1.  We Need a Little Extra Time for Order Processing

We are a small company selling handmade, cold process artisan soaps, body butter, bath bombs, sugar scrubs, and lip balm.   We do aim to ship the same or next business day, but please allow up to 0-2 days for processing your order.   We will do our best to ship quicker than 2 days, but we cannot guarantee it.  Most orders will then ship 1-3-day priority mail (depending on your state location) unless you select differently during cehckout.   Please make sure that you select the proper shipping, or your order will be canceled and you will need to re-enter it (if you choose the "pick it up" instead of paying for shipping).  If you need an exact ship date, always feel free to contact us.

2.  Are You a Perfectionist?

We are!  But even in our quest to provide the perfect bar of soap for you, our handmade, cold-processed artisan soaps inherently can have small blemishes or dings as a result of the soap making process. So, we do not ever guarantee a perfectly smooth-sided 3" x 3" x 1" bar. Likewise, the bar size and weight will slightly vary, and is approximate on the label, stating 5oz. The same goes for our all-new ~1.2 oz & ~2.5 oz mini-bars!   Lastly, sometimes when our soap batches are prepared, although the ingredients are the exact same as shown here, the colors can slightly vary.  This is the way it goes when soap is prepared by hand, in small batches!  Our artisans are committed to providing you with the best possible products because our products are handmade with love. 

3.  Don't LYE about it

You can't make REAL soap without lye.  Nobody can!  Lye is required for a chemical reaction with oil to occur that results in soap and glycerin. Our lye comes from slaked lime (earth).  It is commonly used in many applications, including food preparation, because of its low toxicity. We use this lye for consistency in our recipes.  It begins as limestone, heated to a high temp, then water is added.  Paste results, and then is dried, which is lye.  You cannot make soap without lye!  All REAL soap is made with lye.  But, there is no lye in our final soap product that you use!  See, once the process of saponification (the chemical reaction of soap making) is complete, the lye and oil molecules combine and chemically change into soap and glycerin. This is true of every soap ever made! So, we use lye to make soap, but then it completely chemically changes into good by-products of soap and glycerin.

It's common NOT to see the word lye listed as an ingredient on commercial "soap" bars.  They've gotten good at hiding it!  But, remember, all soap is made with lye, so it's nothing new and nothing to freak out about!  If your soap contains ingredients such as saponified oils, sodium cocoate, sodium palmate, sodium palm kernelate, sodium tallowate, sodium olivate - guess what? These are the names for mixtures of different oils with - you guessed it, lye (sodium hydroxide)!

One of the biggest differences between our soap and commercial "soap", is that all the glycerin remains in our soaps.  Commercial chemical soap companies extract the glycerin created during the soap-making process and put it into more expensive skincare products, and then use less expensive chemicals to fill that void. Talk about getting scammed!  If you've ever gotten itchy from using soap, it's most likely because the glycerin was removed from that "soap", and the substitute chemicals irritated you.  Glycerin is stripped out of commercial soaps since it's valuable. It's then sold to be used in more expensive cosmetics, or sold to fertilizer or explosives companies (which they use to make nitroglycerin).  If you look at a soap bottle and it indicates that it has glycerin as an ingredient, then be aware!  This typically means that the glycerin that occurred naturally was removed and just a tiny amount was added back in.  Usually, this isn't even enough to moisturize your skin well enough.  This can also be true for you if you've ever had fragrance sensitivities.  It may not be the fragrance at all that's irritating you, but the lack of glycerin and chemicals added in its place.  

This isn't the only difference, as you can see all the rest of the ingredients in our soaps come from plants or the earth, where your commercial "soap" ingredients are a further slurry of chemicals.  As far as soap goes, you get what you pay for!  Even though a commercial soap bar and ours may look similar, think about the resulting gentle and natural skin benefits obtained from using our soap daily vs rubbing unhealthy chemicals into your skin daily.  You can see and feel the difference between the daily use of both products! 

4.  Shea Butter  (Pronounced Sh-A)

Did you know that Shea Butter comes from a nut on the Shea tree?  The Shea tree only grows in a central area of Africa, in what's known as the Shea Belt in Africa.

The Shea tree can grow as tall as 50 feet in 40-50 years time.  Therefore, the mature tree nuts that are used to make Shea Butter are very precious and are a highly valued commodity.  Additionally, due to the much civil unrest in these areas of Africa, also makes it difficult for just any company to show up to pick their own Shea nuts!  So, to get the highest quality Shea Butter that we use, we feel really lucky!

Our soaps contain 100% organic premium Grade-A pure and natural Shea Butter.  And, mind you, not all Shea Butters are created equal, as there are several grades below Grade-A!  The Shea Butter used in our soaps is Fair Trade.  Using our Shea Butter based soaps daily can help your skin feel well moisturized and clean. 

So, why is Shea Butter so amazing?  Shea is a gift from nature known as "the Skin's Best Friend" and the "Tree of Life".  Here are 7 Reasons Why We Choose Organic Shea Butter as Our Foundation Ingredient:

1- Superior Moisturization: Organic Shea Butter is a natural powerhouse when it comes to moisturizing the skin. Its rich composition of fatty acids and vitamins deeply nourishes and hydrates, making it perfect for dry, dehydrated, or flaky skin. We believe that well-hydrated skin is the key to a healthy and radiant complexion.

2- Natural Healing Properties: Shea Butter contains various bioactive compounds, including cinnamic acid and allantoin, which have anti-inflammatory and healing properties. This makes it an excellent choice for soothing irritated or sensitive skin, as well as promoting the healing of minor skin issues like cuts, burns, or eczema.  This is the only nut that provides these amazing benefits!

3- Anti-Aging Benefits: We care about your skin's long-term health and appearance. The antioxidants in Organic Shea Butter help combat free radicals, which can cause premature aging and contribute to the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. By incorporating Shea Butter into our products, we aim to give your skin the tools it needs to maintain a youthful glow.

4- Promotes Even Skin Tone: Organic Shea Butter has been shown to improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and hyperpigmentation. Its regenerative properties aid in the repair of damaged skin cells, resulting in a more even and smoother skin tone.

5- Sustainable and Ethical Sourcing: We prioritize sustainability and ethical practices in our ingredients. Our Organic Shea Butter is sourced from reputable suppliers who support fair trade practices and ensure that the harvesting process doesn't harm the environment or local communities.

6- Versatile and Non-Greasy: One of the reasons we love Organic Shea Butter is its versatility. Despite its richness, it's surprisingly non-greasy and easily absorbed by the skin. This allows us to create luxurious products that feel wonderful to use and leave your skin feeling soft and pampered.

7- All-Natural and Chemical-Free: We are committed to providing natural and chemical-free skincare options to our customers. Organic Shea Butter aligns perfectly with this ethos, as it is free from harmful additives, parabens, and synthetic fragrances.

At Expedition Soaps, we believe that nature provides us with the best ingredients for skincare, and Organic Shea Butter embodies these principles. We're passionate about carrying products that not only benefit your skin but also respect the environment and support ethical sourcing practices. 

5.  Essential Oil Blends

The essential oil blends used in our products are extracted from plant sources, including flowers, herbs, spices, needles, and trunk and leaves, to create a delicate aroma blend for many uses.   Each blend will yield a specific beneficial effect, such as for relaxation.  Some blends scent don't last as long as others.  Since essential oils are in a broader category of fragrances, and on our label, we just specify fragrances.  

6.  Fragrance Oils

The fragrance oils used in our products are of the highest quality made, which are 100% cosmetic grade oils. These oils contain No Glycol (DPG), Alcohol, nor phthalates or other cheap diluents. These oils are skin safe & tested under strict FDA guidelines (hence cosmetic grade), making them perfect for scenting our products. No additional or artificial coloring has been added to our fragrances. These oils should yield a long-lasting aroma with clear bold notes.  Our fragrances are not tested on animals.  For more info, click on this link:  https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/fragrances-cosmetics 

7.  Colorants

The colorants used in our products are 100% FD&C cosmetic grade "exempt" water-soluble colorants.  Cosmetic grade colorants are tested under strict guidelines by the FDA and are preferred in & traditionally used in handmade cold processed soaps like ours.  Very little color is needed to go a long way in our soaps.  On average, 1 oz of color will cover 8-25 lbs of soap!  That's a whole lot of soap and a little colorant!  

We use "exempt" color additives.   ”Exempt” colors include pigments from natural sources such as vegetables, minerals. Examples include annatto extract (yellow), dehydrated beets (bluish-red to brown), caramel (yellow to tan), beta-carotene (yellow to orange) and grape skin extract (red, green). Although exempt color additives are not subject to batch certification requirements, they are still color additives and FDA must approve them before they can be used in foods.   For more info, click on this link:  https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/color-additives-questions-and-answers-consumers 

8.  Biodegradable * Green * Earth-Friendly * Environmentally Safe * Ecological * Non-Toxic 

Call it what you want, but our soap artisans have confirmed that all of our bars are biodegradable * green * earth-friendly * environmentally safe * ecological * non-toxic!  This means that our bars are perfect to take along for hiking and camping.  Our sleeves are recyclable, and the outer plastic shrink wrap should be left at home before you go!  So, grab a few of our bars and be on your way!  We even sell smaller mini-bars - so you can have daily use bars.  

If you're looking for a particular scent not sold on our site, be sure to inquire with us, as we may be able to fulfill your needs!

9.  We Care About Your Shopping Experience & We Appreciate You Reading This

We care about your shopping experience from beginning to end.  Please contact us if you have suggestions to make your experience even better. We appreciate you stopping by to check us out! We ask if you could share our soaps and website with your friends if you find that you love them as much as we do!  Please leave a review on our website, should you be really satisfied. Reviews are appreciated, as they help other people just like you, decide on trying our products.  

Thank you so much for coming on an expedition with us!