Saponification is the chemical reaction that creates true soap. At Glenn Avenue Soap Company, we make soap the traditional way, just like our great-great-grandparents did. While they used lard and wood ash, we use a carefully selected blend of high-quality oils. When these natural oils (triglycerides) mix with water and lye (an alkaline solution of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide), they transform into soap (fatty acid salt) and glycerin—a natural humectant that helps retain moisture in your skin.

Yes! Traditionally, Castile soap referred to a soap made exclusively from saponified olive oil (such as our Simply Olive Bar Soap). Today, the term is used for vegetable-based soaps that contain no animal fats.

Key Features of Our Castile Soaps:

• Foaming Soaps – Made from saponified organic extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and sunflower oil. Olive oil provides moisture and stable lather, coconut oil contributes fluffy lather, and sunflower oil adds silkiness and conditioning benefits. Additional glycerin is included to enhance hydration, and water is added so that you don't need to dilute the formula, ensuring you get the perfect consistency every time without the hassle of mixing or measuring.
• Bar Soaps – “Super-fatted,” meaning excess oils remain in the formula for added moisture. They contain organic extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, and organic RSPO sustainable palm oil. Olive oil provides moisturizing properties, coconut oil creates a firm, lathery bar, and palm oil makes a harder bar that increases longevity.

Many commercial companies don’t use saponified oils to make soap. Instead, they rely on cheap detergents, synthetic surfactants, artificial foaming agents, preservatives, and fragrances, which can leave your skin feeling dry and irritated.

At Glenn Avenue Soap Company, we take a different approach:

• We use saponified oils that cleanse and moisturize, rather than harsh synthetic detergents.
• We use essential oils and natural fragrances, rather than artificial scents with hidden ingredients.

Once you try our soaps, you’ll feel the difference—it’s like washing your
hands with silk!

Foaming hand soap is more
effective than regular liquid soap because:

• It lathers instantly, so you don’t waste soap trying to create a lather.
• It lasts longer—you get up to 2.5x more uses compared to liquid soap.
• It’s fun to use—especially for kids, making handwashing easier and more enjoyable!

We have an entire blog post on this topic, but here’s the short answer:

The FDA has found no evidence that antibacterial chemicals (like triclosan) provide better protection against disease than simply washing with soap and water.

All of our soaps help remove germs—just wash for 20 seconds! If you're looking for extra protection, try our Bandit’s Oil Blend, which contains Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Lemon, and Clove essential oils—all known for their antimicrobial
properties.

Soap and water is the most effective way to remove all types of germs and
chemicals from your hands.

🔬 How it works: Soap molecules are amphiphilic—meaning they have a water-loving and oil-loving side. This allows them to break apart the lipid membranes of bacteria and viruses, effectively destroying them and allowing them to be rinsed away.

According to the CDC:

• Wash with soap and water whenever possible.
• Use hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) only when soap and water aren’t available.

We recommend keeping a foaming soap pump at each sink and carrying hand sanitizer for when you're on the go!

Absolutely! We strongly encourage reusing and refilling your bottles.

Bring your empty bottle to our flagship store at 1166 W. 5th Ave in Grandview Heights, and we’ll refill it at a discounted price!

You can also bring your own container, and we’ll charge per ounce.

FYI: Our refills are ready to use right out of the bottle! Unlike some other soap refills, ours do not require any dilution. Simply pour the refill into your foaming soap dispenser, and it’s good to go. This ensures you get the perfect consistency every time without the hassle of mixing or measuring.

If you notice wispy “floaters” or cloudiness, don’t worry! These are natural and harmless.

🫧 Common causes:

• Unsaponified oils, essential oils, or botanical extracts can naturally separate over time.
• Citrus essential oils in particular may cause slight cloudiness.
• If foaming soaps get cold during shipping or storage, they may become cloudy. Simply let them warm back to room temperature and give them a gentle shake.

Simply shake the bottle, and they will dissolve!

If you see black or brown particles, they may be remnants from the packaging or shipping process. While harmless, you can filter them out, or we’re happy to replace your product if needed.

No, foaming soap dispensers use a different pump mechanism than regular liquid soap dispensers.

We offer our foaming soaps in an 8.5 oz pump.

If you prefer a stylish option, we also sell refillable foaming glass dispensers.

See tips here!

FYI: Our refills are ready to use right out of the bottle! Unlike some other soap refills, ours do not require any dilution. Simply pour the refill into your foaming soap dispenser, and it’s good to go. This ensures you get the perfect consistency every time without the hassle of mixing or measuring.

Our soaps are all-natural and free from artificial preservatives.
While they don’t expire, they may:

• Lose some aroma strength over time.
• Change color slightly.

For best results, we recommend using them within a year.

Our Elvis Juice line is made with Sweet Orange, Pink & White Grapefruits, Siberian & Canadian Fir Needle, and Azacca Hops and Centennial Hops Essential Oil.  The Hops are delicate to grow, harvest, and distill, therefore the Hops Essential Oils are more expensive.

Check our our blog post detailing our unique collaboration with BrewDog here!

RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certifies sustainable palm oil production,
ensuring it minimizes harm to forests, wildlife, and communities. Certified
producers meet strict environmental and social criteria, promoting eco-friendly
practices.

Most moisturizing:

All our bar soaps are "super-fatted," meaning they contain extra oils for
hydration. The most moisturizing options are:

• Simply Olive: Made with pure olive oil.
• Honey Oatmeal: Contains honey, a natural humectant that helps retain moisture.

Most exfoliating:

• Citrus Blossom: Contains bits of lemon and orange rind for gentle exfoliation.
• Not a Brown Trout: Includes ground coffee from Stauf’s for a robust scrubbing effect.

Yes! Find more information here.

Step 1: CLEANSE

Use our gentle and non-drying Foaming Face Wash morning and night to rinse away dirt, oil and makeup, or choose our Activated Charcoal Bar Soap when you need stronger cleansing for oily or troubled skin. 

With eyes closed, gently lather and rub onto face and eyelids.  Rinse thorough
with water and pat dry with a gentle towel. Use twice daily to remove dirt, oil and makeup.

Step 2: EXFOLIATE

An essential part of any skincare routine, these exfoliating grains gently remove
dead skin cells while drawing dirt and bacteria out of your pores, brightening
your complexion, and leaving you skin smooth and polished.

Just add a dash (or a few!) of Salty Beans & Rice to your hand to mix with your cleanser, then wash your face as usual. Use once or twice per week.

STEP 3: REFRESH & TONE

When using soap alone, the pH of your skin is disrupted when the natural oils get washed away along with the dirt. This imbalance could cause acne, dryness and flakiness. Toner corrects this pH imbalance and readies your skin for your moisturizer.

To use, after washing, spray our Balancing Toner onto a cotton pad, then gently sweep over face and neck. May also be spritzed directly on skin.

You should always use a toner just after cleansing and before moisturizing.

STEP 4: MOISTURIZE

Skin is the largest organ in the body and covers the body's entire external surface, protecting underlying tissues.  The skin has a protective lipid barrier consisting of natural oils. This barrier is there not only to help keep
water in your skin but to keep environmental toxins out. When the skin gets dried out, this protective barrier starts to break down and becomes unable to do its job, which creates dry, irritated skin with more pronounced wrinkles.

Moisturizers improve skin barrier repair, maintain skin’s integrity and appearance. Skin care products do not only stay inactively on the skin surface but also penetrate to influence the skin’s structure and function.

After cleansing and toning, smooth our Serum + Moisturizer over face and
neck. Perfect for day or night (or both!).

While you could technically wash your face with a foaming hand soap, we would instead recommend our Herbal Mist Foaming Face Wash, because we've added 19 botanicals that specifically target anti-aging, acne, and encourage tissue repair.

You can use most of our bar soaps on your face, but we don't recommend using the Citrus Blossom or Not a Brown Trout Soap on your face due to their highly exfoliating properties. (If you wish to exfoliate your face, use our gentler Salty Beans & Rice instead).

Our Activated Charcoal bar soap is a great choice for oily skin, but if you have dry skin, we'd instead recommend the Herbal Mist Foaming Face Wash.

The Activated Charcoal Bar Soap is great for acne-prone, oily skin, as it helps absorb excess oil and impurities. However, if you have dry skin, it’s best to use it
sparingly—not every day—as it may further dry out your skin. For a gentler option, consider the Herbal
Mist Foaming Face Wash, which is formulated for all skin types, including dry skin.

Check out our blog post dedicated to our Activated Charcoal Bar Soap here!

While our body lotion is safe for facial use, we recommend our Herbal Mist Serum + Moisturizer (from our Skin Care line) or Facial Moisturizer (from our Shaving line), as these are specially formulated for the face.

When using soap alone, the pH of your skin is disrupted when the natural oils get washed away along with the dirt. This imbalance could cause acne, dryness and flakiness. Toner corrects this pH imbalance and readies your skin for your moisturizer.

To use, after washing, spray our Balancing Toner onto a cotton pad, then gently sweep over face and neck. May also be spritzed directly on skin.

You should always use a toner just after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Just add a dash (or a few!) of Salty
Beans & Rice to your hand to mix with your cleanser, then wash your face as usual. Use once or twice per week.

Both products share a similar base formula, but the key differences lie in their scents and targeted benefits.

• Herbal Mist Serum + Moisturizer: Scented with Basil, Sage, Peppermint, and Rosemary, it complements our Herbal Mist Skin Care line and is ideal for daily hydration and skin nourishment.
• Facial Moisturizer (Shaving Line): Available in Fresh (Peppermint, Tea
  Tree, Rosemary & Cypress) and Forest (Cedarwood, Patchouli & Bergamot), these scents are designed to pair perfectly with our shaving products. Additionally, this moisturizer includes St. John's Wort, Yarrow Root, Chamomile, and Geranium extracts, which help reduce irritation, inflammation, and redness—making it a great post-shave treatment or daily moisturizer for any skin type, whether you shave or not.

Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their therapeutic properties.

They work in two main ways:

1. Through inhalation – Aromatic molecules travel through the nose, triggering reactions in the brain.
2. Through the skin – Their tiny molecules absorb into the body and can be detected in perspiration, urine, and breath.

Different oils have different effects—some are calming, others anti-inflammatory, and some even boost immunity.

Every diffuser will have a different basin capacity, but a good rule of thumb is 3-5 drops per 100ml of water. However, if you have a larger room, you might need a slightly higher concentration. Starting conservatively and increasing the quantity if necessary is a smart approach.

Check out our comprehensive Essential Oil Guide, which contains:

• Detailed information on each oil
• Safety precautions & best practices
• Aromatherapy benefits and uses
• DIY recipes & blending tips
• FAQs

Our body lotion is a lightweight, water-based moisturizer that absorbs quickly
without leaving a greasy residue.

Body butter, on the other hand, is a richer, more intensive moisturizer made from a blend of three butters (shea, kokum, cocoa) and three oils (avocado, rice bran, sunflower). It's ideal for extra-dry areas needing deep hydration.

All our body butters share the same nourishing base of whipped butters (shea, kokum, cocoa) and oils (avocado, rice bran, sunflower). The difference lies in the essential oils:

• Lavender Body Butter – Contains only Lavender essential oil.
• Rose Geranium Body Butter – A blend of Rose Geranium, Cedarwood, and Egyptian Geranium.
• Healing Blend Body Butter – Infused with Lavender, Geranium, Rosemary, Carrot Seed, Bergamot, and Tea Tree for their soothing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and healing properties. Great for eczema, cuts, burns, bug bites, tattoo aftercare, and scars.
• Lil' Sprouts Healing Baby Butter – A gentler version of our Healing Blend with a lower concentration of essential oils, making it safe for infants and young
  children.

No! Body butter melts at higher temperatures—so avoid leaving it in a hot car. If it melts, simply place it in the fridge to re-solidify. While it won’t regain its original whipped texture, it will still work just as effectively.

STEP 1: PREP & SOFTEN

Using a Pre-Shave Oil before applying your Shaving Soap not only helps to soften and lift the follicles, but also helps prevent irritation and razor burn by creating a protective layer on your skin. A must for those with sensitive skin.

Start with a clean slate by cleansing your skin. Apply a few drops of Pre-Shave Oil, massaging onto face & beard. Let it sit for about a minute to allow the oil to fully saturate the hair, then apply your shaving lather (see Step #2) on top of the oil.

STEP 2: LATHER & SHAVE

Lather and shave with dense and luxurious lather from our Shaving Soap. Use a Shave Brush for a great lather and Safety Razor for a close shave.

Wet your shaving brush with hot water. Load it with soap by firmly swirling the bristles across the soap for 15-20 seconds. (While a brush is not an absolute must, it helps lift hairs and coat them with the lather.) Apply to wet skin and use circular and sweeping strokes to build a thick, dense lather.

STEP 3: SOOTHE & CONDITION

It's important to moisturize with every face cleansing, but it's especially important to do so after shaving to minimize the risk of irritation on freshly shaved skin, aid in skin recovery, and restore the moisture you stripped away with shaving.

Our Shaving Collection's Facial Moisturizer features rich and nourishing Jojoba, Rice Bran & Avocado Oils and 20 different Botanical Extracts to hydrate, soothe and rejuvenate. It also includes St. John's Wort, Yarrow Root and Geranium and Hydrolyzed Oats to reduce inflammation from shaving.

Pulling your skin taut, hold your Safety Razor at a 30-45° angle, and shave with the grain in short, straight strokes. Be sure to glide over the skin, not pushing into the skin. Rinse with a splash of cool water.

Rinse your razor after each pass and store in a dry location. Replace your blades after 10 shaves, or sooner if you notice dullness, tugging or rust.

STEP 4: RESTORE & RESHAPE

A beard balm works as a leave-in conditioner which will moisturize, condition, style and soften your beard.

Restore & shape your beard or mustache with a dab of our Beard Balm. Use your finger with slight pressure and a circular motion to soften a small dab of balm. Massage into beard to coat, groom and shape. Our Pre-Shave Oil also works great as a Beard Oil. 

Absolutely! Our shaving products work well for all genders. They come in two scents:

• Fresh – Peppermint, Tea Tree, Rosemary & Cypress.
• Forest – Cedarwood, Patchouli & Bergamot.

Our Pre-Shave Oil is great for beards and bikini lines, and our Shaving Soap works anywhere you shave. Our Beard Balm can tame beards, flyaways, or slick ponytails.

Using a safety razor may take some practice, especially for legs. Just remember: don’t "press and drag" like with cartridge razors—let the weight of the razor do the work to avoid nicks.

A safety razor reduces skin irritation, shave bumps, and ingrown hairs because it only has one blade against your skin at a time.

With a 5-blade cartridge razor, shaving over the same spot three times exposes your skin to 15 passes of a blade. A safety razor limits this to just one pass per stroke, reducing irritation and improving your shave.

Yes! However, because infants are more sensitive to essential oils, we recommend our Lil' Sprouts line, which specially formulated for babies, with a lower concentration of essential oils.

You could also try our fragrance-free options like:

• Simply Olive Bar Soap
• Simply Clear Foaming Hand Soap
• Simply Soft Body Lotion
• Fragrance Free Body Butter

Our Foaming Baby Wash is not tear-free because it’s made with natural soap, which has a slightly higher pH that can sting if it gets into the eyes. Unlike synthetic "tear-free" products that use milder surfactants or pH-adjusted formulas, our baby wash is crafted with pure, natural ingredients to prioritize safety and gentleness for your baby's skin.

Many "tear-free" products achieve their label by avoiding true soap altogether, instead using synthetic surfactants with neutral or low pH levels that are less likely to irritate the eyes. Rest assured, our Foaming Baby Wash is free from harsh chemicals, sulfates, and synthetic additives often found in conventional "tear-free" formulas.

While our baby wash may not be "tear-free," it's formulated with care to cleanse and nourish your baby's delicate skin naturally!

How to Work Around a Non-Tear-Free Baby Wash:

1. Be mindful during bath time: Tilt your baby's head back gently while rinsing to keep soap away from the eyes.
2. Use a washcloth: Apply the soap onto a damp washcloth instead of directly onto your baby’s skin, helping you control where the soap goes.
3. Rinse carefully: Pour water gently using a cup or your hand, keeping it aimed at the back of their head rather than the face.

Our Diaper Rash Cream is designed to heal existing diaper rash, using Zinc Oxide to create a strong moisture barrier, Coconut & Olive Oils to help heal and prevent infection, and Shea, Cocoa & Kokum Butters to moisturize and strengthen damaged skin.

Our Bum Balm is a lightweight, everyday barrier balm made with Olive Oil and Local
Beeswax to keep baby skin moisturized and dry. It’s best used at every diaper change to help prevent diaper rash before it starts.

Avoid insect repellents on babies under two months old. Instead, use physical barriers like lightweight long-sleeved clothing and mosquito netting for strollers and carriers.

For older babies, avoid applying insect repellent to their hands, as they often put
them in their mouths. Also, keep it away from their eyes, mouth, and any open cuts or scrapes.

For little ones and those with sensitive skin, it’s always a good idea to do a test patch first.

Our products are all-natural, and many are made without preservatives. While they don’t have a strict expiration date, they may lose some of their aroma or change color over time. We recommend using them within a year for the best experience.

Some of our products do contain preservatives:

Gluconolactone & Sodium Benzoate, an Ecocert* preservative:

• Foaming Face Wash
• Facial Moisturizers and Serum + Moisturizer
• Hand & Body Lotions
• Shampoo + Bodywash
• Balancing Toner

Potassium Sorbate, another Ecocert* preservative

• Foaming Face Wash

Rosemary Oleoresin Extract, a natural antioxidant derived from rosemary leaves

• Body butters
• Carrier Oil
• Bath Bombs

All of these preservatives, as well as our other ingredients, are rated very well in the Environmental Working Group's Skin-Deep Cosmetics Database, ensuring they're safe for you and your family.

*EcoCert is the international organic certification body that approves preservatives considered ecologically friendly alternatives to parabens.

Here at GASC, we only use natural and organic plant-based ingredients, essential oils and natural fragrances. We do not use sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, SLS, SLES, or artificial fragrances, colors or preservatives.

Our products are lightly scented with essential oils, not perfume or artificial fragrances, but if you prefer none at all, we have some fragrance-free options for you! You *simply* must try our Simply Olive bar soap (it only contains Saponified Olive Oil, great for people who may have allergies to other oils) and our Simply Clear Foaming Hand Soap, not to mention our Simply Soft Body Lotion. We even have a fragrance-free body butter. All are fragrance-free.

At Glenn Avenue Soap Company, we use natural and organic plant-based ingredients, essential oils, and natural fragrances. We avoid sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, SLS, SLES, and artificial fragrances, colors, or preservatives.

While not all of our ingredients are organic, many are, and we will always list organic ingredients in the ingredient list.

Most of our products are vegan, with a few exceptions. Our Beard Balm, Bum Balm, Lip Balm, Facial Moisturizer, Serum + Moisturizer, and Honey Oatmeal Bar Soap contain honey or beeswax, and the Shaving Soap contains silk. All our products are cruelty-free.

Most of our products are gluten-free, with the exception of our Honey Oatmeal Bar Soap, Body Lotion and Facial Moisturizer from the Shaving Line (which contain oats that may be cross-contaminated with gluten) and our Beer Soaps.