Official page of Ellenby Handmade Soap www.ellenbyhandmade.com I wondered if I could make my soaps mild enough for all-over daily use.
Ellenby Handmade Soap is made in small batches from all natural ingredients in Baxter, Minnesota by Ellen Backstrom. "I've always loved handmade soap, with its wonderful variety of fragrances, shapes, colors and textures. But because my skin is very sensitive, I could only use it to wash my hands - and even then it often seemed to dry my skin too much. After lots of experimenting, I came up with w
ays to do not only that, but also to make soaps that actually seemed to calm my rosacea and improve the feel and look of my skin."
- Ellen B. So how are Ellenby Handmade soaps different from other handmade soaps? They are made to be mild. The "super-fatted" soaps have extra fats added in the highest possible concentrations. For example, Banana Smoothie Extra Mild is based with coconut oil and has olive oil added to a concentration of 25%. Fats I love to use:
-Olive Oil
-H**p Seed Oil
-Shea Butter
Fats I never use:
-Animal fats
Other ingredients are added that have well documented positive effects on the skin. They are added to a concentration that is well tolerated by my own sensitive skin, and still allows the soap to "set" into a reasonably hard and lasting bar. Ingredients I love to add:
-Aloe Vera Gel (for its soothing properties)
-Honey (naturally antiseptic)
-Carrot Seed Oil (for smoothing fine lines and improving skin tone)
-Mint Oils (cooling and refreshing)
Ingredients I never add:
-Clay (of any kind)
-Seeds
-Nut Shells
-Leaves, etc.
**I just find these ingredients too "scratchy" or drying, and I don't like to have them in the sink or shower. The Basmati and Nutmeg kitchen soap does contain real nutmeg which works as a scrub, but it's meant to be used on the hands only. All handmade soaps (without animal fat) are loaded with botanical glycerin, a natural humectant that keeps your skin moist. Glycerin occurs naturally in the soap-making process.
