Commercial "soap" VS lye soap

November 26, 2025

I discovered that many of the soaps and body washes I was buying for my family were synthetic detergents, not soap at all. Soap is created when lye has a chemical process with fats/oils, an age-old process called saponification. The resulting soap creates a foam that helps get rid of germs and also has a ph that is inhospitable to germs. Synthetic detergents are made up of a bunch of chemicals & unpronouncable ingredients that irritate skin and dry it out. Some of these ingredients are truly dangerous. Companies then add stuff to try to put the moisture back. Even one of my favorite brands is a culprit, one I thought was very clean, good for the earth, etc. Unfortunately, companies are out to make money, however much they talk about wanting the best for us. They get away with a lot.

Probably most of us have heard about cancer-causing Parabens. Thankfully we are seeing labels with “paraben-free” now. What are parabens though, and should we be relieved that they are disappearing? Parabens keep microbes at bay so that we don’t develop an infection from your product. Anytime water is added to anything, there is an opportunity for germs to grow. So what has taken the place of parabens? Usually:

Phenoxyethanol, with dangers of: skin irritation, toxicity concerns, reproductive effects and environmental concerns.

Ethylhexylglycerin is known for contact dermatitis and skin irritation

Sodium Benzoate can convert to Benzene, a known carcinogen

Potassium Sorbate can cause allergic reactions, nausea, diarrhea, nutrient loss in food and skin/eye irritation.

There are many other ingredients in commercial products that are questionable. Companies are only allowed to add a certain percentage of these chemicals to their products to be considered safe for the body, but we are not using only one product each day. Every family has a different genetic tolerance for these chemicals as well.

I decided that lye soap with simple ingredients is better for my family. Our bodies are amazing and they can compensate for a long time, but we know the body keeps score. We can’t see all the slowly accumulating damage. The truth is, we are all taking in substances that we weren’t meant to take in, and it’s going to have effects.

My daughter and I created Oak Manour as an alternative to commercial soap. Oak Manour offers skincare products with simple ingredients. If you have eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis or sensitive skin, we suggest our Essential Oil products that are completely natural and nourishing. Our herbal dry shampoo is not an aerosol so you won’t breathe in things that you shouldn’t, and it is full of healthy ingredients for your scalp. Our sanitizer is an alcohol spray instead of a gel because the gels include artificial ingredients.

A shout out to “Mamavation” who has some of this information and more on their site. Thank you.

Wendy