Arsai Soap FAQs: What to Know Before You Buy 🌿

From the ingredients we carefully select to the women who craft each bar, we’ve answered your most common questions so you can shop with confidence and feel a deeper connection to your skincare.

To learn more about who Arsai Soap is, what we do, and why we do what we do, please visit our website, ArsaiSoap.com.

Browse our most frequently asked questions below to learn more about our products and what makes Arsai Soap unique.

Arsai Soap offers a range of handmade cold process soaps using nature-based ingredients with no harsh chemicals. Our fragrances are from natural essential oils, our colorants are sourced from materials found in nature, and our olive oils are directly from the trees in our family owned olive groves. 

Our Honey Olive Oil Soap is made from ethically sourced honey from certified, trained professionals, produced in a way that prioritizes the well-being of bees, environmental sustainability, and fair treatment of workers, complying with Lebanon's organic, bee-friendly standards. 

Yes, but we are also more than that. To be labelled as ‘natural’, a product only needs to be made of 1% naturally-sourced, plant-based or mineral ingredients, regardless of the other ingredients. At Arsai Soap we like our customers to know that we are 100% nature-based as our ingredients originate from the earth. We know the value in opting for nature-based soaps and ensuring what gets absorbed in your skin is healthier and chemical-free. Also, nature-based soap doesn’t support animal testing making it cruelty-free, which is important to our mission.

In cold process soaps, the ingredients are not heated, which allows them to conserve their beneficial and natural properties. Cold processed soap is known for its silky smoothness that comes mainly from the olive oil base, a luxury near impossible to find in commercial bars.

Cold process soap making is the original, traditional method of making soap by combining oil (in our case olive oil) with lye then blending in addition of essential oils and colorants as needed. This mixture causes a chemical reaction called saponification which takes up to 2 days to complete. Then after an additional slow curing process of about 4-6 weeks, the soap is ready to use. 

We like to allow for some artistry from our hand crafters. Due to the hand-made and hand-cut nature of our soaps, each bar is unique in shape and weight, and may have small blemishes, air bubbles, or imperfections. We believe this adds character to our beautiful soaps, as each bar truly is one of a kind. Orders with multiple soaps may contain bars of varying weight, but the average weight of all the bars should be as stated or more. We cure our soaps for at least 4 weeks before making them available for sale. Please note that handmade soap continues to age/cure and harden with time. The weight of your soap may decrease after months of aging/curing, but you will have a harder bar that lasts longer when you use it.

Tips on caring for and making your soap last longer?

1. Avoid storing your soap in a place that is constantly in contact with water, like in the direct stream of the shower.

2. Let the soap air dry. Allowing the air to dry out its moisture will make a bar of soap harder (and therefore less likely to crumble), so that it lasts longer. The more time your soap spends completely dry, the longer it will last.

3. Always keep your soap in an appropriate soap dish that allows for drainage. A  a self-draining soap dish is best (Soap dishes without drainage keep the moisture longer and will make it harder for your soap to dry out in between uses). High olive oil content will allow your natural soaps to melt away quickly if left to sit in a puddle of water.

4. Store smaller pieces in a soap-saving pouch. Once your soap bar breaks down into smaller pieces that are difficult to use, put those smaller pieces inside a soap-saving pouch. This small bag will work to contain the pieces for reuse, but it also acts as a type of exfoliating washcloth that you can use to bath yourself with the soap remnants inside.

5. Make sure your baths/showers are not too hot. Hot water will make your bar soap dissolve more quickly and will require more effort to make lather. A cooler shower will help your bar soap last longer by allowing it to maintain its shape and consistency for a longer period of time. Softer water will also help prolong the life of your soap over hard shower water.

All our soaps are handcrafted in Bziza, Lebanon using ingredients grown in Bziza or sourced within Lebanon, then shipped to the United States to be sold and shipped by distributing office, Julia and Julia LLC, located in Kalamazoo, MI. Our offices are owned by a sister duo that work closely together to ensure our customers are 100% happy with our products and service.

Our high-quality, pure olive oil is sourced from olive trees found in our family owned olive groves in Bziza, Lebanon. We like to take part in each step of the process from the selection of the olives, to the production of the oil, to the addition into our soaps, to having direct contact with our customers, to packaging, and shipping. This way we can ensure our soaps are exactly how we want them, the best olive oil soaps possible for our customers.  

Our natural fragrances are made using the following all natural ingredients (no synthetic materials used):

- Essential oils (e.g., lavender oil, rosemary oil)

- Absolutes (e.g., jasmine absolute, rose absolute)

- CO₂ extracts (extracted using carbon dioxide rather than solvents)

- Natural isolates - single aromatic molecules derived from a natural material (e.g., linalool isolated from lavender)

- Why do we list “natural fragrance” vs listing the ingredients?
There are a couple of reasons:

• a single fragrance can blend many different natural compounds - even when derived only from a few plant sources. Listing all compounds would be nearly impossible on a small soap label

• “Natural Fragrance” sounds appealing and clean - it tells our customers something about the product source without overwhelming with a long list of compound names that can be mistaken for chemicals - like “geraniol” or linalool.”

Mica-based earth pigments are natural colorants made by combining mica, a naturally occurring mineral, with earth-derived oxides or natural pigments like iron oxide, titanium dioxide, or ultramarines.

What is Mica?

Mica is a silicate mineral that forms in thin, transparent flakes. When ground into a fine powder, it reflects light beautifully, giving products a shimmery or pearlescent finish.

How are Mica Based Earth Pigments made?

1. Mica powder is used as the base.
2. Mineral oxides (like iron oxide, chromium oxide, or titanium dioxide) are coated onto the mica. 
3. This creates a vibrant, stable, and non-toxic pigment with either matte or shimmery effects. 

Benefits:

• Non-toxic & skin-safe (commonly used in soaps, makeup, lotions). 
• Naturally derived (often labeled as "mineral-based"). 
• Vibrant & long-lasting color. 
• Biodegradable alternative to synthetic glitters or dyes. 

You absolutely can use all-natural olive oil soap bars on all parts of your body! 

In fact, our bar soaps are one of the gentlest, most versatile soaps you can use.

- Why are they safe for full-body use?

1. Naturally Moisturizing
Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, making the soap hydrating — not stripping — for skin on the face, body, and even sensitive areas.

2. No Harsh Chemicals
Arsai Soap's bar soaps are:

• Free from sulfates, synthetic dyes, and artificial fragrance 
• Safe for sensitive skin and people with eczema 

3. Balanced & Gentle pH
Olive oil soaps are known to be milder than commercial cleansers, which means they:

• Won’t disrupt your skin’s barrier 
• Won’t cause dryness or irritation

Pro tip:

• For your face: Lather in hands first, then gently cleanse to avoid tugging delicate skin. 
• For your body: Use directly or with a loofah or cloth. 
• For intimate areas: As long as it’s unscented and all-natural, it’s generally safe — but patch test if unsure.

Skin Safety Reminder: 

Before using any handmade or natural bar soap - even if it's all-natural - it’s a good idea to do a patch test first.

Here’s how:

1. Wet the soap and apply a small amount of lather to the inside of your wrist or elbow. 
2. Wait 24 hours. 
3. If there’s no redness, itching, or irritation — you're good to go! 

Even natural ingredients like essential oils, clays, or herbs can cause reactions in very sensitive individuals, so it's always wise to test first. 

Yes - our bar soaps are often recommended for sensitive skin, and here’s why:

Olive Oil is great for sensitive skin:

1. Ultra-Gentle & Moisturizing
   Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, antioxidants, and squalene, which help: Moisturize without clogging pores, Calm inflammation, Support skin barrier repair 
2. No Harsh Detergents or Sulfates
   Handmade soaps typically skip the synthetic stuff that causes dryness or irritation. 
3. Minimal Ingredients
   Pure, traditional olive oil soaps (like Castile-style) often have only 3–4 ingredients — great for skin that reacts to complex formulas.
4. Mild Cleansing
   Olive oil produces a low, creamy lather - not super foamy, but effective and non-stripping.

Our soaps are handmade with natural ingredients and natural and essential oils. While they’re gentle for most, we recommend a patch test before first use - especially for sensitive skin. Your skin is essential - and we want it happy! We’re here if you have questions - your skin’s comfort matters to us.

Before using any handmade or natural bar soap - even if it's all-natural - it’s a good idea to do a patch test first.

Here’s how:

1. Wet the soap and apply a small amount of lather to the inside of your wrist or elbow. 
2. Wait 24 hours. 
3. If there’s no redness, itching, or irritation - you're good to go!
    

For external use only. Discontinue use if irritation occurs. 

Thank you for taking the time to read our FAQs. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out at customerservice@arsaisoap.com or through our website. We are always happy to help and truly appreciate hearing from you. 

- The Arsai Soap Team 🫒🌿🫧