Geranium with Rose Petals: Soap

A handmade beeswax soap on a base of coconut oil and wild forest beeswax, scented with geranium essential oil and set with sun-dried rose petals. Handmade in small batches by women in Karikkadav Village, Kerala.

What sets this bar apart from most handmade soap is that the base is declared. Beeswax alone cannot saponify, so every soap has base oils and an alkali in it — and most small makers never say what they are. Here the coconut oil is named on the pack. The beeswax comes from the same wild forest hives that supply the collectives' honey, so it is a by-product of the harvest rather than a bought-in base, and it gives a harder bar that leaves a light breathable film instead of stripping skin. The rose petals give a real light texture as it lathers. No sulphates, phthalates, parabens or palm oil, and the scent is essential oil rather than a fragrance blend.