It’s funny to think of the products we use on a daily basis yet know so little about. Soap. It seems simple enough. Find a fresh smelling scent, lather up and you’re clean. If only it were that straightforward. What if you found out that the soap you are using isn’t actually soap? I challenge you to open your bathroom drawers, take out a brand new bar of soap, and read for yourself what’s actually in the product you use on a daily basis.

If you walk through the beauty section of any grocery or drug store, the vast assortment of soaps can be quite overwhelming. The million dollar question is, how many of these products are actually soap? I’m sure you’ll be surprised to realize that most of these products are in fact synthetic detergents, and not soap. Marketing companies do a great job at disguising this, labelling products as beauty bars or moisture bars instead. From Dove to Aveeno to Dial, many of the ingredients found within these products are synthetic. Although they may be labelled as natural, be careful when you see this word floating around as it’s an extremely loose term with very little regulation on its usage. Soap is formed by combining fats or oils with an alkali, such as lye. This process is known as saponification, and when this reaction takes place glycerin is created. The main difference between soap and detergent is that soaps are produced from natural products whereas detergents are synthetic/ man-made.

I was shocked when I first discovered that most of the ‘soaps’ I had grown up using were not actually soap. Determined to change the tide, I went on a hunt for the perfect soap. Over the years I’ve tried what seems like hundreds of different bars of soap, and while I’ve used some great brands, none seem to hold a candle to my ultimate , hands-down, favourite soap company, HUGO NATURALS. I am head over heels for Hugo Naturals, and after discovering their brand a few years ago I’ve been a loyal customer since. I’m so excited to bring you this post, and share with you all the story behind this growing company, what makes their products so unique, as well as an exclusive interview with their CEO, John Matise. I can promise you that once you try these products you’ll understand for yourself why I adore them so much!

TOP 5 REASON I’M CRAZY FOR HUGO NATURALS

1. All products are made from the finest natural, food-grade ingredients
2. All products are gluten free, and do not contain petrochemicals, animal fats, parabens, silicones, formaldehyde, hydroquinone, phthalates, propylene glycol, and synthetic surfactants
3. They love animals as much as I do and never test on them, or use ingredients that do. Hugo Naturals is certified cruelty-free …woot!
4. Their soaps don’t leave behind a residue or turn into a puddle of mush after a few uses
5. They care …about their ingredients, their products, their customers & the farmers

 

MY TOP 5 FAVOURITE HUGO NATURALS PRODUCTS

1. Artisan Soap – Lavender
2. Handcrafted Soap – Creamy Coconut
3. Artisan Effervescent Bath Salts – Green Tea & Lavender
4. Dead Sea Salt Scrub – Fresh Lavender (can you tell how much I love lavender?)
5. All Over Lotion – Vanilla & Sweet Orange

These products can be purchased online, or you can find your closest retailer here (I generally pick mine up from a local grocery store).

 

I had the pleasure of interviewing the CEO behind the brand, John Matise, where he shares with me the benefits of Hugo Naturals products, his take on misleading soap advertising and much more!

How long has Hugo Naturals been around?

Hugo Naturals started in 2006.  In our beginnings we were selling to the farmers markets before we were picked up by some local natural products retailers.  From these humble beginnings, we have grown and now have our own 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility and ship to many different countries.

Where did the idea to start Hugo Naturals come from?

The original premise for Hugo Naturals which continues to hold true is using natural food grade ingredients to make our bath and body care products.  We strongly believe that what goes on your body, goes in your body, so food grade ingredients are the logical choice

What are the benefits of your artisan soaps?

There are several benefits of our artisan soaps.  They are very luxurious, smell fantastic and will leave your skin soft and moisturized without a chalky residue left by other soaps.  Some of our key differentiators include:

• Certified Gluten Free- All of our products are Certified Gluten Free.  This is very important for anyone who has Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance.  A friend of mine, actress Jennifer Esposito who has a serious case of Celiac Disease, has told me stories of different body care products she used to use that had gluten in them and the challenges and medical issues they created for her
• Vegan- All of our products are vegan.  This is unusual for body care products as beeswax and lanolin are common ingredients in many body care products.
• Soy Free- All of our products are soy free.  There are many people who are just discovering that they have an allergic reaction to soy which extends to their body care products.  What many people do not recognize is that much of the vitamin E in body care products is derived from soy and can have substantial soy residuals in it.  Our vitamin E is derived from sunflowers
• Made in our own facility by our artisans.  Our facility lives up to our brand promise.  There is no risk of any cross-contamination since we control the facility operations and will not bring in any harsh, non-natural ingredients

Many products on the market mislead consumers into thinking they are buying soap, when in fact they are purchasing synthetic detergents labelled as ‘moisture bars’ or ‘cleansing bars.’ How do you feel about this?

Nothing irritates me more than companies that misrepresent their products or claims.  Unfortunately, this is quite common with many companies making inaccurate claims about how their products are “all natural.”  Some companies may be doing this out of ignorance, whereas others may be taking advantage of a lack of standards in the industry.  For example, due to the lack of ingredient listing regulations, it is very easy (and convenient) for many companies to mask harmful ingredients under the word “fragrance.”

In addition, most people do not realize that their vitamin E is being derived from soy and that due to the way it is processed, there are meaningful amounts of residual soy in the vitamin E.  What is even scarier is that this will not even appear on an ingredients label, so the consumer is completely unaware of it even if they have done their homework and checked the label.

The good news is that the consumers are becoming more and more educated and asking the right questions.  The inquiries that we get through our web site and social media show that more people are taking charge of their personal health and doing research.  Often I see people in super markets and drug stores checking the ingredients on labels to make sure that they do not contain harsh chemicals like parabens, PEGs, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, phenoxyethanol, phthalates, etc.  This is a trending progress in consumer behavior and we pride ourselves, as a company, in our efforts to educate people about safe and healthy ingredients.

My personal favorite on our “Never Any” list is phenoxyethanol.  If you research this chemical you will discover it is a skin irritant and very harmful if ingested.  It is used in many body care products as a preservative system, even in body care products that are purportedly “natural.”  What I find ironic is that many companies are using a preservative system that is a skin irritant for a body care product that is supposed to maintain a good condition of your skin.  Crazy, right?

I’ve tried a lot of soaps that end up turning soft, but this has never happened when using Hugo Naturals soaps. Why is this?

We have a unique formula and the overall water content in our soaps is quite low compared to others.  We also do not infuse “air” or other fillers into our soaps to make them “fluffy” and appear larger than they really are.  One thing that you will notice about our artisan soaps is that they last a very, very long time.

From start to finish, how long is your soap making process?

Our soap making process can vary a bit based on a variety of factors which includes the time of the year, humidity and other factors.  In general, the soap takes approximately three weeks to make, which includes the initial formulating and cure time.

What is your favourite product?

My favorite product is definitely our Vanilla & Sweet Orange All Over Lotion.  It is relatively dry in Southern California where our products are made and I live, so it is important to stay hydrated and keep your skin moisturized.  I absolutely love our Vanilla & Sweet Orange signature scent, “VSO” as we call it at the office, and I also use our other products in this scent family, like our shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, foaming hand soap and essential mist.

A big THANK YOU to John Matise and the amazing team at Hugo Naturals! 

(Products care of Hugo Naturals)