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- Why should I use handcrafted soap?
- Why are Sarva soaps more expensive than other brands?
- Why does Sarva charge different prices for different soaps?
- Why is natural so important?
- I've heard handcrafted soap doesn't last very long. Is this true?
- How do I know which Sarva soaps are vegetarian or vegan friendly?
- Why is there sometimes a delay in availability of my favorite Sarva soap?
Why should I use handcrafted soap? What's so special about it?
Soap is created through a naturally-occurring reaction between sodium hydroxide and any oil, such as olive oil. This reaction transforms these ingredients into soap and leaves behind no sodium hydroxide, and, depending on the soap’s formulation, little to no oil.
Glycerin is present in artisanal soap as a byproduct of the above process. Glycerin is a humectant, drawing ambient moisture to your skin. All skin types need moisture, even oily skin! Most moisturizers use oils to help your skin feel soft. Glycerin is not an oil and is non-comedogenic (will not clog your pores).
Commercial soaps are often stripped of their glycerin through chemical processes; glycerin is profitable and is used to make other products. Artisanal soaps retain all of their naturally-occurring glycerin, and many people notice a difference in how their skin feels with regular use of artisanal soaps.
Learn more about this topic on the Sarva Soaps blog.
Read customer praise for Sarva Soaps.
Why are Sarva soaps more expensive than other brands?
We know you can spend less on commercial or handcrafted soaps. 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 sources out the finest 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.
In short, we believe the cost of these high-caliber natural ingredients is well worth it.
And we give you more of this goodness with every bar! Compare the size of other artisanal soaps to Sarva's generous 4.5-ounce bars.
The meticulous formulation and craftsmanship of our soaps has garnered Sarva much recognition and admiration. 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 commercial soaps might not be true soaps... often they are synthetic, mass-manufactured, non-biodegradable detergent bars which cost far less to make, in both time and materials, than the handcrafted, luxurious creations you find at Sarva.
Why does Sarva charge different prices for different soaps?
Sarva has something for everyone! We offer you many choices in price, style, scent, and feel on your skin. Our prices are based primarily on the formulation of each soap and the complexity of design and craftsmanship involved.
- Rustic Series soaps are lovely in their simplicity. They have simple, comforting scents and make wonderful everyday bars.
- Spa Series soaps contain luxurious ingredients, such as shea butter, which add to their value. Their soothing scents and pampering ingredients give you a real home spa treat!
- Gallery Series soaps are works of art, the pinnacle of artisanal soapmaking, created with great care and skill. They are beautifully detailed soaps with gorgeous, creative scents.
- Premium Series soaps are made with rare or precious ingredients, such as very costly essential oils, and/or crafted using specialized techniques, and are usually offered in smaller quantity.
What makes a soap natural, and what would make a soap not natural? Why is natural so important?
Two primary factors determine whether a soap is natural: Coloring and scent.
Sarva soaps are colored strictly with herbs, spices, clays, charcoal, or other botanicals. We do not use micas or oxides; while popular in many "natural" soaps, these are actually laboratory-created, synthetic lookalikes of true mineral pigments. There's good reason for this: mineral oxides in their natural form contain harmful metals, and the synthetic oxides have been engineered to be free of such metals. Sarva does not use true mineral oxides, due to their harmful nature. We also do not use lab-created oxides, as these clearly are not natural materials and can carry a huge ecological footprint in their manufacture. Sarva occasionally uses titanium dioxide, a bright white, the only common oxide which is natural in source.
Regarding scents, Sarva only uses essential oils, never synthetic fragrance oils. This may prevent us from offering certain types of scents such as copies of your favorite fragrance, or food-like scents (strawberry, favorite desserts, etc.), but we are willing to make that sacrifice in order to provide you with an all-natural product.
There is much information available about the unhealthy effects of petroleum-based and other synthetic chemicals on our skin, not to mention the ecological concerns. Further, some people who have sensitive skin find that they have a reaction to synthetic fragrances, but can use products containing essential oils.
At Sarva, we do our homework in bringing a 100% natural product to you, and we are one of the few soap companies who sell truly all-natural soaps!
Please know your own skin, research carefully for yourself, and feel comfortable with what you are putting on your body! Remember that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic soap. Sarva's choice is to offer a strictly natural product for you.
I've heard handcrafted soap doesn't last very long. Is this true?
Special soap requires special care!
Sarva takes great care to formulate our soaps to be as long-lasting and yet as gentle to your skin as possible. Because handcrafted soap contains so much glycerin, it must be allowed to drain completely between uses.
If you keep your Sarva soap in a well-draining dish, you will find that it lasts much longer, often just as long as a mass-produced bar.
When you buy Sarva soap in quantity, please store your unopened soaps in a cool, dry place away from direct light. Handcrafted soap containing all-natural ingredients has an optimal shelf life of approximately six months. Unused and well-stored bars will keep for years, but their scents and colors will likely fade.
How do I know which soaps are vegetarian or vegan friendly?
All Sarva soaps are vegetarian friendly and cruelty-free. We do not engage in animal testing. Sarva only uses pure food-grade vegetable oils in all base formulations... never tallow, lard, or other animal fats. Currently, all but one are vegan friendly.
The only animal product Sarva uses is local Ohio honey, in Oats and Honey. We selected our honey supplier carefully, choosing an apiary who harvests ethically and cares for their bees.
Everything sold by Sarva is marked as "vegetarian" and/or "vegan friendly" on its product page so that you can buy with confidence.
Why is there sometimes a delay in availability of my favorite Sarva soap?
Sarva soaps are lovingly handcrafted in an artisanal process which takes about four weeks to complete for every bar. Soapmaking is a time-intensive process, a true labor of love. Sarva soaps are crafted in very small batches in order to create such a unique product. Soaps are poured into a mold, left to rest for 24 hours, then planed, sliced, and beveled by hand. Soaps must then harden or "cure" on racks for four weeks before they are ready for you to enjoy.
Sometimes we unexpectedly sell out of a particular soap before the next batch is ready to sell. Thus, on occasion there is a bit of a delay. (And thank you for your patience when this happens!)
