FAQ

Questions and answers about my products:

 

Cold boiling process – what is it?

In the cold boiling process (cold stirring process, cold process), work is carried out exclusively at temperatures of 35-50°C. At these temperatures, the natural glycerine contained in the fat is retained. For this reason, soaps produced using the cold boiling process are particularly kind to the skin. Even if this is questioned by some academics, I can say from years of experience using my own products that the statement “particularly skin-friendly” is true.

Lye undershoot – what does this mean?

Lye deficiency (colloquially “overfatting”) refers to the deliberate reduction of the sodium hydroxide content. For example, when we talk about a 20% lye deficiency, this means that approx. 20% of the fats/oils have not been completely saponified. My conscious choice to produce soaps with an increased lye base ensures that my soaps are milder, more nourishing and better tolerated.

Nature on the skin and yet sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide is used, why?

In the cold boiling process, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) only serve as cleavage reagents for hydrolysis. They set the saponification process in motion, with most of the saponification taking place in the first 48 hours. After a resting period of at least 6 weeks, the soaps can be used. However, my soaps are allowed to rest for 3 months to develop their properties optimally and become really beautiful. After saponification, neither sodium hydroxide (NaOH) nor potassium hydroxide (KOH) are present in the soap. For this reason, fully matured soaps can be described as natural products.

Are the products cruelty-free?

In this regard, I would like to quote the German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association as follows: “In principle, all cosmetic products are “animal-free”, as finished cosmetic products ….. have not been tested on animals for a long time and may no longer be tested at all. Since March 2013, the marketing of cosmetic products in the EU has been prohibited if the finished product or the ingredients have been tested on animals in order to comply with EU cosmetics legislation.” With this in mind, all my products are “cruelty-free”.
However, the Industrieverband Körperpflege- und Waschmittel e.V. continues: ” However, all ingredients, even if they are used in cosmetic products, must be safeguarded in accordance with chemical legislation.
In this respect, every substance has been tested on animals at least once.
In this sense, therefore, no cosmetic product can be said to be “animal-free”, even after the general ban on animal testing has come into force. ”

Preservation – yes or no?

Here a clear YES!
As soon as creams contain a water phase, they MUST be preserved in accordance with the EU Cosmetics Regulation.
However, preservation not only makes sense for the sake of the regulation, but also in the interest of you as a consumer, because the product has a longer shelf life and is less susceptible to contamination.
Because let’s be honest, who would always keep their cream in the fridge and use germ-free tools (e.g. disinfected spatulas) to remove it every time they use it?
😉 Here too, I pay attention to quality and naturalness.
For example, my preservative is obtained from sugar cane.
Even if certain preservatives are not subject to declaration according to the EU Cosmetics Regulation, such a product cannot – in my opinion – be described as “preservative-free”.

Declaration obligation – why, why, why?

The declaration obligation is important for every customer so that they can understand which ingredients are present in the respective product.
The EU Cosmetics Regulation stipulates that every product must bear the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (also known as INCI).
As I am committed to full transparency of the ingredients, you will also find these in German with the respective products.
For me, transparency also means that I also list those ingredients that are not subject to declaration according to the EU Cosmetics Regulation.
My customers’ trust in my products is extremely important to me!

Packaging material – how does SeifenLust feel about it?

We always make sure that the packaging material is sustainable and can be recycled.
For example, we use strips of cut advertising brochures, which many households already have in large quantities and are normally only used once, as filling material for shipping.

Where is sustainability to be found when airless dispensers or glass cream jars are available?

When filling my creams, I had to choose between sustainability and minimal contact with the environment during dispensing.
I opted for airless dispensers to ensure a low germ load when dispensing the creams.
This also allows me to use the preservative derived from sugar cane.
Although there are airless dispensers made of glass, their inner workings are still made of plastic.
As there is therefore no difference in terms of sustainability between glass/plastic or just plastic, I opted for the plastic-only version for cost reasons.
If there are better options in the near future, I will of course use them.

Does SeifenLust use palm oil?

To begin with, I would like to emphasize that the share of palm oil consumption in the cosmetics industry is around 5%, while the food industry is the largest consumer.
In contrast, coconut oil currently accounts for about 1% of global vegetable fat production, mainly produced by smaller farmers or communities.
For me, however, it is crucial that it is extremely difficult to find unrefined organic palm oil that is also fairly traded.
As refined palm oil does not have a good reputation, I have decided to keep all my products palm oil-free.

Vegan or not? – The big question!

The majority of my products are purely plant-based and the ingredients can be looked up.
For reasons of sustainability, I believe that as much as possible should be derived from an animal.
Whether vegan or not, I am sure you will find what you are looking for.

What to do if the soap gets sludgy?

It can be frustrating when the soap in the soap dish gets soggy.
But don’t worry, there are simple solutions to avoid this problem.
Soaps are made up of fatty acids and lye, which react with each other to form a solid substance.
When soaps come into contact with water, some of the soap dissolves, creating a soft and foamy surface.
This is normally desirable as it allows us to clean ourselves well.
But if the soap in the soap dish becomes sludgy, we should take action.
First, make sure your soap has a suitable “bed” to rest in between uses.
The ‘bed’ should be designed to allow excess water to drain away and allow good air circulation.
Ideally, the soap should hang freely in the air and have as little contact surface as possible.

Why does my soap/shaving soap foam less than usual? My soap/shaving soap from the drugstore/supermarket foams much more.

There are various reasons for this:

Synthetic surfactants:
synthetic surfactants are often used in conventional soaps to promote foaming.
As a result, we have developed a preference for foaming soaps.
In contrast, natural soaps are made from natural oils or fats, which can have varying levels of a natural surfactant called lauric acid.
Lauric acid has a strong surfactant effect, which means that it reduces the surface tension of water and therefore promotes the formation of foam.
The higher the lauric acid content in an oil, the more lather the soap produces.
Some oils with a higher lauric acid content are, for example:

• Coconut oil contains approx. 50% lauric acid
• Palm kernel oil contains approx. 45-55% lauric acid
• Babassu oil contains approx. 40-45% lauric acid

 

Foam booster:
Steric acid is often used in the production of conventional soaps because it is a saturated fatty acid that produces a creamy, stable and long-lasting foam.
However, steric acid is produced synthetically.
In natural soaps, however, there is also a so-called foam booster called ricinoleic acid.
Ricinoleic acid has a positive effect on the lather of soaps.
It is an unsaturated fatty acid with a special chemical structure that tends to produce rich and stable lather.
Castor oil contains a high concentration of ricinoleic acid and is therefore often valued for its lathering properties.
If there is no or very little castor oil in a soap, this will affect the amount and stability of the lather.

Foam-inhibiting substances :

Olive oil: Soaps with a high percentage of olive oil or pure olive oil soaps tend to have lower lathering properties.
This is mainly due to the fact that the lauric acid content in olive oil is usually less than 1%.
On the other hand, olive oil does not contain ricinoleic acid, which would have a positive effect on lather formation.
Therefore, you can expect less to no lather with these soaps.

Salt / brine: Salt or brine affect the lathering of soaps as they increase the surface tension of the water.
This makes it more difficult for the air bubbles to form and remain stable.
The foam collapses more quickly and is less voluminous.
In some cases, the soap may not even foam at all.

Little foam and yet pure: The industry tries to make us believe that a product is only effective if it produces a lot of lather.
Personally, I totally disagree with this.

It is important to understand that the lather of a soap is not necessarily related to its cleansing effect.
Although soaps containing coconut, babassu or palm kernel oil can produce a rich lather, there are other soaps that can cleanse and condition just as well. Let us no longer be persuaded that we are dependent on a lot of foam!