The Story of Soap

 While beekeeping is my passion, I have a deep respect and curiosity for many of the mostly lost “Old World” type of sustainable lifestyle practices utilized by our more symbiotic ancestors. Practices that held harmony with the earth above expediency and convienence. For my money the practice that exemplifies this the most is the practice of soap making. 

  Soap Making by all accounts has been practiced at least as far back as civilization itself. Clay cylinders containing a crude rudimentary soap were excavated in ancient Babylonian ruins that was dated back as early as 2800 BCE. Perhaps accidentally at first rendered fats from a cooking fire and a crude form of lye present in the ashes combined, congealed, and became soap. In my personal favorite version of the narrative, an especially keen observer woul notice that the laundry washed downstream from the cooking and funeral pyres would come out noticeably cleaner. Perhaps immediately, perhaps over generations, the dots would be connected and the process would be “domesticated”. By which I mean the process was removed from the natural world and purposely carried out by our ancient ancestors. Over several centuries craftsmen and artisans would tweak and refine their process annd ingredients. 

 Flash forward several thousand years and your average run of the mill, store bought soap bar hardly resembles natural handmade soap at all. Replacing locally sourced ingredients with oils from unsustainable farming practices and adding harmful preservatives, dyes, detergents and chemicals. 

The Hive Mind Apiary's soap recipe is by design short, simple, and all natural. A real, pure, and simple soap that pays combines the centuries of craftsmenship with a modern sophistication. 

Waste Not

It all starts with fat... Fats and oils can be recycled by most food service industries through local services, but the dirty secret is that a large portion of those oils are simply thrown away. Destined to be impropperly disposed of in a landfill. By reclaiming even a portion of that "waste" we can help reduce the damages caused by impropper disposal.  By hand selecting fats and oils from local sources and naturally refined until I personally deem them acceptable for use in my soap, I can ensure the quality of my soap every single step of the way. 

The Original Cold Process

The "Cold Process" soapmaking method refers to soap made without the introduction of an outside heatsource. The process is anything but cold however. The heat given off by the process of  Saponification (The process by which oil becomes soap) is a chemical heat. Roughly 98% of the saponification will occur  a 24 hour "cooking" time in which the molded mixture is insulated and untouched. The remaining 2% happens slowly over the course of 4-6 weeks! Due to the hot and transformative nature of this process, additives like essential oils can be degraded or simply cooked off. In order to combat this I use Local Bentonite Clay  mined from deposits surrounding the Great Salt Lake in every scented bar. Not only is the clay a natural fixative (Additive to preserve scent and color) it's also mineral rich and wonderful for your skin.

All Natural

My philosophy is that every ingredient in my recipes should be carefully chosen to enhance the quality of the  product for the end user. More specifically the ingredients should enhance the soap's ability to nourish and cleanse the skin. Utilizing All natural ingredients takes the guess work out and gives the soap character. Things like texture, grit, density, scent, lather, color, or purpose. 

Soap varities and avaialability are constantly changing.

Soaps will return shortly! Thank you for your patience!