“What Makes Gratitude Soap So Special?”

I get that question a lot. So here are a couple of answers:

1. It’s actually soap. Much of what we think of as soap is, in fact, not soap at all. It’s detergent. And I don’t mean just laundry or dish-washing products. Soap is the result of combining fats and alkali. If the end product isn’t a result of that combination, then it’s not actually soap. It’s detergent.  
2. Handcrafted soap is rich in glycerin, which is a natural humectant. When we combine both fats and alkali, two things are born: soap and glycerin. In some cases, the soapmaking process is used specifically to produce the glycerin. Then, the glycerin is removed from the soap and used in other products. Gratitude doesn’t do that. We leave all the lovely glycerin in our final product.
3. It’s bar soap, so there aren’t any plastic bottles to dispose of when you’re finished. And yes, bar soap is sanitary. Research has shown that if you work up a lather for 15 seconds, any lingering bacteria is essentially washed off the bar. Plus, any bacteria on your soap came primarily from your microbiome, so you’re just replacing your natural bacteria.
4. We choose our oils with your skin in mind. We use a blend of skin-loving coconut oil, moisturizing shea butter, vitamin E rich rice bran oil, and nourishing, fatty-acid rich apricot oil. Oh, and that rich, creamy lather you love? You can thank castor oil for that. Who knew? In addition, we never use palm oil or animal fats.
5. These bars are hard. We let the soap cure so the excess water can evaporate. That means that you get a bar of soap that is hard and long-lasting. Want it to last even longer? Make sure your soap has plenty of air between uses. Giving the soap a chance to dry out by elevating it will help it last longer, prolonging your enjoyment—and reducing the ability for bacteria! Speaking of bacteria, it lives everywhere (light switches, grocery cart handles, the top of your liquid soap dispenser), so washing your hands frequently is a good practice.
6. Gratitude bars are a treat, and treats are good for you! Psychologist Gretchen Rubin has written quite a lot about why treats are good for us. Treats help us build good habits, and keep us feeling energized and in control.
7. When you purchase a bar of handcrafted soap, you are supporting small businesses. And small businesses are important to the economic well-being of our communities. Small businesses are focused on the customer experience. Small businesses started because the owner felt it was possible to provide a better product and experience—and you will benefit from that belief! Here are Gratitude, we make great soap, but we also want to make the world a little better. That’s why we donate soap to those in need, in addition to donating from our profits. We also include a Gratitude journal with each purchase, because we want to encourage your own gratitude practice. At Gratitude, we believe that if each and every one of us does just a little bit, we can collectively do a lot.