The Essential Soap Formula

I developed Essential Soap to use the very highest percentage of nourishing oils for your skin while still maintaining a hard bar and a good lather. Essential Soap uses only 100% natural ingredients. All bars contain saponified oils of olive, soy, coconut and palm and 3% shea butter, along with grapefruit seed extract as a natural preservative plus the following:

Lavender Soap: lavender, rose and chamomile essential oils.

Eucalyptus Soap: eucalyptus and lavender essential oils, lavender buds.

Citrus Soap: grapefruit, orange blossom and lemongrass essential oils, saffron for color.

Rose Soap: pure rose absolute, geranium, lavender and patchouli essential oils, paprika for color.

Frankincense and Myrrh Soap: frankincense, myrrh and sandalwood essential oils, cinnamon and allspice for color.
The Story of Frankincense and Myrrh.

Base ingredients found in all Essential Soaps

Olive oil
Olive oil moisturizes the skin by attracting external moisture, holding that moisture close to the skin and forming a breathable film to prevent loss of internal moisture. Olive oil is a particularly wonderful moisturizer, because it does not block any of the natural functions of the skin. The skin is able to sweat, breathe and shed dead skin. I cannot say enough good things about olive oil. The olive oil in Essential Soap is particularly effective at delivering moisture to your skin because of the fact that you will be using it in steamy shower. You are certain to reap the benefits of olive oil's ability to pull moisture from the air, even in dry weather. I developed my formula to contain the highest amount of olive oil (30%) that I could without making the bar too soft. If you ever find a soap that claims to have a high percentage of olive oil and is a hard bar, know that this is most likely the result of added synthetics to harden the bar.

Shea Butter
Also know as African karite butter, shea butter is pressed from the pits of the fruit of the Central African African butter tree. Like olive oil, in conditions the skin without inhibiting the skin's natural functions. Shea butter is very rich and nourishing and is excellent for dry skin, yet gentle enough for babies and sensitive skin.

Soy oil
Soy oil has little skin care benefits but is used in soap making to provide a stable lather.

Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is derived from dried coconut meat. It moisturizes and gives the soap a quick, fluffy lather.

Palm Oil
Palm oil comes from the fruit of the palm tree (a relative of the coconut tree). Palm oil is used as the vegetable alternative to tallow in soap making. It provides for a hard bar, cleans well and is mild.

Grapefruit Seed Extract
Derived from the ground seeds and membranes of grapefruits, grapefruit seed extract has natural antiseptic, antibiotic and antioxidant properties. It is used in a very tiny amount (1/30 of an ounce per bar) in Essential Soap as a natural preservative to help extend shelf life. Essential Soaps are "superfatted," meaning that a percentage of the oils are not saponified, but remain in the soap as natural oils. While these active, alive oils are great for your skin, they are also subject to breaking down with light, heat and time, just as the oils in your pantry are. Grapefruit seed extract is added to help prohibit this process. However, please do plan to use your soap within a year of purchase and keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources to help maintain its quality.

Essential Oils and their benefits

Chamomile Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: calming, soothing, relaxing
Skin benefits: good for dry, sensitive skin, acne, eczema, inflammation A word to the wise: those with hayfever and fall allergies should avoid chamomile

Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: clearing, balancing, refreshing
Skin benefits: antiseptic, antibacterial, good for skin wounds

Frankincense Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: spiritual, meditative, calming, relieves tension
Skin benefits: rejuvenating, especially good for aging skin, wrinkles and preserving a youthful complexion, effective for healing scars
The Story of Frankincense and Myrrh.

Geranium Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: calming, refreshing, balancing
Skin benefits: mild tonic and astringent, good for cleaning clogged pores

Grapefruit Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: stimulating, energizing, refreshing, antidepressant
A word to the wise: citrus oils should be avoided by those with extreme sun sensitivity

Lavender Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: relaxing, balancing
Skin benefits: natural antiseptic, skin rejuvenator, useful for stretch marks, agreeable with all skin types

Lemongrass Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: stimulant, refreshing
Skin benefits: antiseptic, antibacterial, deodorant
A word to the wise: Lemongrass should be avoided by those with very sensitive skin; citrus oils should be avoided by those with extreme sun sensitivity

Myrrh Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: spiritual, calming, strengthening, calms fears
Skin benefits: good for mature skin and very dry skin
The Story of Frankincense and Myrrh.

Orange Blossom Neroli) Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: sedative, soothing, antidepressant, aphrodisiac
Skin benefits: beneficial for all skin types, especially for dryness, redness, stimulated the regeneration of new skin cells, improve skinÕs elasticity, good for stretch marks, scarring

Patchouli Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: sedative, anti-anxiety
Skin benefits: rejuvenating, promotes regeneration of new skin cells, good for mature skin

Rose Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: soothing, sensual
Skin benefits: natural antiseptic, cleansing, anti-inflammatory, particularly beneficial for mature, dry or sensitive skin with redness or inflammation, rejuvenating and regenerating, well-known for anti-aging properties

Sandalwood Essential Oil
Aromatherapeutic benefits: meditative, peaceful, antidepressant, aphrodisiac
Skin benefits: good for all skin types, especially dry or dehydrated skin