Frequently Asked Questions

Well, there are a few reasons:

1.  You get bespoke artisan soap, made from the highest quality natural ingredients and with my own hands. Every single bar is of unique design that cannot be replicated on a bigger scale. Every single bar tells you a story and has a piece of my heart in it. This is what makes feel great soap such a thoughtful gift, either to yourself or for someone else you love and care about.

2. You vote against synthetic materials, animal testing, waste production, unnecessary overheads, toxicity, hormonal imbalance and marketing lies. Instead, you vote for sustainability, cost reduction, local business (Peterborough, UK), natural skincare, better health and wellbeing as well as a happier, friendlier and more peaceful world for you and your family to live in!

3. You change your relationship with your own body, as you genuinely care for it by giving it exactly what it needs to thrive – natural, pure and gentle products that work synergistically with your body, restoring its integrity, ability to heal and rejuvenate.

4. You nourish not only your body, but your senses and spirit as you experience unequalled blends of essential oils that enhance your mood, helping you reduce stress and uplifting you so that you can go about your day and accomplish your goals.

5. You show your support to another human being (that’s me :) ) whose personal mission is to create a positive change on this planet by practising, teaching and sharing love that all of us are :)

6. You become part of the change towards genuine self-care, authenticity, vulnerability, courage and peace with self.

7. You choose to be pro-active in improving the quality of your own life by giving back to yourself what you rightfully deserve – “me” time, freedom for self-expression and being who you really are – a beautiful person who is worthy of unconditional love…

Short answer – the best! Quite literally, the best natural ingredients I can find. I aim for as pure and organic as possible, and always sustainably and responsibly sourced. I must admit, most of the ingredients I use are quite expensive, particularly some of the essential oils, but I refuse to compromise on quality or ethics! Honestly, I’d rather use the cocoa butter I make my chocolate from and coconut oil I fry my eggs in, than the cheaper counterparts that don’t even have a distinctive smell and come in a plastic tub rather than a glass container; organic extra virgin olive oil from a reputable source than unregulated pomace olive oil; organic sweet almond oil instead of vegetable shortening; and splash out on precious organic argan, jojoba oils and unrefined shea and mango butter. For colour I try to use herbs, spices and clays whenever possible, otherwise cosmetic grade micas (mineral powders); for textures and exfoliating properties – only natural substances like ground almonds, poppy seeds, coconut flour, dried rose petals, ground coffee and pure silk fibres; for fragrance – 100% natural essential oils, NOT synthetic fragrances (so apologies – feel great soap will not smell of strawberry, peach, or kiwi – those fragrances cannot be achieved without artificial components that are linked to hormonal disruption).

I refuse to use any preservatives or stabilisers like SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), SLES (sodium laureth sulfate), ALS (ammonium laurel sulfate) which are commonly found in mainstream personal care products; nor do I choose to add palm oil for ethical reasons.

99% of feel great soap bars are vegan (free from natural beeswax, silk or tallow) and you can always find a full list of ingredients in the description of every soap. Please note “lye” (also known as caustic soda or sodium hydroxide) appears in the ingredient list because it is an essential component. During the process of saponification, oils and lye neutralise each other in the process so there’s no lye left in the finished product. I’m not lying (pun intended)! In fact, for superior conditioning and moisturising of your skin, I add some extra oils that do not bond with the lye – this is called “superfatting”, so there’s no chance any lye is left in the soap when you use it.

I close my eyes, imagine the soap I want to create, wave my wand and it magically appears in front of me. Well, almost ;) I dream about feel great soap, and quite often an image just pops into my head, alongside the list of the ingredients. I don’t let myself do anything about it until the idea becomes too unbearable not to realise it. After several versions of the recipe, I finally decide on the one and then go into the kitchen where the real magic happens. I meticulously measure out the oils and butters, as well as prepare the lye water, and when the two are at the right temperature, I carefully combine the two, then add the essential oils and other natural ingredients and perform any of the tricks I’ve learnt from almost two years of experimenting with different techniques. This process (called the cold-process method) is exhilarating yet potentially dangerous, so I look like a crazy scientist wearing an eye-protecting mask and heavy duty rubber gloves. The result is saponification – the alkaline hydrolysis of fatty acid esters. Didn’t I tell you I’m a mad scientist? ;) But don’t worry, you don’t need to understand the chemistry of soap-making to appreciate the completely safe and nourishing properties of a properly made bar of handmade soap. To ensure that the soap is ready for you to use, I patiently look after it for at least six weeks, wrapping it in towels, turning it regularly, letting it breathe, and singing it songs as it continues to cure in peace.

Short answer – really well :) Every unique bar of feel great soap is formulated so that it has excellent bubbly properties, however, the amount of lather you get as well as the size of the bubbles depends on the oils and butters used to make it. For example, coconut oil (that I use in pretty much every soap I’ve made so far) is renowned for abundant lather and large fluffy bubbles, while cocoa and shea butter produce a mild lotion-like lather and smaller, soft bubbles. (I could tell you much more, but I risk information overload ;) ) It all depends on the formula, which I rigorously test on myself until I’m 100% happy. Please rest assured that any bar of feel great soap will lather well, because I make sure it falls within the range of what’s considered ideal amongst soap-makers.  P.S. The hairier you are, the more lather you’re going to get, but don’t worry, if you have to shave or wax, just use a loofah or a sponge to work up the amount of lather you need :)

The short answer is – divine! It effortlessly glides down your body, producing soft, fluffy and creamy lather that takes away any impurities, while simultaneously moisturising and conditioning your skin without leaving it parched afterwards. Every feel great soap is unique in its ability to improve your skin tone, elasticity and integrity: some offer gentle exfoliation, extra nourishment or detoxification – please feel free to check out each individual soap description to find exactly what your heart desires.

The short answer is – pleasant and subtle :) Fragranced with pure essential oils, not artificially-produced concoctions you’ll find in the mainstream soaps and shower gels, feel great soap has a gentle aroma that becomes even more evident once you start your showering or bathing experience. It leaves an ever-so light scent on your skin that will not interfere with your parfum or eau de toilette, let alone leave you smelling like a bouquet of flowers or dessert, much to your partner’s or colleague’s annoyance – or perhaps delight? ;) I’m afraid you will get neither the heady nor the sickly-sweet smell from feel great soap that is quite common with conventional body-care products that are made of synthetics, so if you prioritise strong fragrances over anything else, you can always get soap from a supermarket or corner shop.

The short answer is – a long, long time! In fact, my Dad complained to me once that my soap seems to last forever, which doesn’t give him an excuse to start using a new bar! (This has been remedied by properly storing the current soap and switching to a different one.) Yes, all feel great soap bars last a while, which, hip-hip hooray, makes them economical and thus you feel even better about yourself :) Naturally, there’s slight variation, depending on the proportions of oils and butters used, natural exfoliating agents, as well as ... duh!... the frequency and intensity with which you use the bar. Here’s a rule of thumb for you – the harder the bar, the longer it generally lasts, the softer it is, and the sooner you’ll be able to start a new one, unless you follow my Dad’s example, of course. To help your feel great soap last longer, give it a motivational speech every Monday morning (kidding!), and make sure you look after it well – please read the next FAQ to learn how.

Short answer – with TLC, away from constant moisture exposure and with access to air circulation. As feel great soap is all-natural and free from preservatives, you need to treat it gently.  If you wish, you can stroke it, cuddle with it and complement it all day long (my hubbie must think I’m a soap!! Mind, I rarely go all soapy…), but what you must do is keep it away from puddles of water in between uses, so that it doesn’t go soggy or lose its beauty, scent or skin-nourishing properties. This isn’t hard to do if you have either a soap dish that offers drainage, or a suction cup soap saver. You can keep your favourite feel great soap bar in the shower, as long as it doesn’t come in direct contact with water, and there’s enough ventilation for the soap to dry out before you use it again. But don’t worry, even if once in a while you forget to take your soap out of the soap box you take to the gym with you or travel with, your soap won’t turn into an ugly monster, but will become much softer (mushy, in the worst-case scenario) and won’t last as long as it’ll continue to dissolve in the remaining water. I have to make a confession here – I used to keep my lovely soap in a metal tin and never even bother to open the lid to let it breathe :( Well, we still remained friends but it didn’t stay as pretty or last as long as it does now. Lesson learnt. Now I make sure I drain all the water that accidentally gets in the tin while I shower at work, and leave the tin uncovered once at home.

Just like us humans, your handmade natural soap, too, needs some air to breathe! That’s why I recommend storing your unused soap in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight, with some air flow, such as a cardboard box or even your drawer or linen closet (you get the added benefit of your underwear or bed sheets having a pleasant fresh scent, coming from the soap that’s fragranced with pure essential oils ;) ).

If you keep your handmade soap happy in between uses and store it correctly, it’ll last you a very long time :) While most soap-makers agree that you should use up your natural soap within one year of purchase, I aim for all feel great soap bars to last for an eternity, although the scent will inevitably diminish with age.

Short answer – it’s up to you, but read on. I found out by chance that my husband had been using my soap in place of his shampoo only when his hairdresser commented on his hair having improved. Through extensive research and using myself as a guinea pig, I discovered that hair thrives on a more acidic pH, as hair and scalp have a pH balance of 4.5 – 5.5, which keeps the hair cuticle closed and healthy; unlike alkaline pH that causes the cuticle to open, making hair brittle, frizzy or dull. I then embarked on a quest to create an all-natural shampoo bar that matched hair pH, cleansed hair gently without stripping it of its natural oils and nourished it with precious components such as silk, argan, jojoba and essential oils. So far, I’ve managed to formulate two soaps specifically designed for washing hair that both my husband and I have been really enjoying. These can now be found in the new speciality category, but please be aware that stock is extremely limited!

Short answer – yes, unless your skin is very dry and or sensitive. I have personally used my own soap on occasion, even though my skin is quite sensitive and prone to breakouts (I tend to use either honey with a drop of oil or the oil-cleansing method) and was pleasantly surprised with the results. My husband, needless to say, loves washing his face with my soap, but I guess he may be biased ;) Most of the people I’ve gifted my soap to tell me it makes a great facial cleanser. Bottom line – try it and make your own judgement. All of my soaps are gentle and highly conditioning, even those with an exfoliating effect :) There will, however, appear a bar specifically formulated for washing your face, sometime in the future. If you want to be one of the first to try it, please shoot me an email to let me know and I’ll put you on the waiting list ;)

Short answer – highly likely :) Although feel great soap isn’t certified as medicinal, anecdotal evidence suggests that it really works! This is probably due to the pure natural ingredients that feel great soap is made from that will not irritate skin, unlike synthetic substances that are preservatives, bulking and foaming agents, artificial fragrances and colourings. The nourishing oils that go into feel great soap are incredible at helping skin heal, regenerate and rejuvenate. They quite literally feed the skin what it needs – moisturising and conditioning fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, vitamins A, B, D and E and antioxidants. The essential oils incorporated into feel great soap are of very high quality and have unique anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, fortifying, rejuvenating, regulatory and tonic properties. Feel free to check out the individual soap descriptions to learn more. Don’t just take my word for it, try feel great soap and see for yourself.

I have “feel great baby” soap that is ultra-mild, unscented avocado soap in fancy toy shapes that I created for my friends who have babies and toddlers. It has a different pH level that’s ideal for baby skin, extra moisturising properties and is slightly less cleansing than regular soap. I’m happy to report that all the babies thoroughly enjoyed their bathing experience with my soap, which inspires me to make some more :) The reason why feel great baby soap is not listed on the website, is because I only have two bars left! Again, shoot me an email, if you want some ;)

Yes we do! We now ship to most EU countries, the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Please bear in mind, however, that as we are based in Peterborough, UK there may be customs charges to pay on delivery.

Short answer – nope. l’m afraid I cannot accept returns, because soap is for personal use only. Sounds very formal, so here’s a little truthful poem for you:

I cannot refund your soap – I really hope that you can cope.

And even if you think it’s strange, I cannot offer an exchange.

Short answer – responsibly, in an eco-friendly manner and with great love. I personally wrap and post all of the soap, taking great care and pride in packaging it in a creative and eye-pleasing way. A fan of recycling, I make sure there’s nothing in your parcel that could go to landfill, so no plastic bags, beads or bubble wrap. I use recycled paper, cotton ribbon and pretty fabric that you’re more than welcome to repurpose. Personally, I love getting parcels – it’s just like Christmas :) So I want you to await your delivery of goodies from feel great soap with great anticipation, and thoroughly enjoy discovering what’s inside the box! I like to make pleasant surprises too ;)

If the parcel is destined for someone and you wanted me to include a personalised hand-written message to the lucky person (lucky, because they have you in their life, who loves them enough to get them beautiful handmade all-natural soap), please feel free to email me to let me know how I could cater best for your friend or family member’s preferences, needs and wishes :) I’m always open for suggestions and have lots of ideas about how to make your present to someone memorable!