About Our Products

Wild Thyme Botanicals is proud to offer a line of bath products that pleasure your senses while supporting your skins natural moisturizing process. One of the main ingredients used in our soaps is olive oil, which attracts moisture to the skin. It provides a breathable film to prevent loss of internal moisture because unlike many ingredients used in skincare products, olive oil does not block the natural functions of our skin while it works its magic.

The following are some commonly asked questions about our products:

• What ingredients do you use in your soaps?
• Is there lye in your soap?
• How is soap made?
• Why use natural soap? What is the difference between handmade and commercial (or milled) soaps?
• What is the difference between natural soap and glycerin soap?
• What does superfat mean?
• How should I store my soap to ensure longer lasting bars?
• Who invented soap?
• How do you make your lotions?
• What is Botanical Art?

What ingredients do you use in your soaps?

Wild Thyme Botanicals handmade soaps are created using the highest quality ingredients derived from nature. Our soaps are made with saponified vegetable oils of olive, coconut, palm, and grapeseed combined to produce a rich and luxurious lather that moisturizes the skin. We use the time-honored method of Cold Process, which unlike commercially produced methods, retains the moisturizing ingredient of glycerin. Our soaps are deliciously scented with pure essential oils (and somethimes fragrance oils) and are often inspired by our favorite foods. They also include garden botanicals such as lavender buds and rose petals, as well as natural colorants such as chlorophyll and paprika. Poppyseeds and oatmeal are often added to provide a gentle exfoliant. In some of our bars, we also use goatsmilk, cream, coconut milk, and other exotic ingredients to enhance the benefits to your skin. Our bars weigh 4 ounces unless indicated otherwise in the scent description.

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Is there lye in your soap?

Not in the finished product. However, only "true" soap is made with lye (also called caustic soda or sodium hydroxide). Lye causes the chemical reaction called "saponfication" which turns oils/fats into soap. At the final stage of the soapmaking process, soap is cured (dried) for 3-7 weeks at which time all of the excess moisture has evaporated and the lye has reacted with the oils leaving a gentle moisturizing bar.

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How is soap made?

Making soap is much like making candy. The quality and quantity of ingredients and the temperatures are very important. At Wild Thyme Botanicals we use the Cold Process method where we mix very precise measurements of the finest available oils with a mixture of spring water and sodium hydroxide (caustic soda or lye). We stir the mix until it thickens and then superfat with grapeseed or shea butter and add natural fragrances (EO's) and colorants. The reaction that takes place when the oils (chemically known as acids), and the lye mixture is completely combined is known as "saponification." (pronounced sah-pon-a-fuh-kashun).The mix is then poured into molds for 36-48 hours while it continues the saponification process. During that time the soap solidifies enough to remove from the mold and cut into loaves, then bars before placing on racks for curing (drying). It will remain on the racks for 3-7 weeks before it is ready for use. The Cold Process does not require any cooking since the heat generated while stirring the mixture is enough to produce the chemical reaction which results in soap. To insure the best quality soap we begin with all our ingredients at temperatures below 100 degrees and have formulated our recipes to allow for less lye resulting in a more moisturizing bar.

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Why use natural handmade soap? What is the difference between handmade and commercial (or milled) soaps?

Each is created through a different process. Handmade soaps retain the moisturizing ingredient - glycerin - whereas commercially milled soaps involve removing the glycerin to produce a harder bar that can be extruded through a machine - allowing for mass production and better formation of company logos in the bar. Handmade soaps use whole vegetable and/or animal fats and oils, whereas, commercially milled soaps use only isolated fatty acids . These commercially-produced "hard" bars leave your skin feeling dry and in need of moisturizing. Commercial manufacturers then use the glycerin removed from the soap in their lotions, which they turn around and sell back to you.

At Wild Thyme Botanicals, we use only high quality vegetable oils and we superfat to produce a gentle moisturizing bar. After using our handmade soap you will notice less of a need to use your moisturizer.

In addition, using natural products on your skin can save your life! Recent studies have linked toxic chemicals used in commercially made cosmetics and personal care items to cancer and reproductive deformities. (www.safecosmetics.org)

The regulatory requirements governing the sale of cosmetics in the U.S. are not as stringent as those that apply to other FDA-regulated products. Manufacturers may use any ingredient or raw material, except for color additives and a few prohibited substances , to market a product without a government review of approval.

Currently, there is only voluntary participation from U.S. companies to fully disclose ingredients and ban the use of known toxins in their formulations. California passed recent legislation to ban the use of thalates and other carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxins in personal care items. Consumers must continue to educate themselves so as to make healthy decisions in what products they choose to use on their skin.

This includes commercially made bar soap and especially body washes and liquid soaps! These products contain ingredients such as Tetrasodium EDTA, Cocamide DEA, Butylated Hydroxytuluene, and Triethanolamine which are known carcinogens. But don't just take our word for it - check it out for yourself:

The Evironmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) has an interactive system on their website to allow consumers to evaluate the ingredients in their personal care items. You can search by ingredient, product , or brand name.

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What is the difference between natural soap and transparent glycerin soap?

The answer is revealed in the question. In natural soap glycerin is a naturally occuring by-product, but in the tranparent glycerin soap - it is an additive. Glycerin soap is not natural. Most Glycerin soaps are made using the following ingredients (in addition to Glycerin) : Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Tea Laurel Sulfate, Sorbitol, Deionized Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acetamide MEA. Some may even contain alcohol, but most crafters are conscious about staying away from glycerin bases that use alcohol.

The ingredients used in the glycerin based soaps are considered "natural sourced" which means having come from, in part or in whole, a natural organic source at one time. Obviously, these ingredients are far from natural, although they may have naturally derived components as their original source.

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What does superfat mean?

Superfat means that the soap has an additional proportion of oils in the mixture allowing even more moisturizing benefits. In most of our soaps, we superfat with grapeseed oil, which is high in vitamin E and is 76% essential fatty acid, linoleic acid (also known as Omega 6). It is low in saturated fat, contains natural chlorophyll and valuable antioxidants (known as proanthocyninidins).The skin absorbs it easily; it has no perceptible odor. Since it is slightly astringent, it tightens and tones the skin.

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How should I store my soap to ensure longer lasting bars?

When you are not using your soap it should be kept dry. In the shower or bathtub - keep it raised and out of the stream of water. We recommend soap dishes with drainage holes, which are great at keeping your soap out of the puddle that often forms in the bottom of the soap dish. For your bars awaiting use - try storing them in a cool dry linen closet or sock drawer. ...And for those soap slivers - we recommend the Soap Saver Bag. It's a net bag that holds your soap. Take it into the shower or bath, lather up and wash. In between bathing hang the bag so the soap dries completely before its next use.

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Who invented soap?

Although the Romans are most often credited with the discovery of soap around 1000 B.C. - directions for soapmaking have been found on Sumerian clay tablets dating around 2500 B.C. Legend says that a mixture of animal fat and wood ash from a sacrifice somehow made it into the Tiber River on Sapo Hill where women were doing laundry. They discovered that the clothes came cleaner because of this substance. Our modern word "soap" was derived from "Sapo" from where this solution was believed to originate.

It is questionable whether the people of the time were conscious that soap was being produced. The recipes don't mention that soap is produced, and the soap is never actually separated from the solution. In fact, the first concrete evidence of knowledgeable soapmaking is found in ancient Rome. The ruins at Pompeii revealed a soap factory with finished bars. However Romans, famous for their public baths during this time, did not use the soap because it was too harsh for the skin and used only for clothing.

It wasn't until the 18th century when bathing came into fashion again that soapmaking techniques began to resurface. Prior to that, bathing was in disfavor due to superstitions that it was dangerous and unsanitary. A new demand for "domesticated soaps" (soaps used for bathing) resulted in new discoveries in the soapmaking process. Soap was produced throughout Europe and ingredients began to differ based on the region. Colonial America, however, was the exception. Soap companies did not begin to appear until the early 19th century.

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How do you make your lotions?

Our extra rich lotions are made with naturally extracted vegetable oils, healing and soothing organic plant extracts and moisturizing milk and honey. We work with a reputable lab who shares our same commitment to natural products. We combine the lotion base with our custom blended scents to complement our line of soaps.

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What is Botanical Art?

Botanical art consists of using pressed flowers and herbs to create artwork. We feature a line of functional art using pressed botanicals from our garden. Our resident artist, Kathleen, presses the delicate petals and leaves then applies them to glass surfaces using a four-step process. The final step includes a water-resistant varnish allowing for the item to be hand washable. This is especially useful for items such as our lotion pumps and oil bottles.

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