BENGALURU: They are natural and they smell great, there is no reason why you won’t fall in love with handmade soaps. This might work the same way as regular soaps but people prefer handmade and organic soap.K Venkataramani, managing director of Health and Glow, says, “In last two years we have seen increasing consumption of natural, herbal ingredient-based products. Compared to regular soaps, today’s soap makers use interesting ingredient which are not harmful to skin.”
Gentle on skin
The shift from regular soaps to natural soaps has not been drastic but a transitional one which came from awareness and experience. The regular commercial soap contains lot of preservatives, harmful chemicals, lathering agents, stabilisers like Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, parabens, making them harmful for your skin.
Founder of Arha – Natural Essentials, Neetha Bhoopalam, who is also hand made soaps and cosmetic consultant, says, “Continuous exposure of your skin to harsh chemicals leads to side effects like itchiness, rashes, loss of moisture. Some chemicals like SLS, which may cause mutations, could lead to cancer. So people are going for alternatives.”
Luxury
Artisan soaps have become the new luxury. Goat milk, rose petals, orange blossom, mango butter, bamboo charcoal – now your soap contains exotic stuff. Nicky Lamba, founder of Nisara, an organic luxury brand, has always been fascinated by the process of making scrubs and ubtans. The obsession was so much that she learnt the art of soap making using botanical extracts in England. According to her, the artisan soaps have so much of nourishing element that it automatically categorises as a luxury product. “Artisanal soaps made from cold pressed ingredients are expensive because they have a lot of virgin nourishing oils and butters in them. We also add different kind of botanical extracts and herbs to it,” she says.
Good for environment
People have become increasingly conscious of their actions and its impact on the environment. They want to be aware of the ingredients of the products they consume and its effects on the planet. Most of the regular soaps contain chemicals which are harmful to the environment.Sahar Mansoor, founder of Bare Necessities, which produces toxin free home care and personal care products, says, “Commercial soap sold in stores is often made with harsh chemical detergents, hardeners and synthetic lathering agents like SLS.”
SLS is not easily degradable and when washed away it stays in the environment for a long time, further making it toxic to aquatic animals and ground water.