Ingredients

What is Glycerine?

I have seen a couple of ways of spelling Glycerin or glycerine, but either way it is a thick, clear, sweet liquid, that is a natural humectant, which means that it draws moisture towards it. Glycerin has lots of uses besides being used to make soap; it is safe to work with in your kitchen. Some uses for glycerin include conserving preserved fruit, as a base for lotions, and for use in cake and sweet making, I wouldn’t suggest that you taste it neat as I have heard because it draws water, if you place it on your skin in a concentrated form it may raise a blister. Glycerin is also used to make clear soaps. High glycerine content soaps are clear soaps, they contain about 15% - 20% glycerine, they are known as "Melt and Pour" soaps, because of their high glycerin content, the soaps are very moisturizing to the skin. The downfall of having high glycerin content also means that the soaps will dissolve more rapidly in water than soaps with less glycerin, and that if the bar of soap is left exposed to air, it will attract moisture and glisten. It is also the reason that handmade soap makers say to use a soap dish, to allow the excess water to drain away. The downsides are outweighed by the emollient nature of these skin loving soaps.

What is Shea butter?

Many people are familiar with Shea butter. Natural Shea butter is found in many preparations. Shea butter is ivory/slightly yellowish coloured solid fatty oil that is extracted from the nut that grows on the African karite tree. The locals have known for many generations that Shea butter is non-toxic and very beneficial in so many ways that it is used in cooking as well as in soaps and beauty products. It is a fantastic moisturiser, great for people with skin conditions, dry skin and is often used in products that reduce stretch marks. It contains beneficial fats that promote cell renewal and improves circulation, making it a wonderful healer and rejuvenator for troubled or aging skin. It also contains natural sun-protectants. We use Shea butter in our soaps, bath truffles and lip balms.

What is Cocoa butter?

Cocoa butter is also called theobroma oil, it is the ivory coloured natural edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean. It has a very subtle flavour and it is cocoa butter that gives chocolate its creamy smooth, melt in your mouth texture. It is of course used to make many products apart from chocolate and baked items, if you look on the labels of many toiletries you will often find cocoa butter listed. That is because it is excellent for the skin soothing and dry skin issues because of its natural antioxidants, a source of natural vitamin E and emollient properties. We use this in some of our soaps, bath truffles and lip balms.