FAQ

Yes; and in addition to being biodegradable our soaps don’t require any chemical additions aside from the sodium hydroxide which completely reacts with the olive oil. Our production process produces no waste at all and uses a minimal quantity of water that will be evaporated during the curing phase. We do not use fossil fuels for heating since our products are worked at cold temperatures.

Yes; more specifically it does not contain any animal by-products and has not been tested on animals. We only use 3 ingredients in our unscented soaps. For our scented line we add a fourth ingredient which is an essential oil either lavender, pine, orange blossom, cedar, or jasmine. Essences change every season.

The olive oil is. The reason behind our choice is to preserve the dermatological benefits of the omegas, glycerin, vitamins, and antioxidants that are naturally present in the olive.

Some are cold pressed using mechanical pressure and some are distilled following the traditional techniques.

All of our products contain the main 3 ingredients which are virgin olive oil, water, and caustic soda. The fourth ingredient is a natural essential oil depending on which product you choose. In total, our products contain 4 ingredients for the bar soaps and 5 for the liquid soap to which sea salt is added. And that’s about it, no synthetics, no chemicals.

Any additive, chemicals, foaming agents, paraben, solvents, alcohol, synthetic fragrances, PH adjusters, detergents, surfactants, formaldehyde, etc. Anything that falls outside of the ancestral recipe or is not a natural ingredient is neither in our books of rules nor in our recipe.

Definitely NOT

In Lebanon. Part of the production happens in South of Lebanon and some of it in Mount Lebanon.

We’ve written a blog post about it the summary of which is the following: Extra virgin and virgin olive oils are both mechanically pressed at ambient temperatures without the addition of heat or solvents. The free acidity of an extra virgin olive oil is below 0.8 while that of virgin oil ranges between 0.8 and 2.0. The more the oil is exposed to oxygen the higher this value. Extra virgin olive oil is the oil that contains the most nutrients. With time, the oil loses its nutritional value due to oxidation.

Yes, everything we use is recyclable where facilities exist. In addition, our liquid line is bottled in reusable flasks that can be used many times over.

There is no definite answer to this question. It depends. Males typically prefer resinous smells including pine and cedar. Women tend to prefer floral scents such as rose, jasmine, and gardenia. This is not a general rule as the tastes tend to change. Every season is unique in its sunlight, rain, and harvest; meaning to say that the essential oil itself might change profile from one harvest to the other.

Yes; we are always testing new recipes. The process takes time. Liquid soaps are a fragile balance between solids and fluids. Finding the right stable mix without using chemicals and stabilizers is a skill that requires dexterity and knowledge. Once we’re satisfied with the result of our batch, you’ll be the first to know.

Absolutely

Let your soap dry in between uses. To extend the useful life of the soap, place it in a well-drained holder away from humidity.

From olive to soap it take around 4 to 5 months depending on the season. Our soap starts in a large mixer in which cold saponification takes place. Then the soap is dried for a month, then milled into chips. In the month that follows the chips are turned manually to aerate them properly for a whole month. Then milling is done again to obtain finer grades which are again aerated for another full month. At this point, on the third month, the essential oils are added, the chips and oils are mixed for 24 hours to obtain a paste which is pressed into the bars you’re holding. Then curing for another 2-4 weeks, and we’re ready to ship.

Our soaps have a pH between 9 and 10 depending on the season and the area where the olives were grown. While this is its normal range, it does not mean that a non-neutral pH will unbalance your skin’s. What unbalances your epidermis are the additives you see in synthetic soaps that stick to your skin to block your pores. When you use a natural soap, you will notice how gentle it feels and how easily the foam rinses off without the need for excessive rubbing.

The answer to that question depends on how you store your soap and the water temperature it’s exposed to. A good soap that is matured for a long enough period of time (4-5 months) forms a dense body and loses its excess water. This transformation attributes to the soap its longevity. Our experience shows that a bar will last anywhere between 50 to a 100 full body and hair washes.

Saponification is the chemical reaction that occurs when a fatty acid and a base are mixed in the presence of water. This complete and reversible reaction yields a solid soap. When it occurs in the absence of heat, the reaction takes months to complete. With the presence of heat, the reaction takes a couple hours but at the expense of altering the olive molecules and losing their benefits to the skin.

Curing takes place in our cellars where soap undergoes two developments. The first is the loss of excess water which yields a denser soap. This densification attributes to the soap its longevity. The second is the carryover of the saponification reaction until all the sodium hydroxide is consumed. At ambient temperatures, the reaction is slow requiring a couple months depending on the ambient temperature and humidity.

Yes, as long as you use it for external wash only; meaning ladies don’t use the soap on your intimate areas because its pH is not neutral. Our soaps are also not recommended for dyed hair as colour will fade.

In between washes store your soap in a dry place. For extended periods of time store it in a cool dry place away from UV light. In theory, soaps don’t have an expiration date. The only transformation that might occur after 7-8 years is the extreme loss of water and maybe its lather properties. Once rehydrated a couple times the soap should regain its properties and perform as intended.

Multiple criteria identify a good soap. First, if it’s an unscented soap it should in theory contain no more than 3 ingredients. Second, the colour should be light. A lighter colour means many things: could be that the olive oil used was of a better quality or it could be that the producer used palm oils or titanium oxides. Always refer to the ingredients before making judgements. Third, if a soap has been saponified at cold temperatures then it should retain its aromas if olive oil was used.

We do not aim to reduce our production costs. Palm oil increases both hardness and detergence of the soap and by extension reduces the time required to mature the soap. But palm oil is corrosive and dehydrates the skin. It’s common practise in the industry not to exceed a maximum of 30% in concentration of palm oils which is also blended with glycerins to counter their effect.

Worldwide using 2-3 days DHL express shipping

For orders larger than $80, shipping is on us. For smaller orders your shipping cost varies between 18 to 32 dollars depending on the destination and will be calculated at checkout. If you face any troubles inputting your address, please reach out to us and we will be glad to help you out.