Most industrially manufactured soap contains various undesirable chemicals that can irritate or dry out your skin. They often are made with animal derived fats that contribute no beneficial qualities to the skin. Emz Blendz soaps are made primarily with skin nourishing vegetable oils, which produce a hard bar of soap of luxuriant quality. They are earth friendly, enjoyable to use, and they make for charming gifts. Once you have experienced Emz handmade soap, you'll never go back to unnatural soap again!
Our soap is as good as it gets. It's freshly handcrafted right in our shop in a way that has been historically passed down throughout American History. There are several ways to make soap, but the two most common ways that crafters make soap are the "melt and pour" method and the "cold process" method. We use the "cold process" method.
Melt and pour soap, often called glycerin soap, can be opaque, colored or clear. Some specialty soaps made in this way have shapes or small toys imbedded in a clear bar of soap. This kind of soap is very popular because the soap is colorful, bright and fun. The companies that make soap in this way buy their soap ready-made in bulk form from a large manufacturer. The manufacturer formulates the soap with a solvent that allows the soap to be easily re-melted and manipulated with different colors and fragrances. The soap is clear because the manufacturer adds alcohol, glycerin, solvents, detergent foam boosters and sometimes sugar. This soap makes crafting easy and safe and can be easily found in any craft store. However, this kind of soap is not completely handcrafted or natural. The soap lasts half as long as "cold process" soap because of the solvent in it.
Cold process soap-making or kettle method soap-making (what we do) is the process making soap from scratch. Although soap can be simply made, it involves some chemistry, careful measurement and the cautious use of lye or sodium hydroxide. Traditionally, during colonial days, hardworking women made soap with rendered animal fat on the homestead. This kind of soap was functional but harsh. Today with special calculators, accurate scales and an array of natural vegetable and plant derived fats and oils, we are able to produce exceptional soap that not only cleans well, but also smells fantastic, is aesthetically pleasing and is truly good for your skin.
Soap is the neutral product created when the acids of fats or oils chemically react with organic or inorganic bases (sodium hydroxide or lye). This is called the saponification process (soap-making process), after which there is no lye present in the final bar.
A soap molecule is formed as a chain with a head and a tail. The head is drawn to water and the tail to dirt and oil. This allows the soap to connect dirt and oil to water. The water then rinses away the dirt. Soap also prevents water from beading up, allowing it to wet your skin more thoroughly.
All soap is made up of a fat combined with and alkali (lye). We take carefully selected vegetable oils and butters, known for their skin benefiting properties, and in correct proportions, mix them with lye. When the oil and lye mixture is completely emulsified, we pour the mixture into wooden molds where it sits for 18 to 24 hours. During this time it is saponifing (chemically changing into soap). The soap, now the consistency of soft cheese is cut and put on the curing shelf for 4 weeks while it hardens and mellows into a delightfully mild and creamy bar of soap.
Yes. All of Emz Blendz products are made fresh, from raw
ingredients, so you can be certain that they are as fresh
and healthy as possible. Our products are made in small
batches and are made continuously to ensure freshness.
Well, one only has to experience naturally handmade soap to know there is definitely a difference. But here are some facts: industrially manufactured soap contains various undesirable chemicals and synthetic detergents that can irritate or dry out the skin. They are often made with animal derived fats such as sodium tallowate (a hard fat obtained from parts of the bodies of cattle, sheep, or horses, and used in foodstuffs or to make candles, leather dressing, soap, and lubricants) these fats contribute no beneficial qualities to the skin. Some soap bars can't even be labeled "soap" rather they are labeled "cleansing bar" because they actually aren't soap at all. They are synthetic detergent bars. Almost all are scented with synthetic fragrances and contain a load of preservatives. Just try to read a label and see for yourself.
Another note: Anything that foams is either soap or a synthetic detergent. Nothing else used as a cleaning product produces lather. So, if a person says "I don't use soap" or "I can't use soap", they have most likely experienced the bad side effects of using machine made soap and have turned to either a mild synthetic detergent liquid or ???
Our soap is different because it is extremely mild and moisturizing. People even with the most sensitive skin types can use it. It's made with natural vegetable oils, is never tested on animals (unless you count my kids), is biodegradable (100% if scented with essential oils, 99% if scented with a fragrance), and smells amazing. Yes, it costs a bit more, but it lasts a long time and it's worth it!
Olive Oil is obtained by pressing the fruit of the olive
tree. It is highly nutritive, contains protein, vitamins
and minerals. It forms a protective and breathable film
on the skin that moisturizes and holds moisture to the
skin.
Palm Oil is obtained from the fruit or seed of the palm
tree. It is a rich source of vitamin A and makes a nice
hard bar of soap.
Coconut Oil is expressed from coconut kernels and
promotes a wonderful fluffy lather.
Sweet Almond Oil is pressed from seeds of the almond
tree. It has great nutritional value for all skin types.
Shea Butter is pressed from the fruit of the African
karite tree. It is extremely therapeutic, soothing and
moisturizing and contains vitamin A and E.
Cocoa Butter is expressed from the roasted seed of the
cocoa bean. It is high in vitamin E. It protects, softens
and lubricates the skin.
Avocado Oil (face soap, baby soap, lotion) is made from
the pulp of the avocado plant. It is rich and therapeutic
and contains vitamins A, C, D and E, proteins,
beta-carotene, lecithin, fatty acids and the "youth
mineral" potassium.
Wheatgerm Oil (baby soap) is extremely high in vitamins
A, B1, D, E, lecithin, and protein.
Jojoba Oil is technically not an oil, but a liquid wax.
It closely resembles natural human sebum (the natural
coating our body produces to protect the skin and keep it
supple). The reason jojoba oil works so well is that it
actually penetrates the skin because it is accepted as
sebum.
Yep. They are as moisturizing as soap can get. Most of our soaps are made with the same recipe and are 10% "super-fated". This means that there is 10% of the moisturizing butters left in the bar after saponification (after the oils and lye have turned into a neutral soap).
Essential oils are aromatic and highly concentrated oils extracted from plants that carry beneficial properties. They are completely natural and are processed by steam distillation. Some citrus oils are made during a process known as "cold pressed" where the oil is pressed out of the rind.
We use pure and natural essential oils in all of our products whenever they are available. Some scents cannot be replicated completely naturally, or for some, the true and natural essential oil is so expensive that we could not produce a practical product. For example, there is no such thing as an essential of strawberry, and true rose oil is about $100 for 1 ounce! That's because it takes about 2000 rose petals to produce one drop of pure oil. So, yes we do use some cosmetic quality fragrance oils in some of our products. All of our labels are honest and list each ingredient accordingly. We have many products made only with naturally derived ingredients and scents.
Our essential oil scents are:
All facial products except the linden blossom facial cream, liquid soaps, aromatherapy products, home keeping products, mens shaving products, and baby products are scented with only essential oils.
Our fragrance scents are:
Of course that depends on how much and how many individuals are using the soap, but in general one bar of soap will last one person, who uses it everyday in the shower, about 4 weeks. If the bar is used next to the sink to wash hands with, it will last months. To ensure that your soap last's it's longest always leave your soap in a well-drained soap dish and above or out of the way of the showering water where it can completely dry in between uses.
Glycerin is naturally produced during saponification (the
process of making soap). Our soap contains all of its
naturally occurring glycerin. Melt & Pour soap has
some added glycerin, but will not last as long as our
soap because of the solvent it contains.
Glycerin is a humectorant. It draws moisture from the air and holds moisture in, thus making it an excellent skin moisturizer and softener.
All of our soap will be far better than any detergent based commercial soap, but our unscented, extremely mild Baby soap, liquid or bar form Lavender soap, Oatmeal Milk and Honey soap or our Organic Facial soap would be some good suggestions.
Soap suggestions include: Eucalyptus Tea Tree, Pink Grapefruit, Lemongrass and Lime, Lavender, Organic Facial soap all have great antibacterial properties that will help fight breakouts. The Tea tree mint sugar scrub helps slough away clogging dead skin cells (this product has significantly helped many people with acne problems), and the Flower Essence Facial Toners have gentle antibacterial and healing properties. There is also the Anti-Blemish Serum, which is designed to be applied directly to blemishes and problem areas. It contains potent bacteria fighting essential oils, aloe vera, lavender flower essence and Tea Tree essential oil, which is well known for it's natural acne fighting properties.
We use only grapefruit seed extract, rosemary extract and vitamin E to naturally preserve our products. Any product containing water (creams and lotions), could potentially be a paradise for bacteria and molds if they weren't properly preserved. For these products, we use a preservative blend consisting of grapefruit seed extract, vitamin E, essential oils (natural preservatives), and a globally approved, paraben-free cosmetic grade preservative called phenoxyethanol in minute amounts (less than .5%) in order to keep these products safe and healthy. Minute amounts of cosmetic preservatives can boost the preservative action of natural ingredients preventing bacteria to break down the nutruitive ingredients in a product making it less effective or a health risk.
She Butter also known as Karite Butter, comes from Central and West Africa where the Shea/Karite trees grow in the wild. So far cultivating the trees has been unsuccessful. The Karite tree produces almond like fruit and the butter is pressed from the pits of the fruit. It is extremely therapeutic, helping to heal dry, cracked, damaged or aged skin. It is readily absorbed by the skin and is renowned for its moisturizing and skin softening properties.
Most of the world's candles are made from paraffin wax. Paraffin is a petroleum product (a bi-product of oil refining) and emits harmful soot and fumes when burned. We make all of our candles with 100% pure and natural soy wax, palm wax or beeswax. These waxes are clean burning, and are 100% natural, renewable resources. All of our wicks are made with 100% cotton. Our candles will burn approximately 30% to 50% longer than a paraffin candle of the same size. Soy wax holds and releases scent more effectively and evenly throughout burning and soy wax can be easily cleaned up with warm soapy water. Using soybean products and soy wax candles supports US farmers and the economy.
Yes, to businesses only. We have a $150 min. order for wholesale prices. We also supply custom labeled guest amenities to Bed and Breakfasts and Inns. Please call 541-482-SOAP or 1-866-676-2726 or email: emzblendz@gmail.com for more information.
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