Oats & Honey soap with Hemp Soap Saver

Hey all, just a quick blog post here. Looked at the calendar and realized… Mother’s Day is coming! Soon! So let’s have a special sale.

There’s still time to get mom some beautiful soaps… and luxury soap is a wonderful way to pamper mom (or wife/mom). We ship Priority Mail, and we can ship direct to mom if you wish.

For some ideas, check out our gift sets (most are build your own, something you don’t find everywhere)… and we also offer some nice accessories too!  (and there are more coming soon…)

So, visit the Sarva website, enter coupon code MOMLOVE at checkout, and enjoy 15% savings on your entire order, no minimum required. Sale ends at midnight on Saturday, May 8. Feel free to tell your friends!

And, wishing a very happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!

Suds Beer Soap

Gah! It’s been way too serious around here.

Spring’s around the corner; the crocuses are popping up in my garden and the snow is melting! And we have another holiday coming our way. You know, the one where everyone’s Irish.

In honor of St. Patty’s Day, we have a special batch of Suds Beer Soap for you, made with Conway’s Irish Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Company.

AND it’s on sale on our website for $7.50 through Sunday March 14, nearly 20% off!

Now, I made absolutely sure this beer was up to par for our fine soaps by testing it out the old-fashioned way first (oh, the hardships I must endure for you). Not that I was concerned! We’re major fans of Great Lakes Brewing Company, and they have so many great beers. But they do more than make great, award-winning beer.  They are one of the most eco-friendly businesses in Cleveland.  We’re proud to have Suds soap featured in the Great Lakes Brewing Company gift shop.

As for the soap… it smells great, it feels great, and it lives up to its name! There’s an ounce of beer in every bar, and I’m no scientist, but I’m pretty sure that Suds’ amped-up lather is a beer thing.  Those of you who are soap-as-shampoo aficionados might want to give this one a try; you know what they say about beer being great for hair.  I still haven’t found a way to describe the scent other than awesome.  Sure, it smells like beer.  But not beery.  It’s fresh, full, spicy, fruity… well, you just have to try it and find out.  Plus, this batch looks way cooler than the photo above.

So, if you’ve been dying to try Suds, here’s your chance, and at a great price!

I’m in the awkward position of needing to inform you about a recent development in my industry that has left me speechless.  So I’m going to let noted industry leaders speak instead.  I’ve assembled a collection of links and quotes on the topic, with a few thoughts of my own, so you can decide for yourself.  (Edit: I’m tremendously honored; Kayla Fioravanti at Essential Wholesale has listed my blog post as “Recommended Reading” on her most recent post. I consider all of her posts recommended reading!)

But it’s important you do, because if this passes on Monday, it sets a dangerous nationwide precedent for the entire cosmetics industry.

This coming Monday, March 1, the state of Colorado will attempt to enact a “zero-tolerance” bill regarding carcinogenic substances in cosmetics. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

But wait.

The state of Colorado hopes to be able to give its citizens the right to directly sue any company that makes a product containing certain ingredients. What ingredients?  Not what the FDA or cancer researchers decide are carcinogens at normal usage levels… rather, what a group called the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics deems carcinogenic.  The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CFSC) is a consumer group, not an association of cosmetic chemists or scientists. Is this a result of lobbying? You decide.

The CFSC has been alienating its own industry for a while now. Some manufacturers, even though they work incredibly hard to bring you safe products, have even revoked their CFSC membership.  Those of you who remember the FDA Globalization Act of 2008 may recall the CFSC’s role; they drafted a petition signature in favor of the Globalization Act–an Act which, had it passed, would have threatened the very survival of every company who had voluntarily signed on to the CFSC.

Kayla Fioravanti, certified aromatherapist and owner of raw materials supplier Essential Wholesale, summarizes the bill here. And here is the actual bill (PDF format).

The matter at hand is not a question of inaccurate data… rather, it’s a question of how the data are interpreted.

As Kayla astutely points out, there needs to be differentiation between carcinogenic at normal usage levels and carcinogenic at 100% concentration.   Consider: If an essential oil contains a trace of a chemical which is proven carcinogenic at 100% concentration, from what I understand, the essential oil itself may be banned.   If an essential oil comprises 0.05% of a product’s total formulation (a common level for soaps), how much, then, of that trace carcinogen is present in the product?

Every substance–even a toxin–has a No Observable Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL), a level of weak concentration at which the substance is no longer toxic.  Did you know that strawberries contain a carcinogen called acetaldehyde?  That’s a great example of a NOAEL… more on acetaldehyde below.

If I understand correctly, Colorado would allow its citizens to sue Sarva for selling our soaps in Colorado if we use ANY ingredient that shows ANY trace of a carcinogen, even if it is used at NOAEL.  Gosh, what if we add mashed strawberries to a soap?

So, what kinds of ingredients are on the list? A great example (though not a natural substance), and a great post well worth reading from Kayla Fioravanti:

“in Colorado you will not be allowed to buy green eye shadow, because the EPA has the main ingredient listed as “likely to be a carcinogenic to humans.”   Of course the EPA was talking about Chromic acid in a mist, but it is on the list so it is banned.  The ingredient is completely safe in cosmetics.  As a matter of fact, eye lid cancer is extremely rare and is more common in men (19.6 cases per every 100,000 men) than in women (13.3 cases per every 100,000 women) and is attributed to the sun and not green eye shadow.”

As Ms. Fioravanti points out in her above blog post, many manufacturers who signed on and remain with the CFSC are going to be very surprised to find that even their products are going to be banned in Colorado.  Explain that.

And let’s not forget essential oils! From aromatherapist and author Robert Tisserand:

“…goodbye to rose otto and rose absolute. It was nice knowing you. And so long to nutmeg oil, mace oil, myrtle oil, basil oil, holy basil oil, citronella oil, ho leaf oil (linalool ct), elemi oil, and many other less common essential oils. Not because they contain acetaldehyde, but because they contain methyleugenol (ME). ME is occasionally found in traces in rosemary oil, clove oil, hyssop oil, teatree oil, cananga oil, mastic oil, cassia oil, cinnamon leaf oil, savory oil, black pepper oil and, again, many others. Have you eaten any fresh basil or pesto lately? Then you have been consuming ME. But, neither fresh basil nor pesto is carcinogenic, because they also contain antimutagens and anticarcinogens that counteract any toxic effect of ME. I’m not just saying this, it has been demonstrated. The same goes for holy basil oil, to take one example – not only is it non-carcinogenic, but it is actually anticarcinogenic. The high content of geraniol in rose otto is almost certainly protective because of its anticarcinogenic action.”

I get it; I really do.  Colorado wants to give power to its citizens and protect their health at the same time.  But who’s the authority, and who should have the power to enforce consumer safety? A cosmetic chemist? A state government? A consumer coalition? Or the actual consumer, who may know nothing at all about cosmetic chemistry?

This Act will allow any citizen in the state of Colorado to sue any manufacturer–even if that citizen is unharmed by their products—simply because any of their products contains a substance that is believed to be a carcinogen at any concentration, even if that concentration is NOT present in the product (see NOAEL above).  Olive oil contains phytoestrogens.  Have we now eliminated olive oil from personal care products in Colorado?

We have to be careful with our raw materials, and this includes natural substances such as essential oils. They are concentrated chemicals.  Fresh basil herb and basil essential oil are two very different substances containing different balances of chemicals. It’s the reponsibility of companies like Sarva to know that difference, to do our homework, and follow safe usage guidelines. There are essential oils or other additives we would never use in soapmaking, and others that we use at low levels, so that we create a safe product for you. But we base our choices on science, research, and reason… not imprecise propaganda.

After all, you can die from salt, too.

Want to help stop this act from passing?  Call these people and tell them to stop the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act:

Dennis Apuan (El Paso County): 303-866-3069
Betty Boyd (Jefferson County): 303-866-4857
Dianne Primavera (House sponsor): 303-866-4667
Karen Middleton (Arapahoe County): 303-866-3911
Joe Miklosi (Arapahoe County): 303-866-2910

The email addresses for the above individuals may be found in this directory.

I don’t want to prevent legislation designed to create safe personal care products.   What I do want to prevent is misinformed legislation based on bad science.   It limits good choices for all of us.

_______________________________

UPDATE, Tuesday March 2:  The act has been voted down in committee 7-4.  Please read this blog post for a synopsis.

UPDATE, Friday February 26:  Donna Maria Coles Johnson, founder of the Indie Beauty Network, has made it easy to fight back.  She’s drafted a letter for you to send. All you have to do is fill in the blanks!  She’s even included email, phone, AND fax numbers of all representatives.   D-Day is Monday March 1… this coming Monday!  I’m drafting my letters NOW.  Won’t you join me?

Oops.

In the mad rush to restock the web site after our holiday rush and fill some wholesale orders, we goofed.  We have a small batch of Grace soap that is… shall we say… cosmetically challenged.  There’s nothing wrong with the soap aside from its appearance.  Air bubbles here and there, slightly underweight (4.2 oz as opposed to 4.5 oz), and just not up to snuff.  Customers who have already purchased these are surprised we’re not selling them at full price, but we have very high standards around here.

So, I thought this might make a great win-win situation.   You get to try incredible soap at an incredible price, and these poor bars of Grace get a loving home.

Grace normally sells for $9.00 (yes, it’s worth it).   I’m offering these “slightly imperfect” bars to you for $6.50.   Nearly 30% off!

Grace is one of Sarva’s Premium Series soaps and was the first to sell out at Christmas.  People were clamoring for this soap!   You’ll be the first to get it in the new year, and at a discount too!  Lavender, Geranium, Rosewood (sustainably harvested Rosewood leaf), topped with organic rosebuds… all in a decadent Castille base, the same as our all-time top-seller, Purity.

Based on my own experience, if you have a cold, snowy winter like we do here in Ohio… accompanied by dry, itchy skin… this is the soap for you.  Creamy and mild.  And it smells incredible — elegant, heady, sweetly floral.  When I use this soap, I feel loved and special.

Want some? Go to  the product page. Note that you can  choose to receive your Slightly Imperfect bars unboxed and unlabeled (choose “unboxed” in the dropdown menu) and save another 25 cents per bar.  If you choose that option, we’ll bag your soaps in biodegradable waxed bags, no label.

…oh, and always remember to relax and take your time, even under pressure… I sure will from now on!

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!

Sarva's Holiday 2009 Series

Oh dear. I can’t believe I haven’t written a post in three months!  Truth is, so much has been happening here at Sarva that I’m still catching my breath.  Let me get you up to speed.

We’ve gotten some fabulous PR this holiday season.  Check the news flash page for a full list.  Highlights include:

• a simply beautiful article by Lori Deschene of Seeing Good, profiling me and some of the reasons I’m making soap for you
• a feature in Cool Cleveland (and can I say I’m completely stoked), which is Cleveland’s ultimate ezine/guide to what’s hot – my many, many thanks to Cleveland’s own Julie Cajigas of Inspired Freelancer for a great writeup
• an interview with Robert Stockham over at Great Lakes Green Pages, talking about sustainability, aromatherapy, and more
• and even the endorsement of a writer for the New York Times!  (hint:  look under the letter “S” in her alphabet of holiday gift ideas)

We’ve developed a line of holiday soaps that you’ve already been going crazy for.

We’ve created brand new Custom Gift Trios, and can I say that I think they’re simply gorgeous?

And… are you ready… we might sell out of soap this holiday season! Your repsonse has been absolutely unprecedented, and I want you to know how grateful I am.  Every bar of soap takes a month to manufacture (yes, really!), so we simply can’t make any more this holiday season… get yours NOW!  Before it’s too late!

Last day to order to ensure holiday delivery is Friday, December 18, 2009.   Shop now at www.sarvasoap.com. We ship USPS Priority Mail, and we’re working late every night this week to make sure your gifts get to you as soon as humanly possible!  And, for orders over $50, shipping’s on us.

And, if you’re on Facebook, I invite you to become a fan of Sarva Soaps on Facebook – quick updates and fun info are posted there almost daily for you to enjoy.  I love interacting with my Facebook fans!

So, in case I disappear again into the workshop, let me take this opportunity to wish every one of you a wonderful holiday season full of serenity and joy, and a marvelous, prosperous 2010.

May we all be happy.
May we all be healthy.
May we all be free from suffering.

Wishing you peace!

Felicity soap, © 2009 Sarva Soaps

We know you can spend less on commercial or handcrafted soaps.  (The truth is, you can also spend more.)  We also know that, for many people, it’s just soap!

Here at Sarva, we offer you mindfully, carefully developed soaps which are the culmination of years of knowledge, experience, and research. We bring our passion for natural, holistic living to everything we do. Sarva soaps are formulated and made by an artisan soapmaker who is formally trained in clinical aromatherapy and herbalism, and you benefit directly from that knowledge and experience.

Most soaps, even those which are labeled natural, are not 100% natural; often they include synthetic pigments or fragrances.  These drive manufacturing cost down and, unfortunately, are not good for us or our environment. Sarva uses no synthetic ingredients whatsoever.  We source out the finest sustainable all-natural raw materials—the best pure vegetable oils, luxuriously rich butters, beautiful natural colorants, divinely scented essential oils—so that you can treat yourself and your skin to a completely, truly natural and beautiful soap.

Sarva does not use cheap fillers in our soap such as soybean oil, an ingredient which does not contribute anything meaningful to a soap and, in fact, sometimes causes skin reactivity. Instead, we invest in the highest quality vegetable oils which bring you a far superior product: Better lather, better rinsing, and an overall more luxurious feel on the skin.

Our essential oil blends are painstakingly custom-formulated – by us, by hand – over a month-long process by our soapmaker, using principles of aromatherapy and natural perfumery.

We have spent literally years perfecting our all-natural color palette.  Almost all soap companies, even those claiming their products are natural, offer you soaps made with mineral oxides, which are a lab-created, synthetic ingredient.  We use only natural ingredients, and that goes for our pigments too.

In short, we believe the cost of these high-caliber natural ingredients is well worth it to you and your skin.

And we give you more of this goodness with every bar! Compare the size of other artisanal soaps to Sarva’s generous 4.5- to 5-ounce bars.

The meticulous formulation and craftsmanship of our soaps has garnered Sarva much recognition and admiration.  We create amazingly beautiful “art soaps” for you to enjoy on every level. We are passionate about our craft, and we want to share this passion with you.

Feed your spirit and treat your skin well. Allow us to bring you a small but luxurious indulgence which, at pennies a day, is a wonderfully economical investment in your sense of well-being.

Please consider the impact on our environment, and potentially your own well-being, when you choose synthetic products. Your favorite affordable commercial soaps might not be true soaps… often they are petroleum-based synthetic, mass-manufactured, non-biodegradable detergent bars which cost far less to make, in both time and materials, than the handcrafted, luxurious, environmentally-friendly creations you find at Sarva!