Q&A with Corrynne’s Natural Soap
We are exposed to many chemicals in our daily lives. Some of these un-natural ingredients that are found in the products we use on our bodies and in our homes have been linked to chronic health problems.
So here at Natural Products 4 Health we source our products from suppliers that share the same values when it comes to bringing the focus back onto products that are naturally healthy.
It’s time for another supplier interview and today we’re talking with Elise from Corrynne’s Natural Soap.
Question:
When it comes to making your products, what are the most important aspects in manufacturing, for example is it natural ingredients, organic, sustainable, animal friendly, etc?Answer:
To make products that are not harmful to the body. To be made with natural ingredients instead of chemicals. As our motto states ‘MAKERS OF GENUINELY NATURAL PRODUCTS’.
Question:
Why did you decide to start making these products? How long have you been doing this and when did your company first start-up?Answer:
Corrynne started making soaps 15 years ago in Sydney and sold them at the Paddington Markets. She was waitressing at the time and wanted to do something different and creative. She saw a niche in the market as there was no natural essential oil soaps being made. She made them in her kitchen using milk cartons and this is where the square shape came from. Milk cartons have a waxey lining which make them easy to peel away from the soap.
Question:
What is the best comment or most memorable comment that someone has made about your product?Answer:
We have had loads of good comments over the years – here are some of them:“Love the soaps as the smell lasts to the last slither”
Question:
Can you tell us a bit about how your products are made?Answer:
Corrynne’s Natural Soap is made to this age old recipe, however animal fat has been replaced with palm, coconut and olive oils. This type of natural soap is called cold processed soap.
The process of saponification (soap making) occurs when fatty acids are acted upon by lye to make a mixture of soap and glycerine. Lye may be a solution of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) or caustic potash (potassium hydroxide) dissolved in water. Once the soap has saponified and been left to cure for a week no caustic agents will remain. This process ensures that the soap retains all the moisture from the palm, coconut and olive oils. These oils form an ingredient called glycerine. Glycerine makes soap softer and more moisturising to skin. This is also called superfatting. The result of a superfatted soap is that it has many fine bubbles and is very creamy,lathery and gentle on the skin.Commercially made soap by contrast is made using cheaper ingredients such as synthetic surfactants such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate. This ingredient is used to make soap lathery, forming big bubbles. The down side to surfactants is that they strip the skin completely of oils, leaving skin very dry and exposed to the elements. The surface of skin is made up of sebum and sweat which forms a protective layer against infections, wind and pollutions. The natural pH level of skin is in the range of between 4 to 5.5 which is slightly acidic. When washing with soap this acid pH becomes alkaline which kills germs and washes away dirt and oils. Because natural soaps are gentler and full of superfats the acid mantle of skin is not exposed as much. Natural cold pressed soaps also act as a humectant, drawing moisture from the air to your skin. Commercial soaps completely strip away this protective mantle and expose skin for a longer period of time, opening up the skin to possible infections and rashes such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.
Corrynne’s Natural Soap also include essential oils for their fragrance and therapeutic benefits. They are natural oils extracted from the flowers, stems and leaves of plants. Also included in some soap bars are Australian clays for their exfoliation effect and cleansing properties. Dried herbs, flowers and seeds add to their aesthetic appeal.
Question:
Where do you source your ingredients from?Answer:
Essential oils are sourced from all over the world as certain plants grow in certain areas, for example Patchouli and Ylang Ylang essential oil comes from Malaysia, orange oil is from Italy, we source clays from Australia and France. Where we can, we source in Australia, however ingredients like coconut oil can’t grow in Australia in commercial amounts.
Thanks Elise. For more information about Corrynne’s Natural Soaps you can visit their website and to see the range of products we supply from Corrynne’s you can check out our shop page at Corrynne’s Natural Soaps.
