I have been a proud member of the HSCG, Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild for five years. I can’t begin to express how much I have learned from the leaders and other entrepreneurs I have met during my tenure.
Below I will use excerpts from the Magazine published by HSCG called “Cut to the Trace”. Personally, I have used handcrafted soaps for about 20 years. I bought my first bar and never looked back. I loved the silky feeling and lack of dry skin after a shower. The scent tickled my senses and I felt luxury in my hands. All from a small bar of soap.
At the time you couldn’t find a local soap maker anywhere. The solution was a lot of research and trial and errors; a lot of errors. At the time any soap maker you did meet refused to share any information. That is the glorious part of belonging to the HSCG, everyone there is to exchange knowledge. So, 18 years later I am here to explain why the love and time that goes into creating a bar of soap for you makes it all worthwhile.
“Handcrafted soap has been in existence since the early days of humanity. Handcrafted soap is soap in it’s truest and purest form.”
“Cut to the Trace” gives 6 reasons to switch to Handcrafted soaps.
1: When you read the list of ingredients, yes, it will also list the INCI, International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, but listed will also be the common names. Soap makers typically use a blend of butters, oils, essential oils, exfoliants, etc. The typical oils and butters are Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butters, Sunflower Oils, Castor Oil which stabilizes the lather. They also use scents which are usually plant based, pure essential oils or blends of both. Micas and clays can be added for color and some texture.
2: No one is excluded from handcrafted soap use. Do you have allergies, sensitive skin, Vegan, anti-Palm oils? The sky truly is the limit with handmade soaping. Myself I love the creative part of helping with skin conditions and making a special soap for those individuals. You are not limited to buying factory made soaps with thousands of people in their cue. I haven’t met a soap maker yet that doesn’t welcome a challenge of creating something different and select for you.
3: You can’t deny that a handcrafted soap doesn’t tingle every sense in your body. From the blend of scents themselves to the silky lather and knowing that bar of soap was literally made and packaged by hand.
4: We tend to be extremely aware of the environment and how what goes down the drain impacts us on a global level. Yes, we use Sodium Hydroxide in soap making, which is very caustic, however, after the initial formulation is no longer present.
We also tend to use responsibly sourced ingredients and materials. Natural, organic and fair-trade products are used regularly, and we remain vigilant when it comes to the origin of our products. Personally, I know the source of every ingredient I use in my products, the country of origin, I use only trusted vendors when purchasing. I don’t always go the cheaper if I feel I am compromising my final product.
5: We love variety in our product. We are artisans and are filled with wonder when adding swirls and beautiful tops. Not one bar of soap is a copy of another even from the same batch. I call it Christmas: when I make the same soap over and over and get a different pattern or result every time. It’s like unwrapping a present and giddy with excitement to see how the swirling looks this time.
6: Handcrafters are the backbone of our communities. Support your local artisan who takes pride in their work and have invested hours in creating something special for you, their customer. Think of it as a personal investment in a strong, vibrant community.