FAQ
What's in your soaps?
My soaps may include the following ingredients: coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado oil, castor oil, kaolin clay, sodium lactate, fragrance oil, mica powder, activated charcoal, and titanium dioxide. Reach out if you have any allegen concerns; as always, discontinue if irritation occurs.
What does phthalate-free mean?
All my fragrances are phthalate-free in my soaps and candles. Studies have found that "phthalates, as endocrine-disrupting chemicals and SVOCs, are detrimental to the reproductive, neurological, and developmental systems of human from multiple exposure pathways. Children are at a higher level of exposure and more vulnerable to phthalates." (Wang, Yufei, and Haifeng Qian. “Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human Health.”)
What size are your soaps?
By the nature of handmade goods in small batches, each bar may vary slightly in a batch. But I think that's the fun part of cutting a batch and seeing the surprise! Each standard bar is approximately 4-5oz. They measure approximately 3.5" wide by 2.5" tall by 1" deep.
Why doesn't my soap look like the image?
Due to each batch of soap being handcrafted and handpoured, the exact bar of soap that I photograph to represent the batch may have different swirls or variations than the individual bars that get shipped out. That's part of the beauty of handcrafted variance!
Do you offer local pick up?
YES! We make soap locally in Richmond, VA. To reduce shipping costs, we encourage you to pick up orders directly from us. Use code "LOCAL" to negate shipping costs during check out. Specific address for pick up will be provided in a separate email.
Do you accept returns?
Due to sanitary concerns regarding soaps and lotions, I cannot accept returns on these items. Candles can be returned (shipping is the responsibility of the customer) if not yet burned. If you are unsatisfied with your order, please contact me so I can resolve your issue!
Candle vessel recycling credit:
If you are local, return your candle container after burning the wax entirely for a credit of $1 per glass container, $0.60 per metal tin. If you have the wick holder still, return that as well! Subject to inspection. Message me for the address, or bring it to the farmer's market!
What is sodium hydroxide? I thought there were no chemicals in your soaps.
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), or lye, is a key-component of soap-making, which is a chemical process at its core. Though it is caustic in its raw form, the sodium hydroxide reacts with the fatty acids in the oils in order to form soap in a process called saponification. After the emulsion cools down and hardens, viola! We have soap. There are no harmful traces of Sodium hydroxide in the soap product because all the atoms ionize and form sodium salts with the base oils and water. Still unsure? If it helps, I had my chemistry professor break it down for me, and no, I didn’t get extra credit.
I try to avoid single-used plastics in all aspects of my personal life and business. This is why I wrap my soaps and lotions in paper and use metal tins and glass jars for my candles. My soaps and candles are vegan which I believe is more pragmatic than using animal products for consumption. However, lotion bars, double butter balm and lip balms do contain beeswax.
To optimize the life of your soaps and candles, check out the tips below of Tierrapy's Soap and Candle Etiquette.
If you have questions that were not answered here, please shoot me a message!