Frequently Asked Questions

Arsai Soap offers a range of handmade cold process soaps using plant-based ingredients with no harsh chemicals. Our fragrances are from natural essential oils, our colorants are sourced from materials found in nature, and our olive oils are directly from the trees in our family owned olive groves. 

To be labelled as ‘natural’, a product only needs to be made of 1% naturally-sourced, plant-based or mineral ingredients, regardless of the other ingredients. At Arsai Soap we like our customers to know that we are plant-based as our ingredients originate from the earth. We know the value in opting for plant-based soaps and ensuring what gets absorbed in your skin is healthier and chemical-free. Also, plant-based soap doesn’t support animal testing making it cruelty-free, which is important to our mission.

In cold process soaps, the ingredients are not heated, which allows them to conserve their beneficial and natural properties. Cold processed soap is known for its silky smoothness that comes mainly from the olive oil base, a luxury near impossible to find in commercial bars.

Cold process soap making is the original, traditional method of making soap by combining oil (in our case olive oil) with lye then blending in addition of essential oils and colorants as needed. This mixture causes a chemical reaction called saponification which takes up to 2 days to complete. Then after an additional slow curing process of about 4-6 weeks, the soap is ready to use. 

We like to allow for some artistry from our hand crafters. Due to the hand-made and hand-cut nature of our soaps, each bar is unique in shape and weight, and may have small blemishes, air bubbles, or imperfections. We believe this adds character to our beautiful soaps, as each bar truly is one of a kind. Orders with multiple soaps may contain bars of varying weight, but the average weight of all the bars should be as stated or more. We cure our soaps for at least 4 weeks before making them available for sale. Please note that handmade soap continues to age/cure and harden with time. The weight of your soap may decrease after months of aging/curing, but you will have a harder bar that lasts longer when you use it.

Tips on caring for and making your soap last longer?

1. Avoid storing your soap in a place that is constantly in contact with water, like in the direct stream of the shower.

2. Let the soap air dry. Allowing the air to dry out its moisture will make a bar of soap harder (and therefore less likely to crumble), so that it lasts longer. The more time your soap spends completely dry, the longer it will last.

3. Always keep your soap in an appropriate soap dish that allows for drainage. A  a self-draining soap dish is best (Soap dishes without drainage keep the moisture longer and will make it harder for your soap to dry out in between uses). High olive oil content will allow your natural soaps to melt away quickly if left to sit in a puddle of water.

4. Store smaller pieces in a soap-saving pouch. Once your soap bar breaks down into smaller pieces that are difficult to use, put those smaller pieces inside a soap-saving pouch. This small bag will work to contain the pieces for reuse, but it also acts as a type of exfoliating washcloth that you can use to bath yourself with the soap remnants inside.

5. Make sure your baths/showers are not too hot. Hot water will make your bar soap dissolve more quickly and will require more effort to make lather. A cooler shower will help your bar soap last longer by allowing it to maintain its shape and consistency for a longer period of time. Softer water will also help prolong the life of your soap over hard shower water.

All our soaps are handcrafted in Bziza, Lebanon using ingredients grown in Bziza or sourced within Lebanon, then shipped to the United States to be sold and shipped by distributing office, Julia and Julia LLC, located in Kalamazoo, MI. Our offices are owned by a sister duo that work closely together to ensure our customers are 100% happy with our products and service.