We are a cottage industry small business and we make all of these wonderful products in small batches in our home. Our Family, ( Monica, Mike, Billy and Kristine Carter of Kate’s Fish Camp, Prairie creek soap works, Monicas Cococastile, Monicas CocoCastile) I, Monica Carter, began making soap in 1995, after realizing the so called gentle soaps and body products were irritating and damaging my children’s skin.
After seeking help from specialists I noticed a reoccurring ingredient in all of these products: Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). an ingredient used in (90% of foaming beauty care products which can cause skin rashes, eye damage, and more). This is the “No More Tears” ingredient. So we get a sulfate with a numbing agent for the eyes. I found this ingredient in: Dove, and in Cetaphil along with other forms of Sulfates. This ingredient is found in de-greasers, for engines and floor cleaners. This led to my search for better skin care ingredients. In my research I found soap can be made from any kind of fats. The type of fats you use however depict the out come of the final product. You can use any kind of oil also, but again that oils constituents determine the outcome or type of soap you have made, and what it can be used for. In soap we find Sodium laureth, lauryl, lauroyl, Isethionate, stearate, or the so called (SLS Free): Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS or NaDS), Sodium coco-sulfate (coconut derived), SDS, Ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS). Seems a new one is created every decade. These all have a common element, they are derived from hexane processed waste oils. This creates a stripping detergent, not a soap. You will always find soap residue that is made up of waxes, and esters that could not be removed from the foul oil used in processing. This is found as a soap scum on shower doors, glass and jewelry. This is the main irritation in commercial bath and body products.
I believe there is a better way to clean without harsh dirty cell stripping chemicals! This led to my search for a soap that cleans with out stripping and irritating your body. To which I found Olive oil!
King’s Castillo soap!
