What about lye? Won't it harm my skin?

Lye is also called Sodium Hydroxide. While all soap is made with lye, no lye remains in our finished product. Once we select the oils and mix them with sodium hydroxide and pure distilled water, the molecules combine, a chemical reaction occurs (saponification), and a totally different substance is created -- soap! Earth Maiden uses computerized software to determine just the right amount of lye needed to cause the right chemical reaction between the lye and the vegetable oils and butters to make good cleansing soap that is not harsh on your skin and is full of moisturizing ingredients.