The Story Of Ida's Soap

 

Our family had become accustomed to the tight, dry skin that we felt after every shower with commercial detergent based "soap" bars.  After hundreds of bottles of lotion to alleviate itchy dry skin, especially in the winter, we realized there was an alternative. Ida's Handmade Soap began as a hobby to develop skin-friendly natural products for our family.  As we shared our soap and shampoo bars with friends and family, they began to spread the word and our home business was born.  Every recipe is created with the health of your skin in mind.  Our recipes represent many hours of research as we strive to bring you the finest products available.  

Chagrin Valley All Natural Handcrafted Soaps soaps are made using the old-fashioned cold process method in small quality controlled batches.  We use fresh plant oils and butters gently warmed and then slowly mixed with an alkaline solution.  The mixture is stirred until it thickens at which time essential oils, botanicals, and other beneficial ingredients.  The result is a mild, rich, soothing soap that feels creamy in your hands, offers a magnificent long-lasting lather, and leaves your skin clean, soft, silky, and radiantly healthy.  Since no additional heat is applied once the oils and alkali (base) have been mixed, this method of soapmaking is called the Cold Process method.

Real soap is the result of a natural chemical process called saponification, in which an acid (the oils and butters) and a base (sodium hydroxide--which is lye) dissolved in water (or other liquid), are brought together to form a salt (soap) The words "saponified oils" actually means that the oils are mixed with lye water.  The naturally occurring glycerin that helps moisturize your skin, is a by-product of saponification. 
 

I know you are asking…is there lye in my soap?  The answer is NO!  Real soap cannot be made without lye (sodium hydroxide), but when the lye is mixed with the vegetable oils and liquid during the initial soap making stage, a soap making process called saponification begins.  At the end of saponification all of the lye has reacted with the oils to make soap—so there is NO lye left in a bar of Chagrin Valley Handcrafted Soap.  (See our explanation of the chemical process.)

 

The liquid mixed with lye in our handcrafted soap may be filtered rainwater, herbal tea, fruit/vegetable juice, goat’s milk, buttermilk, coconut milk, eggnog, yogurt, beer, or even homebrewed coffee. 

(See Why We Use Rainwater)


Java Orange Mint Kitchen Soap

 

 

The all natural soap mixture is poured into wooden molds, allowed to set for 24-48 hours, hand cut, and allowed to cure for 6-8 weeks to create a long-lasting soap with exceptional mildness and lather. 

 

Each batch is carefully tested to make sure that the saponification process is complete. 

 

The primary base oils used in most of our soaps are olive, sunflower, coconut, palm and palm kernel.  These oils are carefully blended together to produce a superior handcrafted soap.  Each oil is chosen for the special characteristic it gives to the soap.  For example olive and sunflower are gentle and moisturizing; coconut and palm kernel provide creamy lather; and palm oil creates a hard bar with good cleansing properties. 


Rose Petal & Honey Soap

Individual soaps are uniquely crafted with the addition of special oils and butters like grapeseed, safflower, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, shea butter, hemp seed oil, and many others to produce a soothing, sensuous sensation for your skin. Some soaps contain other natural ingredients like cucumbers, carrots, avocados, oranges, herbs, flower petals, spices, or grains. 

None of our soaps contain alcohol, animal fats, detergents, or synthetic fragrances.

Some of our soaps have no scent added—you’ll love the earthy smell of natural soap.  These soaps have distinct natural aromas due to honey, grains, flowers, spices, herbs, or herbal infused oils.  Scented soaps have all natural plant essential oils added.  Soap colors come from natural juices, teas or spices.


Milk & Honey Soap
(A Goat Milk Soap)

 

At Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft we believe we offer a fabulous product for the price. 
Click here to find out why!

Treat yourself and those you love to the luxury of fine all natural handmade soaps
from The Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft Company!
If you have never tried handmade all natural soaps you are in for a
extraordinary experience. Your skin will feel clean and healthy. 
I hope you enjoy using them as much as I enjoy making them.

 Ida

For a complete description of each of the ingredients that are used in Ida's Handcrafted Soap please check out the "ingredients" page on this website.
 

 

Copyright © 2008 Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft Company.   All Rights Reserved. 
You may not duplicate any portion of this website.