The Basic Ingredients Of Natural Handmade Soap

“It's a great soap, I have very dry and sensitive skin on my hands from using hand sanitiser, since using the soap it has improved my dry skin, so much so, I bring it to work with me.” - Thank you Susan.

Soap, a substance made by combining fats or oils with alkalies, dissolves in water, forming a lather that is used as a cleanser. Sounds pretty straightforward right? Well, it is, and that’s why we set out to make natural soap.

Today, large brands and marketing companies would have us believe that something as simple as soap must be made with harsh chemicals and fragrances when the truth is, soap by its very definition, is a cleansing agent. If anything, the addition of these chemicals, strips it of its very purpose, to cleanse and soothe your skin.

You can read more about the skin benefits of our natural products on our blog, How We Make Moher Handmade Soap

The Moher Soap Co. was founded because our skin was suffering the consequences of commercial soap. We needed something that would be kind to our skin, not damage it and now we want to share with you the basic ingredients that make that possible.

There are often misconceptions when it comes to natural soap ingredients, they can seem inferior to commercial soap simply because they are not advertised enough. In fact, the opposite couldn’t be more true, natural soap is kinder, more effective and better for your skin health.

Are Natural Soaps Antibacterial? 

Two years after the global pandemic first began, we as a country have sought out antibacterial soaps more than ever before. Queue the onslaught of advertisements for antibacterial soap, hallelujah! But, did you know that because of its compound, natural soap is already antibacterial? The oils within the soap, once they become a lather, naturally remove germs and dirt from your hands, washing them away. 

There is no data demonstrating that adding an antibacterial agent to over-the-counter soap makes it any more effective than natural soap. There are actually more queries over the long term effects these agents have on our health than there is any indication that they do a better job than natural soap. 

Yes, we were surprised too when we first started researching, but there you have it, the natural ingredients in soap already provide more than what you need to wash away bacteria whilst keeping your skin happy.

Our Homemade Irish Soap

When we first began making soap we sourced much of what we needed from our garden and the stunning beaches of County Clare. Ever tried our bath salts or Irish seaweed soap? Well, the seaweed for these is sourced quite literally, down the road from us in Quilty, from a great local business called Wild Irish Seaweed.

Since our little home business began to thrive, we outgrew our garden though friends do still drop round lavender and mint from their gardens from time to time. As we expanded, we began sourcing from Irish suppliers, mainly in Co. Wicklow with the exception of our olive oil that comes directly from a local supplier in Spain. 

We ensure that all of our ingredients are ethically sourced, and are certified as such. Ingredients such as our cocoa butter, and other botanicals, are certified organic.

More Reasons To Use Natural Soap

If natural soap being kinder to your skin and the botanical wonders of the world wasn’t enough, our homemade Irish soap is also vegan and cruelty free. It is important to realise that many chemically enhanced soaps require animal testing by law so it is nearly unavoidable when purchasing them. Even if they are not tested on animals here in Ireland, it is law for example, in China, that all products must first be tested on animals. This means that other branches of the same company can carry out the required testing. 

At Moher Soaps, we wanted to provide a kinder product for our skin but having been in the business now for sometime, we can confidently say that kindness to us as people goes hand-in-hand with kindness to our environment and its animals. 

Want to try some of our products for yourself? Take a look at The Moher Soap Co. online and let us know if you have any questions - we’re here to help.