FAQ

At its simplest, soap is made by combining fats and/or oils and water. For the blend to turn to soap, a combination of water and lye must be added to the fat/oil mixture to produce a chemical reaction. The same chemical reaction is required in the process of making industrially manufactured soap. While lye might sound a bit scary, there is nothing to worry about – the final product does not contain lye, because the lye is completely used up and neutralised during the saponification process. At Onnenpussi we only use the highest quality lye that has been approved for cosmetic use by the European health authorities.

Our handcrafted salt soaps contain natural fats and oils and plenty of unrefined sea salt. Sea salt is a wonderful ingredient and has many beneficial qualities that have been found to help with various skin conditions. However, you don’t need to suffer from any skin problems in order to start using salt soap and enjoy the many associated benefits. Onnenpussi’s salt soaps are suitable for washing your hands, face and the whole body. All of our soaps contain both cleansing and nourishing properties and are suitable for all skin types.

Onnenpussi’s natural soap bars are proudly handcrafted in small batches at our soap studio in Eastern Finland.  Our soaps are made from scratch using our own special recipes. Onnenpussi is a small, independent business devoted to bringing you the finest, skin-loving natural cosmetics around. By purchasing our lovely products, you can rest assured knowing that every bar of soap we make is ethical, environmentally friendly and cruelty-free.

We handcraft the soap in small batches using the cold process method, which means that no heat is applied during the soap making. Carefully selected natural oils and fats are combined with lye and water, creating a chemical reaction called saponification, the result of which is soap. Next, the mixture is poured into moulds and left to harden. After the soap has been removed from the mould it is left to cure for at least a month before it is ready to be used. It is important to let the soap cure for long enough, as this allows the soap to harden properly and become less acidic, making it more gentle on the skin. The soaps in our ‘Soap on a Rope’ collection are left to cure and harden for at least two to three months, which is one of the reasons why one bar lasts for a long time. Handcrafted, cold processed soap is naturally alkaline with a pH value of around 8-10, which is ideal for gentle cleansing.

Another benefit of handcrafted soap is that it contains glycerin that helps lock in your skin’s natural moisture, prevents over-drying and improves the texture of your skin. Glycerin is a natural by-product of the curing process that gets filtered out when soap is manufactured industrially.

Sometimes a layer of white film might develop on the surface of a handmade soap bar. The white stuff is soda ash, which is completely harmless: it does not affect the safety of the soap or how effective it is. Just use the soap as usual, the soda ash will wash away during the first couple of uses.

Depending on the recipe, a variety of vegetable fats and oils as well as unrefined sea salt are used to make the Onnenpussi soaps. All our products are vegan (with the exception of the Honeycomb salt soap, which contains pure honey and beeswax) and contain no palm oil, chemical preservatives, detergents, foaming agents or curing agents.

Our soap bars are made from scratch using our own recipes that have been developed over several years. During development, the soaps are continuously tested until we are 100% satisfied with the final product.

Depending on the recipe, we scent our soaps with either pure essential oils or high-quality soap fragrances approved for cosmetic use, and their gorgeous, delicate shades are created using cosmetic-grade colourants. Because each batch of soap is handmade, it is unique and there might be some natural variations in the scents and shades. However, we never compromise on quality and each bar of soap is made to add a little splash of luxury to your life.

Our products are cruelty-free. We are against animal testing and all the raw materials that we use are sourced from producers who are committed to animal welfare. Read more about the ingredients used in our products. 

Each soap comes labelled with a complete list of ingredients in accordance with INCI standards for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. INCI names for waxes, oils, pigments, chemicals and other ingredients used in cosmetics are based on their scientific names and both Latin and English. INCI names are used in the European Union, the United States, China, Japan and many other countries for listing ingredients on cosmetic product labels.

In addition to the product labels, you can find the complete INCI ingredient list of each soap next to the product description when you browse our online shop. The INCI list also includes allergens for essential oils and soap fragrances, as listed by the EU. If there is no mention of allergens on the INCI list, the product does not contain any fragrances or ingredients that have been listed as allergens by the EU.

Use Onnenpussi salt soap to wash yourself in the same way you would with any bar of soap. The soap is rubbed on moistened or wet skin: you can either rub the soap directly onto your skin or rub some onto moistened hands that you then apply onto your wet skin. The soap can also be applied to a wet sponge or brush, which will give you a soft lather with lots of small bubbles. Whatever style you prefer, please be sure to rinse the soap off your skin at the end.

Salt soap is gentle enough to be used daily, both as hand soap and for washing your face, as well as the rest of your body. Although sea salt has exfoliating properties, it does not strain the skin in the same way as mechanical exfoliation. You might want to view it in the same way as if you were to swim in the ocean every day: a little bit of salt is good for you and keeps your skin looking fresh and healthy.

Onnenpussi salt soaps produce a mild lather, but because of the salt they do not froth as much as our salt-free products. However, once you start using one of our soap bars, you will soon notice the benefits of using salt soap on your skin. If you are a big fan of bubbles, try applying the salt soap onto a wet sponge or brush, which will give you a lovely, soft lather.

Our Salt Soap on a Rope products contain plenty of vegetable oil rich soap flakes that froth a little more liberally and produce a nice lather.

Most people love a good lather, but did you know that the amount of froth you see on your skin or in your hair has nothing to do with how well the soap is actually working? It is just trapped air inside bubbles, which is not the best way to measure how effective or beneficial the product is for you. The cleansing, moisturising and skin-conditioning properties of the soap are provided by the type of fats and oils that the soap contains. Therefore, even if the soap does not froth very much, it is still doing its job of cleaning and looking after your health and well-being.

Salt soaps are suitable for people of all ages and can be used by the whole family. However, it is recommended that soap is not used on children younger than three years of age. Usually children love washing themselves with our beautiful soaps, but care should be taken to ensure that the soap is not used on broken or irritated skin, as it might sting or cause other unpleasant sensations.

Salt soap is suitable for all skin types. Dry, rough and atopic-prone skin, in particular, often benefit from the minerals and trace elements found in salt soap. Similarly, people with psoriasis have reported that salt soap has helped their skin condition. However, you don’t need to suffer from any skin problems in order to start using salt soap and enjoy the many associated benefits.

If your skin is broken, salt soap might sting in the beginning. However, the stinging sensation should pass and after using salt soap for a while you will probably notice the many benefits associated with its use. If you continue to experience discomfort after using the salt soap for a week or two, it might be a sign that you are sensitive or allergic to one of the ingredients in the product. If you suspect an allergic reaction or your skin condition is getting worse, it is recommended that you stop using the product immediately.

All Onnenpussi products are packaged in sustainable fresh fibre cardboard, which is produced using primarily Finnish wood from responsibly grown and maintained forests.

The cardboard packaging can be recycled together with other cardboard waste. Some of the boxes contain a clear plastic window that can be removed and recycled together with other plastic waste.