FAQs

Do you have products suitable for sensitive skin?

Yes! Many of our customers with sensitive skin find our soaps to be gentle and non-irritating, since we use no synthetic fragrances, SLS, parabens, or artificial dyes. For those with specific allergies (such as nut allergies), we recommend reviewing the full ingredient list on each product page before purchasing. Our unscented soaps are a great starting point for very sensitive skin. If you have questions about a specific ingredient, feel free to contact us before ordering.

Can I visit one of your retail stores? Where are you located?

Yes! We have two retail locations in Virginia:

Both stores carry our full product line and are the best place to smell and experience our products in person!

What is your return/exchange policy?

We want you to love your purchase! If you're not satisfied, please reach out to us within 30 days of your purchase. Because our products are personal care items, we are unable to accept returns on opened products. However, if something arrived damaged or there was an error with your order, we'll make it right. Please contact us with your order number and a description of the issue and we'll take great care of you.

What are "Perfectly You" Special Orders / Custom Orders?

Our Perfectly You special order service lets you customize products to your preferences — whether that's a specific scent combination, a personalized label, or a bulk order for a special event like a wedding or corporate gift. Note that custom/special orders do not qualify for free shipping or Golden Bubbles rewards. Visit our Special Orders page to learn more and get started.

Are your products safe for babies and children?

 As with any personal care product, we recommend checking the full ingredient list for any specific sensitivities. For very young infants, we always suggest consulting with your pediatrician before introducing new skincare products. Our unscented options are generally a wonderful choice for little ones.

Are your products vegan?

Many of our products are vegan, but not all — some formulas include ingredients like beeswax, honey, or goat milk. Each product page lists the full ingredients, which you can review before purchasing. We never test on animals, and we're always happy to help you find products that meet your dietary or lifestyle preferences — just reach out!

What is your commitment to sustainability and the environment?

We take our environmental responsibility seriously. We use sustainably sourced ingredients (including sustainable palm oil) and are committed to reducing our carbon footprint across our operations. You can read more about our specific environmental initiatives on our Climate Commitment page.

How should I store products I'm not currently using?

Store unused products in a cool, dry, and dark location — away from direct sunlight, humidity, and heat. This is especially important for our bar soaps and products scented with essential oils, as heat and light can cause scents to fade more quickly. Properly stored products will stay fresh and effective for much longer.

Do you offer gift wrapping or the ability to include a personal message with an order?

We offer beautiful gift sets and bundles that make excellent gifts, and our e-gift cards can be sent directly to your recipient with a personal message. If you'd like to include a handwritten note with a shipped order, please add your message in the order notes at checkout and we'll do our best to accommodate. 

Can I use your bar soap as a shampoo?

Some customers do use our natural bar soaps for hair washing with great results. However, hair has different pH needs than skin, so results can vary depending on your hair type and local water conditions (especially in areas with hard water). We also carry a dedicated natural hair care line specifically formulated for hair, which we'd recommend for the best results.

What does HSCG Advanced HP/CP Certification Mean?

The HSCG Advanced HP/CP Certification means that a soapmaker has demonstrated a high level of knowledge, skill, and safety in the traditional methods of handcrafted soapmaking—specifically Hot Process (HP) and Cold Process (CP) techniques. This certification is awarded by the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild, the leading professional trade organization for artisan soapmakers in the U.S.

To earn the Advanced Certification, a soapmaker must already hold the Basic Certification and then pass a rigorous written exam along with a review of their soapmaking practices. The certification covers topics such as advanced formulation, lye calculations, ingredient properties, labeling, troubleshooting, and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices).

In short, when you see that a product is made by an HSCG Advanced Certified Soapmaker, you can feel confident that it was crafted by someone with verified expertise, a commitment to safety, and a deep understanding of high-quality, artisanal soapmaking.

How do I redeem my Golden Bubbles?

In Store: Simply give us your email address at checkout and let us know you'd like to redeem bubbles. We can apply any applicable discount right at the register.

From a computer: When you go to perfectlynaturalsoap.com, log in to your account. Once you are logged in, click on the green tab on the LEFT SIDE of the screen that says "Golden Bubbles." Then click on the Ways to Redeem. It'll give you the option to redeem any applicable coupon.

From a phone or tablet: When you go to perfectlynaturalsoap.com, log in to your account. Once you are logged in, click on the green leaf on the BOTTOM of the screen. Then click on Ways to Redeem. It'll give you the option to redeem any applicable coupon.

How do I add my birthday for my Golden Bubbles?

From a computer: When you go to perfectlynaturalsoap.com, log in to your account. Once you are logged in, click on the green tab on the LEFT SIDE of the screen that says "Golden Bubbles." Then click on the Ways to Earn. It'll give you the option to add your birthday.

From a phone or tablet: When you go to perfectlynaturalsoap.com, log in to your account. Once you are logged in, click on the green leaf on the BOTTOM of the screen. Then click on Ways to Earn. It'll give you the option to add your birthday.

Are there limits to the Golden Bubbles Rewards?

We highly value our customers and their participation in our loyalty program, Golden Bubbles. However, we want to bring your attention to certain limitations that exist to ensure fairness and maintain the integrity of the program. Custom orders, private label or special orders do not qualify for Golden Bubbles, and referrals cannot be made within the same household. Additionally, households are unable to combine rewards or merge accounts, and once Golden Bubbles are converted into coupons, they become non-refundable, even on returned/refunded orders. Lastly, please be aware that Golden Bubbles will expire after one year of account inactivity. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in adhering to these limitations to ensure a positive and fulfilling experience for all our valued customers.

Do you offer free shipping?

We do for in-stock orders $75 and over, shipped to the continental US (or to APO/FPO). In-stock orders under $75 will ship for a flat rate of $9.99 (except AK, HI). Custom orders, Private Label or Special Orders do not qualify for free shipping.

E-Gift Cards ... Can you explain them?

Sure! E-Gift Cards are electronic gift cards that are emailed to you when you purchase them. You can then either print them out or forward them on to your recipient. When you purchase one, you'll get your invoice email AND also a second email with the subject "Your Perfectly Natural Soap gift card is ready!" In that email is a link to your gift card code.

When making a purchase in our store, you can redeem the value of a gift card by entering its unique code at checkout. This code isn't case sensitive. A gift card holds a balance, which can be spent over more than one order. Gift card balances are applied to the total value of an order, which can include taxes and shipping.

When you redeem a gift card, the checkout displays one of the following options:

  • If the balance available on the gift card is greater than or equal to the order total, then you can click Complete order.
  • If the balance available on the gift card is less than the order total, then you are prompted to choose a second payment method for the balance before placing the order.

When making a purchase in our retail store, just let our associate know you have a gift card as payment and have your code or QR code ready for us.

I placed an order online - when and how will it ship?

Well thank you for placing an order with us! We ship all orders within 48 hours (usually less!) and all orders will ship UPS Ground or USPS  See our UPS Shipping Map for more information on UPS Ground timing. Shipping for APO/FPO or shipping to a US Territory will only ship USPS.

I'm having trouble opening a lotion bottle - is there a trick to it?

Sometimes our lotion pumps can be tough to open initially because they're "stuck" in the closed position. Here's a quick video we made to help you with some tips and tricks to open a stuck pump: https://youtu.be/ACecWWI3wPE

Is Perfectly Natural Soap handmade?

Yes, we make soap the old fashioned way, by hand. Perfectly Natural Soap is made from a combination of natural oils with a strong alkali (lye) solution until a process of saponification takes place. Saponification is a chemical reaction that occurs when the lye is combined with whole oils. Soap and glycerin are the resultant products. No lye remains in the finished product.

Our bar soaps are made using the cold-process method wherein we mix the oil and lye into soap and glycerin without added heat and let the soap cure for approximately 6 weeks before selling. During this curing process, the soap fully neutralizes and evaporates off some of its water. This results in our long lasting, mild bars of soap.

Do you have to use lye when making your soap?

Yes. It is impossible to make real soap without using lye. However, during the process of making soap, no lye remains in the finished product. 100% of the lye added to our recipes bonds with the oils in the recipe and through the saponification process, becomes soap and glycerin. No lye remains in the final bars of soap. Our soaps are all made with an excess of oil so that there is also some of the recipe oils left in the final product as well. This is done to ensure the bars are extra moisturizing.

Today's handmade soaps are far more gentle than they ever were due to advances in supply standardization and more refined measuring. They are made to be gentle to the skin with many people finding them very moisturizing.

What is the expiration on your products?

Our products should be used within a year of purchase and within 6 months of opening.

Do you give tours of your facility?

Unfortunately, no. Our soap studio does not have the physical layout to facilitate tours and being a very small artisan business, we are not staffed to facilitate touring - we're too busy making our amazing products for you!

Is Perfectly Natural Soap "Organic"? What do you define as "Natural" soap?

Our soaps are made using organic ingredients in many cases. Each product label will indicate which ingredients are organic.

When we say our soap is all-natural, it is our way of saying that it contains no synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, synthetic dyes or preservatives. Our soap is scented with essential oils and naturally derived ingredients and colored with organic herbs, clays, midas, oxides and plant extracts.

We recognize that there isn't really such a thing as "natural soap" or "organic soap," in the technical sense of the words, since soap isn't present or formed in nature. At Perfectly Natural Soap, we take elements from nature and mix them together to make something new (alkali + oil = soap). However, saponification is a chemical reaction that occurs by mixing these elements. Some would therefore call it a "chemical" and technically they are correct. We needed to find a way to convey to you our commitment to only use ingredients in our soaps that are plant based, contain NO phthalates, dyes or parabens — and we do that by using the term "natural."

Does Perfectly Natural Soap contain glycerin?

Yes. Glycerin is a natural byproduct of the saponification of the oils we use to make our soap, so it is a natural part of all our soaps. Our soaps qualify as glycerin soaps because glycerin accounts for over 9% of the final bar of soap.

Does Perfectly Natural Soap contain SLS?

No. SLS (sodium laurel sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate) and other sulfates are often added to soaps to increase lather quality. They are commonly found in soaps, including many marketed as natural soaps, as well as glycerin soaps, liquid soaps, and shampoos. As synthetic compounds, SLS and other surfactants dry out your skin and, for many people, cause irritation. We use neither SLS nor any other sulfates in our soaps.

Why does Perfectly Natural Soap use so many oils?

A good bar soap balances bar durability (hardness), lather quality (both fluffiness and stability), and moisturizing ability. Each oil has unique properties and provides different characteristics to the finished bar of soap. However, the properties that contribute moisture are not those that contribute much to lather quality, and the ones that make great lather are drying to our skin. We use a selection of the following varieties of oil in our recipes to provide balance to Perfectly Natural Soap:

  • Organic palm oil (sustainable) — creates a harder finished bar; high in palmitic acid, vitamin E, vitamin K and magnesium; a natural anti-oxidant.
  • Organic sunflower oil — used for its humectant property, similar to olive oil, but with a 'cleaner' feel on the skin; used in moderation as it tends to soften the bar.
  • Organic olive oil — acts as a humectant, drawing moisture to the skin.
  • Cocoa butter — contributes stable lather and hardness to the final bar.
  • Sweet almond oil — saponifies easily and produces a stable and conditioning lather in soap.
  • Avocado oil — gives a conditioning quality to the soap and is rich in vitamins A, D and E, lecithin, potassium, protein and amino acids.
  • Organic coconut oil — gives bubbly lather and adds additional hardness to the finished soap.
  • Shea butter — lends a creamier texture to the finished bar of soap.

How can I make my handmade soap last longer? / What is the shelf life of your soap?

All handmade soap should be kept in a dry, cool, dark storage space to maximize its lifespan. Since our soaps are scented using essential oils, the scents will dissipate over time. When the soap is in use, make sure it has sufficient drainage to dry in between uses, as water will wash the soap away. Try one of our handmade wooden soap dishes to help keep your soap dry in between uses.

Our bar soaps won't go bad, but over time may lose some of the potency of their scents.

Do you test your products on animals?

We NEVER test our products on animals. Our friends and family happily volunteer to be our testers.

What is Shea butter?

Shea butter is extracted from the nut of the Karite tree in Africa.