Many commercial companies don't make foaming soaps with saponified oils, instead they use surfactants, detergents, foaming agents, artificial preservatives, and artificial fragrances, which are cheap and easy, but will leave your hands raw.

While other companies use synthetic detergents and surfactants that can be skin irritants, we use saponified oils that are cleansing and moisturizing.  Other companies use artificial fragrances with hidden ingredients, while we use essential oils and natural fragrances instead.  And whereas other companies use artificial preservatives like methl- and propel- parabens that are known to be endocrine disruptors, our foaming soaps are all-natural and are made without the use of preservatives.

Once you wash your hands with our soaps, you will *feel* why we use saponified oils rather than those ingredients - it feels like washing your hands with silk.

Yes! Historically, the term castile soap referred to soaps made from saponified olive oil (like our Simply Olive Bar Soap). However today the term refers to genuine saponified soaps that contain only vegetable oils, no animal fats.

Not all castile soaps are the same - some use a different blend of oils (oils have different properties) and have different concentrations than ours. Our foaming soaps all contain saponified oils of Organic Extra Virgin Olive, Organic Coconut, and Organic Sunflower. Olive was chosen for its moisturizing stable lather, coconut for its fluffy lather, and sunflower for its stable lather, conditioning, and silky feel. While glycerin (a humectant) is a natural by-product of saponification, we've added some additional glycerin, which also helps to keep your hands moisturized.

Our bar soaps are "super-fatted", meaning that we add excess oil to the recipe that is not turned into soap. This gives our bars great moisturizing properties and makes them perfect for the shower or bath. Our bar soaps all contain saponified oils of Organic Extra Virgin Olive, Organic Coconut, Organic (RSPO Sustainable) Palm.Olive was chosen for its moisturizing, stable later, coconut for its fluffy lather and hardness, and Palm for a harder (and therefore longer lasting) soap.

Saponification is the chemical reaction that produces genuine soap. Here at Glenn Ave Soap Company, we make soap the traditional way, the way our great-great-grandparents made soap. While our ancestors may have used lard and wood ash, we start with our special blend of high-quality oils.  When these triglycerides are blended with water and lye (an alkaline solution – sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide), saponification happens. All the lye is used up and the oils are transformed into soap (fatty acid salt) and glycerin, a natural humectant that allows your skin to retain moisture.

Our foaming soaps all contain saponified oils of Organic Extra Virgin Olive, Organic Coconut, and Organic Sunflower.  Olive was chosen for its moisturizing, stable lather, coconut for its fluffy lather, and sunflower for its stable lather, conditioning, and silky feel.

Our bar soaps are "super-fatted", meaning that we add excess oil to the recipe that is not turned into soap. This gives our bars great moisturizing properties and makes them perfect for the shower or bath. Our bar soaps all contain saponified oils of Organic Extra Virgin Olive, Organic Coconut, Organic (RSPO Sustainable) Palm.  Olive was chosen for its moisturizing, stable later, coconut for its fluffy lather and hardness, and Palm for a harder (and therefore longer lasting) soap.

Foaming soap ends up being more effective than liquid soap. With liquid soap, you have to work to get a lather, and much of it ends up going down the drain before you can even build up a lather. Foam also provides up to 2.5x as many servings as liquid soap!

We have an entire blog article dedicated to this very topic. The chemicals that many soap companies use to market their products anti-bacterial may kill germs in a petri dish, but according to the FDA, they are no more effective at providing protection against disease and infection than washing with just soap and water.  All of our soaps will help to remove germs (remember for wash for 20 seconds at a time!), but our Bandit's Oil blend contains eucalyptus, rosemary and cinnamon as well as lemon and clove essential oils, making it a good choice for all-around cleanliness and antimicrobial activity.

SCIENCE ALERT! Soap molecules are amphiphilic.  An amphiphile is a chemical compound possessing both hydrophilic (water-loving) and lipophilic (fat-loving) properties.  One side of the molecule is hydrophilic (polar) and likes water, the other is hydrophobic (non-polar) and likes oil.  Cellular membranes are also made of dual-sided molecules called lipids.  Soaps do an excellent job of solvating the hydrophobic part of the lipid cell membrane, which means it dissolves the membranes of the cell, thus killing the bacteria, while the hydrophilic part of the molecule allows it to be easily washed away.

According to the CDC, "washing hands with soap and water whenever possible because handwashing reduces the amounts of all types of germs and chemicals on hands. But if soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The guidance for effective handwashing and use of hand sanitizer in community settings was developed based on data from a number of studies." We recommend having one of our foaming hand soap pumps at each sink, and a hand sanitizer in your bag and car, when you might not have access to soap and water.

Absolutely! We here at Glenn Ave Soap Company strongly encourage re-using and recycling your foaming hand soap refill containers. Bring in any container, we'll refill it for you and even give you a discounted price off the refill price!

The valves are different in foaming hand soap dispensers vs. regular liquid soap dispensers, so you can't just switch them out. Fortunately you can buy all our foaming soaps in a 8.5oz. pump, or if you would like your soap dispenser to match your style, you can also purchase a refillable foaming hand soap glass dispenser.

TIPS AND TROUBLESHOOTING

• Do not overfill the base. Doing so can cause soap to get into the pump bowl, and may cause pump issues. If you see soap or water has accumulated here, simply remove the pump, turn it up side down, and pump it multiple times – this will help drain the “bowl”.

• Check that the small tube that leads to the pump is not pushed too far into the pump, pulling it out slightly. This allows for air to flow to create the foam. You will see a small glass ball that sits above your tube, make sure this ball has room to move.

• Pump from the top surface, not the stem.

CLEANING

• Periodically (typically every refill), flush your foaming pump with white vinegar and warm water mixture by inserting the straw of the pump into a glass filled with warm water. (Those with hard or undrinkable water should use distilled water instead of tap.)

• Do not soak or submerge your foaming pump.

• Use a damp soft cloth to remove any soap build up on the outer surface of the pump. Do not use harsh chemicals or cleaners to clean your pump.

• The glass bases are dishwasher safe, but not the pumps. You may also clean your glass base with warm water and soap. Please use caution when washing glass.

Our Elvis Juice line is made with Sweet Orange, Pink & White Grapefruits, Siberian & Canadian Fir Needle, and Azacca Hops and Centennial Hops Essential Oil.  The Hops are delicate to grow, harvest, and distill, therefore the Hops Essential Oils are more expensive.

Check our our blog post detailing our unique collaboration with BrewDog here!

RSPO is sustainable palm oil. It stands for Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. The association was established in 2004 to promote the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through global standards and multi-stakeholder governance.

According to the World Wildlife Fund:

"Clearing for oil palm plantations threatens some of the world’s greatest forests, endangered species such as orangutans, and puts forest-dwelling people at risk. But with better management practices, the palm oil industry could provide benefits without threatening our some of our most breathtaking natural treasures...

Reaching those objectives requires a common language for industry, environmental and social groups to work together. Through the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), WWF has helped to establish a platform for these parties to collaborate towards the production of sustainable palm oil. Thanks to the RSPO, sustainable palm oil is now on the market. By applying stringent production criteria to all stages of palm oil manufacture, some companies are proving that oil palm plantations need not flourish at the expense of rainforests. But so much more remains to be done. Too many palm oil producers still ignore the destructive impacts of palm oil plantations, contributing to biodiversity loss and social unrest and more companies that buy palm oil need to switch to using certified sustainable palm oil in their products."

Glenn Avenue Soaps are handcrafted in small batches using traditional methods and high-quality natural and organic oils and butters that are easily absorbed and that nourish your skin. This soap is "super-fatted", meaning that we add excess oil to the recipe that is not turned into soap. This gives our bars great moisturizing properties and makes them perfect for the shower or bath.

Because all of our bar soap recipes are super-fatted, they are all very moisturizing, but if we had to choose, we'd say the Simply Olive (it's made with just saponified olive oil) and the Honey Oatmeal (honey is a great humectant - helps to retain moisture in skin).

Citrus Blossom and Not a Brown Trout are the most exfoliating bar soaps. Citrus Blossom has bits of lemon and orange rind, making it nubbly and gentle. Not A Brown Trout contains ground coffee from local roaster Stauf’s, making it good for scrubbing.

Yes! Our favorites to do this are Peppermint & Tea Tree, Honey Oatmealand Lavender & White Tea.

To use a bar soap as shampoo:

1. Wet Hair
2. Lather bar in hands
3. Massage lather into scalp
4. Using fingers like a comb, smooth the lather down the length of hair
5. Rinse, rinse, rinse! Don't rush this step!
6. Finish with an Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Rinse

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse?
Natural soap has a high pH, which can roughen the cuticle. An ACV rinse balances hair and scalp pH, which flatten and closes the hair cuticle, making your hair smoother and easier to detangle, shinier, less frizzy, less prone to breakage, and more moisturized.

ACV RINSE RECIPE
1. Mix 1/2 to 4 tablespoons of ACV with 8 ounces (1 cup) of water. Dry scalps like less ACV and oily scalps like more. Always dilute the ACV, and start off with a smaller amount of ACV while experimenting to find a dilution that works best for your scalp and hair.
2. Place the rinse in a plastic squeeze bottle, spray bottle, or another container. Option: Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil!
3. Pour rinse over head, avoiding eyes.
4. Let mixture sit on hair 1-2 minutes, then rinse.

Did you know that we produce shampoo and conditioner? Our BrewDog Elvis Juice line includes a Shampoo + Bodywash and a Conditioner, as well as a Hand & Body Lotion and Foaming Hand Soap.

Before the inception of GASC, Dr. Sandra was frequently frustrated by how easily rectangle-shaped soaps could slip out of hands. She determined that oval-shaped soap was the solution!  Our custom soap molds create a unique oval bar that fits your hand perfectly!

When natural liquid soaps sit for a little bit, the unsaponifield oils, essential oils or botanical extracts may naturally separate, forming a white-ish cloudiness at the top or wispy "floaters" throughout the bottle. We call these "precipitants". They are not contaminants, and are a normal occurrence in natural soaps, especially when working with citrus essential oils. When shaken up, these will dissolve.

If what are seeing is more of a more defined black or brown floater, it is probably more likely a particulate that was part of the packaging in which the bottle were shipped/stored. If you want you can filter these out, or we can replace the product for you.

If you have oily skin, the Activated Charcoal bar soap is good for acne - but for those without oily skin, if used, it shouldn’t be used every day, as it could dry your skin out.   For those with dry skin, the Herbal Mist Foaming Face Wash might be a better option, as it is formulated for all face types.

Check out our blog post dedicated to our Activated Charcoal Bar Soap here!

While you could technically wash your face with a foaming hand soap, we would instead recommend our Herbal Mist Foaming Face Wash, because we've added 19 botanicals that specifically target anti-aging, acne, and encourage tissue repair.

You can use most of our bar soaps on your face, but we don't recommend using the Citrus Blossom or Not a Brown Trout Soap on your face due to their highly exfoliating properties. (If you wish to exfoliate your face, use our gentler Salty Beans & Rice instead).

Our Activated Charcoal bar soap is a great choice for oily skin, but if you have dry skin, we'd instead recommend the Herbal Mist Foaming Face Wash.

Technically, there are actually two different sources of glycerin in our foaming face wash. The first is natural glycerin found in the Liquid Soap, which is produced as a by-product of the saponification process (so it is made from olive, sunflower and coconut oil). The Vegetable Glycerin listed in the ingredients list is all-natural, it is produced from the hydrolysis of palm oils (not soy). It is USP grade. It is considered vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free with no added preservatives.

You should be using a ph balancing toner, because, when using soap alone, the ph of your skin is disrupted when the natural oils get washed away along with the dirt. Toner corrects this ph imbalance and keeps your skin from over-producing oil (thereby causing acne) to try to correct the imbalance on its own.

To use, after washing, spray unto a cotton pad, then gently sweep over face and neck. May also be sprayed directly on skin. Follow with a Herbal Mist Serum + Moisturizer.

Most people do well with once or twice a week. Just add a few dashes of our Salty Beans & Rice to your face wash to gently exfoliate and slough off dead skin cells. Made from sea salt, adzuki beans, and rice bran powder, it will leave your skin smooth and glowing. Be sure to follow it with our Balancing Toner and Serum + Moisturizer!

The base recipe of the Herbal Mist Serum + Moisturizer and the Facial Moisturizer is nearly identical - the main differences are the scents: the Facial Moisturizer comes in Fresh (Peppermint, Tea Tree, Rosemary & Cypress) and Forest (Cedarwood, Patchouli & Bergamot), complementing our shaving line products, while the Serum + Moisturizer comes in Herbal Mist (Basil, Sage, Peppermint & Rosemary), complementing the rest of our Herbal Mist Skin Care line. The Facial Moisturizers also include St. John's Wort, Yarrow Root and Geranium and Hydrolyzed Oats which have been added to reduce inflammation from shaving.

This lotion can be used all over and many customers report enjoying using it on their face. However we do recommend using our Herbal Mist Serum + Moisturizer (Skin Care line) or our Facial Moisturizer (Shaving line) instead, as these products were specifically formulated for the face.

Plants and plant essences have been used for therapeutic and aromatic purposes for thousands of years.  They are the basis of many medicines and fragrances.  Different essential oils have different properties – some are analgesic, while others can be calmative, some anti-inflammatory, others immunostimulant.

According to “Essential Aromatherapy” by Susan and Valerie Ann Worwood:

“In aromatherapy there are two basic ways in which essential oils have an effect upon the human body through the nose and through the skin.  Aromas are volatile, meaning they disperse in the air, float, and eventually reach the nose.  These aromatic molecules float up the nostrils and come into contact with nerves extending from the olfactory bulbs, and ending in two small, sticky patches at the top of the nasal cavity.  When the aroma molecule hits receptors in the nerve-rick patches, it sets off a reaction that results in brain activity…. Essential oil molecules also enter the trachea and lungs as we inhale….    Essential oils are also thought to enter the body through the skin because their molecules are extremely tiny.  The surest evidence that essential oils get into the body is found in the scientific analysis of the means of excretion – perspiration, feces, urine, breath – after a certain amount of time has passed following the application of essential oils.“

Essential Oils are oils that are derived from botanicals or plants via steam distillation or cold press process. All-Natural Fragrances are fragrances that are comprised of essential oils and natural ingredients. GASC uses essential oils and all-natural fragrances.

Fragrance Oils (a.k.a. Perfumes) are oils that can include essential oils, natural fragrances, and artificial aroma chemicals. Many other companies use artificial fragrances because they are cheap, but the real ingredients are hidden, so the consumer doesn’t really know what they are.

"Therapeutic grade" is simply a marketing term, as there is no third-party certifying agency overseeing the quality of essential oils. Essential Oils can be considered "Certified Organic" by an independent, third party verification organization. Organic oils have been extracted from plants grown organically, without use of pesticides, and under approved methods of cultivation, harvest, and extraction. That said, we source our Essential Oils (many of them certified organic!) from Lebermuth, a supplier that has been in the Essential Oil business for over a century, building a long-standing reputation of quality products.

Unless advised by a licensed practitioner, essential oils should not be taken internally as many oils contain compounds that are harmful when ingested; there is minimal scientific evidence of the beneficial effects of internal consumption of essential oils.

A carrier oil (or massage oil / body oil) is used to dilute essential oils before they are applied to the skin in massage and aromatherapy. They are so named because they "carry" the essential oil onto the skin. Diluting essential oils is a critical safety practice when using essential oils, as essential oils are powerful, concentrated volatile oils. Carrier oils alone do not contain a concentrated aroma, unlike essential oils, though some, such as olive, have a mild distinctive smell. Our Carrier Oil Blend is a wonderful way to apply your favorite essential oils to your skin, but works well as a fragrance-free massage oil as well.

No, we do not recommend any essential oil be applied directly (a.k.a "neat") to the skin. They are powerful concentrated oils and are designed to be either diffused, diluted in carrier oils or be incorporated into our finished products. When diluting in a carrier oil, please follow dermal use recommendations.

This is the maximum recommended percentage for topical use. Our dermal use limits are based on a maximum single day products application of 30ml (which is equivalent to 1 ounce.)  While our recommended maximum concentration limits are based on the best science available, anyone can be sensitive or allergic to any substance, including essential oils.  If you notice any irritation or other adverse reaction to topically applied essential oil and carrier oil blends, please discontinue use immediately.  Patients who are using other topically applied medication should use separate areas of skin for essential oils and other medications.

The following Essential Oils should be avoided throughout pregnancy and lactation:

Anise, Anise (Star), Araucaria, Artemisia vestita, Birch (Sweet), Black seed, Buchu, Calamint (lesser), Carrot Seed, Cassia, Chaste tree, Cinnamon bark [ please note that we use Cinnamon LEAF, not bark ], Costus, Cypress (Blue), Dill seed (Indian), Fennel (bitter), Fennel (sweet), Feverfew, Genipi, Hibawood, Ho leaf, Hyssop, Lanyana, Lavender (Spanish) [ please note that we use Bulgarian Lavender or 40/42 Lavender sourced from USA ] Mugwort, Myrrh, Myrtle, Oregano, Parsely Leaf, Parsleyseed, Pennyroyal, Rue, Sage (Dalmation), Sage (Spanish), Savin, Tansy, Thuja, Western red cedar, Wintergreen, Wormwood, Yarrow, Zedoary

The following Essential Oils should be*restricted* throughout pregnancy and lactation (We include Maximum dermal dose recommendation after each essential oil:

Basil (lemon) 1.4%, Boswellia papyrifera 1.7%, Champaca (orange) absolute 17.5%, Lemon balm (Australian) 3.4%, Lemon leaf 1.2%, Lemongrass 0.7%, Litsea cubeba 0.8%, Melissa 0.9%, Myrtle (honey) 0.9%, Myrtle (lemon) 0.7%, Nasturium absolute 0.26%, Tea Tree (lemon-scented) 0.8%, Thyme (lemon) 3.7%, Verbena (lemon) 0.9%

Essential oil safety is a significant concern for Dr. Metzler and all of us here at the Glenn Avenue Soap Company. When formulating new products, we do a lot of research to ensure that our use of essential oils is safe and effective. We rely strongly on guidance found in Essential Oil Safety, by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, 2nd edition. This is considered the Bible of essential oil safety information and is often seen as the industry standard.  The information below is from this reference source.

Phototoxicity is a condition in which the skin become very sensitive to sunlight or other forms of light. It can be caused by taking certain drugs, or rubbing certain essential oils or other topical agents into the skin. Phototoxicity causes sunburn, blisters, and other skin problems

The essential oils used in our Citrus Lip Balm includes equal parts sweet orange, organic lemon, pink grapefruit and tangerine essential oils, at a formula concentration of just 0.77% each.  Per Tisserand:

Sweet Orange
Cold Pressed.  Sweet orange oil is non-phototoxic with no burgapten detected. (Bergapten is one of the furanocoumarin compounds commonly found in citrus that produces a phototoxic effect) Dermal use limit 8%.

Organic Lemon
Cold Pressed.  Low risk of phototoxicity.  Max dermal use level 2%. If applied to skin at over maximum use level skin must not be exposed to sunlight or sunbed rays for 12 hours.

Pink Grapefruit
Cold Pressed.  Low risk of photo toxicity. Max dermal use level 4%. If applied to the skin at over maximum use level skin must not be exposed to sunlight or sunbed rays for 12 hours.

Tangerine
Cold pressed. It is non-phototoxic. Extremely low bergapten content, European recommendations suggest should not be used at more than 30% concentration.

So you can see that the types and concentrations of essential oils used in our Citrus Lip Balm recipe are well below levels where there would be safety concerns around phototoxicity. You can safely use it day and night!

The citrus essential oil we are often more concerned with regarding phototoxicity is cold pressed Bergamot essential oil (which is NOT used in this product). It has a max dermal use level of 0.4% to avoid phototoxicity. When we do use Bergamot essential oil in a leave-on formulation, we use a special version called BF (or FCF, meaning furanocoumarin free) Bergamot that is steam distilled to remove the phototoxic constituents. BF Bergamot has a max dermal use level of 16.6%.

Check out our blog post, dedicated to Citrus Essential Oils here!

Every diffuser will have a different basin capacity, but a good rule of thumb is 3-5 drops per 100ml of water. However, if you have a larger room, you might need a slightly higher concentration. Starting conservatively and increasing the quantity if necessary is a smart approach.

We source our Essential Oils from Lebermuth, a supplier that has been in the Essential Oil business for over a century, building a long-standing reputation of quality products.

Our body lotion is a water-based moisturizing lotion, so it's very light and absorbs quickly without leaving your skin greasy. The body butter is thicker and is a combination of three butters (shea butter, kokum butter, cocoa butter) and three oils (avocado oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil), so it's more of an intense moisturization, very good for extra dry areas.

Our Body Butters all have the same base recipe of whipped butters (shea butter, kokum butter, cocoa butter) and oils (avocado oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil) to nourish and protect your skin year-round.

The main differences are the essential oils added. Our Fragrance Free Body Butter has zero essential oils added. The Lavender Body Butter has just Lavender added, whereas the Rose Geranium Body Butter has Rose Geranium, Cedarwood, and Egyptian Geranium added.

The essential oils in the Healing Blend (Lavender, Geranium, Rosemary, Carrot Seed, Bergamot and Tea Tree) were specifically chosen not just because they smell wonderful, but also because of their healing properties. They heal broken and damaged skin, and are anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-pyretic (take the heat out of burns). The Healing Blend is a great all-purpose healing salve - good for eczema, cuts, scrapes, burns, sunburns, bug bites, and scar tissue. Check our our blog post about our Healing Blend Body Butter here.

Since infants and little ones should not be exposed to higher amounts of essential oils that adults can take, the Lil' Sprouts Baby Butter is just a special version of our Healing Blend Body Butter, but with a lower percentage of our Bergamot, Rosemary, Lavender, Geranium & Carrot Seed Essential Oil Blend.

STEP #1  |  PREP & SOFTEN
Using a Pre-Shave Oil before applying your Shaving Soap not only helps to soften and lift the follicles, but also helps prevent irritation and razor burn by creating a protective layer on your skin. A must for those with sensitive skin.

Start with a clean slate by cleansing your skin. Apply a few drops of Pre-Shave Oil, massaging onto face & beard. Let it sit for about a minute to allow the oil to fully saturate the hair, then apply your shaving lather (see Step #2) on top of the oil.

STEP #2  |  LATHER & GLIDE
Lather and shave with dense and luxurious lather from our Shaving Soap. Use a Shave Brush for a great lather and Safety Razor for a close shave.

Wet your shaving brush with hot water. Load it with soap by firmly swirling the bristles across the soap for 15-20 seconds. (While a brush is not an absolute must, it helps lift hairs and coat them with the lather.) Apply to wet skin and use circular and sweeping strokes to build a thick, dense lather.

Pulling your skin taut, hold your Safety Razor at a 30-45° angle, and shave with the grain in short, straight strokes. Be sure to glide over the skin, not pushing into the skin. Rinse with a splash of cool water.

Rinse your razor after each pass and store in a dry location. Replace your blades after 10 shaves, or sooner if you notice dullness, tugging or rust.

 STEP # 3  |  SOOTHE & CONDITION
It's important to moisturize with every face cleansing, but it's especially important to do so after shaving to minimize the risk of irritation on freshly shaved skin, aid in skin recovery, and restore the moisture you stripped away with shaving.

Our Shaving Collection's Facial Moisturizer features rich and nourishing Jojoba, Rice Bran & Avocado Oils and 20 different Botanical Extracts to hydrate, soothe and rejuvenate. It also includes St. John's Wort, Yarrow Root and Geranium and Hydrolyzed Oats to reduce inflammation from shaving.

 STEP #4  |  RESTORE & RESHAPE
A beard balm works as a leave-in conditioner which will moisturize, condition, style and soften your beard.Restore & shape your beard or mustache with a dab of our Beard Balm. Use your finger with slight pressure and a circular motion to soften a small dab of balm. Massage into Beard to coat, groom and shape. (Also great for fly-aways or styling slick ponies!)

Absolutely! Our Shaving line products work great for the entire body and come in two great smelling scents, Fresh (with Peppermint, Tea Tree, Rosemary & Cypress) and Forest (with Cedarwood, Patchouli & Bergamot). Stop into our store to give it the smell test!

The Pre-shave Oil is great for faces, as well as bikini lines, and the Shaving Soap works wonderfully wherever you need to shave. The Beard Balm is great not only for beards, but also for fly-aways and styling slick ponies.

Using a safety razor can have a bit of learning curve, especially when it comes to shaving legs, but as long as you use caution, and don't "press and drag" like with cartridge razors, you can avoid nicks.

If you use a 5-blade cartridge razor and go over an area of your face 3 times, you have now exposed one area of skin to 15 passes of a blade. In comparison, if you are using a safety razor, you are only exposing the skin to one blade at a pass. The fewer times that you rake your face with a blade, the happier it is going to be.

Since babies are much smaller than adults, we want to minimize their exposure to too many essential oils. Because of that we recommend our fragrance-free products (Simply Olive bar soap, Simply Clear Foaming Hand Soap, Simply Soft Body Lotion). Better yet, check out our Lil' Sprouts line, which has been formulated specially for infant and little ones - gentle and with a lower percentage of essential oils than some of our other products.

Many people ask us about our Don't Bug Me Natural Insect Repellent. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to avoid insect repellents on babies two months and younger. (Instead, for those younger than 2 months, you’ll need to rely on physical barriers like long-sleeved shirts, long pants and mosquito netting for strollers and carriers. Just make sure the material is lightweight so your little one’s skin can breathe.)

Avoid applying insect repellent to babies’ hands, since they often shove them in their mouths. Also, you’ll want to steer clear of putting it near their eyes or mouths or on any open cuts or scrapes.

For small ones, and those with sensitive skin, it's good practice to do a test patch first.

Our Diaper Rash Cream will help heal already present diaper rash, whereas our Bum Balm is meant to be used at every diaper change to prevent diaper rash before it starts.

Our products are all-natural and many are made without the use of preservatives. Our products don't expire per se, but because they could lose some of their aroma profile or change color, we advise using them within the year.

A few of our products do contain preservatives:

Our Foaming Face Wash, Facial Moisturizers, Serum + Moisturizer, Balancing Toner, Body Lotions and our Elvis Juice Shampoo + Bodywash, Elvis Juice Conditioner, and Elvis Juice Hand & Body Lotion contain Gluconolactone & Sodium Benzoate, an Ecocert* preservative.

In addition, our Foaming Face Wash also contains Potassium Sorbate, another Ecocert* preservative.

Our Carrier Oil and Bath Bombs contain Rosemary Oleoresin Extract, which is a pure antioxidant taken from rosemary leaves by carbon dioxide extraction - it helps prevent oil rancidity.

For those who are familiar with the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, all of these preservatives, as well as all our ingredients, rate very well, so you know it is safe for you and your family.

* EcoCert is the international organic inspection and certification body approves a number of preservatives that are deemed ecologically friendly raw material and are an effective alternative to parabens.

Here at GASC, we only use natural and organic plant-based ingredients, essential oils and natural fragrances. We do not use sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, SLS, SLES, or artificial fragrances, colors or preservatives.

Our products are lightly scented with essential oils, not perfume or artificial fragrances, but if you prefer none at all, we have some fragrance-free options for you! You *simply* must try our Simply Olive bar soap (it only contains Saponified Olive Oil, great for people who may have allergies to other oils) and our Simply Clear Foaming Hand Soap, not to mention our Simply Soft Body Lotion. We even have a fragrance-free body butter. All are fragrance-free.

Here at GASC, we only use natural and organic plant-based ingredients, essential oils and natural fragrances. We do not use sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, SLS, SLES, or artificial fragrances, colors or preservatives. Not all of our ingredients are organic, but many are, and we will always state as such in our ingredient list.

Most of our products are vegan, with the exception of the Beard Balm, Bum Balm, Lip Balm, Facial Moisturizer, Serum + Moisturizer and Honey Oatmeal bar soap, due to their honey/beeswax content, and our Shaving Soap, due to the silk content. These ingredients, while not vegan, are cruelty-free.

Everything is gluten-free, with the exception of our Honey Oatmeal Bar Soap,  Body Lotions and Facial Moisturizer from our Shaving Line (due to the hydrolyzed oats - oats can occasionally be cross-contaminated with gluten) and our Beer Soaps due to the gluten inherent in beer.

Our products are absolutely cruelty-free. We love animals!