Estrella soaps, what do you think?

[Bex1982]

I've seen these soaps http://estrellasoap.com/ around at my local walgreens and other places (i think lol). Anyway, I thought they looked cool (cooler than my soap), which gave me some envy. But looking at the ingredients, it seems it's another one of those companies that withhold some ingredients.

So what do you all think?

 

[Bex1982]

Here is one review but it doesn't seem like a mechanic guy (or any guy!!) would say all this lol:

"As an eco-minded individual and an automotive mechanic, I try to use products that are beneficial to the planet and to myself. I am thrilled that I found the Pumice and Tea Tree Oil soap made by Estrella. Just the smell alone makes me feel clean and refreshed, and the pumice is great for scrubbing out the grit from a hard days work. Couple that with the properties of tea tree oil as a healer, and I feel much better about all those little nicks and scrapes. I couldn’t imagine ever using anything else!"

Plus the soaps don't say anything about being eco-friendly.

 

[LunaSkye]

I checked out the site and can only say that there is something about it that I'm not feeling. I have been to other soap sites and liked what I see, but not so much with this site.

 

[OliveOil2]

I like the look of their soap, couldn't find a list of ingredients which drives me crazy! They don't really write much if any description, and although the weight was on the label in one photo, I don't see that listed either.
What concerns me is they say that they only use essential oils, well they should know that Wintergreen can be very toxic, they have a Wintergreen soap. I was wondering about the sweet mint, usually sweetness would come from a FO, but maybe there is something else like honey that would give a sweet scent. It would be easier to tell if they listed their ingredients more clearly.

 

[Bex1982]

The ingredients are under "specifications". When use honey it doesnt really add a sweet smell

 

[navigator9]

Pretty soaps. But incomplete ingredient lists always make me wonder what they've got to hide and for that reason, I would not buy their soap.

 

[KristaY]

I agree they're beautiful soaps. I just read the ingredient list and saw several that contain "organic rice flour". I've never seen that in a recipe. Has anyone used it? What's the purpose of it in soap?

 

[cmzaha]

I like the look of their soap, couldn't find a list of ingredients which drives me crazy! They don't really write much if any description, and although the weight was on the label in one photo, I don't see that listed either.
What concerns me is they say that they only use essential oils, well they should know that Wintergreen can be very toxic, they have a Wintergreen soap. I was wondering about the sweet mint, usually sweetness would come from a FO, but maybe there is something else like honey that would give a sweet scent. It would be easier to tell if they listed their ingredients more clearly.

Just for the record I make Wintergreen soap in the winter.

 

[Obsidian]

I don't see anything wrong with those soaps. All the ingredients are listed, just because each type of EO used isn't included doesn't make it a lie. As far as the sweet mint goes, its probably just a blend of sweeter mint EO's. Nothing about about it makes me think of a sugar smell.
The rice flour is probably used to anchor the scent, just like you could use clay or corn starch.

 

[Bex1982]

I was thinking the rice flour might be an exfoliate, but maybe it's too fine. I noticed all the soaps have the same exact oils listed in the same order making me think its all the same formula with just different goodies added to each type of soap. I like to use different oils in different % for different soaps. We can't tell what % they used but I would bet money its the same recipe. Maybe that's the smart and easier thing to do!!

 

[OliveOil2]

I'm still missing the ingredients, must be me! They describe the sweet mint as candy like, but maybe like Obsidian said it is just a sweeter mint like the Japanese mint EO. That is interesting about the Wintergreen ;the information I received several years ago may be outdated, or just restricted in Europe.

 

[Bex1982]

I'm still missing the ingredients, must be me! They describe the sweet mint as candy like, but maybe like Obsidian said it is just a sweeter mint like the Japanese mint EO. That is interesting about the Wintergreen ;the information I received several years ago may be outdated, or just restricted in Europe.

You have to go to a soap and then click on the "specifications" tab and it will show you the ingredients

 

[seven]

you have to click on each soap and click on specification, that's where the ingredients list is located.

i didn't click on many soaps, only a couple, one of them was their almond soap. natural almond scent --- wtf is that? lol

but anyway, they managed to get themselves to walmart, good on them!

 

[Bex1982]

you have to click on each soap and click on specification, that's where the ingredients list is located.

i didn't click on many soaps, only a couple, one of them was their almond soap. natural almond scent --- wtf is that? lol

but anyway, they managed to get themselves to walmart, good on them!

That's the thing is that I think all of their "eo mixes" etc are bs, they just don't want to list fragrances. Not surprised, it does seem to be the trend now. And if you used an essential oil mix it would be a selling point to list them, like "lavender, rosemary and juniper essential oils" or whatever. I would anyway.

 

[seven]

^^^
the quest for au naturale, huh? yea, sometimes it can get a bit (much) annoying.

 

[Obsidian]

With the list of scents they have, I don't see any reason to doubt they are using just EO's. It would be different if they had scents that aren't achievable with EO, like banana or baby powder.

I also don't see any difference in listing EO blend then others who just list fragrance. Maybe they don't want to share the blends they are using so people can't try and copy it or maybe they are like 10 different EO's and it would be silly to list them all.

The natural almond scent could simply be a almond EO, it does exist. I know many companies are shady about the scents they use but you guys are starting to rip on someone just because you don't like their labels?

 

[cmzaha]

I have to agree with Obsidian. They most likely do not want to list their proprietary eo blend and I do not blame them. Several of my soaps carry a proprietary eo blend on their label. Since it is the eo blend that does the most good, and I worked on the blend for a couple of yrs to perfect, I sure do not want to list the individual eo's. Added to that one of my blends is 8 eo's, try doing inci on a label for that... If a customer is concerned over allergies I ask them if there is a particular eo they are allergic to and I will let them know if it is included, or they can email me for the list of ingredients. All the ingredients is listed on the specifications tab on her website and I give kudos to someone that wants to work that hard to supply Walmart. That would be full production and one would need to use as few ingredients as possible. Hence the same oil combo
To actually label correctly there are 2 ways to do it. All that go into the beginning of the soap, ie water, oils, lye etc or what the finished product contains such as sodium tallowate, sodium palmate, water, and the additives

 

[Bex1982]

Actually I love their labels and I think their soaps look great. If you mean their ingredients label, it's not ripping just some criticism, but I think that's only natural if you make soap too. Most list water because there is still some in the soap. It's just marketing, customers see water and think the product is watered down, and if they see fragrance they think it's chemical synthetics, and if they see sodium hydroxide they think it will burn their skin off. Truth is we have no idea if it's legit or not, it's just all speculation. I've seen the soaps in person and smelled them, they smell good and look good. Im not sure however, how they are mass producing but saying they only make soaps in small batches. The scents are very strong so either they are using a ton of eo and spending a fortune or they have a little help from fragrance oils, and there are natural fragrance oils. Who really knows, right? Nothing wrong with it, you just have to wonder why things are not listed.
I have a soap from shea moisture which i really really love, they also say eo blend but omg i've never once smelled eo like that and i'm pretty good at pegging them, plus it's super strong. they also say african black soap base but dont list the ingredients of the base.

 

[seven]

i don't have the intention to bash them. actually, i don't have a problem with the way their list their EO blends. i think it's fair enough that you don't want people to know your concoction.

i'm just curious about that natural almond scent. very rarely did i see almond EO listed for sale, WSP has one (bitter almond) and the price is pretty steep. i also don't think they were using almond EO, otherwise they would list it as EO like they did all the other soaps. now we all know that almond essence, vanilla essence, even real vanilla pods, the scent barely came through in cp soaps.

which leaves the question?

 

[AKjulz]

I love the clear labeling! I have been searching/struggling with labeling forever, cigar bands are easy but cover up all the pretty designs in the soap and the other things I have tried are just too time consuming on a larger scale.