The History:
Soap making has been around for thousands of years and for good reason. Concrete evidence of soap making has been found as far back as 2800 BC, but people could have been making soap even before then. The first soap makers were Babylonians, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, as well as the ancient Greeks and Romans. They would make soap in a similar fashion by mixing fat, oils and salts. Soap was used more for cleaning cooking utensils and for medical purposes rather than for bathing and hygiene. As soap became more mainstream and less expensive to make with the discovery of mixing glycerin with fats and acids, soap became more popular. During the Middle Ages when the spread of disease was high in Europe, soap was introduced as a means to decrease disease. The demand for soap spread like wildfire across the globe and the rest is history!
Why Cold-Processed:
Glycerin is a natural by-product of soap making, but in our modern world people have realized that they can make more money by removing the glycerin from soap and selling it elsewhere. Glycerin is wonderful for the skin in that it improves hydration, can provide protection against skin irritants and relieves dryness. Most of today’s soaps have natural glycerin removed, which is then sold and added to lotions marketed for people as a necessity after the skin is stripped of it’s natural oils. The unique thing about cold processed soaps are that they are all glycerin soaps (the saponification process produces glycerin), and provide other natural oils for the health of your skin. With cold-processed soaps, you get to cleanse while nurturing, hydrating and repairing the skin.
How It’s Made:
Cold processed soaps are made in a traditional method that produces a natural and gentle soap for your skin. We combine plant-based oils known for their healing capabilities and combine them with a lye water mixture. The oil and lye molecules combine to make something new, which is soap! At Mama Bare Naturals, we make all of our soaps with at least a 5% superfat content, which means that at least 5% or often more of the nourishing oils that we add are left in the soap to nourish your skin and there is 0% of lye left. The end result is a creamy, sudsy lather and a pure natural soap to cleanse and repair your skin whether you have normal, dry, oily, or sensitive skin. Also, our soaps are gentle enough to use with conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne or dermatitis.
Top 5 Reasons To Use Cold-Processed Soap
1) GLYCERIN - The natural glycerin is retained within the soap, allowing for its humectant properties to relieve dry skin and increase hydration. Glycerin can create a barrier on the skin to protect it from irritants and its hydrating properties keep the skin looking plump, firm and moisturized. Glycerin is responsible for the creamy and smooth texture that allows the added nutrients from the soap to penetrate deep into the skin. Skin is left feeling fresh, clean and vibrant.
2) ELIMINATE TOXIC LOAD - Many commercial soaps use synthetic ingredients and/or chemicals in their soap making process. This can strip the natural oils from your skin, leaving your skin feeling dry and in need of lotion. Not only that, but it can add to the toxic burden of your body, since we know that the skin can absorb up to 60% of what is put onto it. Using all natural cold processed soap is good for your health.
3) ESSENTIAL OILS - Cold processed soap can be made with essential oils or they can be made with synthetic fragrance oil. Synthetic fragrance oil is desirable because it produces a strong, lasting scent, is easy to use and is very inexpensive. The downside to using synthetic fragrances is that they are a combination of over 100 different chemicals and these chemicals do not have to be reported on the label. At Mama Bare Naturals we use 100% pure essential oils because we believe in the healing power of nature and the profound effects that living a natural, toxin-free life can have. Essential oils in your soap is like adding a superfood for your skin everyday! They have a host of healing benefits including improved relaxation, increased energy, disinfecting abilities, and improving skin health.
4) RICH, HYDRATING LATHER - Because we superfat our soaps, which means that at least 5% or often more of the nourishing oils that we add are left in the soap to nourish your skin and there is 0% of lye left, you're left with a rich, creamy lather that leaves your skin feeling hydrated and moisturized. You won't need to reach for the lotion after your shower, unlike the feeling of using other commercial grade soaps. We use a high olive oil base, which is a rare luxury you won't find elsewhere. Olive oil, along with the other plant based oils we use, help to keep your skin retain their natural oils, instead of striping them.
5) ZERO WASTE - Our cold-processed soaps are zero waste because our labels are made out of biodegradable paper and that's it! Help to eliminate the plastic problem by avoiding liquid body wash. When you use our cold-processed soap, you are eliminating dozens of plastic containers a year!!!
There you have it, the top 5 reasons you need to switch over to cold-processed soap today. Head over to our shopping page to check out the different scents and save 15% when you click the "bundle + save bar soaps" option! https://www.mamabarenaturals.ca/collections/bar-soap/bar-soap