Frequently Asked Questions

At Aardvel, we pride ourselves on the artistry of our handmade organic skincare and hair care products, meticulously crafted to nourish and rejuvenate your skin and hair with nature's finest ingredients. Our formulations, such as the exquisite Buchu & Charcoal Skin Cleansing Blok and the hydrating Buchu & Lavender Hair Cleansing Blok, eschew synthetic fragrances in favor of pure, organic essences, ensuring a luxurious experience that is both effective and environmentally conscious.

How long will a Blok last me?

You can expect to use a block from 3 up to 6 months with regular use.

We intentionally made our block larger than usual to reduce the number of times you'll have to reorder (Fingers crossed you love it as much as we do!) This saves money, time, and the environment.

Do you sell lye soap?

Well, yes, technically, all our soaps are lye soaps. Sodium hydroxide, or household lye, is an important part of cold-process soapmaking, used to convert the base oils into true soap and glycerin, in a natural process called saponification. When the soap is fully cured, the lye has been completely transformed, and there is no longer any remaining.

Will the soap melt if stored in high temperatures?

No, the soap is stable and will not melt; however, if left in sunlight for an extended time, the scent may dissipate, at least on the surface. Once in use the soap will usually release its scent.

The solid skin creams should be stored at room temperature; as they are beeswax products, they will get soft if warmed, and temperature fluctuations can sometimes cause the shea butter in the balm to become grainy.

Are your soaps vegan?

Most of the bloks we offer are made with plant ingredients. Although we do add beeswax to our body cream bloks, which is not considered vegan by some.

Does it go bad?​

The longer a soap sits in storage, the more moisture evaporates and the harder the bar becomes, making for a long-lasting product. Most of our soaps will still retain their scent after 1-2 years of storage in a closed container, and if made correctly with quality ingredients, there should be no worries about rancidity. 

Many customers report their delight that our soaps last a long time when compared with commercial soaps or even other handmade soaps. Made with traditional plants oils, our soaps tend to stay firmer, making for longer-lasting bars.

I'm allergic to dairy. Are any of your soaps dairy-free?

Yes, all of our soap bloks are 100% vegan & dairy free.

The soap sounds so good, I could eat it! Are your ingredients organic? ​

We strive to keep our soaps as natural as we can, and yes, most of the ingredients are foods or herbs and our scents inspired by nature. While we can't guarantee that all our ingredients are sourced organically, we can state that our shea butter is unrefined and organic. What you use on your skin is important.

Which is the best soap you offer for dry skin?

If you are not accustomed to using handmade soaps, you will find that any of our soaps are excellent for dry skin, because of the rich shea butter, olive oil, cocoa butter, and other conditioning ingredients.

How long does it take to make a batch of soap?

Between prepping the molds, weighing the ingredients, mixing together the oils, lye, and other additions, and pouring the soap to let it harden, it requires setting aside an afternoon to finish the recipe. Then comes slicing the logs into bars after 48 hours, storing the bars of soap on racks to allow to dry, and waiting 4-12 weeks for the soap to fully cure. The soaps are then individually beveled and packaged before they're ready for sale.