Learning about Natural, Handmade Soaps from Stargazer Soaps

I've written about Stargazer Soaps several times in the past, and during my maternity leave I've asked the owner, Nicole, to share her testimony on why soap making became her business. I've been in love with these soaps since first trying them out almost a year ago and Nicole continues to impress with her new batches! 

-Bianca

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As a stay at home mom to four, I have made it my quest to eliminate chemicals from our home. While at first I focused on cleaners, I realized I was missing something even bigger. What we put on our skin every day. 

Have you ever stopped and read your soap labels? If you have, you will see ingredients like Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, & Tetrasodium EDTA. I don’t know about you, but I can’t even pronounce these ingredients! And when you investigate what they are, you will uncover even more ingredients that you can’t pronounce. But as you dig, you may discover some scary things are hidden in these big ingredients. For example, formaldehyde. Yes, that is right! Most commercial soaps, (and I use the word 
“soap” loosely), have formaldehyde in them! They aren’t going to label the product with formaldehyde. Why? Because consumers wouldn’t buy it if they knew what was in it. Why is this so scary? Because it only takes seconds for our skin – our largest organ and our first line of defense – to absorb these dangerous chemicals. 

Bottom line, these products are not soap, but detergents. If you look at your body wash or bar soap, most of them do not use the term “soap” on the label. In fact, one large company is currently running a campaign claiming soap is drying. Their argument is they add products to make their body bar, aka detergent, moisturizing. Again, when reading the labels you will discover there is not one moisturizing ingredient listed. It is still a detergent, which is designed to clean your shower and strip your skin of its natural oils.

Purely Natural Oatmeal and Honey. Creamy & gentle, this Purely Natural soap is made with local Honey & Goats milk.  No fragrance is added, so this is gentle enough for those with allergies and sweet babies.

When I first discovered what was really in my shower, I started researching natural products. I headed to my natural grocery store, and bought expensive, organic natural products. Only to discover that even though they claimed to be natural & organic, they were still detergents. 

In addition to all of the scary chemicals, I learned commercial products contained animal products, such as crushed bugs for color, (it’s in food too!), and animal fat. Personally, I was disgusted by these things. I did not want to lather my body up in fat – I have enough of my own! (It’s important to note that many handmade soaps are made with tallow or lard – and I hear are quite wonderful! I chose to not use products made with these ingredients.)

This began my quest for change. There had to be something better! My family has horribly sensitive skin. One of my children has horrible eczema – her skin feels like a lizard and bleeds. It makes me wonder – it seems we hear more and more about skin conditions like eczema. Is it because of all of the chemicals allowed on the market? The foods we eat? There are some scary things out there that we have been told are okay for us – but I have trouble believing that! 

Get Cygnus: Coconut, Lime Verbena. Fruity & wonderful!
This soap will be completely cured by March 4, 2014.

While during my research, I learned that eczema may actually be an allergic reaction to formaldehyde found in our cosmetic products. Though I was scared to death, I decided making my own soap was the answer for my family. I can read every ingredient, have control of what I use, and can eat most of it! (See me make soap on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/StargazerSoaps) Since it has to cure, it took 6 long weeks before we could use my first batch. But it was worth the wait. Now, more than a year later, our dry skin is gone, my daughter hasn’t had an eczema break out once, and we have thrown out all of our commercial face & body soaps, body washes and shampoos. Yes, even shampoo! Read more about shampoo bars on my blog. In addition to soap, we use handmade lotions, scrubs, bath bombs and lip balms. 

I will be rolling out many new products this year! Be sure to follow me on Twitter & Facebook to learn about my new products and specials! 

Take control of what is in your products! I offer vegetarian & vegan handmade luxury soaps. Try handmade soap today and see how it can change your skin. 

Use code Natural15 for 15% off your order 

until the end of March at Stargazer Soaps

~Nicole Farrell
Owner & Creator Stargazer Soaps