A Guide to Soapmaking Oils, Butters, and Waxes: What They Do and Why We Use Them
Ghost Valley Farm | Sustainable Soapmaking | Ingredient Transparency
At Ghost Valley Farm, every soap and skincare product is handcrafted with purpose. We carefully select each oil, butter, and wax to nourish your skin and hair, to get dishes sparkling clean, and to gently cleanse clothing while making grease stains disappear like magic. Whether you’re looking for soap for your newborn’s soft skin, a hard-working conditioner bar, or a biodegradable bar for backpacking, the ingredients that we use matter.
If you’ve ever looked at an ingredient label and wondered what all those long names mean, don’t worry. Those hard-to-pronounce terms are just the INCI names (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients), required globally for consistency and clarity. We’ve listed the common and scientific names below, and each ingredient’s purpose in natural soapmaking and skincare.
🌿 Soapmaking Oils, Butters & Waxes We Use Most Often
Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)
Rich in vitamins A and E and loaded with antioxidants, argan oil is a favorite for natural hair care products. It gives our soap a luxurious feel and helps harden the bar while creating a silky, stable lather.
Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima Oil)
High in essential fatty acids and vitamins A, B, D, and E, avocado oil is ideal for moisturizing dry skin. It stabilizes lather and adds a velvety softness to facial bars and conditioners.
Beeswax (Cera Alba)
Beeswax hardens balms and soap bars and locks in moisture. It also forms a protective barrier on the skin and lips. We source unbleached beeswax locally whenever possible.
Canola Oil (Brassica Campestris Seed Oil)
Similar to olive oil, canola oil creates a creamy lather in a well-balanced bar. It’s mild and conditioning—perfect for daily use.
Castor Oil (Ricinus Communis Seed Oil)
A must in shampoo, conditioner, and shave bars, castor oil draws moisture into skin and hair and adds richness and bubbles to soap lather. It also makes the soap dissolve more easily in water. Traditionally used in Southern Asia for conditioning hair masks.
Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
Used in lotions, creams, balms, and soaps, cocoa butter creates hard, long-lasting bars with a rich lather. Emulsified cocoa butter often makes an appearance in our bath goodies. Emulsified cocoa butter moisturizes and forms a protective barrier without leaving a mess in the tub. We prefer natural cocoa butter because it smells amazing.
Coconut Oil (Cocos Nucifera Oil)
This is the foundation of most of our soaps and shampoo bars. Coconut oil produces a hard, white bar with strong cleansing properties and big, fluffy lather. It’s also widely used for skin and oral care.
Hemp Seed Oil (Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil)
High in vitamins A and E, hemp oil adds mild cleansing properties and a luxurious lather. It’s popular in eco-friendly, vegan soaps.
Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
Technically a liquid wax, jojoba mimics our skin’s natural oils. It helps stabilize lather and improves the longevity of soap bars, while being excellent in non-comedogenic skincare.
Kokum Butter (Garcinia Indica Seed Butter)
Lightweight and fast-absorbing, kokum butter is great for moisturizing without feeling greasy. In soap, it contributes to hardness and gentleness. You might also find kokum butter in our high-end lip balms and tints.
Lard (Lard)
Used for generations, lard creates hard, creamy white bars with mild lather. It’s still one of the best fats for traditional handmade soap and adds stability and richness.
Olive Oil (Olea Europaea Oil)
The star of Castile soap, olive oil makes a mild, conditioning bar ideal for sensitive skin. It’s high in vitamin E and polyphenols and creates a small, creamy lather.
Learn more about the benefits of olive oil in skincare →
Palm Oil (Elaeis Guineensis Oil)
Palm oil is a plant-based alternative to lard, used to create vegan hard bars of soap. We choose not to use palm oil regularly, and source sustainable palm oil if the recipe requires it.
Read about sustainable palm oil sourcing →
Rice Bran Oil (Oryza Sativa)
This antioxidant-rich oil has a smooth, thick texture and creates soap with a silky feel and gentle cleansing properties. Rice Bran Oil is also used to give soap a slightly glossy finish that is common with commercial soaps, but without any of the detergents and binders.
Safflower Oil (Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil)
A gentle, skin-loving oil similar to sunflower. It creates a mild bar with conditioning lather and is excellent for sensitive skin types.
Sesame Oil (Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil)
High in antioxidants and fatty acids, sesame oil moisturizes and soothes. We occasionally use toasted sesame oil for its rich scent in specialty soap recipes.
Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii Butter)
A favorite and frequently used in our recipes, shea butter is ultra-moisturizing and creates a silky, creamy lather. It’s especially popular for dry or irritated skin. Shea butter is used for soap, skin care, hair care, and lip balms.
Sunflower Oil (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, sunflower oil makes a very conditioning soap with a gentle touch.
Tallow (Tallow)
Like lard, tallow makes a hard, white bar with creamy, stable lather. It’s great for body bars and laundry soaps. We use responsibly sourced tallow in small batches.
Why We List INCI (Scientific) Names
We include common and scientific names of each ingredient to maintain full transparency and meet international labeling standards. INCI names ensure that customers can trust what’s inside their products.
