Top 10 Australian botanical soaps

Soap is a daily essential that's vital to reducing the spread of germs and protecting your health. But not every soap or hand wash on the market is actively good for you. Many contain harsh chemicals and synthetic ingredients that, over time, can damage your skin and health. Australian botanical soap is a great alternative that is not only effective and good for your skin but looks and smells amazing. Read on to see your top ten Australian botanical soaps. 
 

How to choose a natural soap

Soap is essential to keep our hands clean, stop the spread of germs and protect our health. But that doesn’t mean every soap is necessarily good for you. Most of the handwashes and soaps on the market are actually synthetic chemical detergents that we commonly refer to as hand soap/hand wash. These often contain synthetic fragrance oils, dyes and harsh ingredients like triethanolamine. While these hand washes do help reduce the spread of bacteria and germs, many people like to avoid them and opt for chemical-free options instead.

If you want to opt for a natural soap that will help clean your hands and fight bacteria, without letting nasty toxins into your body, there are a few ingredients you can avoid. Firstly, the word ‘fragrance’ can often mean a whole assortment of chemicals that the manufacturers aren’t required to list. Parabens are preservatives that you’ll find in a lot of hand soaps, so avoid any with ingredients that end in ‘-paraben’. Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a surfactant and emulsifier that is used to add foaming textures but it can be irritating and harsh on the ski. Similarly, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is another common surfactant that is also irritating and has been linked to health concerns.

The simplest way to avoid these products is to opt for all-natural hand soap. These tend to be bar soaps that are made using plant-derived oils, glycerine and essential oils. When looking for vegan soap that is also natural just be sure to check the oil is plant-based and not fat or oil derived from an animal like lard or lanolin. Not only are bar soaps effective, but they also feel great to use and look amazing in any nice soap dish.  

Photo credit: The Australian Natural Soap Company

What is Australian botanical soap?

Living in Australia, means we are blessed with some of the nicest smelling and diverse botanicals on the planet. Botanicals are substances—oil, dried leaves, herbs or extracts—that are derived from plants and added to cosmetics. A good quality Australian botanical soap will combine hydrating plant oils and glycerine with Australian botanical oils and flowers for a soap that is both cleansing and nourishing. We’ve put together our top ten Australian botanical soaps, with a soap for every cleansing need.

Our top 10 Australian botanical soaps

1. Antifungal soap contains ingredients that help with a variety of fungal infections like ringworm, jock itch and athlete’s foot. Natural antifungal soap will use a plant extract like tea tree to fight fungus and help heal the infection, without the use of harsh chemicals.

2. Sandalwood soap: The oil from sandalwood (Chandan trees) is often used in personal care products and soaps for its aromatherapy properties and skin benefits. Sandalwood soap has natural anti-bacterial properties, and its aroma energises and uplifts the mind. Meaning, a sandalwood soap will not only cleanse your hands and leave your skin soft but refresh your mind with each wash.  

3. Tea tree soap: Tea Tree oil comes from the leaves of Melaleuca Alternifolia that’s native to Queensland and New South Wales. Tea tree oil is commonly used for its healing, antibacterial and medicinal properties. A tea tree soap uses plant oil to sanitize and kill common bacteria and viruses, as well as any fungus and dirt. A tea tree soap is a great chemical-free alternative to conventional antibacterial soaps. The Australian Natural Soap Company specialises in Australian botanical soap—their tea tree soap is handmade with Australian tea tree oil.

4. Unscented soap is a soap that is made with plant oils and glycerine but has no added essential oils or botanicals. Unscented soap is ideal for those with sensitive skin. You can also use unscented soap for baby bath time as it won’t upset your baby’s delicate skin. The Mokosh Certified organic soap is olive oil-based which means it is gentle on the skin, deeply nourishing and great for soothing inflammation. 

5. Body soap: All-natural body soap is a great alternative to a conventional body wash if you’re looking to steer clear of synthetic surfactants and chemicals. A body soap will blend plant oils and glycerine with various botanicals and plant extracts.

6. Exfoliating soap is a soap that either contains a liquid exfoliant, like glycolic or salicylic acid, or a physical exfoliant like sugar or pumice. Pumice is a great physical exfoliant that’s used in exfoliating soap to create a gritty texture that gently removes dead skin cells as you wash – revealing brighter, softer skin.  



7. Lux soap: If you want an Australian botanical soap that’s going to impress your guests, then you’ll want to opt for a lux soap. Lux soap or artisanal soaps are made with the finest ingredients and techniques that produce a beautifully coloured and patterned soap bar. Think swirls of colour, embedded rose petals and rustic edges.

8. Coconut soap: Coconut is a popular natural beauty ingredient for good reason. Coconut oil is not only a great vegan alternative to animal fats, but it also has naturally hydrating and anti-bacterial properties. A good coconut soap will use virgin coconut oil that is hand pressed and not overly processed. Coconut soap will leave your hands clean and silky soft, while also smelling amazing—think tropical holiday vibes.

9. Lemon myrtle soap: Lemon myrtle is a beautiful Australian shrub that has natural antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiseptic and antiviral properties. A lemon myrtle soap is great for healing any skin concerns like minor cuts, infections and inflammation. Lemon myrtle soap is not only powerful at fighting germs, its fragrance is refreshing and uplifting.

10. Crystal soap is a soap that’s supercharged with the healing powers of crystals. Summer Salt Body’s crystal soaps make amazing gifts and add a pop of colour to the bathroom. Cleansing your hands with a crystal soap will help add positive and healing crystal energy to your skin, mind and day, while also keeping your hands clean and refreshed.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS