COLD PROCESS SOAP
Return to Earth’s handmade cold process soap bars are long lasting with a creamy, bubbly lather. Most importantly, they are formulated to be gentle on the skin. We are dedicated to maintaining our ‘pure ingredient’ philosophy and, as a result, our soaps are free of all petroleum products, phylates, and/or parabens. Our core bars are coloured with clays or charcoal and scented with essential oils.
Each bar is approximately 125 g : 3.25” x 2.5” x 1”
CITRUS MINT MATCHA: A matcha (green tea) extract powder is combined with kaolin clay.
Scent: Mild peppermint accentuated with hints of lime.
Essential oils: lime and peppermint
CEDAR & MARIGOLD: A goats-milk soap base infused with kaolin clay and calendula petals.
Scent: Grounded citrus.
Essential oils: cedarwood, lemongrass, and patchouli
ROSE CLAY: Brazilian red clay is swirled within the bar to create a unique marbled pattern. Dried rosebuds are sprinkled on top – because, beauty.
Scent: A well-round floral.
Essential oils: ylang-ylang, bergamot, palmarosa, and litsea
INDIGO EUCALYPTUS: Indigo and kaolin are infused to give this bar its stunning blue tone.
Scent: Herbaceous and spa-esque
Essential oils: Rosemary, peppermint, and eucalyptus
GOATS MILK & SHEA: A goats milk base complimented by active swirls of ground annatto and Brazilian gold clay.
Scent: Earthy yet cheerful. Mild citrus notes.
Essential oils: cedarwood, bergamot, litsea
LAVENDER LATTE: Brazilian purple clay gives this bar its distinct colour while coffee grounds throughout provide a light exfoliating element. Dried lavender buds sit atop.
Scent: bright, balanced, floral woodsy.
Essential oils: lavender, rosemary, and lemongrass
OUR SOAPY STORY
Since we began making cold process soap back in 2016, our focus has been on the use of pure and natural ingredients to create gentle, yet highly cleansing bars that don’t dry or irritate the skin barrier. Specifically, we focus on using clays, dried botanicals, and essential oils.
All of our soap is cold process. This is a traditional method of soap making in which fats / oils are combined with sodium hydroxide (lye) to instigate a chemical reaction called saponification. Saponification yields a beautiful bar of soap that is gentle on the skin. This “moisturizing” trait is due to the natural form of glycerin produced during saponification. You see, glycerin is a highly prized humectant. That is, it’s a substance which both retains moisture within the skin barrier and actively attracts moisture from the air.
The importance of ingredients
Over the years we have developed proprietary blends of different oils / butters; each of which endows a specific property and value to our soap.
Note that you will not find palm oil among any of our ingredient lists. This is intentional as A) we honestly prefer a lard-based bar – it’s just better! And B) there is just too much uncertainty around the (ir)responsible cultivation of palm trees and associated environmental impacts, even from certified suppliers, for us to feel comfortable using the oil in our soaps. So we don’t.
- COCONUT OIL : Indispensable in soap making, this oil is highly cleaning, helps create a firm, long lasting bar, and adds lots of big boisterous bubbles.
- LARD : A moisturizing ingredient that also support bar longevity. Of note, lard is hands-down our favourite soap base. And yes, we use the lard from our own pigs when it’s available.
- HIGH-OLEIC SUNFLOWER OIL : High-Oleic sunflower oil is a bit different than the standard sunflower oil you’ll find in many a pantry. It boasts at least 80% oleic acid (known for its moisturizing and conditioning properties) as opposed to the ~20% found in standard sunflower oils.
- CASTOR OIL : Caster oil is a humectant to the skin and is an entirely unique oil within soap making. This is becasue it creates a bar with a sensational lather – something that no other oil does quite as well. It also has high cleansing abilities!
- RICE BRAN OIL : Is rich in many components beneficial to the skin (Vitamin B, Vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, ferulic acid, and squalene). Additionally, it boasts a rich fatty-acid profile that helps to balance the composition of our soap.
- SHEA BUTTER : Rich in vitamins A and E, shea butter is a moisturizing and skin-loving ingredient that we use simply because the bars made with it feel better and more luxurious than those made without.
- KOKUM BUTTER : Known for its emollient properties, kokum butter is often used to help make skin smooth and supple. In soap, it helps to create a firmer, longer lasting bar, as well as adds moisture and creates a luxurious feel.