The following are a list of the ingredients I use in my soap, lotions, lip balms, etc. All of the ingredients used in products used on the skin are natural, or in the case of fragrance oils and some colorants, almost natural. Following the ingredient list is a glossary of some of the words that might not be familiar to you. If you have any questions regarding the ingredients or products, please feel free to email me at suds@janesrusticranchsoap.com. I would also love to hear what your thoughts are on the products you purchase from us!

SOAP INGREDIENTS – Our Soaps are made from a combination of different oils. They include avocado, castor, cocoa butter, coconut, palm, palm kernel, olive, safflower, shea butter, essential and or fragrance oils for scent, colorants, herbs, or a combination thereof.

Avocado Oil – This is a rich emollient oil that contains Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, as well as essential fatty acids. It is nourishing, moisturizing, restorative, and softening to the skin. It is great for sensitive, dry, mature, and problem skin. This a base oil in every soap we make except the doggie shampoo bar. It is very high in unsaponifiables.

Castor Oil – This oil gives soap a rich, creamy lather with concentrated conditioning. It is also a humectant oil. Again, this oil is in all the soap recipes we make.

Cocoa Butter – This is another skin conditioning oil. We use this butter to superfat (add after saponification) our lavender soap. We also use it in our Raspberry Wild soap. It adds extra moisturizing and a chocolate scent to the finished products.

Coconut Oil – This is a soap making staple used in almost all soap recipes. It makes a hard bar of soap with quick foamy lather, and has great cleaning qualities.

Palm Oil – Another soap making staple, this oil is in most of our cold process recipes. While the coconut oil provides great lather, the palm oil adds stability and long lasting lather. It is a very mild oil with a yellow cast to the color.

Palm Kernel Oil – This oil has properties very similar to coconut oil. We use this oil instead or with palm oil in some recipes. It is a much harder oil (brittle) as well as whiter. We use this oil in recipes I want the color to be more vibrant or “true.”

Olive Oil – Again, another soap making staple. This oil is in all our recipes. Olive oil brings out the characteristics of the other oils used in the soap recipe. It is a very mild oil.

Safflower Oil – This oil provides light skin conditioning and rinses clean. We use it in our doggie shampoo bar for those qualities.

Shea Butter – High in unsaponifiables, this butter is great for its moisturizing, smoothing, and softening properties. This oil is great for aged and damaged skin. We use it in most of our recipes.

LOTIONS – Currently we have only one lotion recipe. Eventually, I hope to add other more skin specific lotions, but for now, this a great recipe for any skin type. The oils used are easily absorbed into the skin and, in the case of jojoba oil, are very close to the oils produced by the skin. We also use essential or fragrance oils, emulsifying wax (to combine oil and water), glycerin (a humectant), ROE (rosemary oleoresin extract – an antioxidant), and Vitamin E. Besides being good for the skin, the last two ingredients, ROE and Vitamin E also act as a preservative to some extent.

Jojoba Oil – This is actually a liquid plant wax that is very close to the oil our own skin produces to protect itself. Easily absorbed by the skin, this oil is rich in Vitamin E and is nourishing, softening, soothing, and moisturizing. It is good for all skin types and problem skin.

Sweet Almond Oil - This nourishing mild oil is high in essential fatty acids. Commonly used in skin care products, it is a conditioning oil, high in Vitamin E, and good for all skin types.

LIP BALM – All lip balms have a base of beeswax, candelilla, soy wax, or some combination thereof to harden them. Most use shea butter (Java uses coffee butter) for its numerous qualities, avocado, castor, cocoa butter, cranberry seed, jojoba, kuikui nut, palm kernel, or combinations thereof. They also have Vitamin E, ROE, and neo heliopan (sunscreen) added as well as essential, fragrance, and/or flavoring oils. Some of the oils have already been described above.

Cranberry Seed Oil – This oil is high in vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants. It’s a great oil for damaged skin.

Kuikui Nut Oil – A light oil, easily absorbed by the skin, high in essential fatty acids, it is also good for damaged skin.