Artisanal Soaps

Did you know that most soaps marketed as “100% Castile” are not true Castile soaps at all?

Authentic Castile soap—the kind that originated centuries ago in the Mediterranean—is made using just olive oil, water, and lye. No coconut oil, no palm oil, no synthetic additives. Yet most commercial “Castile” soaps include multiple oils and fillers that dilute its purity and gentleness.

In our mission to honor authentic Mediterranean tradition, we handcraft each bar with the finest Greek extra virgin olive oil—the same one that is produced near Ancient Olympia. Every bar is made slowly and mindfully, in small batches, with care at every step.

• 100% handmade in small batches
• Made exclusively with Greek extra virgin olive oil
• Scented only with therapeutic-grade essential oils
• Free from synthetic fragrances, palm oil, and preservatives
• 95% organic ingredients

True Castile soap is one of the gentlest and most nourishing soaps you can use—especially for sensitive, dry, or irritated skin. It won’t produce the dramatic lather of coconut- or palm-based soaps, but its creamy foam leaves your skin feeling clean, soft, and conditioned.

Victoria’s Note

When I first discovered traditional Castile soap, I was captivated by its simplicity—and by how misunderstood it had become. So many so-called “Castile” soaps contain other oils or additives like salt, sugar, or sodium lactate to alter hardness and lather. We consciously avoid these additions. In today’s world, even simple ingredients like salt or sugar can come with impurities, and sodium lactate is a chemical never used in authentic soapmaking.

Most of our soaps are pure olive oil—nothing more. And while true Castile soap doesn’t create the rich, bubbly lather some expect, I was genuinely surprised by how beautifully our bars lather after a long, careful cure. What they lack in showiness, they make up for in skin-loving gentleness. After washing, my hands never feel dry—only nourished, as if I’ve used a soap and a conditioner in one.

And if you wonder which one is my favorite—it’s the smaller unscented bar with an olive branch on top. Its uneven shape gives me a sensory pleasure I can’t quite explain. Maybe it’s the connection to something timeless, simple, and truly natural.

—Victoria, Creator of My Greek Basket Artisanal Soaps