Finding raw ingredients - bit of a rant

[neeners]

So, I've moved back to Ontario. I want to start soaping again soon (haven't soaped in about 2 months now....feeling the itch, BAD!). I want to test some recipes that will eventually be my base recipes for sale.

I've taken time to decide I want to have mostly organic ingredients (just oils basically). Issue is, I haven't been able find organic soaping OO for a reasonable price. I can find organic EVOO, but there's just no need for that! Too pricey and fancy for soap!

And, seems like people get their stuff from costco, but I dont live near one nor do I have a membership.

Because of this, I feel I need to compromise my vision (which I don't really want to do).

So, for those of you who use organic oils, where do you find just plain old organic OO for soap? I'm out of ideas, so looking for inspiration. TIA!!!

 

[grumpy_owl]

I feel you, neeners. I go as organic as I can but sometimes you hit a brick wall. I like very light, pale OO for my soaps so I buy big bottles of inexpensive stuff, not local and not organic, because it fit my soap vision. Olives don't grow everywhere and sometimes we have to compromise.
P.S. I also use FOs instead of EOs sometimes because DANG, they smell great! Chin up and happy soaping.

 

[neeners]

thanks grumpy owl. so far, I will not give up. when there's a will, there's a way. I just needed to get my frustration out there to people who would understand..... I will go forth....and keep looking!

 

[KristaY]

Hi neeners! I'm sorry you're having so much trouble finding what you want. I don't know how helpful I can be because I don't know what stores are available to you in Ontario but do you have Whole Foods or Trader Joe's? They may have it. Whole Foods is usually pretty pricey but Trader Joe's has good prices. The only other thing I can think of is a health food store online. Hopefully someone from your area will be along with more specific suggestions. Good luck on your hunt!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Out of interest (and I know I will ruffle some feathers here) - is organic important when making soap? I can understand with eating things, of course, but other than label appeal does it make a difference?

If not, then maybe review your vision?

If it IS just label appeal, then maybe customer education is important?

 

[neeners]

To me, yes it's important. It's not just about the label appeal, but it's about HOW food is farmed. There are enough pesticides and toxic chemicals that are causing enough damage to our world and everything in it. And even with my soaps, I don't want to be supporting a type of agriculture that condones those harmful practices.

 

[eucalypta]

I feel you, neeners. I go as organic as I can but sometimes you hit a brick wall. I like very light, pale OO for my soaps so I buy big bottles of inexpensive stuff, not local and not organic, because it fit my soap vision. Olives don't grow everywhere and sometimes we have to compromise.
P.S. I also use FOs instead of EOs sometimes because DANG, they smell great! Chin up and happy soaping.

Lucky you
Here the price of pomace, traditional and EVOO is the same.
One exception is a very good quality of EVOO of course, which is pricy - and even can sky rocket, just like a selected wine.

 

[HorseCreek]

Sadly the "organic" and "natural" labels have become so muddied as to what does and does not constitute those practices. I don't think people realize that when they buy "organic" or "natural" that those terms are loose and can mean lots of things, and the "toxins" they are trying to stay away from may very well actually be present in them.

 

[HorseCreek]

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to start an argument. I am a farmer, my husband is a farmer, my dad is a farmer, my father in law is a farmer... what people put on the internet, and reality are very different things sometimes.

 

[neeners]

yes, I realize that. BUT I can't GO to the farm where the oil is made from (nor can I afford to do that) and ask the farmer how much they spray, or be able to purchase direct from the press or farm. with food however, I am able to chat with the farmer at the farmers market, so I'm very happy buying non-organic, but I do ask if there is spray, if so how much, do they practice organic practices.

I just don't want to support poor farming practices. unfortunately, the only way to get around that is to rely on the organic label, as flawed as it is. and I agree, what goes on the internet can be anything, but, it's just a personal decision that I want to stick to.

 

[Dahila]

Organic is important when you eat, and what you put in lotion on your face, but not in soap. Organic products are labelled organic when they have at least one of the ingredient organic. soap sorry but it seems naive to look for organic oils to make a soap. Saffire blue does cary a lot of organic oils of course the price is high. I had not seen organic castor oil. I stopped using organic CO for my lotions I switched to babbasu oil and love it. It is not organic of course. New direction aromatics carry some organic raw materials..

 

[neeners]

thanks for your input Dahlia, but like I posted earlier, it's a choice for me to have mostly organic ingredients in my soaps (basically oils and liquids, additives and EOs will not be organic as I don't want to charge $10 for a bar of soap), especially now that there is better access than where I was living before. it's not just about wash off product or not, that's not the issue in discussion, it's about me supporting the right kind of farming practices (which I do in life anyway).

it's just tough that the only real options are to either buy a membership for Costco/sam's club or order online. it's not too many options even though there are some.

as of now, I can get my bars to cost just over $1 per bar, which isn't that bad... but that's just oils at the moment.

 

[PuddinAndPeanuts]

Hmm, everything organic I'm finding is extra virgin. EVERYTHING!

 

[CanaDawn]

Organic is important when you eat, and what you put in lotion on your face, but not in soap..

If it matters to the user or the maker, it's is important.

 

[wetshavingproducts]

So, you yourself said it in your last post. Costco membership. It has so many other benefits and is pretty darned cheap. Plus you'd save a lot of money just on the OO itself.

Just wondering though, what farming practices do you want to promote with olives? They're very old trees. Do they even use pesticides or other chemicals on them?

 

[coffeetime]

neeners, I use organic EVOO for my Castile and it's still only about 80cents per bar. Makes a nice just slightly off white bar. IMO, the costco membership is worth it if you can locate one. I buy a half dozen bottles at a time.

 

[neeners]

I'd love to get a costco membership, but I don't live anywhere with a costco, nor do I have a car (city living has its perks). does wal mart have org OO? I haven't shopped there in years so I don't really know...

 

[Ellacho]

I'd love to get a costco membership, but I don't live anywhere with a costco, nor do I have a car (city living has its perks). does wal mart have org OO? I haven't shopped there in years so I don't really know...

I am sorry Neeners that you are having trouble finding organic olive oil. I too try to use organic oils as much as I can in my soap ... so I feel you...

Walmart online sells organic olive oils in bulk but they are all extra virgin!

http://www.walmart.com/search/searc...ganic+olive+oil&Find=Find&search_constraint=0

 

[CanaDawn]

Just wondering though, what farming practices do you want to promote with olives? They're very old trees. Do they even use pesticides or other chemicals on them?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7886254
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030881460800784X

 

[neeners]

Thanks CanaDawn! I will keep on looking!

another thought was whole foods 365 brand. I haven't really checked there yet.....