Frequently Asked
Questions

Cold-process soapmaking is the traditional method of combining plant oils with lye (sodium hydroxide) at cool temperatures. The lye triggers saponification — a chemical reaction that transforms the oils into soap and glycerin naturally, without synthetic detergents or additives.

Unlike commercial soap, which is often made at high temperatures and has the glycerin extracted, cold-process soap retains all of its naturally produced glycerin. This is why handmade cold-process soap tends to feel noticeably more comfortable than commercial alternatives — the glycerin draws moisture toward the skin.

After pouring, the soap cures for a minimum of four weeks to allow saponification to complete fully and the bar to harden.

No. Lye is used in the soapmaking process, but it is not present in the finished bar. During saponification, the lye reacts completely with the oils to produce soap and glycerin. Once the reaction is complete — which is what the curing process ensures — no lye remains.

This is basic chemistry: every bar of soap in the world, whether handmade or commercial, is made using either sodium hydroxide (solid soap) or potassium hydroxide (liquid soap). The lye is consumed entirely in the reaction.

Yes. Every bar in our range is fully vegan. We use no animal-derived ingredients — no tallow, no lard, no honey, no beeswax, no lanolin. We also do not test on animals.

Several of our bars are formulated with the whole family in mind, including children. The Original Repair Bar, Soft Cotton & Nettle Bloom, and Golden Calm Calendula Bar are all gentle enough for use on children's skin.

We always recommend testing a new product on a small area first, particularly for very young children or babies. If you have specific concerns, please contact us and we will be happy to advise.

No. We do not use synthetic fragrance blends — the type of "fragrance" or "parfum" listing that can contain hundreds of undisclosed chemical compounds.

Where our bars are scented, we use either natural essential oils or clearly disclosed, phthalate-free fragrance oils. Unscented bars contain no fragrance of any kind. Every scent ingredient is named on the label.

Every batch of Hush Soap is handmade in small quantities using natural botanical ingredients. Natural variation in colour, scent intensity and surface texture between batches is normal and expected — it is part of what makes handmade soap different from a factory product.

The bars in the photos represent a typical batch. Your bar may have slightly different swirl patterns, a slightly different shade, or minor surface imperfections. This does not affect the quality, performance or longevity of the bar.

Full ingredient lists are on each product page and on the bar label itself. We also have a dedicated ingredients page at hushsoap.com/ingredients that explains every ingredient we use and why we use it — plus a full list of what we deliberately leave out.

Several of our bars contain shea butter (from the shea tree, also known as karite) and/or coconut oil. If you have a known nut allergy, please review the full ingredient list for each product carefully before purchasing, and consult with your GP or allergist if you are unsure. We are unable to provide medical advice.

RSPO stands for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil — an internationally recognised certification that verifies palm oil is produced without deforestation, without destruction of peatlands, and with fair treatment of workers and local communities.

We use palm oil in some of our bars because it contributes hardness and longevity to the finished bar. We use only RSPO-certified sustainable palm. If we are ever unable to source certified sustainable palm, we reformulate that bar rather than compromise.

Our bars are cosmetic products. They are intended for cleansing and the general care and appearance of the skin — not for the treatment, prevention or cure of any medical condition.

We are careful to ensure all claims about our products describe sensory and appearance effects (how skin feels after washing) rather than physiological or medical outcomes. If you have a skin condition and are unsure whether our products are appropriate for you, please consult a healthcare professional.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) through Stripe, our secure payment processor. We do not store your card details — all payment data is handled entirely by Stripe.

We process orders quickly — usually within 1–2 business days. If you need to change or cancel your order, please contact us at hello@hushsoap.com as soon as possible after placing it.

If your order has already been packed and handed to Australia Post, we will not be able to cancel it. In that case, please refer to our returns policy.

Order confirmation emails are sent automatically once your payment is processed. If you do not receive one within a few minutes, please check your spam or junk folder first.

If it is not there, contact us at hello@hushsoap.com with the name and email address used to place the order and we will look into it for you.

We ship to all Australian states and territories — including metro, regional and rural addresses. We do not currently ship internationally.

Orders are typically packed and dispatched within 1–3 business days of payment confirmation.

Standard delivery: 3–7 business days for metro areas, up to 10 business days for regional and rural. Express delivery: 1–3 business days for metro areas, 2–5 business days for regional areas.

These are Australia Post estimates and can occasionally vary, particularly during busy periods or in very remote areas.

We are a small handmade business and shipping costs are a real expense for us. We do not currently offer free shipping, but we keep our shipping rates as low as we reasonably can. Standard delivery is $9.95 and express is $14.95 to anywhere in Australia.

Once your order is dispatched, you will receive a shipping confirmation email containing your Australia Post tracking number. You can track your parcel at auspost.com.au.

We are sorry to hear that. Please contact us at hello@hushsoap.com within 14 days of receiving your order, with your order number and a photo of the damaged item(s).

We will arrange a replacement or refund — whichever you prefer. We take care in packing every order and will always make things right if something goes wrong.

The most important thing is to keep your bar dry between uses. Store it on a well-draining soap dish — one with slats or drainage holes that allows water to run away from the bar and air to circulate underneath.

Avoid leaving your bar sitting in a pool of water — this causes it to soften and dissolve much faster than it should. A well-drained bar will last significantly longer than one sitting in trapped moisture.

Store unused bars in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

This varies depending on how often it is used, how many people are using it, and most importantly how well it is stored between uses. A bar that drains properly between uses will last considerably longer than one sitting in water.

For a single daily user with good soap dish drainage, a standard bar (approximately 110–120g) typically lasts 3–5 weeks.

Unused bars stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight will remain in good condition for 12–18 months. Natural soaps do not contain synthetic preservatives, so the oils can eventually begin to oxidise over a very long period — you may notice a slight change in colour or scent in very old bars.

For the best experience, use your bars within 12 months of purchase.

Our bars are formulated for body use, but many customers use them on their face without issue — particularly the Original bar and the more gentle options in our range.

Facial skin can be more reactive than body skin, so we recommend testing on a small area first. If you have specific skin concerns or conditions, please consult a dermatologist or skincare professional.

We make soap in small batches, and each batch requires a minimum four-week cure before the bars are ready. This means our stock is naturally limited between batches, and popular bars can sell out before the next batch is ready.

We produce batches regularly and restock as soon as bars have completed their cure.

When a product is out of stock, you can join the waitlist by entering your email address on that product's page. When we restock that product and it becomes available again, you will receive an email notification.

We send one notification per restock. We do not use your email address for any other purpose unless you consent.