faq

We use a base recipe of four oils: Olive, Coconut, Rice Bran and Avocado. We also add Shea Butter to our recipe to increase the moisturizing ability of our soaps. At times, we make soaps with goat milk which provides many skin nourishing benefits.

Yes, our base recipe uses only botanical based oils. At times we may choose to add goat milk or local honey to a soap but this is on occasion and will be clearly indicated on the soap label.

We do not use animal products that result in the death of that animal for the primary use in making our product. All our soaps are vegetable oil based.

Yes. We make unscented soap containing all of the wonderful beneficial oils and Shea butter but without fragrance. If you purchase both unscented and scented soaps in an order, the shipping box will have a scent to it, but since each soap is wrapped separately, your unscented soap will not absorb scent from other soaps while being shipped.

Yes, most likely you will be able to use our soaps because they are incredibly mild and gentle. Most commercial soaps are detergent based, using lots of synthetic ingredients, and that's what usually causes skin reactions. That's very different from how we make our soaps. We do not use artificial colorants, hardeners, latherers or preservatives. If you are sensitive to to fragrance, then we suggest you select one of our soaps made with “essential oils” or an unscented soap.

While we do not claim that any of our soaps will cure eczema, we recommend trying our oatmeal soap which contains colloidal oatmeal and goat’s milk, both very gentle and beneficial for individuals with sensitive, dry skin.

Most of our customers say a bar of our soap lasts them between 3-4 weeks. This is based on normal use. If you are using your soap more frequently, your bar may not last as long. To extend the life of your soap, allow it to fully dry between uses. Make sure you use a soap deck or dish that allows excess water to drain and the soap to “breathe”. You may also purchase one of our soap savers to extend the life of your soap!

Our soaps usually stay 'good' for years. In fact, the older a soap gets, the longer it will last when you finally combine it with water in your shower. However, time does affect the intensity of a soap's fragrance. For best fragrance, we recommend that you enjoy your soaps within six months of purchase. We do not use any preservatives in our soaps, so you do need to protect them from humidity and extremes of heat and cold!

We normally ship individual customer orders within 3 business days, and once shipped, the shipment takes another two or three days. So expect to have your order in one week's time. If you need your order more quickly that that, email or call us.

Please contact us immediately to let us know what happened, and we'll arrange for you to return the damaged item(s) to us. We will replace the item(s) free of charge including shipping. If a package is obviously damaged upon arrival, please refuse delivery and notify us immediately. If there's no visible damage on the outside of the box, but when you open it, the contents are damaged, please notify us within 48 hours of receipt of order to place a claim.

Unfortunately, because these are personal care items, we do not accept returns. We do not accept the return of products because a customer doesn't care for the scent of the product they ordered.

Every bar of soap is hand-poured, hand-beveled and hand-packaged with lots of love. Because of the nature of handmade items, the natural variance in the colorants we use, and the fact that the maker likes to play with creative designs, your soap appearance may vary. What will not vary is our wonderful, skin nourishing, base recipe and the quality soap you are using!

We want you to be 100% satisfied with our products. If for any reason, you are not satisfied, let us know. We'll do our best to make it right for you. Please keep in mind the nature of natural, personal care products, and understand that we cannot accept or exchange items that you have opened, handled, cut or used. We do not accept the return of products because a customer doesn't care for the scent of the product they ordered.

Yes! Give us a theme, preferred colors, and a dollar amount and we'll select soaps, candles, body care items, etc. to create the perfect gift for you!

The Giving Tree is on a mission to make better, choose better, be better. Our mission is this…to create the highest quality products possible and make them affordable so they can be shared with all. While we are not an official “non-profit” company, we are not in it for profit. Our prices cover the cost of our supplies and do not factor in labor/time. Any profits made are invested in creating new and better products for you. We believe it is our responsibility to give. We are after all, the Giving Tree. Make Better- We make small batch, cold process, soap the old-fashioned way. Our botanical based soaps are hand poured, beautiful, natural, and full of skin loving ingredients. Unlike commercial bars of soap, our handmade soap is made with ingredients that are simple, natural and good for your skin. We have put IN all the best ingredients and do not remove glycerin, the natural, skin-nourishing by-product of the soap making process. All of our products contain the highest quality, responsibly-sourced ingredients and are cruelty free, paraben free, sulfate free, dye free and phthalate free. Choose Better- In a world focused on more, cheaper and faster, we believe in the value of things that are homemade and hand-crafted. Our soap, products, candles, soap decks, and wash cloths are handmade, hand-poured, hand-crocheted. We believe in the value of supporting small, local businesses, artists, choosing better products, AND in giving back. Be Better- We believe to whom much is given, much is expected. For every bar of soap purchased, we donate a bar to our local homeless shelters.

Our candles are made using a luxurious vegan wax blend made of natural soy and coconut. They are scented using a phthalate-free unique and sophisticated fragrance oils that are created using fine fragrance oils and pure essential oils. We use eco-friendly, clean-burning, wooden wicks that are hand-crafted and made in the USA. Many of our vessels are handmade by local artists!

With proper care, candles will burn for 20+hours.

The First Burn: 1. Be sure you pre-trim your wick to 1/4 inch before you light your candle (especially for the first time burn). This will ensure the candle burns evenly across, and not too hot due to a larger wick/flame. 2. Be sure you allow your candle to burn evenly to the edges all around. This will help the candle from tunneling in the center because you allowed it to burn evenly to the edge of the jar. Re-lighting Your Candle: 1. Be sure to trim your wick (again) and cut any excess wick off. Trim to 1/4 inch every time you re-light your candle. You can use a wick-trimmer, scissors, etc. 2. Be sure your candle burns evenly to the edges all around before you turn your candle off. Additional TIps: 1. Be sure your lit candle is on a leveled surface. 2. Avoid positioning your candle in a place where there are any strong drafts, so your wick burns the wax as evenly as possible. (Example: Near a open window). 3. Keep out of reach from children and pets. Always keep an eye on your candle when it's lit. 4. There is a sticker located on the bottom of every candle with additional candle burning information. 5.Do not burn a candle longer than 4 hours.