We searched for a name for our company nearly a year before we decided on Shiloh. We wanted a name that would connote peace and tranquility, the very essence of our company. The word Shiloh can certainly refer to several very different things. The reason we named our company Shiloh Soap Company is best reflected by the Biblical definition. The origin of the word Shiloh is ancient Hebrew and is literally translated “tranquil” or “peace”. In fact, “Shiloh” often refers to Jesus as Messiah (Genesis 49:10) and one our favorite Bible verses, Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’". Isaiah is referencing the Prince of Peace! We knew we had found our name. Our desire is that Shiloh Soap Company promotes peace, tranquility and most importantly, inspires you to seek the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus!

What makes your soap any different than the soap I can buy at my local dollar store?

Great question! Commercial soap is better described as detergent rather than soap. In the never ending quest for profit, big business has figured out that modern technology plus synthetic ingredients can be forced to combine under extremely high pressure to produce a beautifully smooth bar of “soap” What they won’t tell you is that the very ingredient found in traditional handmade soap – glycerin - is actually removed to be used with more expensive, high end beauty products. In its place? You guessed it – harsh, synthetic chemicals meant to mimic the natural moisturizing ability of glycerin. You may notice that all our soaps are not perfectly smooth or flawlessly presented and that is because each bar is handmade. One batch at a time. Every oil is combined at specific amounts to provide optimal lather, moisturizing and stability. Many of our soaps take this one step further and use fresh goat’s milk. The result is a skin loving, beautifully lathering, creamy, moisturizing soap that many customers say has eliminated the search for the cure to many skin problems which have plagued them for years!

There are lots of people who make handmade soap, both locally and online. Why should I buy from Shiloh? What makes you guys different?

There certainly are a lot of people selling soap these days. Shiloh Soap Company actually welcomes this because it constantly pushes us to improve and offer you the best product at the most reasonable price possible. Our mission isn’t to make as much profit as possible. Our mission is to change lives through the simplicity, the beauty, and the tranquility of using handmade natural soaps (and more)! We have seen lives changed as customers who’ve dealt with severe skin issues for years noticed their hands became soft and smooth after just a few months of abandoning detergents and using Shiloh Soap. We’ve tweaked our recipes for more than a year in order to bring you the best product possible.

I noticed your ingredients (listed under the Technical Specifications tab) contain lots of different oils, many I’ve never heard of. Why so many and what are they for?

Soap can be made from virtually any combination of oils and fats. The beauty of making it by hand one-bar-at-a-time is that it can be tailored to specific skin conditions. Some oils offer large bubbles, others, a creamy texture. Some are great at moisturizing and some bring stability to the overall lather. The possibilities are virtually endless! The different oils along with varying their ratios offers soap for dry skin, oily skin and everything in-between! At Shiloh Soaps you’ll notice soaps made from dozens, yes dozens of different oils. There is no “one recipe fits all” at Shiloh!

Speaking of ingredients, I’ve noticed that sodium hydroxide is listed in all the soaps. Isn’t that lye? Isn’t that dangerous?

Sodium hydroxide is indeed lye. Yep, there’s no getting around that. EVERY soap made by ANY manufacturer contains lye even though many companies won’t list it. That’s because technically speaking, lye isn’t present in the final process. When water, milk or any liquid is mixed with sodium hydroxide and then combined with fats (oils), a chemical reaction known as saponification occurs. Once this has happens, the alkali (lye) chemically mixes with the acids (fats and oils) to produce soap and glycerin as natural byproducts of the reaction. This process takes place after a sufficient period in which the soap must “cure”. Generally, the curing process takes 4-6 weeks. At Shiloh Soap Company, ALL our soaps are cured a full 8 weeks before being sold so we can be sure to provide you with the absolute best product possible. We list lye as an ingredient because we believe you have the right to know EVERYTHING contained in our soaps. One last thing, don’t be fooled by others advertising as “organic”. That is a trick word, regulated by the FDA. To be labeled organic, every ingredient must be certified organic AND the final product must undergo testing and be certified organic. Very few sellers go to these lengths as it is a rigorous, expensive proposition!

OK. I’m sold on using Shiloh Soaps. Is there any particular one you recommend I start with?

Yes, we recommend you buy one of each! Actually, there are some recommendations based on specific skin types and soap characteristics you’re looking for. In general, if you suffer from dry skin or have issues such as psoriasis, we recommend you start with our goat’s milk soaps. These are exceptionally moisturizing, gentle and will do wonders for your skin. If you suffer from lots of allergies and/or skin sensitivities, we recommend you start with our ALL NATURAL (soaps scented with all natural essential oils) line of soaps. These soaps contain nothing artificial and are great for sensitive skin. If your skin tends to be neutral or oily, we’d recommend any of our NATURAL soaps. These are the “general purpose” soaps. Please remember however that these are just starting point! ANY of our soaps are far superior to commercial soaps in terms of being skin friendly! You may think you have sensitive skin but in reality you are only sensitive because you’ve been using a harsh detergent on your skin every day!

How do I make the soap last as long as possible?

To make the soap last as long as possible it is very important to keep the bar out of water after use. We definitely recommend a soap holder which will allow the water to drain away from the bar. This will significantly prolong the usefulness of your soaps.

You’ve just been talking about soap. What about all your other products such as lip balms, shampoo bars, sugar scrubs, salt scrubs and even candles?

It’s true that Shiloh Soap Company’s “first love” is soaps; we’re actually much more than that and growing every day! The same level of care, research and love that goes into every bar of soap also extends to every lip balm, hair product, hand and foot scrub, shaving bars and even candles! Talk about a relaxing, peaceful, tranquil experience! Welcome to Shiloh. We know you’ll love us!