Well, if you asked a dozen soapmakers, you may get a dozen answers, some with overlap to other's definitions of natural . . . the point being, there is no standard. The world around us (and within in us) is comprised of chemicals - what is "un-natural" about that? I know for many, they want those chemicals to come straight from nature. They want ingredients that are unadulterated by human made/lab created chemicals. But I can make an all natural soap by that definition that contains "deadly" chemicals, or deadly levels of chemicals that are "ALL Natural". Essential Oils are broken down into their chemical constituents . . . not all EO's are safe to use on the skin - some people get headaches with lavender at any level of exposure - but lavender EO is considered all natural. Some folks want only organic ingredients when speaking of making all natural. . . but I've seen lots of discussions elsewhere that there is truly no standard and no real way of verifying "organic" - and even if my crops are truly grown organically, the farmer next to me may not and there is just no way to prevent environmental cross exposure to "non-organic" practices.
Some people consider only using vegetable oils to be all natural; I guess animals fats are un-natural :). Some people want only organic, whatever that means :).
What do you mean by "all natural"? Ask others. What makes something all natural to the people you may be making soap for and how important is that to them? And why? Have they really thought about it?
I know I barely know how to answer this question for myself - how in the world would I begin to answer that for others, especially when I don't even know (or believe) that making an "all natural" soap matters. My view may be extreme on one end, and you will find others who will answer this question with great certainty and conviction. I simply cannot. I honestly think that the terms all natural and organic (and others like them) are more marketing hype than anything real we can ever achieve. That's one opinion - others will probably disagree with me vehemently . . . and that's okay . . . :) . . . whatever . . . it's these differences that make the world go round, right?
There are many ways to view this issue of all natural. I've had this discussion with others and we concluded that honesty, integrity, and truthfulness in labeling are more important than calling a soap all natural. I
strive to make the best soap that I can and just prefer to label it as soap, the best darned soap you'll use :). I work hard to use fresh and high quality ingredients: oils, EOs, FOs, herbs, additives, etc. I'll even make a soap to someone's specifications of "all natural" if they care to tell me what that means to them. I just won't label it as such . . . to me the quality of my soap is most important . . . the passion and skill that I put in every batch is more important . . . natural has been so usurped by the advertising community, to me it is meaningless. But my commitment to quality of ingredients and process . . . that means something much more . . . for me, it's everything.
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Blessings,
Rebalspiritrobi
Thor's - Leader of the Pack Bath & Body
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