Homemade Soap Isn’t Always All-Natural

But the Term “Natural” Isn’t Regulated

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Many people ask me if my soap is all natural because it’s handmade. Most of my soaps contain fragrance oil and micas which are synthetic, meaning they were made in a lab. I do make some soaps with natural ingredients, though.

My all-natural soaps are usually unscented. When I make luffa soaps, I use natural colorants and essential oils because to me, luffa soaps seem like they should contain natural ingredients, but that’s not always the case. I recently made luffa soaps with a glycerin soap base that’s not considered natural.

The term “natural,” when it comes to soap, is not regulated and it can have different meanings for different people. I have seen soaps, even from large companies, labeled “all natural,” when it’s clear that they contain fragrances and synthetic colors.

It’s up to the consumer to read the label, check the ingredients, and decide for themselves if the soap is something they want to use. If the soap contains “fragrance” or “parfum,” it is not technically natural. Soap containing essential oils is natural, but it could still irritate the skin. It could also be argued that soap is not a natural product in the first place, because sodium hydroxide (lye) is used in the soap-making process.