Austin Natural Soap

Top Ten List What You Say

Austin Natural Soap is handmade in Austin, Texas in small batches using only quality plant-based oils for their moisturizing properties. All of our soaps contain base oils of olive, coconut, palm and soybean or canola and have Vitamin E added as a natural preservative. Olive oil is used for its mild, silky smooth lather. Coconut oil is used for its lathering boost of big, fluffy, white bubbles. Palm oil is used for its ability to make a hard, firm bar of soap. Canola oil is sometimes used to give the soap a hard, shiny sheen. In addition, all of our soaps include one or more super-fatting oils (e.g. cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, castor oil, avocado oil, hemp oil, sunflower oil and/or shea butter). No animal fat is used in our handmade, herbal soap and natural glycerin is not extracted - unlike commercial soap. Most of our natural remedy soaps are fragranced with quality essential oils that have aromatherapy benefits. Some soaps derive their scent purely from the organic herbs that have been added. Others are lightly scented with select fragrance oils when a particular scent is desired and no pure essential oil exists (e.g. peach and strawberry). When color is added, only natural coloring agents are used. All of our soaps are pH tested and we do not test on animals (only willingly tested by our friends and family!).

Do you have a shop?

Why, yes! Our retail store is located in South Austin at 1801 South 1st St. in 78704 at the corner of Annie St., catty-corner to the Greetings from Austin Postcard Mural. 512.440.SOAP Hours are Tuesday - Saturday noon - 6pm. Closed on Sunday & Monday. Parking is available on the street around the shop and directly behind the building in our shared parking lot.

Do you sell wholesale?

But of course...how else would we fulfill our mission of "cleaning up the world, one bar at a time!". : ) Please e-mail me at annette@austinsoap.com with your needs, business name and business tax ID & I will send you a price list.

How soon will I receive my order?

After your order is placed, you can expect it to ship within 3-5 business (M-F) days. Usually, shipping takes 3-4 days for packages 5 pounds or less.

How much is shipping?

You pay what we pay....no extra handling here. We offer all USPS and UPS shipping options. The price is dynamically calculated at checkout by the weight of your order.

Why is Austin Natural Soap better for me than store brand soap or body wash?

Commercial soaps extract the moisturizing glycerin that is naturally produced when making soap. They sell the glycerin for a bigger profit for use in lotions and other high-end products. They also use lard (pork fat) or tallow (beef fat) as their oil base. We do not extract the glycerin and use no animal fat in our products. In addition, our ingredients are hand selected for quality and each batch is made by hand with the utmost care, not manufactured in a commercial plant. Body wash is not soap - it is synthetic detergent! Who wants to put stuff you wash your dishes with on your body?! For more reasons, see our Top Ten Reasons Why Austin Natural Soap is Better Than Other Soap! And, here's some information on the history of soapmaking, if you are interested.

Can you wash your face with this?

YES! Please do. You will find that our soap is very mild and wonderful for your skin. Our personal favorite is our Olive Oil

unscented Soap.

Does Austin Natural Soap have glycerin?

Yes, glycerin is formed during the saponification process and is melded into the plant-based oils, essential oils and herbs.

Will your soap melt away like other handmade soaps I have tried?

We use just the right amount of palm oil in our soap, which makes it stay hard. Since all handmade soap contains naturally forming glycerin, you shouldn't let it sit in a soap dish that doesn't drain or let it sit in a tub of water....it may eventually turn to mush.

What about those cool-looking see-thru glycerin soaps with inserts?

All "glycerin soaps" are made using melt & pour process - like making your own candles. You buy solid, bulk glycerin (often animal-based) that has added detergents to make lather and drying alcohol and/or propylene glycol to make it clear. You melt the glycerin and add fragrance, color or other additives. They may look cool and have some natural ingredients added, but they are synthetic-based and they aren't real soap. But, if you are looking for a fun, safe hobby and would like to experiment making your own bath products, melt and pour is a practical undertaking. We do sell bulk blocks at our retail store.

Why do you use essential oils?

Essential oils are natural organic substances which are produced in various glands and sacs within aromatic plants. They can occur in flowers, leaves, stems, seeds, barks, roots, fruits, herbs, grasses, needles, twigs, and resins. They are most often produced by steam distillation - a single drop of essential oil can be equal to one ounce of the plant. Most essential oils are antibacterial, plus they smell GREAT! Here is a link to a detailed alphabetical listing of potential essential oils uses.

Why do you use fragrance oils?

Fragrance oils are man-made and often contain a blend of real essential oils in their basic makeup. We use fragrance oils in some products because the scent is not available from plant-derived sources. But the main reason we use a few fragrance oils is because our customers ask for them! Our Fragrance Oils Soaps are in a separate section in our online storefront.

Are there any aromatherapy benefits from using Austin Natural Soap?

YES! Lavender is said to be calming and aid in stress-reduction -it is featured in our Lavender soap. All of our soap descriptions contain aromatherapy benefits where applicable. Here is a link to more emotional effects of aromatherapy using essential oils and herbs.

I have really dry skin. What is a good soap for me?

All our soaps are good for dry skin! Most everyone that uses commercial soaps has dry skin. (I wonder why!) All of our soaps have one or more speciality oils (e.g. cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, castor oil, avocado oil, hemp oil, and/or shea butter) that produce extra moisturizing results for your skin. Hemp seed oil is renowned for repairing dry skin - it is featured in our Hippie Hollow soap.

I have really oily skin. What is a good soap for me?

All of our soaps are good for oily skin too! Some commercial soaps strip the skin of all natural oil, which can be very irritating and actually cause more problems. I personally have acne-prone, oily skin. My favorite face soaps are Honey Oatmeal or Tea Tree Oil . Tea Tree essential oil is a natural antiseptic and has many healing properties. You can use pure Tea Tree essential oil on any skin problems (acne, eczema, scratches, cuts) and witness its therapeutic qualities. Really good stuff! Lemongrass essential oil soap is also a great skin toner that refreshes and deep cleans oily skin. Also, Olive Oil is a wonderful face care bar - mild and unscented.

I have very sensitive skin. What is a good soap for me?

It's usually best to stay away from any fragrances if you have **very** sensitive skin. I would suggest unscented Calendula Renewal or Olive Oil Unscented.

What is your return policy ?

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Your purchase will be credited to you at your request.

What is your privacy policy ?

Your information entered in our site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of your order and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

Questions or comments? Contact Austin Natural Soap at annette@austinsoap.com