image courtesy Photobucket.com

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived,  reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the  figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

- Sam Levenson

Audrey Hepburn favored these words so much so that people often believe she wrote them!  I encountered them on the pages of Sagescript Institute, a site well worth checking out for natural products crafted with intelligence.  Cindy Jones, Ph.D. is an author, educator, formulator, and biochemist.  Her blog is required reading for anyone who wants real, factual information about their skincare products.  Cindy’s writing, and that of many other experts, can also be found at Personal Care Truth, a wonderfully informative site working tirelessly to dispel the fear mongering we’re exposed to about our cosmetics. I was very honored to recently have one of my own articles featured there as well.  I’m among very good company.

Thanks for reading, and have a fabulous weekend!

There’s a lot of talk – and hype – about green business and greenwashing, whereby companies try to look greener than they really are in efforts to gain customer loyalty.   I thought I’d take a moment and share with you some of what makes Sarva Soaps a green business.

Ingredients. Our soaps are 100% natural… not 95%, not 99%.  Take a second and think about what synthetics manufacturing and use can do to our groundwater and air.

Sustainability. Two-thirds of our product line contains no palm oil.  Learn why this matters. For the rest, we are phasing in RSPO-certified organic palm oil.  We follow Cropwatch to ensure we do not use essential oils or other ingredients obtained from endangered or threatened plant species. Example: You won’t see a Dead Sea Mud soap at Sarva… the Dead Sea is being depleted and we want no part of adding to such harm.  We offer you beautiful bath accessories made from hemp, one of the most sustainable, eco-friendly fibers available.

Packaging. All of our packaging is 100% postconsumer recycled cardboard, fully recyclable on your end.  No shrink wrap or synthetic organza gift bags here!

Fair Trade. Our beautifully natural, eco-friendly gift bags are carefully selected from sustainable, fair trade sources.

Biodegradable. Our soaps are completely biodegradable, unlike liquid body washes or cosmetic “beauty bars”.

Giving back. We adopt and directly fund the rehabilitation of orangutans whose habitats have been damaged by nonsustainable palm oil harvesting methods.

Repurposing… with meaning. We transform our soap trimmings into brand new bars of soap which we donate to homeless shelters.  What’s more, we sent over 40 pounds of this rebatched soap to Haiti to help maintain sanitation in the wake of the January 2010 earthquakes.

Cruelty free. All Sarva soaps are vegetarian friendly, and all but those containing honey are vegan friendly.  We do not engage in animal testing, nor do our suppliers.

Energy/resource conservation. These things go without saying!  We use only compact fluorescent light bulbs.  We require no electricity for the soapmaking process itself; it’s all done by hand!  We invest in carbon offsetting for the Sarva website.  We use the US Postal Service to ship packages (read why this is a green choice).  We recycle all paper, plastic, glass, and metal. We strive for a paperless office.  We grow many of our herbs ourselves.  We drive a hybrid vehicle to make deliveries and attend festivals.  The list goes on!

We’re always striving to improve on what we do, and I’m thrilled every time I can add another item to the above list.

Thanks for your support, as always, and have a great weekend!

Yesterday’s blog post stimulated a great deal of interesting conversation and feedback, as well as even more thought on my end.   I never regret thinking and questioning deeply. I hope that when I ruffle feathers – mine included – the movement created is ultimately a good thing.

It seems there are a few concurrent issues here:

• Green versus natural (e.g., don’t use essential oils distilled from endangered or threatened species; please see Cropwatch for more information)
  
• Safe usage of essential oils on the skin – independent of any trade organization’s mandates
  
• Regulation and recommendations and the politics therein
• The negative perception of fragrance oils by proponents of natural products (I share this perception!)
  

I speak sometimes about architecture because I live with a LEED-certified (green) architect, and I am fortunate to know other professionals in the industry as well.  I’m no expert in that field, but I hear discussion of a green concept called E-cubed:  Economy, ethics, and environment.   The dilemma is how to make balanced choices which satisfy all three.  I think most of the issues above fit into these categories.

And these categories are endless quagmires.  Is it more ethical to pay workers a low wage to harvest for essential oil distillation, is it more ethical to forbid clearing land (and risking deforestation) for a plantation, or is it more ethical to use a mindfully-created synthetic to satisfy our craving for, say, a sandalwood scent (sandalwood is endangered)?  Further, which is worse for our skin:  Too much cinnamon essential oil, which can lead to acute cross-sensitization and allergy (many aromatherapists would recommend not using it at all in a leave-on product such as a lotion), or a synthetic fragrance which is purported to carry a carcinogenic risk?  OK, what about phthalate-free fragrances, which have eliminated the carcinogen?  Perhaps you see how fuzzy this can get.

I have always been dead-set against synthetic fragrance.  I still am.  But as I learn more, I am coming to understand that they are not all created equally.  I also used to be against fragrance that is natural in source only (example:  you can obtain an almond-like scent by isolating and altering the naturally-occurring aromachemical cinnamaldehyde, which is present in cinnamon bark essential oil). So you arrive at a new class of fragrances.  Are they natural?

Bergamot essential oil, altered to be free of a chemical called bergaptene, is used by aromatherapists as a skin-safe product, allaying risk of photosensitization.  Now, IFRA ruffles a LOT of feathers, and some essential oil producers feel they have gone too far with their attempts at regulation.  Still, I have also learned that some essential oils which are banned by IFRA can be made skin-safe through a similar fractionation process, harvesting out the risky aromachemicals.   Are these still natural?

It is also true that some essential oils are not pure, especially when purchased in bulk.  So are they really natural?

There are indeed very harmful fragrance oils.  Please make sure, when you purchase products that are not naturally scented, you select phthalate-free fragrance.  If the package doesn’t say, ASK.  Phthalates are petroleum derivatives that are not good for our environment or our bodies (it is a reported carcinogen).  Even portions of these fragrance oils are created from naturally-occurring aromachemicals at times.   I would never use these, but you know what I’m going to ask…

I’m not a chemist, and I have thus far solely used essential oils in Sarva’s products.  I am still in the learning phase about these issues as they apply to fragrance–creating new materials that are natural in source–and I’m also currently wondering whether they can help us get around some the troubles as viewed from an E-cubed perspective:  (a) safe skin usage;  (b) environmental depletion; and (c) economic impact for those who harvest and distill plant matter.

In short: Are we seeing the evolution of a product made from natural aromachemicals, a new class of fragrances that addresses all of these issues?  I believe we are.

I don’t have the answers.  I still believe in nature; I still believe in essential oils.  When it comes down to it, I’m talking about 3-4% of a product formulation.  But that 3-4% carries a lot of weight in my book.    And it seems to me that we as humans are learning how to work in harmony with nature.  I think we should give this concept a chance.  And that is where I will be focusing my research.

Thanks so much for exploring this topic with me.

Holden Arboretum, Ohio. © Michelle Gilbert.

Hello everyone!  As I mentioned in my last post, there are a few changes in the works here at Sarva.   I’m going to take a few minutes and fill you in.  This is a long post, so please bear with me.  There is very important information here for anyone who is a proponent of natural products, and at the very end I want your direct feedback!

If you shop regularly, you’ve noticed that a great many soaps are sold out.  We had a wildly successful holiday 2009 season, and many varieties were completely sold out.  Thank you!   We’re currently restocking many of those varieties, some with changes, and we’re introducing some new varieties.

Rustic series soaps will share a new base formula, free of palm kernel oil.  Palm and palm kernel oil harvesting is believed to contribute to tropical deforestation and displacement of orangutans from their natural habitat.  Sarva has “adopted” and directly pays for the rehabilitation of one such orangutan, Kesi.  I continue to investigate this issue because, of course, some people do disagree.

Holiday soaps will be retired until next year, and a few other soaps are retiring:  Cinnamon Sunshine, Rosamaya, Satori, and possibly more.   For some, it is simply time to move on.  For others, there is something far larger happening in the world of fragrance (natural and synthetic), and it is something that you as a consumer should know about:  Regulation.

The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) is an organization that sets forth guidelines for safe usage of natural and synthetic fragrance materials.  They evaluate the environmental as well as the personal (skin safety) impact of these materials.  Their usage recommendations for natural fragrance (including essential oils) has become more and more strict.  What these data mean is that there are essential oils that I should no longer use to make soap for you.

While IFRA’s regulations are indeed research-based, there are many in the natural perfume industry who feel that they are entirely too harsh, and these people are actively protesting.  I remain carefully informed on this matter, and I am one of few soapmakers who has formal aromatherapy training.  I have my own opinions about this (I agree with many of them, and many I do not), but the fact remains that, whether I like it and whether I agree or not, I should not use the materials they are banning.

And in 2010, even more strict regulations are coming, further restricting what I can offer you.  And it will continue to become more limiting.  I expect to lose at least 25% of my product line this year as a result.

In an interview with my good friend Robert Stockham, I discussed the dilemma of which is truly more sustainable and environmentally friendly:  Using essential oils which can deplete our natural resources (and some of which, no matter what anyone tells you, are simply not skin-safe), or using synthetic fragrance oils which have the potential to affect our groundwater, soil, etc.  I am also acutely aware of the sensitivities some people have to fragrance oils.  Keep a secret?  I share these sensitivities myself.  I know how you feel.

I want to be completely clear:  I am a strong proponent of all things natural.  You might not find a stronger proponent!

There are already endangered natural fragrance materials:  Sandalwood is one, rosewood is but another.  (I use rosewood leaf in my formulations, which is a somewhat more sustainable alternative).   This is a very real concern.

So, you see, we have to use our resources intelligently.  Being a proponent of all things natural might involve a paradigm shift:  One may need to support decisions that sustain our environment, not deplete it.

I’ve meditated on this for several months, wondering if my potential solution is akin to selling out.  But I believe the intelligent choice is to look at true sustainability, expanding one’s mind beyond the “natural is always best” stance.  I see a middle way arising.  There is a growing movement around sustainable cosmetics, and I will continue to educate myself and you.  Consider: Sustainable architecture (ask any LEED-certified professional) is rarely restricted to solely natural materials; it is recognized that this too would deplete our resources (understanding, of course, we aren’t smearing building adhesives on our skin!).  We learn more every day about how to create safe and sustainable materials.  My opinion is that we need a LEED-like process for our industry.

So I have a proposal for you, and here’s where I want your feedback! I am considering introducing a limited range of what I’ll call “Nearly Naturals”.

• I will carefully choose fragrances which are superior quality, phthalate-free (phthalates are a petroleum-based additive in some fragrances) and as sustainable as possible, and appropriate to the spirit of Sarva. Not all fragrance oils are created equal!  Some are derivatives of natural substances.
• All will be clearly marked on packaging and on the web site.
• The Nearly Naturals soaps will be 95-97% natural, whereas our present soaps are 100% natural.
• I may more closely investigate the use of oxides to pigment some of these soaps.
• The main focus of Sarva will always be the 100% natural products you have come to love… the Nearly Naturals are simply a supplement.  You can then choose for yourself which side of the environmental fence you wish to stand on, and you can shop based on your principles, not mine.

Your feedback is the sole determining factor. Please share with me how you feel about this matter in the comments below. I want to create soaps that you love to use and feel good about using, and I want to feel good about making them.

Edit: To clarify, I am NOT ceasing production of essential oil soaps, nor is my hand being forced to do so.  They will always comprise the bulk of the product line, if not the whole product line.  I am asking if you do – or don’t – want increased choice in the form of any available sustainable fragrance oils.  As time passes and we learn more about natural as well as synthetic fragrance (or a hybrid thereof), we learn more about the impact our use of them has on our bodies and the environment.  And our available choices shift.  What do YOU want?

Thank you!

World Wildlife Fund is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour – to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.

In December 2009 world leaders meet in Copenhagen to agree on a post-Kyoto policy for tackling climate change. One billion people voting with their light switch during Earth Hour will create a powerful mandate for our leaders to take strong and decisive action on climate change in Copenhagen.  With the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote, Vote Earth is a global call to action for every individual, every business and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet.

Will you vote for the Earth with your light switch? Sign up to participate in Earth Hour 2009… let your vote be counted!

I participated in Earth Hour 2008.  It was a wonderful experience! We went above and beyond… we powered down everything in our home – not only our lights,  but also radio, TV, you name it (well, ok, we left the fridge running)!  We ended up staying powered down for much longer than an hour.  

We spent a lovely evening by candlelight, free from the distractions our lives throw at us – news good and bad, constant “entertainment”, electronic noise – and tuned in to each other, our own selves, and the rhythms of nature.  We watched birds settle in at dusk within the tree in front of our house.  We noticed that we too were sleepy and ready to turn in much earlier than our artificially lit environment would otherwise have us believe.

On that one March evening, we felt truly connected.  I actually had to remind myself that this was for a greater cause than my own well-being!  But it is.

I will again be participating in Earth Hour 2009, and look forward to it tremendously.  

Watch this YouTube video, a beautifully done history of this annual event.  (sorry, Wordpress wouldn’t let me embed the video!)  Check out the Earth Hour FAQ for additional information and details.

I encourage you to not only add your voice to the growing momentum, but to also give yourself  the gift of just one hour of quietude.  

Or, if that isn’t your style, go to www.earthhour.org for a clickable map of worldwide event listings.   West side Clevelanders, for example, can check out the Earth Hour event at the Lakewood Park (Google map) Women’s Club Pavilion starting at 8:00, including singalongs, stargazing, and storytelling.  

Either way, sign on, switch off, and make a difference! 

image of a palm oil plantation in Indonesia, courtesy of hydrogencommerce.com

Did you know that widespread use of palm oil, a common ingredient in soap and many other products, is believed to be damaging our poor planet? 

Most frequently cited is the plight of the orangutan and other wildlife, wiped out from widespread deforestation; this deforestation also is said to directly contribute to climate change. 

It’s a hot topic of debate as to whether there can be a truly “sustainable” palm oil, and some parties even argue that palm oil harvestation has no negative consequences.  Still, persuasive and very heated arguments exist on all sides.

While the personal care industry is said to only comprise 7% of worldwide palm oil consumption, it’s still well worth seeking the best strategy.  

This is a complex issue, and I’ll try to break down the options concisely.   By necessity, this is a drastic oversimplification of the matter at hand.

Some personal care products companies choose to “give back” by donating a portion of their profits to organizations which support and help rehabilitate depleted geographical areas. We at Sarva want to be ABSOLUTELY sure that what we give to these associations… in essence, your money…  would be truly spent wisely and effectively. 

Other personal care products companies eliminate palm oil completely from all of their formulations. While this prevents further damage to the environment, it has the potential to rob countless harvesters of their sole source of income and support for their families.  

Sustainable palm oil is said to be available, but again, there is disagreement as to whether it is truly sustainable, and it is certainly higher in price.

Sarva does not take a definitive stance on the palm oil issue.  In fact, I personally believe that all sides offer a piece of the truth.  Nonetheless, decisions must be made.

As the owner of Sarva, I am personally researching this matter and carefully considering the following options in the coming months:

1. participating in a responsibly delegated “giving back” program
2. sourcing truly sustainable palm oil
3. reformulating all soaps which presently contain palm or palm kernel oil
4. a combination of the above

I’ll keep you informed here at Soap Leaves, the Sarva Soaps blog, as well as on the Sarva page at Facebook.  

I welcome your input, and ask that any comments remain compassionate and helpful for all involved.

As I discussed in an earlier post, I’m often asked, “what do you do with all of your soap scraps?”   Sometimes the result can be very, very beautiful.  However, the most correct answer is, “it depends.”  Some soap scraps are beautiful additions to new soaps.  Others, however, have a different fate.

I’m going to show you a soapmaking project that you can do yourself!   No worries… the lengthy instructions belie the absolute simplicity of the project.

Rebatching is a fun way to transform ugly odds and ends of soap, otherwise destined for your garbage, into perfectly usable, cool-looking soap.   There are as many methods are there are soapmakers, but this is what I find to be easiest.

Please note that this process can only be done with REAL soap.  Save your Sarva Soaps scraps, or any other handcrafted or “true” soap.   Detergent bars or “moisturizing bars” or the like are NOT soap (and aren’t biodegradable!).  If the ingredient label lists “sodium hydroxide”, or says “saponified oils of…”, then you’re good to go.

Tools:

• food processor with grating blade,  or a hand grating tool
• a “soap mold” (some ideas:  small cardboard or wooden box, clean milk carton with one side cut off, or a glass baking dish without a lid )*
• parchment paper to line your mold
• glass baking dish with lid (the lid is important) (and if you use a glass baking dish for your mold, you need a separate one with a lid too)
• bowl or bucket to collect soap scraps
• bowl or bucket to hold soap after you’ve grated it
• oven
• stainless steel spoon (MUST be stainless steel!)
• stainless steel blade (MUST be stainless steel!)
• time and patience (this is best done over a weekend)

*Alternative mold idea:  Silicone ice cube or muffin “tin” – you don’t need to line it!  But please don’t use it for food after you’ve used it for rebatching.

Ingredients:

• soap scraps (for personal use, it is fine to save scraps from used soaps, but for my purposes, I rebatch only clean, sanitary scraps that have been in long-term sealed storage)
• water (distilled is best, but tap will do)
• optional: essential oils (or fragrance oils if you are so inclined; I personally do not use synthetic substances)
• optional: milk (cow’s milk works best but is not vegan; substitutes are coconut milk or soy milk)

Procedure:

1.  Collect all of your scraps of soap.  I suspect you’ll have a lot less than I do!

2.  Run scraps through your food processor with the grating blade in place.  I use my studio’s food processor, which is dedicated solely to soapmaking.  But it’s okay if you use your own kitchen food processor as long as your soaps are for personal use.   Just be sure to soak it until all of the soap rinses off, then wash it thoroughly.   You may also use a hand grating tool.   You’ll end up with grated soap, below:

3.  Add water to moisten your grated soap and stir it with  your hands to distribute.  How much water, you ask?  Um… I eyeball it.  Not a lot.  Enough to make it a bit slick, but you don’t want to start sudsing your soap or have pools of water in your container.   Even if you add too much, it’s okay.  The worst that will happen is your rebatched soap will take longer to harden.   Maximum amount would be 1/4 cup total liquids (water plus milk) to pound of soap.   If you’re adding milk, wait until you are just about to put the soap in the oven.  Don’t let the soap sit out overnight with milk in it!  (Sorry, no photo here)

3a.  Cover your shredded soap and let it sit, ideally overnight.  This lets the water sink in and soften your scraps.

4.  Here’s the “quick and dirty” method to deciding what size mold you’ll need:  Take your grated soap and pack it into the mold you have in mind.  See if it fits, maybe overflowing a bit.  Does it work out?  Great, you have your mold!   No?  Find a different one!

Here’s my method:  I weigh my soap shreds on my soapmaking scale.  Since I know how much soap (in pounds) each of my molds yields, I can easily choose a mold.  In my case, I have about 15 pounds of scraps this time around.

You’ll need to line your mold completely with baking parchment.  I didn’t take a photo of this step – everyone has their own method.

5.  When your grated soap is softened (just a little squishy), turn on your oven to about 200 degrees.  Pack the soap scraps into the lidded glass baking dish.  Put the lid on, and put your soap in the oven.   Don’t leave the house, don’t take a nap, don’t forget about your soap!  Plan some meals, read the paper, have a cup of coffee with a loved one, do a puzzle… enjoy time in your kitchen, what used to be the center of our homes.  Dawdle!  It’s a lost art.

Check your soap now and then.  Take it out and stir it with your stainless steel spoon every 20-30 minutes.  Oh dear… it looks like shreds of soap in some really weird mashed potato-like gel!  Yes… that’s good!  And after a couple hours (give or take; this is not a scientific process), despite the funny smell (hey, it’s cooking soap), nearly all of the soap will be “gellified”, like below:

You can let it get really gellified if you want, but you must watch it carefully so it doesn’t boil and make a mess of your oven.  I like to keep it “less gellified”, because then I still see little flecks of color in the finished product.   I took mine out of the oven at this point.

5a.  This is where you’d add any fragrance or essential oils.  Your first time, I suggest you don’t add anything.  But once you get comfy with the process, you can add about 1 tsp or so of scent per pound of soap.  Stir thoroughly!  (side note:  you can “superfat” by adding extra oils too, if you want, such as almond, olive, or castor… add only 1/2 tsp per pound of soap)

6.  Glop the soap into your mold.   Glop really is the best word.

Now, because I care about you, I must warn you.  This is HOT.  It was in the oven for a couple hours, it holds heat, it’s gooey like candle wax, and it’s HOT!   I know… I know… it’s obvious.  But it’s easy to just think, “oh hey, soap” and forget that it’s HOT!

Put on an oven mitt, put a piece of parchment over top of the soap, and press it down, down, down so that it packs into the mold.  Otherwise you’ll get big air gaps, and that looks funny.  Take out all your frustrations on your poor soap.  It can handle it.  But you must work fast!

I ran several molds of this size over an extended period of time, so here’s one of mine:

7.  Let this cool for several hours… or overnight is fine… and cut into slices, chunks, whatever you like.  Use a kitchen knife or any clean stainless steel blade.  It doesn’t have to be sharp.    I used my super fancy industrial soapmaker’s slicer, and here’s what I got:

8.  When you first slice it,  it will be a bit soft.   No worries.  Let it harden for at least 1-2 weeks, maybe longer.   It’s usable right away, but the longer it hardens, the longer it lasts.

Cleanup:  Be sure to soak all of your dishes, spoons, etc., for a long time in water.  Once the soap has softened and rinses right off, just wash everything thoroughly.  If you do this often, you really should dedicate a set of utensils and bowls specifically to this task.

9.  Use and enjoy!   And save the scraps from these soaps, because you can keep on rebatching.

Since I accumulate so many scraps, I routinely donate my rebatched soap to the local homeless shelter association. This time around, I had enough to make about 130 mini bars for them.  Our homeless shelters are very much in need these days.  While I don’t recommend you donate your rebatched soap (because it’s made of used soap scraps), do please consider contacting your local agencies to see what they need, be it supplies, a donation, or even the gift of your time.  If you’re like me, it’ll make your spirit smile.

Be well!