Hera's Hut Soapery

Yesterday’s PeakFest vendor show was a success! I‘m grateful to all who had stopped by my booth and listened to how my soaping hobby had gone wild. 😉

I’m happy to announce that I will be a soap vendor at Apex PeakFest on May 6. What started as a hobby before medical school has continued to bring me joy and relaxation throughout this difficult journey. And what drew me in is the perfect blend of science and art involved in the process of crafting an unique bar of soap. 🙂

Sadly this may be my only opportunity to attend PeakFest as we will soon be moving to a different city to start my residency. I won’t stop making soaps in the future but my priority will likely be surviving my internship year. ;)

We are all set up and ready! Come visit us!
Phillips Farms of Cary, NC

75% olive oil Bastille soap
Let the long cure begin.

Soap vs Syndet

A friend commented that soaps felt waxy and it occured to me that many people, especially the younger generation, might not have touched a traditional bar of soap in a while.

The cleansing bars we find in the market today are mostly syndet bars, often advertised as dermatological bars, soapfree bars. They are made of synthetic detergents/surfactants. The first syndet bar, Dove, was introduced in 1955. Syndet bars soon gained popularity as they dissovled easily in water and didn't leave much scum. The traditional soaps were relegated to the handmade craft sector. However, as the demand for natural products continues to grow, the old fashioned lye soaps are getting more attention.

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-products/frequently-asked-questions-soap
https://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/11432-11439.pdf

www.europeanreview.org

A local customer ordered one each of every variety that I have in stock. Here is the lineup.

Here's a great infographic of cold process soap making.

The most important ingredient in soapmaking is lye(commonly sodium hydroxide, aka caustic soda). Basically, no lye, no soap. FDA defines that "true soaps" are "alkali salts of fatty acids." (https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-products/frequently-asked-questions-soap) In other words, soaps are made from combining oils and fats with lye(the saponification reaction).

When made properly, there will be no lye remaining in the final product. Soapers also use a safety margin to ensure that lye is all used up and this is what "superfat" is about. Although some people believe that the excess, unreacted oil provides deep conditioning, soap is a wash-off product after all. So don't forget to lotion up after showers to moisturize your skin esp during winters!

(P.S. Do you know that lye bath is traditionally used to enhance Maillard reaction of the dough which gives that gorgeous glossy brown crust and distinctive flavor to pretzels and bagels? Yup, baking soda bath just can't compare! )

Gardener’s exfoliating luffa soaps

Zero waste solid dish soaps

Face/body soap collection
Release in Jan/Feb 😀