Handmade Soap - Natural Soap Company

Clove Soap - Handmade clove soap

2008-10-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

There is a bite in the air here in Tennessee; the kind of weather that makes you reach for cardigan sweaters and pull the hiking boots out of the back of the closet. It officially feels like Fall.

Just as expected, customers are starting to buy the spicier soaps : clove, pomander, spice tea, the patchouli soaps. But clove soap seems to always be the Autumn favorite. Men love it and when they order it, they rarely order less than three bars of clove soap at a time.

For professional soapmakers, that is how we tell Fall has truly arrived - when the orders for our handmade clove soap come pouring in. It's like soap clockwork.

Essential Oil Guide - How to use essential oils

2008-10-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest treats in soap making is experimenting with combinations of essential oils. Unlike fragrance oils, which are usually chemically manufactured scents, essential oils are very potent. Each oil, like the plants they are derived from, are different in their basic makeup which is why there is such a difference in price among the oils. Essential oils can begin (at wholesale pricing) from the neighborhood of $12 per pound all the way up to $1300 per pound (and more).

Many people have asked whether the aromatherapy benefits survive the soap making process. To my knowledge, as of this writing, that research has not been done. Chemically, many of them most likely do, to a degree.

I do believe the emotional benefits of the oils come through in soap. Smelling them activates the olfactory system and can bring about a shift in emotions. Mints have the ability to wake you up, Citrus oils are cheering, Lavender seems to relax you, etc.

You will have to decide for yourself, which oils you would like to use according to their safety precautions. Using essential oils in soap is definitely a manner of “diluting” an oil. Furthermore, the soap is rinsed off in the bath or shower -- unlike a massage where the essential oils are rubbed into the skin via a carrier oil and left on the skin until the next bath time.

The essential oil list below is for information purposes regarding the way essential oils are currently being used. If you have any concerns, feel free to consult a physician before using a specific oil. It is probably always a good idea to listen to the advice of the pregnancy precautions. The information is not meant to be medical advise or to replace the advise of a doctor. Never take essential oils internally.

Anise essential oil – (pimpinella anisum)
Sweet, licorice like scent often used during the hunting season to mask the human scent. Also applied to bait to attract fish. Cheering, euphoric, energizing, sense enhancing, antibacterical, coughs, deodorant, menopause. Parts used: seed pod. Dilute well before use. Do not use during pregnancy.

Bergamot essential oil – (citrus bergamia)
Citrusy, fresh, woodsy scent. Cheering, concentration, aggression, confidence, grief, nervous tension and stress. Said to help with the stress of Parkinson’s Disease and PMS moodiness. Good for withdrawals. Parts used: peel of fruit. Phototoxic. Do not expose applied area of skin to direct sunlight or tanning bed for 24 hours.

Cedarwood essential oil – (cedrus atlantica)
Dry, sweet, woodsy balsamic scent. Balancing, grounding and strengthening. Often used to promote self-control and to balance spirituality. Possible uses: acne, dry hair, rheumatism, oily skin, immunity booster. Parts used: wood. Avoid during pregnancy. May irritate extra sensitive skin.

Cinnamon Leaf essential oil – (cinnamomum zeylancium)
Hot, spicy scent — richer in aroma than ground cinnamon. Invigorating, refreshing, warming, aphrodisiac properties. Often used by those with low blood pressure. Good for exhaustion & fatigue. Antifungal. Parts used: leaf. Avoid if you have high blood pressure. Dilute well before use.

Citronella essential oil – (cymbopogon nardus)
Slightly fruity, fresh, lemony scent. An oil that is known to be refreshing, stimulating, soothing & vitalizing. Most popular for being a powerful insect repellent. Antiseptic properties, good when you have a cold. Parts used: grass. Avoid during pregnancy.

Clary Sage essential oil – (salvia sclarea)
Earthy, herbaceous & slightly fruity scent. Known as the “woman’s oil.” Good for use as an antidepressant, for PMS and Menopause. Also good for fatigue, fear & stress. Is often used to help promote vivid dreaming. Parts used: flowering tops, herb. Avoid with a history of breast or ovarian cysts or estrogen-dependent cancer. Do not overuse while drinking alcohol.

Clove Bud essential oil – (eugenia caryophyllata)
Spicy, warming, rich but slightly bitter scent. Possible uses: memory loss, stimulating, energizing, warming. Also known for use as an antiseptic, for sprains, strains and is often used (in part) by dentists for toothache. Parts used: flower buds. A possible mucous membrane irritant. Not to be used by alcoholics, haemophiliacs or those with prostate cancer.

Eucalyptus essential oil – (eucalyptus globulus)
Clean, fresh, medicinal scent. A balancing, cooling & stimulating oil often used with colds, coughs, muscular fatigue & sinusitis. Also helpful when you have bronchitis, the flu or slight fever. Parts used: leaves & twigs. Avoid with a history of epilepsy or if you have using homeopathic remedies. Do NOT take internally — toxic.

Fir Needle essential oil – (Abies alba)
Woody, earthy, fresh scent. Known for stimulating circulation. Often used for muscle pain, arthritis & rheumatism as well as elevating the emotions and helping with stress. Parts used: leaves (needles), twigs. Dilute well before use.

Frankincense essential oil – (Boswellia carterii)
Spicy, woody, fruity & fresh smell. For the mind, frankincense is often used for anxiety, exhaustion and for focus. Reported to help with scars and wrinkles. Has been used in history for blessing and consecration. Parts used: resin. Avoid during pregnancy. Regarded as generally safe.

Geranium essential oil – (Pelargonium graveolens)
Floral but sweet smell with fruity undertones. Often used for nerves, stress and for relaxed, intense focus (such as self-hypnosis). Has been known to calm those who suffer from Alzheimer’s and Muscular Dystrophy. Parts used: flowers, leaves, stalks. Avoid if a history of estrogen-dependant cancer or hypoglycemia.

Ginger essential oil – (Zingiber officinale)
Smoky, spicy, woody scent. For the mind, used for memory loss and to anchor the emotions. Good for nausea, motion sickness, aches & sprains and the nausea associated with migraine headaches. Parts used: roots (stems). May irritate extra-sensitive skin. Dilute well before use.

Jasmine Absolute essential oil – (Jasminum officinalis)
Exotic, floral, rich, sweet scent. Used often in the perfume industry. Has relaxing, sedative properties and is said to be an aphrodisiac. Also good as an antidepressant, for PMS & Menopause. Parts used: flowers Avoid during pregnancy. Extended use has narcotic-like properties.

Juniper Berry essential oil – (juniperus communis)
Crisp, sweet & herbaceous with a fruity note. Often used for gout, jet lag and hangovers as well as for memory loss, clearing the mind and exhaustion. Said to have detoxifying and toning properties. Parts used: berries Avoid during pregnancy. Avoid if a history of kidney disease or high blood pressure.

Lavender essential oil – (lavandula officinalis)
Floral, fresh, light, herbaceous scent. Is said to bring about love and peace. Good for insect bites, to calm the nerves, help with sleeping — soothing & relaxing. Also good for burns, bruises, itching and headaches. Parts used: flowering tops. Avoid during first trimester of pregnancy.

Lemon essential oil – (citrus limonum)
Rich, fresh smell similar to fresh lemon rinds. Used to uplift the spirits as it is balancing, cheering and refreshing. Often used to reduce warts, for fainting and hayfever. Good ingredient in cleaning and dish washing. Parts used: peel of fruit. Phototoxic. Do not expose applied area of skin to direct sunlight or tanning bed for 24 hours.

Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil – (eucalyptus citriodora)
Sweet, lemony smell with a woody note. Known to be calming and purifying. Reported by the CDC to be a good, natural substitution for DEET in combating mosquitoes. Contains some of the same properties as regular eucalyptus. Parts used: leaves, twigs. Dilute before use.

Lemongrass essential oil – (cymbopogon citratus)
Fresh, lemony, grassy scent. For the mind, used for irritability, mental fatigue, stress & nervous exhaustion. Often used as a mild insect repellent, for light cases of athlete’s foot and reported to be good for cellulite. Parts used: grass, leaves. Avoid during pregnancy or a history of high blood pressure.

Lime essential oil – (citrus aurantifolia)
Green, fresh, citrusy, sweet scent. Stimulating, uplifting & cheering, lime is know for helping raise the spirits and makes a good antidepressant. Good for skin toning as an astringent and is said to help with dandruff. Parts used: peel of fruit. Mildly phototoxic. Try to avoid direct exposure to sunlight where lime has been used on the skin.

Palmarosa essential oil – (cymbopogon martini)
A floral, grassy, rose-like scent. Good for creativity, aggression & anxiety. Said to work quite well for wrinkles, dermatitis, hair loss & PMS symptoms. Associated with healing and love. Parts used: whole plant Avoid with a history of high blood pressure.

Patchouli essential oil – (pogostemon cablin)
Rich, earthy, woody aroma. Known as a general aphrodisiac. Good for relaxation as well as concentration. Said to be good for wrinkles, acne, dandruff and athlete’s foot. Best known as the incense commonly used in the 1960’s. Parts used: leaves Generally regarded as safe. Do not take internally.

Peppermint essential oil – (mentha piperita)
Minty, strong peppermint candy smell. Cooling, refreshing, revitalizing and stimulating. Is good for headaches, nausea & jet lag. Mixed in base oils or lotions, is good for muscular aches and rheumatoid arthritis. Parts used: whole plant Avoid during pregnancy or a history of high blood pressure. Use in small amounts. Avoid contact with eyes.

Pink Grapefruit essential oil – (citrus paradisi)
Citrusy scent, similar to a grapefruit rind. A good uplifting oil — good for concentration and to promote happy thoughts. Reported to be good for migraines, hangovers, PMS symptoms & hair loss as well as being antibacterial. Parts used: peel of fruit. Phototoxic. Avoid contact with the sun or tanning beds after using oil on skin.

Rosemary essential oil – (rosmarinus officinalis)
Sweet, fresh, herb-like, medicinal scent. Good for grief and fatigue as well as clearing out the mind. Often used as an antiviral, a decongestant and for muscular aches. Also known as an immunity stimulant. Parts used: leaves. Avoid during pregnancy or a history of high blood pressure or epilepsy.

Rosewood essential oil – (aniba rosaeodora)
Sweet, woody and fruity with a floral scent. Good for mild cases of depression and clearing out confusion. Often used for headaches, PMS, scars, sensitive skin and stretch marks. Parts used: wood, twigs. Generally regarded as safe. Do not take internally.

Sandalwood essential oil – (santalum album)
Woodsy, balsamic, deep perfume-like scent. Used to center the thoughts and also used in meditation and as an aphrodisiac. Known for being used for wrinkles, chapped skin, dry hair and dandruff. Parts used: wood. Do not take internally.

Spearmint essential oil – (mentha spicata)
Fresh, minty, sweet smell — less potent than peppermint. Often used for sniffing during times of morning sickness. Also good for stimulating and reviving as well as asthma, headache and nausea. Parts used: leaves. Use in small amounts. Large amounts may irritate mucous membranes.

Sweet Orange essential oil – (citrus sinensis)
Citrusy, sweet, strong scent like orange peels. Good antidepressant and uplifting oil. Has been used for drug withdrawal symptoms, stress and for its slight sedative properties. Often associated with joy, luck and money. Parts used: peel of fruit. Avoid use in sun. May irritate sensitive skin if not diluted properly.

Tangerine essential oil – (citrus reticulata)
Bright, deep citrusy smell like tangerine peels. Relaxing, cheering & soothing. Astringent, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antidepressant. Parts used: peel of fruit. Avoid use in sun. May irritate sensitive skin if not diluted properly.

Tea Tree essential oil – (melaleuca alternifolia)
An herbaceous, green, earthy scent — slightly medicinal. The scent has cleansing and cooling properties. Has been used for centuries for burns, bug bites, scrapes and cuts. Also good for athlete’s foot, blisters, boils and sunburns. Parts used: leaves, twigs. Do not take internally. Can be used neat (undiluted) in small amounts on many people. Test patch first.

Ylang-Ylang essential oil – (cananga odorata)
Floral, slightly fruity, delicate, perfume-like scent. Promotes euphoria, relaxation and is often thought of as an aphrodisiac. Lowers blood pressure. Good for its sedative properties and for shock. Parts used: flowers. Avoid if a history of apnea or low blood pressure.

History of Soap

2008-10-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

You’ll be surprised to learn that many of the ingredients that go into soap making are already in your kitchen. Soap is the end-result of mixing oils, lye and water. Whether you pull it off the supermarket shelf, buy the melt-and-pour soap from your local craft store or make it yourself from scratch, all soap begins with this process which is know as saponification.

During the excavation process of ancient Babylon, clay cylinders were found with a soap-like substance inside. This shows evidence that the process of soap making was around as early as 2800 B.C. The cylinders had inscriptions describing the process of boiling fats with ashes (a primitive form of soap making).

Records reveal that the ancient Egyptians bathed on a regular basis. The Ebers Papyrus, a medical document dated around 1500 B.C., describes combining alkaline salts with animal and vegetable oils to form a soap-like substance used for washing.

The story that sticks out in my mind most is the Roman legend of Mount Sapo (which, by the way, gave soap its name). Women noticed that washing their clothing was easier when done in the Tiber River which was directly below Mount Sapo, where ritual animal sacrifices took place. After a rainfall, a mixture of animal fats and ashes made its way down the mountain, turning into a crude form of soap along the way.

Later, early soap makers used potash, which was leached from wood ashes as their alkali base for soap making. Its results were often-times unpredictable, sometimes unpleasant in smell, and created soap that was more utilitarian than luxurious.

In the 1700’s, A French chemist named Nicholas Leblanc, invented a process for making an alkali using common salt.

During the 1800’s, a Belgian chemist named Ernest Solvay, discovered a process in which ammonia helped to extract the soda ash from salt efficiently. It soon became more readily available and its superiority, in turn, increased the quality of soap making.

In the 1940's chemists discovered how to change the molecular structure of some naturally occurring substances. What they discovered was called "detergent" (to differentiate it from soap). The big advantage to detergents is that they work well in hard or cold water and can be formulated to clean specific types of dirt and stains. Modern detergents (known as syn-dets, or synthetic detergents) have become quite sophisticated and are seen in many, many forms. In fact, the majority of the cleaning products on the market are actually detergents of some type or another. Even commercial bar soaps commonly contain all or part detergents. As a result, there is a new, common definition of soap. The common definition of soap now refers to any product that bubbles and cleans, particularly if it is in a bar form.

This seems to have created the confusion regarding what real soap actually is. Hardeners, whiteners, lather boosters, chemical fragrances (sometimes with as many as 500 separate chemical components to create their unique scent) are often found in “over the counter” store-bought, “soap” or detergent bars.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the phrase, “oh, but I can’t use lye soap on my sensitive skin.” Let me reiterate something one more time: ALL soap begins with lye (or something just like it) and don’t let anyone try to tell you differently. The chemical name for lye is sodium hydroxide. When you read the label on a bar of soap, this is appears to be a bit disguised. Sodium Tallowate is the main ingredient found in most commercial soaps. What they are actually saying is that sodium hydroxide (lye) has been mixed with tallow (rendered from beef fat) and, in mixing these ingredients together, they have created a brand new word for you, the consumer --- sodium tallowate. How clever.

So, what is the difference between making your own soap at home and the lye soap that our great-grandmothers made? There is a big difference. Most people I have encountered usually mention this is conversation, saying, “My grandmother used to make lye soap and it would rip your hide off.” That may be true but granny didn’t have a digital scale, back then, did she? Today’s modern soap maker has greater access to a wide range of quality ingredients. Granny did not have help from modern technology to let her know exactly, down to the gram, how much lye she was supposed to use in her combination of oils. Furthermore, dear Granny’s oils may have consisted of anything from beef fat to a whole season’s worth of saved-up bacon grease drippings.

Soap making has come a long way since the days of using old bacon grease. It took several months to formulate our Green Pergola soap recipe. We use a combination of olive oil, coconut oil, soybean oil and shea butter. Most soap makers today use similar luxury oils as well as cocoa butter, mango butter, etc. On the other hand, there are still soaps made from lard, but, it is almost always made from fresh, clean lard -- not used. Handmade soap has become a luxury item in today's market where it originally was only used for utilitarian reasons and was discovered, quite by accident. The rest is soap history.

excerpt from MAKING SOAP FROM SCRATCH by Gregory White. copyright 2007

Lavender Soap

2008-10-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

Customers are going nuts over lavender soap lately. We can't keep enough of it made. Usually when customers are browsing through our soap store they go for the lavender rosemary soap and the lavender patchouli. Men usually pick the lavender lime and kids are always happy with the lavender orange soap because, quite by accident, it turned out smelling like fruit loops.

But, this entire month, people are walking through the doors and asking, "do you have plain lavender soap?" Was there an article somewhere recently about the benefits of lavender soap and I missed it? So far this month, we've already made over twenty lavender gifts baskets for birthday presents and a few for boss' day.

And it's not only the retail store, either. Every internet order this month has included at least one bar of plain lavender soap. If my mental count is correct, we have sold over one hundred bars of lavender soap since the beginning of the month and there are that many more on the drying racks in the soap shop.

Personally, our lavender soap is one of my favorites. Whether it was an article, a television show or a news report about lavender - all I can say is that we're grateful for the boost in soap sales.

Why Don't Dermatologists Recommend Handmade Soap?

2008-10-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

A customer recently asked me why dermatologist don't recommend handmade soap. The answer is simple: the doctor doesn't know WHICH HANDS made the soap! Without having full knowledge of a soapmaker's experience and background, a dermatologist will usually option for suggesting Aveno soap.

All handmade soap is, unfortunately, not equal. Sad but true. There are many fine, handmade soap companies that have been in business for many years; wonderful companies who create gentle and soothing products. For example, Sunfeather Soap Co. and Indigo Wild with their ZUM bars come to mind. I would like to think that after ten years of making handmade soap that Green Pergola would be considered one of those favored companies. We have thousands of happy customers that keep coming back for more soap so we must be doing something right.

On the other side of the coin, however, are some not-so-fantastic companies selling handmade soap. Many times I have seen someone inquire about how to make soap and six weeks later they already have business cards printed and have rented a booth to sell their uncured bars. It does happen sometimes. When we started this business over a decade ago, our products were tested for over six months before they were ever sold to the first customer. This gave us time to perfect our handmade soap recipe and to collect feedback from our long list of friends who served as our soaping guinea pigs. Or, sometimes you find what I like to call the "lazy soaper". By this I am referring to the person who has learned a little about the process, thinks they have it down pat and don't go on to learn any more. How ridiculous; there's something new to learn every day. Or, there are the soapmakers who take melt-and-pour soap from the craft store, melt it in the microwave, throw in some chemical fragrance oil, some glitter and color and begin telling everyone about their handmade soap. This is where I am a soap snob. Melt-and-pour soap, also known as glycerine soap, is not handmade soap. It is handCRAFTED soap. To me, handmade soap is where the soapmaker has chosen every single ingredient that goes into their soap recipe and created the entire batch from scratch.

So, I would assume that this is the reason why dermatologists don't recommend handmade soap most of the time -- because they just don't have a personal relationship with the soapmaker. I personally don't have a dermatologist but I do know that our regular medical doctor uses our Green Pergola soap exclusively and has sent us many referrals.

Wholesale Soap Loaves

2008-10-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

We recently decided to reopen our bulk wholesale site for loaves of soap.
Soap by the Loaf was quite an active site for us with plenty of private label customers needing handmade soap with real essential oils. After opening our retail store, moving to a new house, trying to set up a new workshop, etc. -- soap by the loaf became too much and we had to choose between it and our retail store.

Now we've been in the new house for almost a year, the new workshop is set up and running and we've ordered new bulk soap molds to up our production. Also, cutting out several products from our Green Pergola line (things that didn't sell that often) helped us to focus on what we do best -- making soap. Now we're ready to move ahead with rebuilding our wholesale soap business, something we really enjoyed and have missed this past year.

So, the soap loaf wholesale site is updated now and almost completely ready for shopping. Still adding in the option to purchase wholesale soap in blocks as well as loaves. ( soap loaves make about a dozen, four ounce bars of soap - soap blocks makes about thirty-six bars of soap).

I'm sure many of our former private label customers have found new sources now. But many still call or email with complaints that they haven't found a product that compares to our's. That is always an excellent compliment and makes us glad that we've decided to reopen Soap by the Loaf

Non-GMO oils

2007-12-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

with our decision to "go green" came the responsibility of doing more research about ingredients and how they are used. Fine by me, I've always loved doing research. I found a lot of conversations out there about non-gmo oils (non genetically modified). What a sigh of relief when I read the reports from our bulk oils supplier ... we were already on top of things and didn't know it. Our handmade soap, which is the product we are the best known for, contains three base oils: coconut, pomace olive oil and soybean oil. We have already been using the non-gmo pomace olive oil and the non-gmo coconut oil. I found a 100% soybean, organic alternative from the same company, which I didn't even know they offered. Constantly striving for improvement is a great thing and what a relief to find out that we were already using non-gmo ingredients.
Gregory, greenpergola.com

listed on the sundance channel green community

2007-12-28T14:19:00.001-08:00

Going Green gets good response

2007-12-15T06:17:00.000-08:00

Our recent decision to go green with our company, the Green Pergola has received a lot of positive feedback. We were worried about our long-time customers being upset about some of the products being discontinued but when we explained the direction we were going, everyone seemed really supportive and excited about the change.

I'm going to post our GOING GREEN questions and answers here and will report more about the changes soon.... Gregory

What does it mean to be "GREEN" ?
To be "green" means a lot of things. Green is about making better choices -- ones that impact the environment and the planet in a positive way, such as not littering. Sometimes it simply means taking the time to clean up your local park or school grounds. It can be about refusing to take a plastic shopping bag when you only have a few items to carry. It also means making smart decisions about the products you buy and how their ingredients effect the environment in the long run.

Why the change in Green Pergola?
To be honest, we were always trying to please every consumer that walked through our doors -- trying to be more like one of those "mall bath stores". It came down to being honest with ourselves about what we want and WHO we ARE. So many times we would go against our instincts (always follow your instincts) and include a new "fragrance oil" product into the line. But, over time, we noticed something important.....we didn't try to sell those products to anyone. A customer would come into the store and we'd immediately introduce our natural products, steering them as far away from the shelves that housed those "nasty little lapses in judgment". What dummies!

What products did you get rid of ?
Really, not that many. When we stood back and looked at what we offer, most of our product line was already good, solid products with great ingredients. We recently dropped our: shea lotion, peppermint foot lotion, hand butter and our fragrance oil scented candles.
Why get rid of the lotions and the handbutter?Our shea lotion did feel wonderful and we formulated it as close to natural as we possibly could except for one thing: the paraben-based preservative. Same goes for our peppermint foot lotion and our hand butter. Lotions contain a lot of water and without preservative, spoil quickly. Our solid lotion is a much better choice. It is made from 100% natural ingredients, feels great, has a long shelf-life and does not contain water -- therefore, it doesn't require preservative.

So? What's wrong with parabens?
We'll let the EPA answer that: --The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?" reported that the chemical preservatives called parabens—methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates)—displayed estrogenic activity in several tests. This means that these chemicals mimic your body´s own hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. These disruptors interfere with your body´s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid—virtually every system in your body. The EPA also stated that "continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms." Scientists in Europe found other endocrine-disrupting body care chemicals in the bodies of fish that humans are eating, and in human breast milk. ---In our own words ...... Yuck!

Fragrance candles are everywhere. What is so bad about fragrance?
The short story? They are chemicals created to smell pretty. --- Okay, the longer version: The synthetic fragrances that are used in cosmetics and household cleaning supplies can consist of many undisclosed ingredients and, most of the time, none of them are natural. The chemicals used in fragrances do not have to be listed separately from the other ingredients. For instance, fragrance oils that contain a variety of synthetic chemicals do not list any of them on the ingredient list. The label simply reads “fragrance” or “perfume” or “parfum.” The consumer is being deceived into believing that one harmless ingredient is in their beauty product and not made aware of the cocktail of dangerous artificial fragrance chemicals that they are putting onto their skin and breathing in. The consumer has such negative reactions to cosmetic fragrances because each artificial fragrance typically contains one hundred or more chemicals to produce just one fragrance. Over 5000 aroma chemical are available for creating synthetic fragrances. ----- Naw, we'll stick with real essential oils that came from plants. Simple. Better.

Golly. Why did you ever sell those things in the first place?
The truth is, we did try to make those products as natural as possible. Then, we started listening to our hearts instead of our heads. We became more environmentally aware. 95% good was no longer good enough for us. 5% bad still had the word "bad" in it. It became more important to us to educate our customers about all the wonderful, natural products that we create and the reasons behind why we make them the way that we do. 100% good makes better sense: for the environment, for our customers and for our own peace of mind.

What do you do at home that is Green?
We use fabric shopping bags at the grocery store. We no longer use our dishwasher and wash all dishes by hand. We refuse plastic bags whenever possible in stores. Our store has a trash bin that is specifically for recycling. Everyone can begin at home with small steps and add more as you go.

Okay, smarty-pants. If you're so "green", do you ship using those plastic peanuts?
Let's put it this way. We RE-USE those plastic peanuts. In a perfect world, every supplier would avoid using them. For some supplies we need, peanuts do come in the boxes. We recycle them by using them in customer's boxes versus letting them to be hauled to the garbage dump. To date, Green Pergola has NEVER purchased shipping peanuts. We also encourage our customers to save them and re-use them again to avoid purchasing them when they have their own packages to ship. It would be great if they put their own note into their package, encouraging the same thing. Maybe if everyone just re-used the same peanuts over and over, no one would ever actually purchase them again and the plastic peanut guys would go out of business --- it's a nice thought, anyway.

All this green talk. What are you guys? Hippies or something?Hippies?
Naw, we're just very down-to-earth and aware that what we do and the choices we make can affect the world we live in.

Sundance's Green Stamp of Approval

2007-12-01T09:58:00.000-08:00

Shea Butter Soap

2007-10-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

We can't seem to keep up with the orders for the Shea Butter Soap! Of course, having a soap company, that is a good problem.

The shea butter soaps in the store are going out the door right and left. Every internet order lately has at least one shea butter soap -- most of the orders have two to four bars of it included.

The shea butter soap becoming a new favorite probably has something to do with its reformulation. Originally, we made the bar with mainly lavender and a touch of lemon. But, the scent wasn't strong enough. So, the next batch was made with equal parts of lavender and lemon --- still not strong enough! Beginning with the third batch, the shea butter soap now has essential oils of lavender and lemon with a splash of lemongrass. Voila! It's obviously what the soap needed because customers can't seem to get enough of it. It does smell pretty yummy and feel so good on the skin with the shea butter included in the recipe.

Soap for sensitive skin

2007-10-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

In the store, it always seems to be the question everyone asks me about the handmade soap. "Is it okay for sensitive skin?" I always tell them the same thing. Sensitive skin is the REASON why I make natural soap. If the soap is good for sensitive skin, then it will be good for everyone who doesn't have troubled skin. Everyone wins. Of course, I do tell people who have super sensitive skin to steer clean of the strong mints and stick with the milder bars of soap.

I'm putting together a hand-out about the handmade soap. It is the same description that is included in our distributor's manual that tells them about the soap. I think it pretty much covers everything. Here it is below:

good, handmade soap makes an amazing difference in the feel of your skin, experienced right away. Green Pergola soaps are made from scratch by talented artists in our Tennessee workshop; a large majority of it still manufactured by the Green Pergola owners. Daily, vegetable oils are blended together with herbs and flowers and real essential oils and stirred in pots to create fragrant batches of luxurious, good soap.

Green Pergola soaps are completely vegetable-based with no animal fats added. Our own recipe consists of olive oil, coconut oil and soybean. Since 1998, this unique and balanced blend has created a long list of satisfied customers who have seen a definite difference in the health of their skin. Many of our avid soap customers have reported they now have little or no need for lotions.

Handmade versus “Over the Counter” Soap. What is the Difference?

The technical definition of soap is "the result of a chemical reaction between a fatty acid and an alkali solution." Fatty acids are the actual fat content of animal or vegetable oils; there are many different fatty acids which combine to make up different oils. The alkali solution is commonly known as lye and is usually sodium or potassium hydroxide. (sodium hydroxide creates bar soap, potassium hydroxide creates liquid soap) By this definition, soap must be made from animal or vegetable fats/oils and lye. However, note that in the finished product there is no free lye - it is all combined into the resulting soap.

In the 1940's chemists discovered how to change the molecular structure of some naturally occurring substances and also how to synthesize necessary components. What they discovered was called "detergent" (to differentiate it from soap). The big advantage to detergents then and now is that they work well in cold or hard water and can be formulated to clean specific types of dirt and stains. Modern detergents (known as syn-dets, or synthetic detergents) have become quite sophisticated and are seen in many, many forms. In fact, the majority of the cleaning products on the market are actuallydetergents of some type or another. Even commercial bar soaps commonly contain all or part detergents. As a result of these developments, a common definition of soap has emerged. The common definition of soap refers to any product that bubbles and cleans, particularly if it is in a bar form. In our opinion, this is what has created the confusion over what good, real soap actual is. Hardeners, whiteners, lather boosters, chemical fragrances (sometimes with as many as 500 separate chemical components to create their unique scent) are often found in “over the counter” store-bought, “soap” or detergent bars. Sodium tallowate, a common ingredient in many manufactured soaps, is in fact derived from rendered beef fat. Green Pergola soaps are completely vegetable-based with no animal fats added. Our own recipe consists of olive oil, coconut oil and soybean.

Coconuts (the source of coconut oil) are grown in tropical regions where they grow wild, but they are also cultivated in Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Mexico. The coconut comes from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), which is grown primarily in Malaysia as well as Hawaii, the Pacific Islands, and parts of India and South America.

Olives (the source of olive oil) is primarily a crop that comes from Mediterranean countries. While some olives are grown in California, 95% of olives and the manufacturing of olive oil is still a business centered around Italy, Greece and Spain.

Soybeans (the source of soybean oil) have been a crucial crop in Asian countries since before written records were kept. However, today, 45% of the soybean growing area and 55% of soybean production is done in the United States. The addition of soybean to our main soap recipe creates a stable, consistent lather and helps to support American Farmers.

BENEFITS OF PURCHASING HANDMADE SOAP – OVERVIEW

• artisan made by hand, not machine manufactured

• includes American-grown soybean product

• all vegetable oils, contains no animal fats

• most soap selections are vegan friendly

• less likely to trigger allergies

• scented with real essential oils derived from plants

• colored with mineral oxides (same substance as mineral makeup)

Frequently Asked Questions about handmade soap:

Q: Does your soap contain lye?

A: soaps, both handmade and store-bought are initially made by using lye (sodium hydroxide) or a similar caustic agent. The process of soapmaking is a chemical reaction. When made properly, no lye remains in the finished product; it is simply the catalyst needed for turning oils into soap.

Q: Will your soap help my eczema?

A: Soaps are not allowed to be promoted as having curative or medicinal properties unless they are treated as, and get tested and certified as, medicines. So, we are not allowed to answer with a “yes” or a “no”. But we have had several regular customers who have stated that the soap has helped with problem skin. This may possibly be attributed to the relatively natural ingredients in our soaps. It may be preservatives, colorants or fragrances in commercial soaps that cause unpleasant reactions. Our suggestion is for an eczema sufferer to try our mildest bar, Oatmeal-Milk-and-Honey, and see how itworks for their skin.

Q: Why do your soaps cost more than store-bought soap?

A: Simply, our soaps are created from expensive, luxury ingredients.

Q: How long does a bar of soap last?

A: Most couples tell us that a bar of soap lasts four to six weeks. This is based on using the soap according to directions, by not letting it stand in water; always use a vented or ribbed soap dish or shower caddy to allow the soap to dry between uses and last longer.

Soap Making Book

2007-10-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

some writers disagreed with my decision to self-publish my book: Making Soap From Scratch. I actually wrote the book for our bulk wholesale soap customers after we decided to stop selling bulk, private label soap and focus on the retail side of our business.
The truth is, unless you are Martha Stewart, a how-to craft oriented book is just not going to make the best seller list! Why not self-publish, keep the control and most of the profits?
The book turned out well and copies are beginning to sell.

It can be purchased right from the Lulu website here: http://www.lulu.com/content/1174717

The complete title is: Making Soap From Scratch: A Beginner's Guide and Beyond. The book description on the site reads: With a no-nonsense approach and easy to follow directions, professional soapmaker, Gregory White, shares his experience (and recipes) for creating all-vegetable, cold-process soaps. White takes the reader step by step through the process of making your own natural soaps for family, friends and profit. Easy to understand and master. Includes tips on: time-saving shortcuts, natural scent selections and large production. Includes an essential oil guide.