It should be no surprise that here at Nopalera we love soap.
Soap has been around for thousands of years and was originally created to clean things aside from our body. Showering wasn't always a thing! While the ingredients and uses have changed over time, the fundamental processes of creating true soap is still the same. You need to mix a fat with an alkali and water. This is used to be animal fats + wood ash + water. Thankfully we have more options now. All of our soaps are vegan.
The type of soap that Nopalera makes is called cold-processed soap. It is sometimes referred to as artisan soap or true soap. It is mixed and poured by hand. Yes -- every.single.one. Just like cooking or baking! Creating our own formula using the cold processed method allows us to control the ingredients. Our soaps are filled with plant butters and oils that cleanse and moisturize the skin. This is why people love them!
Most of the commercial soaps you find at the grocery store are not cold-processed soap. They are made by extrusion. This includes anything labeled triple milled. Think of a play-doh machine pumping out pellets. The soap factories that make these types of soaps use pre-made soap bases that cannot be customized (enough to make a difference). To produce this type of soap in large quantities, the "sticky" qualities of the ingredients need to be removed. Water and glycerin are removed and often times chemicals are added to help with binding.
Needless to say, the majority of the ingredients that go into Nopalera soaps are sticky. Hence why we make our soaps via the cold-process method.
While those big triple milled soaps at the grocery store look beautiful and seem like a great deal, they have most likely been stipped of the fatty acids that make cold-processed soap so moisturizing for your skin. Additionally, many commercial soaps add synthetic fragrance that can also irritate the skin. Personally, we dont need perfume in our soap in order to bathe. We'd rather let you add that to your skin after your shower.
In short: Not all soap is created equal. Bigger does not always mean better.
Happy Bathing!
