Frequently Asked Questions

Essential Oil Safety

Is it safe to ingest essential oils if they are 100% pure?

• No, you should never ingest or swallow essential oils, no matter what certain multi-level marketing brands or companies claim. Essential oils are highly volatile, hyper-concentrated chemical extracts. Drinking them—even a single drop in water—can cause severe chemical burns to your delicate mucous membranes, erode your esophagus, irritate your stomach lining, and put dangerous stress on your liver and kidneys. Pure essential oils belong in the air or properly diluted on your skin, never in your stomach.

"Natural" means completely safe, right?

• Absolutely not. "Natural" is not a synonym for safe. Poison ivy, arsenic, and venom are all completely natural, yet they are highly dangerous. Because essential oils are extracted from real plants, they are packed with active chemical constituents. When handled improperly, these natural chemicals can cause chemical burns, severe allergic reactions, and internal toxicity. They must always be treated with the same respect and caution as over-the-counter medicine.

Why haven't I had an immediate reaction to using undiluted oils?

• Essential oils are fat-loving (lipophilic) compounds that absorb into your fat tissue and take time to build up in your system. Because of this systemic accumulation, the dangerous side effects or allergic reactions often do not show up right away. Instead, a severe reaction can suddenly trigger weeks or months down the line. Using undiluted oils "neat" progressively wears down your immune defenses until your body suddenly triggers permanent skin sensitization, meaning you will never be able to use that oil again without breaking out in a rash.

Is there a limit to how much of my body I can apply essential oils to?

• Yes. You should never apply essential oils to more than 40% of your body at one time. The skin is your largest organ and acts like a giant sponge. If you coat large surface areas of your body simultaneously, your skin will absorb a massive, unsafe dose of the plant constituents, overwhelming your liver's ability to process and eliminate them. For large-scale applications like full-body massages, the total dilution rate must be kept very low (typically 1% or less) to avoid systemic toxicity.

Are essential oils safe for everyone to use?

• No, certain demographics face significant health risks and must avoid specific oils entirely:

  • Pregnancy & Nursing: Many essential oils can cross the placental barrier or affect hormone levels, posing risks to a developing baby.
  • Infants & Children: Children have thinner skin and developing metabolic systems. Common oils like peppermint and eucalyptus can trigger dangerous respiratory distress or neurological issues in children under six.
  • Pets: Animals track smells differently, and common oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, and citrus are highly toxic to cats and dogs, whose livers cannot metabolize them.

Can essential oils interact with standard medications?

• Yes. Because the active components of essential oils enter your bloodstream and are processed by your liver, they can directly affect or interfere with prescription medications. For example, oils high in methyl salicylate (like wintergreen or birch) can dangerously amplify the effects of blood-thinning medications. Other oils can alter how quickly your liver processes prescriptions, making your medication either less effective or dangerously strong. Always consult a healthcare provider if you take daily medication.

Uterine Stimulants & Contraction Risks

• These oils contain constituents that can stimulate muscle contractions in the uterus, making them highly dangerous prior to full-term labor:

  • Clary Sage: Widely known to induce or strengthen contractions; doulas only introduce it at full term to assist with active labor.
  • Cinnamon Bark / Cassia: High in cinnamaldehyde, which acts as a powerful emmenagogue and uterine stimulant.
  • Rosemary: Contains camphor and other components that can overstimulate pelvic blood flow and uterine tissue.
  • Basil: Rich in estragole, which can trigger uterine activity.
  • Oregano: A highly aggressive, "hot" oil that acts as an involuntary muscle stimulant.

High-Camphor & Neurotoxic Risks

• Oils rich in ketones—specifically camphor, thujone, and pinocamphone—readily cross the placenta and can cause fetal developmental toxicity or stress the nervous system:

  • Camphor: Known to freely pass through the placenta to the developing baby.
  • Sage & Mugwort: Packed with thujone, a potent neurotoxin that presents severe fetal risks.
  • Hyssop: High in pinocamphone, which can trigger cellular toxicity.
  • Thuja (Western Red Cedar): Contains incredibly high concentrations of thujone.

Toxicity & Teratogenic Risks (Fetal Harm)

• The chemical makeup of these plants contains compounds that can cause systemic poisoning or cellular abnormalities in a fetus:

  • Wintergreen & Sweet Birch: These oils consist almost entirely of methyl salicylate, a compound chemically identical to aspirin. It thins the blood, cannot be metabolized safely by a fetus, and carries risks of birth defects.
  • Pennyroyal & Wormwood: These are abortifacient plants. Their essential oils are intensely concentrated and highly toxic to both the mother and fetus.
  • Parsley Seed: Contains apiole, a compound traditionally used to interrupt early pregnancies.

Postpartum & Nursing Risks

• While some oils are avoided for developmental safety, others affect maternal milk production:

  • Peppermint: While sometimes tolerated in tiny amounts for early morning sickness, heavy use of peppermint oil can drastically dry up or reduce breast milk supply later in pregnancy and during postpartum nursing.

🧼 Ingredient Safety

Why is sodium hydroxide (lye) in your soap?

• Lye is an essential ingredient in all true soap making. It is what allows oils and butters to transform into soap through a process called saponification.

Is lye still in the finished soap?

• No. When soap is properly formulated and cured, the sodium hydroxide is completely consumed in a chemical reaction with oils. None remains in the finished bar.

Why do I see it on the ingredient list if it’s not in the final product?

• Regulations require listing all original ingredients used in the soap making process for transparency, even though the lye itself is not present in the finished soap.

Is lye safe?

• Yes. While sodium hydroxide is highly alkaline in its raw form, it is fully neutralized during soap making and is no longer active in the final product.

Why do you use palm oil or palm kernel oil?

• We use palm-derived oils to help create hard, long-lasting soap bars with a stable, creamy lather.

Is palm oil sustainable?

• When sourced responsibly, palm oil is one of the most efficient vegetable oils available. We prioritize sustainably sourced options whenever possible to support better environmental practices.

What about environmental concerns?

• We understand concerns about deforestation in the palm industry. That’s why we choose suppliers who follow responsible sourcing standards rather than avoiding palm oil entirely.

Can I avoid palm oil in your products?

• Some specialty batches may be formulated without it, contact us about custom orders.

What are fragrance oils?

• Fragrance oils are carefully blended aromatic compounds created for use in cosmetics, soaps, and home fragrance products. They may include natural and synthetic aroma components designed to be stable and consistent.

Are your fragrance oils safe?

• Yes. We only use fragrance oils that meet IFRA (International Fragrance Association) safety standards, which regulate how much can be safely used in skin and home products.

Do fragrance oils contain harmful chemicals?

• All ingredients used in regulated fragrance oils are evaluated for safety in cosmetic use. The term “fragrance” can sound vague, but it refers to a tested, controlled blend used within strict safety limits.

Why not just use essential oils instead?

• Essential oils are beautiful but can be inconsistent, more expensive, and can cause skin sensitivity at higher levels. Fragrance oils allow for safer, more stable scent performance in products like candles and soaps.

What is stearic acid?

• Stearic acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid derived from vegetable oils. It is commonly used in cosmetics to help thicken and stabilize products.

Is stearic acid the same as drying alcohol?

• No. Despite the word “acid,” stearic acid is a fatty acid used for texture and stability. It is not a drying alcohol like ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.

What are fatty alcohols (like cetyl or cetearyl alcohol)?

• These are emollient ingredients derived from plant fats. They help create smooth, creamy textures in lotions and whipped butters.

Are they safe?

• Yes. Fatty alcohols are widely used in skincare and are known for being non-drying and generally well tolerated.

What is emulsifying wax?

• Emulsifying wax is a blend of plant-derived fatty alcohols and emulsifiers that allows oils and water to combine into a stable cream or lotion.

Why is it used?

• Without an emulsifier, oil and water-based ingredients would separate. Emulsifying wax creates a smooth, stable product texture.

Is it natural or synthetic?

• It is typically derived from natural plant fats but processed into a functional cosmetic ingredient. It is considered a safe, standard emulsifier in skincare formulation.

Is it safe for sensitive skin?

• Yes. It is widely used in products designed for dry and sensitive skin types because it helps create lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

 Additive Safety

What is Titanium Dioxide, and why is it in your soap?

• Titanium Dioxide (TiO₂) is a safe, inert, naturally occurring mineral mined from the earth. We use it as a cosmetic-grade pigment to give our soap bars their bright, crisp white base or to create vibrant, clean color contrasts in our designs. Without it, natural soap bases appear translucent or yellowish.

I read that Titanium Dioxide is banned in Europe. Is that true?

• The European Union banned Titanium Dioxide strictly as a food additive (E171) due to concerns about ingestion and gut health. However, it is not banned in cosmetics. Regulatory agencies globally—including Europe's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)—continue to affirm its safety for use on the skin. Eating an ingredient is entirely different from applying it externally!

Is Titanium Dioxide safe for my skin?

• Yes. Titanium Dioxide is completely safe when applied topically. Extensive dermatological studies show that the particles stay strictly on the surface of your skin. It cannot cross the skin barrier, absorb into your body, or enter your bloodstream.

Why do some sources list it as a potential carcinogen?

• The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified it as a possible carcinogen only when inhaled as a loose, airborne dry dust over a lifetime. This is a safety concern for factory workers handling heavy raw powders—not consumers. In a bar of soap, the mineral is permanently bound and locked into the solid soap base, meaning there is zero inhalation risk to you.

Does it build up in my body over time?

• No. Because our soap is a wash-off product, it interacts with your skin for only a few moments before being completely rinsed down the drain. Because it cannot absorb through your skin layers, there is no way for it to accumulate or bioaccumulate in your body over time.

What are polysorbates used for?

• Polysorbates are emulsifiers, meaning they help oil and water blend together smoothly. They are commonly used in body scrubs, bath products, and lotions.

Are polysorbates safe for skin?

• Yes. Polysorbates are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products and are considered safe when used within regulated cosmetic guidelines.

Why do some people avoid them?

• Some consumers prefer to avoid all synthetic-sounding ingredients. However, polysorbates are well-studied and used specifically because they help create stable, non-separating products.

What role do they play in your products?

• They help ensure consistent texture, prevent separation in emulsified scrubs, and improve overall product performance.