Our Goat Milk soaps are made from natural, gentle ingredients that don’t leave the skin itchy, dry or irritated. They are made from fresh (not powdered) goat milk and we only use pure base oils and natural additives like honey, fruit, herbs, flowers and pure essential oils in our production process. Any colourants we use are natural oxides or clays.
People who prefer goat milk soap claim that it is not drying and harsh like ordinary commercial soap.
For those who have sensitive skin or eczema, goat milk soap is a godsend.
Commercial Soap VS. Hand Made Soap
Most big-brand soaps contain harsh chemicals; alcohol that dries the skin and sometimes petroleum products. If you check the labels you will see many chemical additives that are included for enhancing the manufacturing process rather than for the benefit of your skin.
The most common include;
Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS)
Commercial brand soaps contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS), also known as Sodium Dodecyl and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLFS), for its lathering effect. Sodium Laurel Sulfate irritates the skin by inflaming it. Like all detergent surfactants, sodium lauryl sulfate removes oils from the skin, and can cause skin and eye irritation.
Parabens
Parabens are chemicals widely used as preservatives by cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They can be found in commercial soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeup and toothpaste. Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, because they have been found in breast cancer tumors.
Titanium Dioxide – used as a colourant and opacifying agent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine – synthetic surfacant used to control viscosity and boost foaming.
Tetrasodium Etidronate – a diphosphonic acid derivative
Fragrance – ‘Perfume’ as a general word and ingredient means chemically derived fragrance.
Quality handmade soap keeps in all the good ingredients like Glycerin and super-fatting oils that feed your skin and leave out all the harsh chemicals and preservatives added to create colour and smell.
All soap is made by combining a fat with an alkali. During the saponification process, the fat turns into soap and a natural bi-product of that process is glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant that absorbs moisture. When you use glycerin on your face, it attracts moisture to your skin and locks the water molecules there. This helps keep your skin hydrated constantly and gives it a moist feeling.
In commercial soaps, the glycerin is removed by adding salt to make the soap and glycerin separate.There is more profit to be made by removing glycerin and using it for other more expensive cosmetic products such as lotions and creams.
Benefits of Milk
All milk contains natural emollients, vitamins and triglycerides that moisturize the skin.
When compared with Cow’s MIlk, Goat’s milk is less allergenic, naturally homogenized, easier to digest and lactose intolerant friendly. It also contains significantly greater amounts of vitamin B-6 and vitamin A.
The cream that is present in goat’s milk helps boost the moisturizing quality of goat milk soaps. Since many people suffer from dry skin, particularly in the winter months, this is an important quality.
The Science
Goat’s milk specifically contains the highly effective moisturizer capric-capryllic triglyceride which is an alkaline product. This brings the pH closer to human skin and prevents dryness while allowing nutrients to enter the skin.
Goat’s milk is also a source of the vitally important nutrient potassium. Potassium causes goat’s milk to react in an alkaline way with the body whereas cow’s milk is lacking in potassium and ends up reacting in an acidic way.
Goats milk has many vitamins and other essential elements to help nourish skin. These include vitamins A, E, C, some of the B vitamins, amino and citric acids, unsaturated fatty acids and zinc.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids. Goat milk contains alpha-hydroxy acids such as lactic acid which help remove dead skin cells from your skin’s surface. This leaves new cells on the surface of your skin that are smoother and younger looking. The alpha-hydroxy acids are so effective because they break down the bonds that hold the dead skin cells together. Removing dead skin cells will help many skin conditions by removing irritation. Water-based soaps may use harsh chemical acids to accomplish this, frequently with skin-damaging results.
Goat’s milk also contains important minerals for the skin such as Selenium. Perhaps the most important function of Selenium is as an immune-booster and antioxidant. It activates an enzyme in the body known as glutathione peroxidase, which enters cell proteins and halts oxidative stress caused by free radicals.