Ida's Soap Box

Somehow bar soap has come under fire as a being a source of bacteria. The strange thing is that when I was a little girl (a long time ago) we had one bathroom and one bar of soap that was shared by the entire family. We never thought anything of it and we seldom got sick.

While I respect the research that has been done over the years concerning skin pH, I disagree with the way in which the research is being commercially corrupted. Natural soap has received unfair condemnation since all soaps are not created equal.

Although handmade soaps usually get better with age, we recommend using our unscented soaps within 12 months of purchase, and our scented soaps within 6-10 months for best results. Although the soaps will not be "spoiled" after that time, you may notice that some natural colors and the scents from pure natural essential oils will fade over time.

Syndet is a blended word made by combining the words “synthetic” and “detergent.” There is a lot of hype about using syndet bars to go "soap-free." The theory is that since they are less alkaline than natural soap they will not harm the acid mantle.