Question 1

What is sodium hydroxide?

Accepted Answer

Sodium hydroxide, or lye, derived from wood ash, is the secret ingredient used to make any + all handmade or natural soap, and in many cases is quite literally kept secret... The truth is, true soap cannot be made without lye. The chemical reaction that occurs between the lye + oils in the soap making process is called saponification, and that cannot take place without the presence of lye.  Some manufactures may choose not to list lye or sodium hydroxide or may use terms to suggest their ingredients have already been "saponified", due to the recent negative hype that lye is bad for you or is harsh on your skin. Lye, in it's chemical form, can actually be very harmful if not handled correctly, but after 24 hours into the saponification process the lye is no longer present. You are simply left with...soap, a soft + soothing natural moisturizer to your skin! The reason manufacturers can exclude this from their label is because including any of the soaps ingredients is not a requirement of FDA regulation. The reason Moth + Meadow includes sodium hydroxide in our ingredients is because we believe that education is key to allowing consumers to take control in understanding what they put on + in their bodies. You, as the consumer, have the right to know exactly what goes into our products + why.

Question 2

What is cold process soap?

Accepted Answer

Cold Process is one of several ways to make soap. This method is made completely from scratch so we get to fine tune and be in control of every aspect that goes into the soap making process. This technique uses cooler temperatures than other processes, which helps to preserve all of the natural goodness of the oils and additives we put into our recipes. Higher temperatures can destroy some of the nutrients and healing properties these natural ingredients offer. As a cold process soap maker, we get to put on the goggles + gloves and be little chemists in our soap studio. Something about that intimacy is very special to us. *We also never microwave our oils; our hard oils and butters are slowly brought to temp using a double boiler method.*

Question 3

Why do we avoid palm oil?

Accepted Answer

In recent years, palm oil has become threatened by deforestation due to popularity in the cosmetic + food industry. Our mission is our slogan "Earth Transformed." We are dedicated to being a small business that works in harmony with this World. We use all-natural ingredients Mother Nature provides and in return we need to maintain respect for the resources She offers. When those resources become endangered due to our society's consumption, we as a society must make a change. Our vision for transformation is allowing consumers easier access to environment-friendly essentials so we can all start living more sustainable lifestyles.  Moth + Meadow also recognizes endangered and/or threatened essential oils and chooses to use alternatives instead.

Question 4

Why do we choose only pure essential oils?

Accepted Answer

Every one of our bars are made exclusively from pure essential oils - never synthetic fragrance oils. We believe that what touches your skin should be as close to nature as possible. After all it is our largest and most absorbent organ. Essential oils offer beautiful, authentic aromas directly derived from plants. Their scents are often softer and more complex than synthetic fragrances, and because they're natural, each batch may vary slightly depending on harvest. We embrace those subtle differences as part of the beauty of handcrafted soap. Choosing essential oils means our scent selection is more limited, and the aromas may not linger as long as synthetic fragrances. For us, that's a worthwhile trade off when many companies can legally hide hundreds of mystery chemicals under the word "fragrance" or "parfum" without full public disclosure. Many ingredients potentially acting as endocrine disruptors or triggering allergies. We'd rather create products with thoughtfully chosen, plant-based ingredients than chase stronger or longer-lasting scents.We source our essential oils from reputable companies that utilize third party testing for purity and quality control. Simple ingredients. Honest craftsmanship. Soap made the way nature intended.

Question 5

Natural Colorants or Mica Powders?

Accepted Answer

The colors in our soaps come from nature - not synthetic dyes or mica powders. We use ingredients like clays, botanicals, roots, and spices to give each bar it's unique character. Natural colorants create soft, earthy tones that reflect the ingredients themselves. They won't always produce the bright, vibrant colors that synthetic pigments can achieve, and over time they may gently fade with exposure to light. We see that as a reminder that our soaps are made from real, natural ingredients. While mica powder in itself is a natural substance, it's not naturally pigmented. Crafted from stone minerals, in it's raw + uncolored state, mica powders are an off white to brownish Earth-tone consistent with the rocks they are derived from. It's the artificial pigments and colorants then added to mica powder for use in cosmetics that give them their bright, sought after colors.  Whether mica powders are actually "harmful" or not is greatly debated. Very little is required of the FDA in purposes of safety testing on cosmetic ingredients, so little research, if any, has been conducted. Regardless of the safety, the mining of mica is largely located in remote India, where illegal child labor + harsh work conditions are a sad reality. This type of production + the artificial nature of mica powder is reason enough to cross it off our list. By choosing natural colorants, we let the beauty of the plants speak for themselves. Every bar is a little different, with subtle variations in color that make each batch uniquely handcrafted.  Nature isn't perfectly uniform - and neither are our soaps. That's part of what makes them special.

Question 6

Why do we choose unrefined oils?

Accepted Answer

At Moth + Meadow, we choose unrefined oil because we believe the less an ingredient is altered, the more of it's natural character it retains. Unlike highly refined oils, unrefined oils undergo minimal processing, helping preserve many of the naturally occurring vitamins, antioxidants, and beneficial compounds found in the original plant. While the soapmaking process does change these oils through saponification, we believe starting with high-quality, minimally processed ingredients is an important part of creating an exceptionally nourishing soap bar. Using unrefined oils also means embracing nature as it is. The color, aroma, and appearance of our oils can vary slightly from harvest to harvest, and those subtle differences may be reflected in each batch of soap. We see these variations as a hallmark of authentic, handcrafted products - not imperfections. From thoughtfully sourced ingredients to the finished bar in your hands, our goal is to create products that celebrates the beauty of nature with as little unnecessary processing as possible.