FAQ

Through the years many people have come to us with questions about hand-made soap and the process involved with making it. Hand-made soap, as a natural body care product, is most appealing. Soap-making, by it's very nature, is a craft that arouses curiosity in almost everyone! We are pleased to be able to devote this page to answering a few of the questions you may have about our products and the way in which it is made. We have also included a few simple tips to help you get the very most from every bar of your soap in our ABC's of Soap Care section.

What is super-fatted soap?
Is this melt & pour craft soap?
Where do you buy your soap?
Do you put glycerin in your soap?
Is lye still used?
How long does it take to make a batch of soap?
Do you really wrap every bar?
Your soaps are so pretty. Are they really meant to be used?
A,B,C's of Soap Care

What is super-fatted soap?

To super-fat a bar of handcrafted soap means that additional oils or butters are added during the soap-making process before the soap batter is poured into the mold. These "extra" oils act to enrich the finished bar and help insure that the soap is mild, creamy, and non-drying. It is the presence of these additional oils and the naturally occurring glycerin which contributes to the luxurious, dewy, feeling one gets when bathing with a fine bar of handmade soap.
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Is this melt & pour craft soap?

That is an excellent question. A distinction needs to be made between cold-process artisan soap and melt & pour craft soap which, unfortunately, is often marketed as homemade. It is important that you know what you are buying.

Still-Point Soap is not melt & pour soap. It is a carefully hand-crafted artisan bath soap made using the cold-process method of soap-making. Every bar of Still-Point Soap is made from scratch using the high-quality ingredients listed on our label. For example, olive oil, long recognized for its mild, cleansing properties, is a principle ingredient in every bar of Still-Point Soap.

Melt & pour craft soap, on the other hand, is an inexpensive, manufactured soap base that is sold in bulk in many craft and supply stores. This soap base is then melted, creatively modified, and molded by the crafter to produce a wide array of fun and colorful soap.
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Where do you buy your soap?

We don't buy our soap....we make every bar from scratch using the cold-process method of soap-making. The recipes we use have been specially developed over 15 years of soap-making. We work in small batches so we can offer a wide selection of soaps and fragrances to choose from. Our special blend of ingredients are listed on every bar.

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Do you put glycerin in your soap?

Thanks to Mother Nature, we don't need to. Glycerin is a naturally occuring by-product of the cold-process method of soap-making and as such, is already present in every bar. As a humectant, glycerin attracts moisture and contributes to that wonderful "dewy" sensation you get after bathing with a bar of quality hand-made soap.
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Is lye still used?

Yes, sodium hydroxide is a necessary ingredient in cold-processed soaps such as ours. It is used only in precise quantities to chemically transform the blended oils into a mild bar of soap. When used in the exact amounts required, no "lye" remains in the finished product but rather combines chemically with the oils during the soap-making process to become the luxurious "soap" we know and love. As mentioned above, glycerin is a by-product of this chemical transformation lending its own special humectant properties to every bar.
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How long does it take to make a batch of soap?

Once the ingredients are carefully measured and mixed, the chemical process which produces soap (saponification) begins immediately and continues for a period of time after the raw soap batter is poured into the mold. What most people don't know and find interesting is that once the soap is unmolded and cut into bars, it is allowed to cure and air dry for several more weeks before it is packaged and sold.
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Do you really wrap every bar?

Yes we do and we love doing it! When we first began making and selling our soap 13 years ago, we packaged very little. The wholesome, natural beauty of fine hand-made soap lends itself well to a simple style of packaging. Many soap-makers choose not to package at all and sell "naked" bars. Over time however, it became clear that not only did some packaging protect the bars, but allowed us to share important contact and ingredient information with you our customers. Since many of our earliest devotees were purchasing soap for themselves as well as for holiday gift giving, it was clear what we needed to do....make their job just a little easier! Since that time we have continued to develop and refine our unique style of packaging and have created a gift collection of our fine hand-crafted bars.
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Your soaps are so pretty. Are they really meant to be used?

Absolutely! Still-Point Soap is soap made to use. Don't hesitate for a minute to unwrap your bar and luxuriate in it's mild lather and fabulous scent. The packaging has served it's purpose. A wonderful bath-time awaits you.
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A,B,C's of Soap Care

As with all hand-crafted products, there are a few simple guidelines that you can follow when using your soap, or storing unused bars. These simple rules for the care of you soap will help you get the most from every delightful bar.

A is for Air. Store your bars in a location with temperate air flow. Not too cold. Not too hot. Avoid moist or damp locations.

B is for Breathe. Our tissue and organza wraps are permeable and allow air to flow in and around the bars. This not only allows you to enjoy the scent of the packaged soap, but helps promote ongoing hardening of the unused bars.

C is for Circulate. Allow air to circulate in and around unused bars. If you are storing soaps of different scents together, allowing air to flow between the bars will help the scent of the bars remain true.

D is for Dry. Never allow your bar of soap to sit in standing water. When you finish with your bathing, tip the bar of soap on end and allow the bar to air dry between use.

E is for Enjoy! Follow the above guidelines and enjoy your Still-Point Soap right down to the very last bubble!
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