Artisan Soaps are old-fashioned "lye" soap bars. Each bar has been handcrafted using a cold-process soapmaking method. Very simply, oil and water don't mix. But when you add lye to the mix, the lye "gives itself up" to make peace between oil and water. The result is soap---a bar of solidified oil and water, if you will, that clings to dirt and washes it down the drain. Our grandparents often used lard and water to make their soap. Today, we use many oils, exfoliants, fragrances, and a variety of liquids to craft skin-nourishing, delicious-smelling soap bars that are a pleasure to use even as they keep us clean. Enjoy!