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Two of Mama Earth's sweetest creations: the cacao bean (chocolate) and honey! Put them together and you have scent and skin BLISS! And now IN SOAP as Cacao & Honey Soap! Jus' sayin'--Valentines Day is just around the corner, Lovers! Love, Carol

Howdy Soap Lovers... As promised, we're adding back more of our old (or I should say "previous") soaps to the menu! Goatmeal Butter Bar (Our richest, most luxurious bar for dry winter skin!) Gold Dust Woman (Feminine, citrus, sunshine in a soap!) Lavender Fields (Classic, ever-popular lavender!) Mossy, Musky, Dark & Dusky (One of our men favorites, all the scents of an old growth forest!) More to come... Carol www.ancientalchemy.com

. From our webpage at: https://www.ancientalchemy.com/are-bar-soaps-hygienic Over my soapmaking career thus far, I invariably will run into people who will say something to the effect of, "Oh, that's nice what you do....but I prefer to use liquid soap or shower gel from a dispenser, it's cleaner." By "cleaner", they are saying they believe there is less potential bacterial contamination compared to bar soap that may be touched by more than one person. Actual studies beg to differ: ​ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2249330/ ​ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1256339/ ​ This study suggests dispenser soap is more likely to transfer bacteria: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21421792/ ​ Of course, "setting" is a large factor, and how many people have access to and are touching any given method of hand-cleaner; ...an airport bathroom, for example, compared to your own bathroom at home. Bacteria is attracted to and thrives in moisture. The surface of a soap bar is only attractive to bacteria if water remains sitting on it, which is why we promote rinsing off your sudsy bar after use, and using self-draining soap dishes where the bar can dry between uses. Whereas liquid soap is made up primarily of water. If you are concerned about who and how many individuals are routinely touching your soap, hopefully you are as methodical about disinfecting your soap dispenser and it's pump, where touch-bacteria can be constantly transferred. ​ Another concern re: many liquid or gel soaps, is the number of synthetic chemicals used in them which are microbiome disrupters, killing off naturally-occurring microbes that are part of your skin's natural defense. These biocide chemicals (i.e. Triclosan, etc.) leave you vulnerable to opportunistic pathogens. The plastic dispensers most liquid or gel soaps come packaged in can contain BPA, also a microbiome and hormone disrupter leaching into product. The healthy alternative is to seek products with natural antibacterial properties that do not destroy your microbiome, and are not packaged in plastic. And remember, when it comes to hand-washing, it is the actual ACT of washing that is what is most effective - the CDC recommends 20 seconds minimum of soaping-up before thoroughly rinsing. ​ As a handcrafted soapmaker and ecology-minded individual, I am biased, but I trust nature over chemicals. I've also lived in households my entire life where bar soap is the norm and we rarely if ever are sick. ​ More studies: ​ Bacteria on hand towels study: https://arizona.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/bacterial-occurrence-in-kitchen-hand-towels Bacterial studies related to handwashing: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1256339/pdf/amjphnation00158-0109.pdf Washing with contaminated soap bar unlikely to transfer bacteria: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2249330/pdf/epidinfect00010-0139.pdf I hope this helps answer questions as per the hygienic nature of bar soaps! Carol ​

...Other Crafty Curiosities! - Art - I t's hard to stop at just one mode of creation...or such is how it's been for me! I've been drawing & painting since childhood, first inspired by the beautiful illustrations in children's picture books. I've continued to love painting mythic fantasy & very real subjects, beings seen and unseen - fairies, mermaids, witches, sasquatch, dragons and more. My art has appeared in several books, online magazines, and I regularly show at San Diego Comic-Con International's annual Art Show. Here is a sampling of my style. It can be found at my art *WEBSITE* with links there to purchase as prints, greeting & blank cards, mugs, pillows, and on a bevy of other useful products! - Writing - Writing is something else I've loved all my life; ...as a child writing stories and poems, ...through school as a newspaper editor, ...later obtaining completion from the Institute of Children's Literature, ...and as a beat reporter for my community newspaper. A recent story of mine in included in the following publication . I love to collect typewriters, too! - Fiber Crafts - As long as I can remember, I've been knitting and crocheting. I grew up in a family skilled in several textile crafts....knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, embroidery, etc. I also learned to spin my own yarn! Here is a sample of some of my wares: handspun yarn for you to make your own projects, and some of my finished pieces. All and more are available HERE. - Pyrography - Another craft I enjoy is pyrography...the art of wood-burning. Here are some samples, and they are available HERE . Thanks for checking out my other crafts! ~Carol

- Handcrafted Soaps - BARS: 4.5+ oz./128+ gms. Soap bars cut at 5.2 oz. and cure down to approx. 4.8 to 4.5 oz. . LOGS: 64.0+ oz./1814+ gms. GS Logs cut into 12 - 5.2+ oz. bars and cure down to approx. 4.8 to 4.5 oz. bars. Or, custom-cut as you'd like with a common kitchen knife. Log price gives you ONE BAR FREE! SHIPPING: MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SHIPPING COST (BAR-FIT PER BOX!)! We ship USPS Flat Rate 1 - 4 Bars (or 1 lb. Soap Scraps) - Small Flat Rate Box - $8.10 2 or 3 bar STACKING Gift Set with soapdish - $11.00 5 - 24 Bars (or 2 Logs) - Medium Flat Rate Box - 14.00 25 - 36 Bars (or 3 Logs) - Large Flat Rate Box - 18.95 Quick View Honey Goddess Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Bloom Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Jasmine Cocoa Butter Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Aborigine Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Amas Veritas Price $10.00 Add to Cart Quick View Cacao & Honey Soap Price $10.00 Add to Cart Quick View Cleo's Secret Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Clovosier Price $10.00 Add to Cart Quick View Frankincense & Myrrh Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Goatmeal Butter Bar Price $11.50 Add to Cart Quick View Gold Dust Woman Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Lavender Fields Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Moss, Musky, Dark & Dusky Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Mystic Mint Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Orange Spice Tea Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Samhain Spirit Price $9.50 Add to Cart Quick View Sandalwood Patchouli Price $10.00 Add to Cart Quick View Sweet Child O' Mine Price $9.50 Add to Cart Load More GIFT SETS Do you wonder if soap BARS are hygienic? READ MORE GIFT SETS GIFT SETS

1/12 White Elephant Soap Scraps Crafty Curiosities Come visit ALL of our crafts, including Fantasy Art, Fiber Crafts, Pyrography! Ancient : def. - belonging to the very distant past Alchemy : def. - a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination. A strange thing happened along the way, growing up. A little girl born in the "boomer age" was different from other children, enchanted with all-things "OL D" - typewriters, pocket watches, inner workings of grandfather clocks & pianos, recipes & remedies, ancient handicrafts, and especially conversations with old folks. It was as if she'd been born or landed in the wrong era! She loved losing herself in forests, foraging for plants, mixing herbal potions. She drew & painted, spun & knitted wool, wrote stories & poems, and read any & everything she could. She LOVED Halloween more than Christmas, spoke to animals, and before you know it, others were calling her "odd", "a weirdo" and "a witch"! All because of the things she loved doing! Read-on..... Carol Ochs (like "Oaks"), Founder, Company Owner, and Crafter of all that you find here, officially in-business since 1994! BLOG Conscious-consuming: "If you are outgrowing who you've been, you're right on schedule. Keep evolving!" - Lalah Delia SHOP NOW > Thanks for submitting your email address to receive Ancient Alchemy's Updates!