Fragrance oil free soaps

Our fragrance oil free soap, contrary to what the name might imply, is not without fragrance. We simply do not add additional fragrance oil. Our soaps are generally mild when it comes to scent - our floral blends more fragrant. However, any fragrance that you experience when using our fragrance oil free soaps arise from essential oils, butters and other unique ingredients found in that particular soap, such as lavender buds (Lavender), or aloe vera juice (Rosemary Mint).

Best,

Umesh
Lexington Soaps

Anti-bacterial soap ban by the FDA

The recent ban by the FDA of 19 chemicals found in anti-bacterial soap is a significant shift in position by the agency. Previously, the position was that anti-bacterial soaps don't provide significant benefit versus non-antibacterial soaps. Now, the view is that anti-bacterial soaps may cause harmful effects over the long term.*

Our soaps are made from natural, organic ingredients (detailed ingredients are available at http://www.lexingtonsoaps.com/Bath-Soaps_c2.htm; just click the soap category, then the soap). This means that not only do we use ingredients most people are familiar with (e.g. lavender flower buds in our Lavender soap; oatmeal and honey in our Oatmeal Honey), we do not use any of the 19 banned chemicals. Additionally, there are no sulphates, phalates, or parabens in our soaps. In our view, these ingredients produce harsh, detergent-like qualities that dry the skin and allow skin irritations to develop.

Sulphates, phalates, parabens  are often found in commercial soaps, as well as some soaps that are advertised as "natural" - for good reason. These ingredients produce a quick lather that is thick and full. Advertisers fully understand the appeal of fluffy, lather on attractive actors. In contrast, our soaps produce a lather that is much more creamy, and made of tiny bubbles (think of the froth of steamed milk on the surface of a latte). This is because of the significantly higher concentration of butters and oils in our soaps. Two side points:

1. We don't use artificial emulsifiers in our soaps. This means it will take one or two bathings to allow warm bath/shower water to allow the oils and butters to meld naturally (a slightly sticky initial feeling is natural - this is the olive oil, and it will go away);
2. We recommend using a bath mat in the shower. Those higher concentrations of oils and butters in our soaps naturally find their way to the tub floor and make for slippery footing. 

Do we use emulsifiers, and preservatives in any of our products? Yes, we use them in our lotions and creams. We use natural preservatives, such as rosemary oleoresin to reduce rancidity of natural oils. Rosemary oleoresin is an oil extract of the rosemary leaf, and is a natural antioxidant. And, we use natural emulsifiers to hold the oil, butter, and water molecules together.

Incidentally, these preservatives are not necessary when making bath soap because water is essentially removed during the saponification process, and our long (five week) naturally aspirated curing stage. But, that is a blog for a different day.

Best,

Umesh
Lexington Soaps
umesh@lexingtonsoaps.com

*http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/03/science/fda-bans-sale-of-many-antibacterial-soaps-saying-risks-outweigh-benefits.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FFood%20and%20Drug%20Administration&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection

Finally, a Sugar Scrub we can call our own.

After extensive experimentation, Radha has made a sugar scrub she is satisfied with. It removes dry skin cells, and invigorates the underlying healthy skin. Healthy skin that is exfoliated will stimulate blood flow to the surface of the epidermis and help prevent skin irritation at the elbows, knees, and particularly the heels and balls of the feet.  

If this was our only objective, we would have created a product months ago. Radha, wanted a scrub that would exfoliate, and moisturize without leaving a greasy residue. The organic mango butter we use in the emulsification process to create our scrub is how our scrub leaves the skin soft, clean and smooth. As we all know, water and oil don't mix. An emulsification process keeps the oil in water (and water in oil) droplets stable. Now, when we combine the aforementioned mango butter, other organic oils and butters, and other ingredients we produce an emulsified sugar scrub that leaves the skin healthy and invigorated. Radha uses the scrub weekly as a facial scrub, as well. Apply gently on the face with a circular massaging motion. It is extraordinarily refreshing!

Our Sugar Scrub (http://lexingtonsoaps.com/Sugar-Scrub_c21.htm) contains lavender essential oil combined with frankincense and myrrh fragrance oil producing a fragrance that is warm and soothing.

Our Story

Our story:

Necessity is the mother of invention

- Plato

When my youngest son was five years old he experienced a mild case of eczema.
His condition was more uncomfortable for him than dermatologically serious. Commercial bath products contained chemicals and preservatives that only increased the irritation he felt after bathing. Many of these bath products – although advertised as ‘gentle’ contained chemicals with qualities similar to those found in detergents. 

If my wife couldn't find the best product for my child, she would make it herself. Let me describe Radha, the soapmaker. Professionally, she is a senior engineer for a large software company. She works in quality assurance, which requires an adherence to rigorous standards. Secondly, in the kitchen, she is a cook who insists on the freshest, most flavorful ingredients available at the local market. She brings these characteristics to making our soap products.

She made soap out of completely natural and organic ingredients that relieved my son’s 

eczema. She then experimented with various essential oils, butters, and other ingredients to develop her own recipes. After testing on kind friends – and further refinement,we developed first, a soap product line, then lotions, scrubs and balms, and shaving products (shampoos are next).

Two years later, Lexington Soaps started producing high quality bath products that you will find invigorating in the morning, and soothing in the evening.

-Umesh Shelat

Which Soap is right for me?

11/30/2014 12:32:11

Which soap is right for me?

The best soap for your skin depends - on your skin. Our two primary objectives for our soaps is to 1) cleanse, and 2) moisturize. All of our soaps have ingredients specifically designed to do both of these in different proportions. For example, our Lavender Tea Tree has moisturizing ingredients (African shea butter, coconut oil), however I categorize it as a deeply cleansing because of its astringent ingredients (tea tree oil, activated charcoal). We recommend Lavender Tea Tree for individuals with skin that contains or produces high oil content [athletes, teens, peoples from Mediterranean countries etc.]. On the other hand, our goat milk blends have cleansing and exfoliating properties, but are highly moisturizing because of the goats milk.  For example, the oatmeal in our Oatmeal Honey, is ground to a specific consistency so that you feel the exfoliation without being abrasive. 

So, to make a long story longer, I suggest:

•  Cleansing leaning soaps: Citrus blends, Lavender Tea Tree
• My favorites: 
• Cranberry Spice because the simultaneous exfoliating/moisturizing qualities of the Jojoba beads, and because the avocado oil is also great for the hair. http://www.lexingtonsoaps.com/Cranberry-Spice-BCCS.htm
• Cucumber Melon because the cucumber is especially cleansing for the face and below the eyes. http://www.lexingtonsoaps.com/Cucumber-Melon-BCCM.htm
• Moisturizing leaning soaps: Goats Milk blends, Herbal blends, Almond Joy, Jasmine Sandalwood, Sandalwood.
• My favorites:
• Almond Joy: the cocoa butter is incredibly moisturizing; there is a definite chocolate fragrance in the shower, but coconut is what remains on the skin. http://www.lexingtonsoaps.com/Almond-Joy-BWAJ.htm
• Ocean Rain: If you like the ocean, this is your soap, because the kelp powder deeply exfoliates, and also has that slightly salty ocean scent. http://www.lexingtonsoaps.com/Ocean-Rain-BHOR.htm
• Sandalwood, Jasmine Sandalwood: I generally prefer Woodsy scents, but the Jasmine Sandalwood is a wonderfully relaxing Friday/Saturday night bath (as opposed to the weekday morning/shower) soap
• Popular Florals include:
• Lavender (we include our home grown lavender to the lavender bud mix to get the right fragrance and exfoliation) http://www.lexingtonsoaps.com/Lavender-BFL.htm
• Violets are Blue: If you like flowers this is the soap for you - extraordinarily fragrant. http://www.lexingtonsoaps.com/Violets-are-Blue-BFVB.htm