FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Want to know more about our store? To help you get your answers quickly, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular questions we’ve received along with our answers. If you need more information, get in touch.
WHAT DOES NATURAL AND ORGANIC REALLY MEAN?
The word ‘natural’ has unfortunately become a misleading word in the beauty industry. To be considered a ‘natural beauty product’ cosmetics and toiletries may contain as little as one percent naturally-grown ingredients and may or may not contain organically-grown ingredients.
At Alcemia transparency is at the core of our being and it is in fact one of the main drivers for our existence. We are very proud of all our organic, natural ingredients of the highest quality. Our soaps are therefore non-toxic and biodegradable – they do not impact marine life or pollute the environment in any way.
In the UK there are different standards between organic certification boards so it can be a little confusing when trying to understand what organic really is; there are many products that are classed as organic where the actual percentage of organic ingredients does not really merit that kind of classification. At Alcemia we are very transparent and careful to ensure that all our soaps contain the full percentage of organic ingredients.
DO YOU TEST YOUR PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS?
Alcemia is proud to be animal cruelty free. There is absolutely no testing on animals with any of our products or processes – because we believe in our products, the only testing is on ourselves!
ARE ALL YOUR PRODUCTS VEGAN?
Yes. All our soaps and candles are vegan and we make sure with our suppliers that all our ingredients are sourced accordingly.
DO YOU MAKE ALL PRODUCTS IN THE UK?
Yes. Our soaps are handmade in Islington, north London, UK. We are passionate about keeping production local and with minimal impact on the planet.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO USE AND STORE YOUR SOAPS?
Run some warm water over the soap and gently rub your hands over it to produce the luxurious foam. Your bar will longer if you minimise its time under running water from taps and showers. Simply store it on a soap dish, or on the side of your bath.
DO YOUR SOAPS WORK WITH HARD/SOFT WATER?
Our soaps are of highest quality so they can be used with any kind of water, hard or soft.
I HAVE REALLY SENSITIVE SKIN. WHICH OF YOUR PRODUCTS CAN I USE?
Because we do not use any additives, chemicals, perfumes or irritants, all of our organic, handmade bars are perfect for those with sensitive skin.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE A REACTION TO ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS?
It is extremely unlikely for Alcemia soaps to cause any kind of reactions. However, if you accidentally get soap in eyes, simply rinse gently with lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes. If skin irritation does occur, rinse skin with water for 10-15 minutes. If the symptoms persist, consider contacting your local pharmacist or GP and take the product packaging with the list of ingredients.
I HAVE A NUT ALLERGY. ARE ANY TYPES OF NUTS USED IN YOUR SOAPS?
We do use nut oils in some of our products and they are always clearly labelled in the ingredients. We use almond oil, macadamia nut oil, shea butter and coconut oil in a range of our soaps. This means there is a possibility for trace elements to make their way into our products. However, the protein that causes most of allergic reactions is largely removed through the production process. There may still be a risk of a reaction for some people who use such products.
DO YOUR SOAPS CONTAIN LYE / NAOH / CAUSTIC SODA / SODIUM HYDROXIDE?
All soaps are made with lye (also known as sodium hydroxide/caustic soda) which is mixed with fat or oils (such as coconut, olive, etc). Any soap product made without lye is therefore not a ‘soap’ but a detergent. As soon as the chemical reaction of making soap, called saponification, is complete, the lye and oil molecules have combined and chemically changed into soap and this wonderful alchemical entity called glycerin appears.
All our ingredients are carefully measured and all formulations have been safety and stability assessed (as per legal requirements) so all the lye is completely used up in the saponification process to turn oil into soap. This means that there is no lye present in the finished bars of soap. This is why the words “sodium hydroxide” or “lye” do not appear on the labels.
Once saponified, the ingredients we use in our soaps are listed as such so you can see which oils have been used in the process:
sodium cocoate: the generic name for the mixture of coconut oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
sodium olivate: the generic name for the mixture of olive oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
DO YOU USE PALM OIL?
At Alcemia we are very proud to not use any Palm Oil. This makes the production costly but we feel that this is a price worth paying (without adding the cost to you!) in order to be an ethical, sustainable producer that cares for the planet.