PHOTO PROVIDED Sandy Considine, of Rural Suds by Sandy, poses for a photo with some of her soaps.

We use soap every day, whether to wash ourselves, our clothes or our dishes. In the supermarket, it is easy to come by and cheap. But lately, there have been more people buying natural soaps.

Rural Suds by Sandy was started by Sandy Considiine to provide natural soaps.

Fun fact: the “soap” you buy in stores is not really soap. According to the FDA, real soap is made of “alkali salts of fatty acids” (essentially, oils or fats combined with lye). To mass-produce soap, companies have found it is easier to use synthetic ingredients instead of oils. Therefore, most mass-produced soap-like products (Dove, Irish Springs, etc.) are not technically soap, but a “synthetic detergent product.”

Considine said, “When I make soap, you can be assured that it is actual soap because I am in charge of the ingredients she puts in it. I avoid synthetic materials, harsh chemicals and unnatural fragrances.”

The ingredients in real soap are simple:

— Fat (animal, vegetable or mineral oils)

— Lye (the alkaline used to hold the soap together)

— Water

That is it! Just three ingredients.

“I also add natural fragrances such as essential oils or beauty fillers like herbs, flowers, spices, clay, coffee and salt. The bottom line: I am in control of the ingredients in my soap and, therefore, the overall health of my and your skin,” Considine said.

Considine uses the cold process method of making soap, which uses the heat created by the oil and lye reaction to make soap instead of adding heat.

This method reduces the need for heating the lye, and takes between four to six weeks to set up.

Making soap might seem like it would be a hassle. “I can guarantee you that it is at times. Your soap does not always turn out, your colors change when cooled, your soap cracks or doesn’t harden like it should. But all-in-all 90% of the time it turns out, and it surprises you when you cut it and you see the beauty in each bar,” Considine said.

“I think the hardest part of soap making is waiting for the soap to cure and also getting your combination of essential oils to blend together for the scent you are trying to create. Scent levels in soaps can be subtle to complex, you have base, middle and top notes if using different fragrances. Soap can be fruity, spicy, floral and woody,” she added.

While there are many reasons Considine likes to make natural soap, her most important one might sound a little tame: “I make soap because I love the process.”

“I love the challenge and the ability to create and offer a good natural soap,” she said.

Considine said she also receives satisifaction from creating something, and knows that her soap is better for her than store-bought.

“I also love giving soap as gifts to others,” she added.

“Having fun is another reason why I make soap and creativity never ends. Learning never ends: I take online workshops to expand my knowledge on how I can make my soap prettier in design and patterns,” she said.

Considine has been making soap for three years now, using local lard or tallow, olive oil and coconut oil as the only oils she uses.

For essential oils, she uses organic, coloring ingredients which vary based on the scent of the soap.

“I use an advanced Lye calculator, so my soap is ideal for your skin with the properties of conditioning, hardness, cleansing, bubbly, creaminess and longevity,” she concluded.

You can find Rural Suds by Sandy on Facebook.