Welcome to Aquarian Bath - your source for all natural handmade bath and body products
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Welcome to Aquarian Bath your source for all natural gentle soaps. Aquarian Bath is an herbalist owned an operated small business in Daytona Beach, Florida. As someone with a history of allergies and eczema, it is important to me that my soaps are hypoallergenic. For those with sensitive skin be sure to shop the "Sensitive Skin Types" section which has my gentlest formulations. All my soaps and shampoo bars are either unscented or lightly scented with only pure essential oils. I take pride in offering natural body products which are free from chemical fragrances (FO's/fragrance oils), chemical colorants, or palm oil, which is a threat to orangutan rain forest habitat. I make my soaps in small batches most often by the cold process method. The majority of my soaps ship naked, though I some are available boxed for gift giving, especially around the holidays. My herbal salves and tinctures are all made with herbs that are either home grown with organic methods, ethically wild harvested or certified Organic. Herbal Salves and Perfumes which include essential oils are in the Aromatherapy Section. The essential oils used in these products have been tested for purity. When I have time in between homeschooling, gardening, and taking care of a toddler, I also make light weight jewelry that is perfect for hot environments like Central Florida. You can find them in the Delicate Adornments section. I hope you find something you like!
Thank you for visiting and have a great day.
Cory Lynn Trusty
Owner & Herbalist at Aquarian Bath
Cory has a background in Biological Sciences from the University of Washington (B.S. with honors in Cell & Molecular Biology) and coauthored papers in the journals Genetics and Development. She studied herbal medicine at the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Cory has 4 years of experience in teaching herbal and soap making classes as well as herbal workshops in the Central Florida area. Please visit the blog for upcoming classes and workshops.
FAQs:
Question: Are all of your soaps made with lye or Sodium Hydroxide? Can you make an all natural soap with out these chemicals?
Answer: Soap is created through a chemical reaction called saponification. Saponifiable substances are those that can be converted into soap. Sodium hydroxide or "lye" (NaOH) is a caustic (alkali) base. During saponification the alkali base such reacts with a fatty acid side chain of an ester molecule from a fat or oil. Oils and fats are fatty esters in the form of triglycerides. When Sodium Hydroxide is used a hard soap is formed. The alkali (OH group) breaks the ester bond and releases the fatty acid salt and glycerol. The fatty acid salt has a hydrophobic (water fearing) and a hydrophilic (water loving) end. In this way the molecule (soap) can mix with oils or water to act as emulsifiers thereby mixing with water and oils to clean. Many people ask if soap can be made with out lye OR claim that true soap can be made without lye. The answer is no, true soap cannot be made without using lye.
Modern cold process soap making yields a glycerin-rich soap. This kind of soap was once called 'lye soap'. Many people think of lye soap is unpleasant and harsh to use. This is because in the past people made soap with too much lye, and it remained in the bar of soap irritating the skin. Without the scientific data and scales available today, the soap makers of the past approximated the amount of lye to add to the fats. If not enough lye was added, the mixture was soft and not usable. If too much lye was added, some extra lye would remain in the soap but the soap could be used. Therefore, the preference was to add extra lye to ensure the soap would be usable. Using modern calculations and methods, when made correctly, no lye remains in the bar of soap.
Question: Is there a difference between your soaps that are made with essential oils and other Fragrance oil soaps that are available? Can I receive aromatherapy benefits from cheaper Fragrance oil Bath and Body Products? Why don't you have fruit scented soaps?
The Aromatherapy effects of dynamic natural plant essential oils cannot be duplicated by man-made chemical fragrance oils. Aromatherapy is a branch of plant medicine that has nothing to do with synthetic fragrances. However, because the health-promoting properties of true Aromatherapy are desirable, many companies use cheaper chemical fragrance oils that do NOT carry these benefits, but will mislead customers (knowingly or unknowingly) by using the terms aromatherapy or aroma to make it seem like they are the same thing. The most offensive promotion I have seen was an "herbal soap" made with chemical fragrance oils rather than herbal essential oils. In order for a product to have genuine aromatherapeutic properties is must be made with unadulterated plant essences, plant infused oils, or other plant based ingredients. Products labeled for example as "Lavender Fragrance Oil" or "Lavender Oil" you may assume are synthetics. A product made with Lavender essential oil will be labeled as such.
How can you tell if you are smelling a pure essential oil product or natural perfume? There are various ways to test an undiluted oil or essential oil for purity, but when it comes to diluted oils in body or or home fragrance products your nose is also a fine judge. When you smell a product made with pure essential oils you should feel drawn to inhale deeply. In contrast when smelling a chemical substitute you may feel like you want to immediately cease inhalation or even hold your breath. Just think of a trip down laundry or home fragrance aisle at the supermarket, which is often overwhelming for people even without chemical sensitivities. Using personal body products with chemical fragrances such as these may contribute to stress on the liver and development of chemical sensitivities over time.
In addition it is noteworthy that certain plant scents cannot be stabilized. Natural perfumery expert Mandy Aftel notes in her book Essence and Alchemy that following florals cannot be produced naturally: Freesia, Honeysuckle, Violet, Tulip, Lily, Gardenia, Heliotrope, Orchid, Lilac, and Lily of the Valley. Also you may find the following fruity 'flavor oils' in various lip balms, but I can assure you they are not essential oils. These are Cherry, Watermelon, Apple, Raspberry, etc. Citrus fruits flavors however can be condensed from collection of the essential oils from outer peel.
