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The main difference between SBTRCT products and other skincare products is their solid state. We thought we’d tell you a bit more about why we chose to be solid and what it means for you...and the planet!
In short, it means that you get more of the very best skincare, all concentrated into a solid bar. We take the very best proven ingredients such as; squalane, glycerine, shea butter and coconut oil, and reduce them down to their most potent form - giving the skin more of what it actually needs.
Importantly, (and the answer to the question we’re asked most), our products are NOT soap!
Soap is made by mixing an alkali with oil or fat in a process known as saponification. This gives them a high alkaline pH >9 that can be drying on the skin.
Our Gentle Foaming Cleanser does not contain ‘soap’. Instead it is based on naturally derived, palm free ‘surfactants’ or ‘surface-active agents’. These surfactants have an affinity for oils and water, enabling them to surround dirt forming small structures, that are removed upon rinsing.
The main advantage our Cleansers has over soap is that a lower, more skin friendly pH is achieved (6.5 – 7.5) and as such is far more suitable for cleansing skin.
So what are other bonuses of going solid?
Zero plastic, minimum waste.
We’ve always found it ironic that an industry created to cleanse and care can be so responsible for making our planet a dirty place.
Even today with plastic pollution being so well documented, old and even new brands are still choosing to go down this route.
Having a solid state allows you to avoid this altogether. The trick is to create products, and not packaging, that people value (although we like to think you’ll love the simplicity and compostability of our packaging too).
Instead we can use simple, but beautiful, domestically compostable cartons to house our products until they land on your bathroom shelf. This means, you’re paying for the product and not the pollution.
Zero added water
Many skincare products today are around 60 or 70% water (we know!).
We believe this means the skincare industry, like fashion, contributes greatly to water scarcity around the world, impacting the 844 million people who lack access to clean water.
Solid formulations enable us to reduce the water content in our products down to a nominal level. We never add water during the manufacturing process to bulk out our products and no formulation is made up of more than 0.5% water. The rest is just concentrated skincare goodness!
All the water you need to get the best out of our formulations you can get from a second or two under the tap.
Perfect for travel
It also makes our product perfect for travel.
They take up less room in the case, negate spills and get you through security without a hitch (or a plastic bag) in sight!
Fragrance
Left to breathe in your bathroom, solid products can freshen your bathroom with their fragrance.
Our signature scent is a natural blend including Geranium, Rose Absolute and Tonka Bean, and does a terrific job at this.
Beauty
The bathroom is an important space in your home. A place you go to change your state. Whether it’s to wake up in the morning, or a place to relax in the evening, wash away the stress of the day.
We appreciate this and we share your desire to keep bathrooms looking beautiful. Like our business our design ethos is less is more. We love understated beauty and our taste is minimalist. We try to create products that reflect this.
