!