Frequently asked questions

It is the combination of fats and oils (acids) mixed with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide (bases) to produce a substance that cleans.  Soap helps to break surface tension of the water which allows the water to cover more area making water wetter. Soap molecules called micelles have a hydrophobic (water repelling) tail and a hydrophilic (water attracting) head. The head is what makes water wetter and allows germs to wash off easier. While the tails because they repel water, they are attracted to dirt, germs and bacteria on your hands. They collect these unwanted substances and bring them inside the soap molecule, until we are ready to wash them down the drain.

Commercial soaps are traditionally stripped of their moisturizing component, glycerin. Glycerin is the by-product of soap making and is what attracts moisture to your skin. Handcrafted soaps typically still contain their glycerin (Ours sure does!) which helps your skin to attract moisture.

We always strive to include the best ingredients in our products  If an organic option is available we do our best to use it, but unfortunately not everything is organic. We use local ingredients whenever we can. We ensure that the suppliers we work with are providing a high quality product, which is free of animal testing and are sustainable.

We make soap using the cold process method. We start by melting fats and oils together, and mixing water and sodium hydroxide. When each mixture is the correct temperature, we mix them together. In the beginning, the mixture will have the consistency of olive oil and have a translucent appearance, but when the soap starts to saponify (to become soap) the consistency will thicken and become opaque. Right before we pour into the molds, the scent and colorants are added. After being poured, the soaps sits for two days before being cut. During this process, we cut groom and stamp the soaps. After grooming, the soap must sit for an entire month before it can be used, this process is called the curing stage. In this stage 20% of the water weight evaporates from the soap, making it a bar harder so it will last longer. The finished bar of soap gets hand wrapped and shipped to a store or to your door!

Lye soap was made before we knew how to calculate how much lye was needed to saponify (the chemical reaction where oil and lye combine to make soap) with each oil. Each oil has a different amount of lye needed to make a soap molecule. Most of the time the recipe was a guess of how much of each oil and lye was needed. Lots of times there was too much lye in the recipe, hence the name Lye Soap (made for great laundry soap, but not great for your skin). Now when soap is made we have calculators and formulas to help ensure that there is just enough lye and oils to make the perfect bar of soap.

Forget-Me-Not Soap

Forget-Me-Not Bath Bomb

Alaska Winter Soap

Alaska Winter Salve

Cabin Fever Reliever

Aurora Soap

Bear Naked Lavender-Cedarwood Bar

Shampoo Lavender, Rosemary and Clary Sage Bar

Bath and Body Oil Lavender

Bath and Body Oil Boreal Nights

Butter Bear Lotion Bar

Goat Milk Lavender-Patchouli Soap

Klondike Kate Complexion Bar

Klondike Kate Bodacious Balm

Within Alaska, shipping is $8.00 on orders up to $34.99, and ground shipping is free on orders over $35. To the continental US, shipping is $12.95 on orders up to $35, $13.95 from $35.01 to $55, $23.95 from $55.01 to $99.99, and free ground shipping on orders of $100 or more.

Free ground shipping to the continental US takes 15 to 18 days. If your order qualifies for free shipping, you can upgrade to priority shipping for $8.95.

Visit our shop at 2400 Spenard Rd, Suite 100 in Anchorage, Monday through Friday, 10:30am to 6pm. You can also find us at shops, lodges, and museums across Alaska. See our Where to Buy page.