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| The Stables at Gibside Estate, |
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| Me, in a happy daze, harvesting botanicals from my plot in the Walled Garden at Gibside Estate. |
"Oakwood Soaperie" - a small, real soap making company based in the beautiful grounds of Gibside Estate (National Trust). It was founded in October 2010 by me, Ceri Aitman. I sell online via Folksy and Etsy as well as at local craft and farmers markets around the North East of England...check out our EVENTS page for more details or follow our blog for the latest goings on at the Soaperie.
I specialise in luxurious, natural 'cold process' soaps, gorgeously pampering natural bath products and sumptuous skincare that feeds your skin as well as cleans it. All my products are handmade in my lovely workshop in small batches using only the finest pure plant oils & butters, pure Northumbrian honey & beeswax (provided by my Dad, a bee keeper in rural Northumberland for over 25 years), natural clays, botanicals, essential oils and natural colourants.
My soaps are cured for a minimum of 4 - 6 weeks to ensure they are incredibly mild and in tip top condition when they are re-homed. They are then hand trimmed and carefully wrapped in waxed paper and re-cycled or handmade paper and labelled clearly with all ingredients, batch numbers, weights and made on / use by dates.
All my products are suitable for Vegetarian and most of them are also Vegan, the only guinea pigs they are tried and tested on are human ones.
My natural, plant based handmade soaps are made using the 'cold process' method using Sodium Hydroxide or 'Lye' in their manufacture. After the 4- 6 weeks they take to cure there is however, no sodium hydroxide left as it has all reacted out leaving an exceptionally mild and gentle, nourishing soap.
Being hand-made, my soaps may vary in texture, colour and appearance between batches, no two will be exactly the same, this I believe is part of the appeal. I take care to picture and describe every item as accurately as possible and pack it with love so it reaches you in perfect condition.
All my products are EU certified and I hold full and specific public and product liability insurance for cosmetics. All my products have been fully safety assessed by a registered cosmetic chemist and are Trading Standards approved so our customers can buy with confidence in the knowledge that they are buying a high quality, safe and natural product that conforms to the latest EU regulations.
'Oakwood Soaperie' is a member of the 'European Directory of Soap and Cosmetic Makers' and also a member of the 'Guild of Craft Soap & Toiletry Makers' www.gcstm.co.uk.
