Wait, I thought your products were all-natural?

Yes, all of the products offered by Salem Soap Mill are of the highest quality, and the products that I use to make my products are purchased from reputable distributors. While I do my research to provide you with a natural product, I also have the responsibility to keep you safe. So, that means that in my bath soaks and lotions, I add a preservative called Optiphen. It is only added at 1% of the product's total weight, but it is necessary to prevent mold and bacteria growth. Anytime a product contains water that will act as a medium for bacteria growth over time. Only one of my lotions contains distilled water in the ingredients; the rest of my soaks and body butters do not, but they are most likely stored in your bathroom, where water could potentially get splashed into the container, or your wet hand could go in to scoop out the lotion and voila in a couple of weeks you have a petri dish of mold and yuck growing in your bathroom. I would never want you to be smearing bacteria on your skin potentially. So, Optiphen is there to keep you safe. Polysorbate 80 is another product that you may see listed in my bath soaks. Polysorbate 80 is a water-soluble emulsifier. This product allows all of the added goodness that I put in the product, like oils and extracts, to mix with the water in your tub instead of pooling on top and being of little to no benefit to your skin since most of your skin is under the water. Polysorbate 80 also helps the oil when you are done with your bath to go down the drain instead of sitting on the bottom of your tub, making a slip- n- slide for the next time you decide to take a bath. I want to bring you and your skin the best products that I can, but I also will do it safely. Please reach out if you have questions. I would love to hear from you!