Handmade Vegan Soaps (with no palm oil)

These days, only a few brands of soaps contain animal tallow (sodium tallowate). Most have now gone over to sodium palmate. This is just another word for palm oil (and its use is decimating the habitats of orangutans and other endangered species worldwide. Greenpeace says there is no such thing as ‘sustainable palm oil’ (this is just a self-policed term from industry).

So if you use soap (and proper handmade soap won’t dry your skin, as it retains natural glycerine, instead of selling it to industry) choose one of these brands, all vegan and free from palm oil, sold in zero waste packaging.

Choose unscented soaps for pregnancy/nursing and babies. Avoid shea butter for latex allergies.

Don’t use ‘human’ soap on pets (a different PH and unsafe ingredients like cocoa butter and macadamia/citrus oils – wash off before letting pets kiss you!) Read more on giving dogs baths.

Alter/native by SUMA (sold in health shops)

Alter/native by Suma Soap Bars are made with natural ingredients, then packed in recycled paper. Containing olive and coconut oils, with shea butter and essential oils.

Many liquid and bar soaps strip skin of natural oils or cause irritation. Alter/native by SUMA soaps gently cleanse and leave a soft, comfortable feeling. The rich blend of coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter helps soothe dryness and works well for most skin types, even if you’re sensitive.

SUMA is run by its workers as a co-operative. That means your money supports fair pay, strong working conditions and a business owned by its staff.

Coraline Soaps (for very dry and sensitive skin)

Coraline Soaps (also sold at Blomma Beauty (use code englandnaturally for 10% discount) was created by the parents of a baby with Down Syndrome, who could not tolerate ‘sensitive skin’ soaps. The chamomile soap has anti-inflammatory ingredients to relieve dry itchy skin.

For 3 months and up only. Check for nut allergies.

Skin experts often recommend Coraline Soaps for people with sensitive skin. Their formulas are tested to make sure they’re safe and kind.

Coraline Soaps don’t just clean, they hydrate too. The blend of nourishing oils leaves skin feeling soft and never stripped. For people who get tight, dry skin after washing, this extra moisture can make daily washing feel soothing and gentle.

Coraline Skincare has a page on how to help people with eczema and similar skin conditions.

Helleo Olive Oil Soaps (great for sensitive skin)

This handmade strawberry mint soap is made with hand-picked strawberries and freshly-harvested peppermint.

Olive oil soap is famous for being soft on sensitive skin. The natural fats in olive oil keep moisture in and harsh additives out. This means fewer worries about rashes or irritation. Paper packaging also keeps extra chemicals away, so you get a pure bar each time.

Olive oil is good for sensitive skin. One woman went to a dermatologist for her ‘incurable itchy skin’ even though she was using the brand leading soap.

After he couldn’t help, she popped to Holland & Barratt and bought a cheap plain bar of Oliva soap (just olive oil, salt and water). And her skin began to heal in an hour.

The carob fig soap is made with fig juice and carob syrup. Many olive oil soaps in paper come from small family businesses or independent makers. Buying these bars often means supporting traditional skills and local jobs. You get a quality product and help communities grow.

Hiltwood Soaps (especially for men!)

Hiltwood Turmeric Soap Bar is a unique soap, that is not just vegan and free from palm oil, but specially designed for men. Made with olive and coconut oils, shea butter and natural essential oils, turmeric is ideal for stripping unwanted oil and inflammation from the skin, while cedarwood oil gives a masculine fragrance. Ideal for spotty or red skin, it also contains thyme essential oil.

If your skin is very sensitive, you may prefer the same company’s lime and charcoal bar. The kaolin clay and activated charcoal can remove impurities, while refreshing lime oil is blended with healing olive oil.

Slatted Soap Dishes: Prolonging Soap Life

One quick tip that saves money and plastic – keep your handmade soap on a wooden or bamboo slatted dish. Handmade vegan bars often contain extra plant oils for moisture, so they can dissolve faster if left sitting in water.

This soap saver pad only costs a few pounds. In four colours, they can be cut to size. They let air circulate, and if they get clogged with soap, you can just give them a wash (even pop them in the dishwasher) to use again.

Or use a slatted soap dish to drain water away, so your soap lasts longer.

This upcycled coconut husk soap rest is also good to store handmade soap. The large rest can store two bars side-by-side. Due to natural fibres, some minor shedding may occur when you first use them.