In Our Enola Kitchen, We Obsess Over Every Ingredient

Hey there! Stacie here (Momma Bear). You know what question I get asked most at craft shows after “What’s a lotion bar?”

“What’s actually IN your products?”

And honestly? I LOVE this question. It means you care about what you’re putting on your skin and your family’s skin. That matters to me, because I care about the same thing.

Here’s my standard: I only use ingredients I’d feel comfortable putting on my grandson’s skin. If I wouldn’t use it on him, it doesn’t go into our products. Period.

So let me walk you through what we use in our Enola, PA shop and, more importantly, why we use each ingredient. Not just what it does—but why it earned a place in our recipes.

The Foundation: Base Oils and Butters

These are the workhorses of our products—the ingredients that make up the bulk of our soaps, body butters, and lotion bars. Every oil and butter we choose has a purpose.

Olive Oil - The Gentle Backbone

Why we use it: Olive oil is incredibly gentle and moisturizing. It creates a mild, creamy lather that doesn’t strip your skin’s natural oils.

Stacie’s take: “When someone tells me they have super dry or sensitive skin, I immediately think of our olive oil-heavy soaps. It’s nourishing without being harsh.”

Found in: Most of our bar soaps, especially our gentle facial bars

Coconut Oil - The Lather Creator

Why we use it: Coconut oil creates that luxurious, bubbly lather you expect from soap. It also has natural cleansing properties and antimicrobial benefits.

Stacie’s take: “A little goes a long way! Too much coconut oil can actually be drying, so we balance it carefully with moisturizing oils. It’s all about finding the sweet spot.”

Found in: Nearly all our soaps, body butters, vapor balm

Shea Butter - The Moisture Magnet

Why we use it: Shea butter is deeply moisturizing, absorbs beautifully (not greasy!), and has natural anti-inflammatory properties. It’s gentle enough for babies and powerful enough for Central PA winter skin.

Stacie’s take: “If I could only use ONE ingredient, this would be it. Shea butter is in almost everything we make for a reason—it just works.” (See our full shea butter post to learn why!)

Found in: Soaps, lotion bars, body butters, Tattoo Luv

Cocoa Butter - The Skin Protector

Why we use it: Cocoa butter creates a protective barrier on your skin, locks in moisture, and smells amazing (yes, like chocolate!). It’s rich in antioxidants and fatty acids.

Stacie’s take: “Our Cocoa Butter Lotion Bar is a customer favorite because it smells like dessert but feels like luxury. And it’s perfect for elbows, heels, and any rough patches.”

Found in: Lotion bars, body butters, some soap varieties

Castor Oil - The Lather Booster

Why we use it: Castor oil draws moisture to your skin and creates a rich, creamy lather. It also helps soap bars last longer.

Stacie’s take: “It’s a little ingredient that makes a big difference. You won’t see it as the star, but it’s the supporting player that makes everything better.”

Found in: Most of our bar soaps in small amounts

Other Specialty Oils We Love:

Avocado Oil: High in vitamins A, D, and E—amazing for dry or mature skin
Sweet Almond Oil: Softens and conditions beautifully
Grapeseed Oil: Lightweight, absorbs quickly, great for all skin types
Hemp Oil: Rich in omega fatty acids for skin health
Jojoba Oil: Mimics your skin’s natural oils (we use this in Tattoo Luv!)

Local Love: Milk Ingredients

One of the things I’m most proud of is sourcing goat’s milk locally whenever possible. Supporting Central PA farms matters to us.

Goat’s Milk - Local & Gentle

Why we use it: Goat’s milk is incredibly gentle, naturally moisturizing, and less likely to irritate sensitive skin. It contains lactic acid (a natural exfoliant), vitamins, and minerals.

Where it comes from: We work with local Central PA farms when we can. Supporting our neighbors and getting fresh, quality milk? That’s a win-win.

Stacie’s take: “Our Lavender Goat Milk soap is a top seller for people with eczema or super sensitive skin. The goat’s milk makes such a difference.”

Found in: Many of our soap bars (look for “Goat Milk” in the name!)

Donkey Milk - The Luxury Option

Why we use it: Donkey milk is rich in vitamins and has been used for centuries for its skin benefits. Some people swear by its anti-aging properties!

Stacie’s take: “This is our ‘fancy’ ingredient. We don’t use it in everything, but when we do, it’s special.”

Found in: Select specialty soap bars

Natural Additives That Do Real Work

These aren’t just “marketing ingredients”—they’re functional additions that serve a purpose.

Raw Honey - Nature’s Healer

Why we use it: Honey is naturally antibacterial, helps retain moisture, and adds a subtle sweetness to soap.

Stacie’s take: “Honey makes soap feel extra creamy and gentle. Plus, it’s one of those ingredients people recognize and trust.”

Found in: Our Oatmeal Honey soap (a sensitive skin favorite!)

Oatmeal - The Sensitive Skin Soother

Why we use it: Oatmeal is naturally anti-inflammatory and soothing. It provides gentle exfoliation without being harsh.

Stacie’s take: “When someone asks for something for eczema or psoriasis, I point them to our Oatmeal Honey bar. I can’t make medical claims, but I CAN tell you many customers come back for more.”

Found in: Oatmeal Honey soap, some specialty bars

Activated Charcoal - The Deep Cleanser

Why we use it: Activated charcoal draws out impurities, oil, and dirt from pores without over-drying. It’s great for oily or acne-prone skin.

Stacie’s take: “Our Activated Charcoal Tea Tree bar is popular with teenagers and adults dealing with breakouts. The charcoal cleans deep, and the tea tree helps with bacteria.”

Found in: Activated Charcoal Tea Tree soap

Coffee Grounds - The Gentle Scrub

Why we use it: Used coffee grounds provide gentle exfoliation and smell amazing. They’re also great for gardeners’ hands!

Stacie’s take: “This is a craft show favorite. People smell it and immediately want it.”

Found in: Coffee soap varieties

Herbs, Flowers & Plant Ingredients:

Lavender: Calming, anti-inflammatory, smells heavenly
Rose Petals: Gentle, romantic, skin-soothing
Calendula: Healing, anti-inflammatory
Pink Himalayan Salt: Mineral-rich exfoliation
Clays (kaolin, bentonite): Draw out impurities, provide color
Ashwagandha Powder: Calming properties

Essential Oils: Real Scents, Real Benefits

We use both essential oils (steam-distilled from plants) and fragrance oils (scent compounds) depending on the product and your preferences.

Why we use essential oils: They provide natural scent AND therapeutic benefits. Lavender calms, peppermint energizes, eucalyptus clears sinuses.

Why we sometimes use fragrance oils: Some scents can’t be achieved with essential oils alone (like our Cowboy Soap with sweet tobacco and leather notes). When we use fragrance oils, they’re phthalate-free and skin-safe.

Our Most-Used Essential Oils:

Lavender: Calming, relaxing, gentle for sensitive skin
Peppermint: Invigorating, cooling, great for tired muscles
Eucalyptus: Clarifying, great for congestion (hello, Vapor Balm!)
Tea Tree: Natural antibacterial, great for acne-prone skin
Lemon & Orange: Uplifting, fresh, energizing
Rosemary: Stimulating, herbaceous
Patchouli: Earthy, grounding, moisturizing

Stacie’s take: “I get asked about scents constantly. Some people only want essential oils, others love our unique fragrance blends. We make products for both!”

Colorants: Pretty AND Safe

We use natural colorants whenever possible:

Mica Powders: Mineral-based, provide shimmer and color
Clays: Natural earth colors (pink, green, gray)
Plant Powders: Cocoa (brown), turmeric (yellow), matcha (green)
Skin-Safe Colorants: For vibrant colors that can’t be achieved naturally

Stacie’s take: “Our soaps are functional first, pretty second. But if I can make them beautiful with safe ingredients? Even better.”

Special Ingredients (The Ones That Get Questions!)

Beef Tallow - The Old-School Secret

Why we use it: Tallow (rendered beef fat) creates a hard, long-lasting bar with incredible lather. It’s been used in soapmaking for centuries because it works.

Stacie’s take: “Some people are surprised to see tallow in our ingredient list. Here’s the truth: it makes amazing soap. Our Cowboy Soap uses tallow, and it’s one of our best sellers. If you’re vegan or prefer plant-based, we have plenty of options! But if you want a soap that lasts and lathers beautifully, tallow is fantastic.”

Found in: Select soap varieties (like Cowboy Soap, Patchouli Vanilla)

Beeswax - The Natural Hardener

Why we use it: Beeswax creates a protective barrier on your skin, hardens lotion bars and balms, and adds a subtle honey scent.

Found in: Lotion bars, vapor balm, some lip balms

The Momma Bears Standards: What You WON’T Find

Just as important as what we USE is what we DON’T use:

❌ No Sulfates (SLS/SLES) - Harsh detergents that strip your skin ❌ No Parabens - Synthetic preservatives ❌ No Phthalates - Hormone-disrupting chemicals ❌ No Artificial Dyes (when possible) - We prefer natural colorants ❌ No Mystery “Fragrance” - We list our scent ingredients clearly ❌ No Synthetic Detergents - We make real soap, not syndet bars

Stacie’s philosophy: “If I can’t pronounce it, if I don’t know what it does, if I wouldn’t feel comfortable using it on my grandson—it doesn’t go in our products. Simple as that.”

“But What About Lye? Isn’t That Dangerous?”

Great question! I hear this at craft shows all the time.

Yes, we use lye (sodium hydroxide). Here’s why that’s not scary:

Lye is required to make soap through saponification (oil + lye + water = soap + glycerin)
All true soap uses lye in the making process
There’s no lye left in finished soap—the chemical reaction transforms it completely
“Lye-free” soap doesn’t exist—it’s either soap made with lye, or it’s a synthetic detergent bar

Stacie’s take: “I handle lye with respect and care during soapmaking. But once the soap is cured (4-6 weeks), there’s no lye left. Just gentle, moisturizing soap with natural glycerin. That’s the magic of cold process soapmaking!”

Want to learn more about our process? Check out our Soapmaking Process page.

How to Read Our Product Labels

Every product we make has a complete ingredient list. Here’s how to read them:

Ingredients are listed in order by weight (most to least)

Example: Lavender Goat Milk Soap

Olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, shea butter = base oils
Raw goat’s milk = milk base
Lavender essential oil = scent
Mica powder = color

What this tells you: This is an olive oil-forward soap (gentle!), with goat’s milk for extra moisture, scented with real lavender, and lightly colored.

Local Sourcing & Our Values

Whenever possible, we source locally:

✅ Goat’s milk - Central PA farms ✅ Honey - Local Pennsylvania beekeepers (when available) ✅ Herbs - Some grown in Central PA

Why local matters: Supporting our Central PA community, getting fresher ingredients, knowing exactly where things come from. That’s the Momma Bears way.

For ingredients we can’t get locally (like shea butter from West Africa or cocoa butter from cacao beans), we prioritize:

Fair-trade sourcing
Ethical harvesting
Quality suppliers
Sustainable practices

Questions About Ingredients? We’re Here to Help!

Here’s what we hear most at Carlisle Creative Vibes and craft shows:

“I’m allergic to [ingredient]. What can I use?” → Message us on Facebook! We’ll help you find products that avoid your allergens.

“Which soap is best for my skin type?” → Check out our Finding the Right Soap guide!

“Do you have unscented options?” → Yes! We can make unscented versions of some of our products for sensitive skin.

“Can I request a custom ingredient combination?” → Absolutely! We love custom orders for weddings, events, or personal preferences.

See Our Ingredients In Action

Ready to experience the difference natural ingredients make? Here are some customer favorites:

For Sensitive Skin:

Oatmeal Honey Soap (oatmeal + raw honey + goat’s milk)
Lavender Goat Milk Soap (lavender + local goat’s milk)

For Dry Winter Skin:

Cocoa Butter Lotion Bar (cocoa butter + shea butter + coconut oil)
Body Butters (whipped shea + cocoa butter)

For Acne-Prone Skin:

Activated Charcoal Tea Tree Soap (charcoal + tea tree essential oil)

For Tattoo Care:

Tattoo Luv (shea butter + cocoa butter + jojoba oil + natural ingredients)

The Bottom Line: Ingredients You Can Feel Good About

At Momma Bears Creations, every ingredient has a purpose. Every choice is intentional. Every batch is made with the same care I’d give products for my own family.

When you read our ingredient lists, you should recognize most of what you see. Olive oil. Shea butter. Goat’s milk. Honey. Lavender. These aren’t mystery chemicals—they’re real, natural ingredients that have been used for centuries because they work.

Your skin deserves ingredients you can trust. And your family deserves products made with care by people who actually care.

That’s the Momma Bears promise.

Shop Our Products

Ready to experience natural ingredients in action?

In Person: Visit Carlisle Creative Vibes (152 N Hanover St, Carlisle, PA 17013)
Online: Shop Momma Bears at Carlisle Creative Vibes
Events: Find us at craft shows! Follow Facebook for updates

Have ingredient questions? Message us on Facebook or visit our Contact page. We love talking about ingredients!

— Stacie, Maddi & Scott (Momma Bears Creations, Enola, PA)

P.S. - If you want to know more about HOW we turn these ingredients into soap, check out our Cold Process Soapmaking page. It’s pretty cool!