Sunshine Alchemists & Soap Co

Moroccan Star Shampoo Bars Maximum Moisture - Minimum Waste

No more:

  • dry, itchy scalp
  • thinning hair
  • concern about what is getting into your body through your skin
  • feeling guilty every time you throw away yet another giant plastic bottle.

If you've been curious about switching to shampoo bars, your day is here!

Mix & Match any soaps - body, face, hand or shampoo bars - 3/$30 or 12/$110

  • Sunshine Alchemists & Soap Co

    No Nasty Chemicals

    Our shampoo bars are made with a handful of ingredients you know and can pronounce.

    Does not contain:

    Phthalates

    Parabens

    Sulfates

    Alcohol

    Dyes

    Plastic

    Animal Cruelty or Materials

  • Sunshine Alchemists & Soap Co

    Fabulous For All

    Whether you have:

    a dry scalp

    thinning hair

    curly/textured hair

    thick hair

    color treated hair

    even bitty baby hair

    our shampoo bars are great for you

    AND the planet

  • Sunshine Alchemists & Soap Co

    Organic Ingredients

    Rich in vitamin E, 

    Organic Argan oil

    boosts hair's elasticity & shine

    ​smooths & seals split ends

    provides slip for heat styling

    reduces scalp inflammation & dandruff

    Organic Coconut Oil

    & Aloe Fluid

    cleanse without stripping

    provide lavish nutrients 

    deeply moisturize & condition

    give FABULOUS body

Take It From Brenda, Our Soap is the BEST

all the news that's fit to print

AKA FAQs

Why Do My Roots Feel Sticky After Switching To This Shampoo Bar?

Scalp Detox & Residue Removal

  • Traditional bottled shampoos often contain sulfates, parabens, silicones, and other chemicals that can build up on your hair and scalp over time, creating a slick, coated feeling & stripping your hair of natural oils. When you switch to a shampoo bar, which is free from these harsh ingredients, your scalp goes through a detox period sluffing off these built up residues. Simultaneously your scalp is rebalancing it's oil production to your new, more natural shampoo.

  • During this time period (usually 7-10 days) you might notice your hair feeling thick and sticky at the roots. This is your scalp's natural sebum coming through and residue being removed as your hair adjusts to a clean shampoo as opposed to a stripping surfactant.

Smooth Out Your Transition

  • Rinse well every time you use your new shampoo bar to reduce the stickiness.

  • Use an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse. One part ACV to 3 parts water. Rinse from your roots down. Yes, it smells strong as you use it. The smell is gone as soon as you rinse it out with water. During your initial transition period you can do this rinse every time you wash your hair and once every 1-2 weeks thereafter. Vinegar rinses are FANTASTIC for your hair, restoring pH, clarifying, stimulating hair growth and boosting shine. You'll thank me later.

  • Apply conditioner strategically if you decide you need one. Our shampoo bars are formulated to be extremely moisturizing and conditioning. If you still choose to use one for detangling etc, apply it only to the lower half or third of your hair, avoiding the roots.

  • Enjoy your shiny, bouncy healthy hair!

Once you're through this initial transition period, which sounds worse than it is, you'll be joining the throngs of enthusiastic shampoo bar lovers revelling in your naturally gorgeous hair.

PS: Shampoo bars make travel and after workout showering a breeze. Formulated for hair, fabulous for whole body.

Does Your Soap Have Lye?

Yes.

All soap has lye.

If you're using a bar or dollop of something to wash your skin and it doesn't have lye, it is a detergent or surfactant and not soap.

Sodium hydroxide (lye) saponifies (turns into soap) oils and butters and that is soap making in it's simplest terms. If there's no lye (this can also be potassium hydroxide or even ashes) you don't have soap, you have something else.

No shade, but if you are buying handmade soap and the person selling it to you says that it doesn't have lye in it, they aren't a soap maker.

They may have purchased a melt and pour base and used that to "make" soap and don't understand that the base already has lye in it or they may buy their soap and repackage it and not understand their ingredients ie. the ingredients say saponified xy&z oils and butters which MEANS, lye (sodium or potassium hydroxide) was applied to turn those base ingredients into soap.

Finally, please don't be afraid of soap made with lye.

Properly made soap has a very precise amount of lye calculated based on the exact oils and butters and their weights and in the case of our soap, we reduce that amount so that 6% of the gorgeous, nourishing organic vegetable oils and butters we use are available AFTER saponification for your skin to absorb. (See FAQ about Super-Fatting)

That's why they're so moisturizing.

We've got you.

Super-Fat Is Where It's AT! (Why our soap is NEVER drying)

I bet you're sitting there wondering what the heck super-fat means and what on earth it has to do with soap that soothes and moisturizes dry irritable skin.

Hang on. Here comes the nerdy stuff. Short version?

SKIN LIKES FAT SO WE GIVE IT SOME IN OUR SOAP.

When you make soap, you calculate the precise amount of sodium hydroxide (yes, this means lye and it has to be there in order for it to be soap, see next question) that needs to be added to your recipe's specific oils and butters and the ratios at which they appear in the formula.

The fats we use are organic food grade vegetable oils and butters.

If a formula is left exactly at that 1:1 kind of ratio, all of the oils and butters are bonded with the sodium hydroxide and turned into soap. However, if you calculate the amount of sodium hydroxide you add to your recipe to be LESS than the 1:1 ratio,

the fatty acids (the yummy nourishing oils and butters described above) are left available for your skin to absorb.

Our formulations are calculated at 6% superfat for body and face bars and 20% for shampoo, hand and pet soaps.

Those percentages of oils and butters are what are left available for your skin to absorb and what gives our soap (along with the exact ratios and choices of base ingredients) it's increased moisturizing and emollient properties.

That is why our soaps will never make your skin feel tight, stretched, dry or flaky.

It's Super-Fat, and that's a GOOD thing.

Can I Make My Candle Last Forever?

 Nope.

She's here for a good time, not for a long time, even with our long-burning blend - especially if it's your favorite scent - but you CAN help it live it's best life by following these steps:

  • Burn your candle long enough that the melt pool extends to the entire diameter of your vessel, especially the first time you burn it. This prevents tunneling.
  • Trim your wick to 1/4" before burning each time. This reduces smoking and extends the burn time of your candle.
  • Please burn your candle in a safe place. Place it on a non-flammable surface away from curtains, hanging decorations and out from under any cabinets etc.
  • Keep your lit candle away from children and pets.
  • We recommend not burning your candle longer than 4 hours at a time. If you forget and your wick drifts over toward the edge of your vessel, re-center it after extinguishing the flame but while the wax is still warm, using a non-flammable tool such as a wick dipper.
  • Don't BLOW your candle out. Use a snuffer, wick dipper or even gently place the lid over the vessel to put it out so hot wax doesn't splatter and reduce smoke.
  • Let your candle cool completely once you've extinguished it before touching or moving it. A burning candle's average temperature is 1,800 degrees. We don't want you or your loved ones to be injured.
  • We recommend you stop burning your candle once the wax has reached 1/4 inch from the bottom. We know many people ignore this rule and if you are one of them, we get it, you want to squeeze every drop of delectable fragrance out of your candle. Please KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR CANDLE. Why? If the entirety of your wax pool is sitting liquid on the bottom of your vessel with a flaming wick in the center, all of the wax may catch fire at once, turning your vessel into an impromptu sterno pot. Suboptimal. Hence the suggestion not to burn it to the bitter end, but if you must... please have a care.
  • Store your candle with the lid on and in a cool, dry place when not in use. This keeps dust out and preserves the scent.