The Chicory Co

Our Ingredients

At The Chicory Co. LLC, one of the most important aspects of our company is our ingredients and their quality, source, and benefits for the skin. We actually use every single one of our products and we proudly make our products part of our own daily skincare routine! If we would not use it, we would never sell it to you.

Our Soap Base

Tallow: Our beef tallow is ethically sourced from a local NC farm.

  • Why we include it - Crafting soap using beef fat remains one of the oldest and most traditional methods, cherished for its gentleness and effectiveness. Embracing time-honored techniques and home remedies reflects our belief in their efficacy, which we are eager to preserve and share with future generations. Animal fats are renowned for their rich content of essential vitamins and minerals, enhancing the quality of the soap.

Shea Butter: We use unrefined, raw shea butter that we source from an ethical and sustainable supplier. 

  • Why we include it - Shea butter is known for it moisturizing properties, which help nourish and hydrate the skin. Shea butter is known to have a rich content of vitamins and fatty acids that contribute to soap's creamy texture and enhances its ability to gently cleanse the skin without stripping away natural oils.

Cocoa Butter: We use cocoa butter that is unrefined to retain its natural cocoa aroma and beneficial properties.

  • Why we include it - We add cocoa butter to our base for its emollient properties, providing moisture and helping improve the skin's elasticity.

Olive Oil: Our extra virgin olive oil is 100% pure, unrefined, and cold-pressed. Imported from Italy and dark green in color. Does not contain soybean oil. 

  • Why we include it - Olive oil is known to be rich in vitamins and antioxidants. It is known to deeply moisturize and regenerate skin cells.

Coconut Oil: Our organic coconut oil is 100% pure, unrefined, and cold-pressed. Made from non-GMO coconuts. 

  • Why we include it - Coconut oil is known to soothe skin, nourish the skin's microbiome, and heal wounds.
    Castor Oil: Castor oil is known to heal inflamed skin.
    • Why we include it - Castor oil is known to be a humectant, which means it attracts and holds moisture to the skin.
      Filtered Water: Our water is filtered using a high-quality, reverse osmosis water filter. These filters are known and praised for their ability to filter out toxins including heavy metals like synthetic fluoride. We strongly recommend doing your own research on water filters.
      • Why we include it - Water helps dissolve lye, so that the lye can react with our oils to start the saponification process. As the soap batch cures, the water will evaporate.  
      Sodium Hydroxide (Lye): We cannot make real soap without using lye.
      • Why we include it - Lye is the most important ingredient in soap making. It provides the chemical reaction to convert melted oils (fats) into soap. After curing, none of the lye remains in the actual soap. We use Potassium Hydroxide in our liquid soaps for the same reasons above.

      Our Additives and Herbs

      Fragrance: Not all of our products contain fragrance. But for products that do, all of our fragrances do not contain parabens or phthalates.
      • Why we include it - We include skin safe synthetic fragrances because we understand that some individuals love scented products but cannot always use natural essential oils. Essential oils can be irritating to the skin even though they are natural. We want to be a company that is inclusive to all individuals. 
      Essential Oils: Our essential oils are distilled oils from plants. These oils may cause allergens in some people, so it is important to use with caution. Also, if you are pregnant, you should always consult a healthcare professional before using essential oils or products containing them. We strictly adhere to the proper usage rates for each batch of product.
      • Why we include it - Essential oils add delightful scents to our products. Along with wonderful scents, essential oils are known to have physical and mental health benefits in moderation.
      Ethically Sourced Mica: Not all of our products contain mica. But for those that do, we only use ethically sourced mica. The company we source our mica from is 100% vegan and most importantly, obtains mica ethically and without child labor. This is extremely important to us.
      • Why we include it - Micas add beautiful colors to our soap designs. These colors allow us to be creative and make each of our products look unique from each other.
      Herbs and botanicals: We grow our herbs in our own garden to infuse and top our skincare products. We do not use pesticides or herbicides. For herbs we cannot grow in our climate, we source from sustainable and ethical companies that share our same values.
      • Why we include it - We believe herbs have healing properties that benefit skin's health and beauty.
        Activated Charcoal: Our activated charcoal is made from coconut shells.
        • Why we include it - Activated charcoal is known to detox skin. We also use it as a natural colorant for some of our soap designs.

        Supporting Local

        We love supporting local NC farms. We work with many farms to supply the natural ingredients listed below.
        Honey
        • Why we include it - We add honey to some products because it is known to rejuvenate and heal skin. We source our honey from farmers who practice ethical beekeeping.
        Luffas
        • Why we include it - We do not use sea sponges. They are animals! Instead, we use natural dried luffas. A luffa is a vegetable that is in the cucumber family, and they are excellent exfoliators. 
        Tallow
        • Why we include it - Making soap with animal fat is one of the most traditional ways to make soap. We love sticking to traditional methods and old home remedies because we find that they truly work and are worth passing along to new generations. Animal fats are known to be pack with essential vitamins and minerals. Tallow is known to lock in moisture, heal damaged skin, and even prevent future skin damage. Tallow can be used for every skin type, and it is gentle for skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, itchy skin, etc. Our tallow is ethically sourced and grass-fed.
        Milk
        • Why we include it - Goat's milk and cow's milk are both known to ease skin inflammation. We source our milk from local, ethical dairies. We like to include a few milk skincare products to our collections because milk is full of nutrients and can leave skin feeling smooth and soft.
        Beeswax
        • Why we include it - Beeswax is a natural wax produced by amazing honeybees. We plan to introduce scented beeswax candles and wax melts in the future. Just like our honey, we source beeswax from a company that practices ethical beekeeping. 

        Our Glycerin (Melt & Pour) Soap

        • Many melt & pour soap bases are pre-made using harsh chemicals and preservatives. That is not okay with us. We make our very own melt & pour soap base from scratch! By being completely handmade, we know exactly what goes into our soaps. Chemicals and preservatives are not welcome here!

        * NO soy

        We are a strict no soy company. None of our products contain soy. After doing our own extensive research, we determined that soy is a cheap filler oil that does not have enough benefits to make it into our high-quality products. In fact, soy is a known allergen to many individuals, and it plays a role in molecular mimicry in the body. We highly encourage you to do your own research about soy and its effect on the body. We do not believe soy is a good choice for skincare or diet. To us, one important thing to remember is that a lot of skin conditions develop internally first and that a proper diet may help relieve your skin issues.

        * Vegan? 

        We are not a vegan company because we use animal-based additives. However, we appreciate and value everyone's lifestyle, so we do offer a few 100% plant-based options. We wholeheartedly believe that all animals deserve respect and to be treated fairly, which is why we only source ingredients from ethical and cruelty-free suppliers.
        • Here at The Chicory Co., we test all of our products on ourselves. And yes, even our pet shampoo bars! Though they are intended for pets, they are safe enough to use on humans! 
        Skincare is a personal experience. No two people are the same, so everyone's skincare routine should be different. We strive to make products for everyone to enjoy, which is why we love making such a wide and inclusive variety of products.