Frequently Asked Questions

  [accordion] [apane title="Aren't all handmade soaps the same?"] Soap described as "handmade" is usually 'cold process soap' made using largely the same method but there can be a world of difference from one manufacturer's bar to the next. At Neemli Natural’s, we make our soaps with the best ingredients we can find... it's not always cheap but it does make a difference. So our base oils are literally good enough to eat... we specify food-grade oils that cost perhaps twice the price of less-refined grades. And we don't just chuck a couple of base oils and a scent in there... our soaps might mix three or four bases, including shea butter for smoothness and coconut oil for a princely lather. It does make a difference. After all, this is a product you're meant to take home and rub on your body. Our formulation and our execution are also second-to-none. Some handmade soap is dry and crumbly, some is slimy and some is just plain not very nice. We believe bars like this are faulty and wouldn't sell them. That is, of course, assuming that what you're looking at really is 'handmade soap' at all. The easy, cheap and quick way to do a creative soap with an artistic look or an original scent is to buy in a ready-made mass-produced soap base, melt it down, throw in a handful of dried petals and some fragrances or whatever and then come up with an honest-sounding earthy description. That's why you'll see a lot of soap described with words like 'fresh', 'herbal' and 'pure' and 'home-made'... [/apane] [apane title="So some freshly-made soap isn't handmade at all? "] Nope. It's called 'melt-and-pour' or glycerin soap and is made from a commercial base, either supplied as a solid block or as ready-to-melt soap noodles. We won't deny that some people do amazing things with melt-and-pour soap and turn out fancy-looking products in beautiful and expensive packaging; there's a certain artistry to it when done at its best. But it's not the same thing that Neemli Naturals and other traditional soap makers produce. We suggest you always ask a supplier specifically if a soap is handmade from scratch if you're not sure. Check the label too... look for preservatives such as SLS (sodium laurel sulphate) or artificial fragrances. Be wary of bright colours and fabulous fruit smells too... we've tried and tried but we can't find natural ingredients and colourants that give us either of these. [/apane] [apane title="Is your soap good for my eczema? "]We're not allowed to promote our soaps as having curative or medicinal properties unless we actually treat them as medicines and get them tested and certified as such. So the short answer is that we can't comment. But we have had several regular customers who have stated that the soap has helped with skin problems. This may be a side effect of the relatively natural ingredients in our soaps (or indeed in other cold-process soaps)... it may be preservatives, colourants or fragrances in commercial soaps that cause unpleasant reactions. Our best suggestion is that you try our soap for a while and see how it sits with you.[/apane] [apane title="And which of your shampoo soaps is best for my dry to middling hair? "]Sorry... they're all the same. Unlike typical commercial shampoo manufacturers who delight in offering 19 variations of 13 brands for you to choose from, we accept the simple idea that shampoo is shampoo... it grabs hold of the dirt in your hair so that it then washes away when you rinse. If you want scientific-sounding gunk with revolutionary properties and little animated arrows that nourish, shine, revitalize for up to eight hours or just rush around your television screen, there are plenty of suppliers out there. And if you find your hair is squeaky clean and a little hard after washing it properly with a good shampoo soap, rinse it through with a diluted solution of vinegar or lemon juice. Works for us...[/apane] [apane title="Does your soap have the natural pH of water? "]No, it's soap. And soap is, by definition, a somewhat alkaline substance. We could add a bunch of chemicals to it to make it pH7 like water but then it probably wouldn't be soap anymore and we'd have to call it a cleansing bar or something.[/apane] [apane title="Why is your soap so expensive? "]Because of the ingredients we use, how we make it (by hand) and how we wrap it (by hand). In practice, we're not particularly expensive compared to some handmade or fancy factory soaps and we certainly don't charge a premium price just for our name.[/apane] [apane title="My family all have sensitive skin, can we safely use Neemli Naturals products?"]By using natural ingredients we are able to produce beautifully mild soaps and skin care products. Sometimes however, sensitive skin can be unpredictable, so we suggest you do a skin test - use a small amount of product on your skin and leave it for at least 24 hours. You will then be able to assess your sensitivity before using the product further. It is worth remembering that some people are allergic to natural products too. [/apane]

[apane title="Does Neemli Naturals make all Neemli products?"]Yes, we enjoy developing, testing and making all our own natural products - by hand - here in Karjat.

Our aim is to help reduce the unnecessary amount of man-made chemicals and synthetics people are (usually unknowingly) using on their skin. [/apane]

[apane title="How do you guarantee product quality?"]We always purchase the finest oils, butters, waxes and botanicals from our supplier which is also a family run business with an excellent reputation. All Neemli Naturals products are produced by hand in small batches in order to ensure the highest quality for our customers.

We maintain batch records for everything we make - this gives us the ability to trace the source of the ingredients in any particular batch should we need to. We take pride and pleasure in delivering the very best products to our family, friends, neighbors and customers. [/apane]

[apane title="Do you test on animals?"]No, we do not test our products on animals, nor do we commission anyone else to do that on our behalf. However we do test on ourselves and willing family and friends.

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[apane title="I'm new to Neemli Naturals products, do you provide samples?"] Fortunately we are now able to provide samples of our products, we do so with our regular customers.

[/apane] [apane title="Where can I buy Neemli Naturals Products?"]

Either from this website or directly from the Neemli Naturals HQ Neem Bada Kothimbe.

We are slowly building a network of retail stockists; if you would like to know if there is somewhere local to you then please call us on 9819602121. We also sell our products at local fleas and fairs - do come along and say 'hello', we'd love to meet you!. Please Contact Us if you would like to find out more, or follow us on Facebook & Instagram for updates. [/apane] [apane title="What's the best way to look after my Neemli Naturals soap?"]

We cure our soaps for at least 6 weeks before we sell them, so they are hard and mild enough to use. It is important to remember that natural soap contains no harsh chemicals or preservatives, so we recommend that you allow it to dry between uses - ideally by using a soap dish that allows excess water to drain or by standing the bar on its end so that air can circulate around it. Natural soap loves to breathe!

  To enjoy a long-lasting bar of soap don’t let it get soggy … so don’t leave it submerged in water for too long, and try to keep it away from a shower spray. Keep it well-drained (allow it to dry) between uses - ideally by using a ridged or self-draining soap dish - or leave it to stand on its end so that air can circulate around it.   [/apane] [apane title="Does my Neemli Naturals soap have a 'use by' date?"]

No, our soap is made using the cold process method and matures with age. Even when kept for a couple of years it will be beautifully mild and a pleasure to use.

However, to fully appreciate the natural scent and properties from the essential oils that we use in every bar, we recommend that you enjoy your soap within 6-12 months of purchase.   [/apane] [apane title="I am a Vegan, can I use Neemli Natural’s products?"]

We do not use animal fat in any of our products.Most of our products are vegan except in some of our skin care products we use honey or beeswax as they have such amazing properties - a complete ingredients list can be found alongside every product in the shop.

[/apane] [apane title="How do you fragrance and colour your products?"]

We only use pure essential oils in Neemli Naturals products - they have amazing properties that help condition and add scent as well as fabulous therapeutic value to our products. To add colour and texture to our soap and skin care we use only herbs, spices, fruits, botanicals and natural colouring.

 

[/apane] [apane title="Which of your soap fragrances are most suitable for men & boys?"]

We have men coming to us for an array of products. Their most popular picks include Activated Charcoal Soap, Beer Soap and products with fresh citrusy fragrances.

 

 

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