A Warm and Soapy Welcome!

Welcome to the first post on my soap making blog, "Wash With Vegetables"! In this blog I will be talking about my adventures in soap making, various aspects of my concepts of environmentalism, and my daily life as it pertains to the newest passion I have become enamored with: making quality natural soaps by hand.

Why "Wash With Vegetables"? Because you can! And you should!

Most commercial soaps that are available for sale today at your local market are full of surfactants, detergents, dyes, perfumes and chemicals that are actually harmful to your skin and harmful to the environment. I have developed the mantra "wash with vegetables" to remind people in a fun and approachable way that they do not have to stick to the old adage that all soap is created equal. If you wash WITH vegetables (instead of surfactants, dyes, chemicals and detergents) you can improve the feel of your skin, help the environment, and feel good about the decisions you make as a consumer.

I have dedicated myself to using no animal products* or any product that may have been tested on or may be considered detrimental to animals. My soaps will be made from 100% natural vegetable oils, quality essential oils, and natural colorants, so that people who purchase them will know that there are no additives, perfumes, dyes, detergents or other "nasties" in my soap.

I hope that you will join me on my journey down this new avenue in my life. I hope that you too will want to Wash With Vegetables!

*disclaimer = Traditionally, soap was made using animal fats (tallow, lard, etc.). I may, from time to time, experiment with making soaps from animal fats that have been sustainably harvested, or that I have rendered from my own use. I am still learning the process and because the past tradition of making soap included the use of animal fats, this will be extremely valuable knowledge for me to have. One of the values I wish to instill within my self and my hand made soaps, is to honor tradition and the knowledge that is passed down through the generations. If I wish to carry on past traditions, then I will have to know how animal soap was made. This being said, all of my products will be labeled accordingly, so no one has to feel pressured into consuming a product made with animal byproducts or without full disclosure of the product ingredients.

Sincerely,

Kristen D. Vineyard of
D. Vine Soap Company (maybe - I haven't chosen a company name yet. There could be a fun poll that you can take part in over the next few months to help me decide! How cool is that??)