Skip the Foods in Your Soap

I can't really put any photos of what I'm talking about in this blog, without violating intellectual property laws. Photos of soaps with foods mixed in are plentiful on the web, and you can search and find them in a thrice.

There's been a trend I've been watching for a couple of years now, and...ick. Just ick.

Some people in the handcrafted soap world seem to think adding foods to the soap they make, somehow makes it better. Herbs, fruits, vegetables...I've even seen one person bragging about adding mayonnaise to their soaps.

No. Just no.

I get that some of these folks enjoy making esoteric and exotic soaps...they use muds and clays and bizarre oils from Africa, and if they have a market for that, bless 'em, that's part of what makes it fun for them. But does it really make better soap?

Most foods and herbs do one thing when put in soap...for the most part, they rot. They turn brown. They begin decaying. They can be little bacteria condos, and that pretty much negates the positive, cleansing effects of a soap, right? That goes for lavender, orange peel, rose petals, lemongrass, and so on. Avocados make amazing guacomole. Avocado oil used to make soap makes wonderful soap. Raw avocado mixed into soap...yeah, no don't go there.

KNOW what's in the soap you buy. If there's no ingredient list, ASK! If the person selling doesn't know or doesn't want to tell you...avoid buying. There are no "trade secrets" in this industry. You have the right, the absolute, 100% right, to know what's in the soap you're buying.

Foods in soap is a trend...an attempt to think outside the box. But sometimes, the box is good. It's very, very good.

The are a couple of exceptions that I'll point out. Finely ground oatmeal doesn't do any of the things I griped about above. Used in very small quantities (1 teaspoon of oat powder to 1 pound of soap), it can be nice. Some think it's great for dry skin. Honey is another inclusion that people enjoy and like, and again, used in very small quantities, it doesn't have any negative effects on soap...except to make the soap a bit less "lathery". But you're still going to get clean using it, and that's what soap's for.

So consider whether you really want or need rotting mango or lavender buds that turn brown in your soap...or if you just want a high-quality, handcrafted soap that will clean your skin and leave it happy.

Hold the mayo.