Soap Paradise: handmade artisan soaps from S’pore
Attention soap lovers in Singapore! I’m so pleased to introduce you to Soap Paradise, a one-of-a-kind handmade artisan soap store. Yeah, no need to join sprees to order from Chagrin Valley in US as you can now get beautifully designed and may I add, sweet smelling handmade soaps locally. I won’t say I’m a huge fan of soaps but I do take quite a bit of interest when they look and smell good. And the ones from Soap Paradise look and smell like delicious yummy cakes to me!
Soap Paradise is a family business run by the husband and wife team, Alvin and Jocelyn. Apparently, Jocelyn, who is the soapmaker, started her fascination with making handmade soaps over seven years ago and creates them without any harsh detergents, petroleum or preservatives. When she approached me three years back, I remember seeing only soaps but now, her store has expanded to include balms, scrubs, massage candles. From what I’ve read, she’s also looking into formulating moisturizers soon.
Wide selection
I believe many of you will be captivated by the varied artisan selections once you enter the online store. There are quite a variety of soaps to pick from—with fancy names like Psychedelic, Citrus Twist, Berry Delight, Sheer Freesia, Strawberry Patch, Champagne Chic, Lily Of The Valley and many more. You can even find soaps for men and soaps for your dogs…definitely spoilt for choice. In fact, even if you don’t like using soaps, they’ll make very delightful gifts for friends or family.
Smells great
Jocelyn sent me a few of her soaps to try but I’ve only managed to use the Victorian Tea Rose, which is absolutely lovely looking and like its description, smells like taking a walk in a rose garden, light and yet potent. I’ve been using this soap twice daily now and I really like it on my body. It lathers well and is pretty moisturizing with shea and cocoa butter but also Rice Bran Oil.
Foodie ingredients
Some of the soaps come with food ingredients like pumpkin pulp, cinnamon stick and powder, yogurt, ginger, matcha green tea powder, honey, bee pollen, and coconut milk. And you will notice Sodium Hydroxide in all the soaps. This ingredient, otherwise known as lye, is crucial for soap making and my understanding is that when a soap is formulated correctly and professional, the ingredient is completely safe after it has been combined with other constituents to create the soap.
Prices and benefits
Prices start from S$7.90 for a glycerin soap and an average of S$15 for a cold processed soap bar. Given the ingredients and formulation, I think the prices are pretty reasonable. The soap bar doesn’t turn out too soft and soggy and a bar can last you somewhere between 3 and 4 weeks. I had told Jocelyn that I dislike the squeaky clean feel with using soap bars and she told me that the effect could be temporary when I used her soaps. Well, it’s true to an extent in the sense that the squeaky clean feeling has been reduced. I was also told that I could experience more benefits after some time like elimination of body odor as well as less drying skin. Well, my skin doesn’t feel dry after washing with the soap but I still need moisturizing. Anyway, I might just stop buying body washes for awhile and continue using the other bars I was gifted with. For one thing I’ve noticed is, my skin hasn’t suffered the occasion itch these two weeks and I wonder…
Anyway, check out Soap Paradise here. They’re eye candies!
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Please d0 let me kn0w if the itch c0mes back after a while? I als0 suffer fr0m 0ccasi0nal itch and when i recently used the Nature’s Gate b0dywash it get quite frequent s0 i’m thinking 0f buying a new wash. Thanks.
0h, can y0u rec0mmend me a g00d water-based face serum 0r m0isturizer? I’m trying t0 mix s0me L-Asc0rbic p0wder in the serum t0 lighten my acne scars. Thanks again ?
I love handmade soaps. I currently use soaps from Plantlife which are made with essential oils and organic botanicals. They smell amazing.
Those are handmade? Wow, they look incredibly good. I don’t usually buy handmade soaps but maybe I should give them a chance.
Lovely eh? They smell great too.
Oh Plantlife? I’ve heard of it but not tried the brand before.
It’s quite hard for me to recommend…you can look up some from Skinactives…they have very good products at a good price but you need to wait for shipping. I usually mix mine with toner.
Ouh i only ordered the vit c powder from them. It’s ok i will just buy some random ones off the counter.
HI!
Great article! I passed by an awesome soap shop at the basement of orchard central. They smell heavenly too! I love my soaps.
The attractive thing is that they conduct soap making workshops. Soap lovers need to check them out. http://www.facebook.com/soapministrySG
Hi,
You mentioned Sodium Hydroxide (SH) as one of the ingredients. I thought SH is a hazardous chemical and not allowed to purchase in Singapore?
Please read my explanation in the entry. The soap cannot be made without it. Anyway, she’s not selling that ingredient but the soap.
Exactly! Soap cannot be made without Sodium Hydroxide. I am only just puzzled as how to make the soap when I was told Sodium Hydroxide is classfied as a highly hazardous and a controlled chemical in Singapore. Hmm……. still confused. Anyway, thanks!
I understand that it should be treated with care so if you’re in soap making, you probably know how to handle it. I wonder if a special permit is required?
hi
My Husband the same problem of itching, and the skin became dry and reddish.
we then started using Bliss Shea Butter introduced to us by a friend from East Aftrica.
within a week we realised the difference and itching stopped and added to this, the skin became even, more shinning and blemishes started to disappear. now our whole family is a fan of of this BLISS SHEA BUTTER !!.
A permit is required to possess Lye in SG but it’s possible to buy it online from overseas, provided u don’t get caught during shipping.. if u do, they toss it out and maybe put u on the blacklist for abit.. I’m quite curious how they get their Lye.. Some schools have it in chemistry labs but of course they are prohibited by law to resell the Lye.. from what I was told last time, the permit is not easy to get in SG for individuals, u need to have an industrial space with very strict specifications, otherwise it’s considered illegal… I once encountered a Taiwan lady who offered to sell me and other students some Lye for soapmaking, she claimed she got a license for doing so but after 2 weeks she went missing and phone calls, emails got unanswered.. very dubious if u ask me and I wasted my money on her “illegal” soapmaking classes ?
I see…didn’t realize it’s illegal to acquire lye without a permit.
Yes a permit is required and we do have the permit but unfortunately our permit does not allow us to teach or sell the lye. But rest assured the lye is completely gone in the finished soap and our soaps are superfatted at 5% to 10%