Handmade in small batches with nature’s ingredients
Ingredients + Cold Process Method
At Beyond the Ferns, we follow the traditional cold process method of soapmaking - a time-honoured approach that allows us to work with our ingredients in a slow and considered way. By blending our oils and butters at lower temperatures, we help preserve their natural qualities of the oils, creating a gentle, skin-conditioning bar.
Each batch is carefully mixed and hand-poured into moulds, where it is left to set for several days. Once ready, the soap is unmoulded and cut into individual bars, revealing the unique patterns and character of each one.
The final stage is curing, a process that takes between 4–6 weeks. During this time, the bars gradually harden and develop a milder, longer-lasting lather, ensuring each soap is ready to be enjoyed at its best.
Every bar is made slowly and thoughtfully, from formulation through to soapmaking, by Gillian in Wicklow, carrying a true sense of place and craft.
Natural Plant Oils + Butters
We use a carefully balanced blend of high-quality plant oils and fruit butters to create gentle, nourishing soaps with a rich, creamy lather. Each ingredient is chosen for the unique qualities it brings to the bar from the conditioning feel of olive oil to the cleansing bubbles of coconut oil and the silky lather from castor oil.
The vast majority of our raw materials are all sourced from a trusted, family-run supplier in Co. Wicklow, a village where Gillian grew up in which beautifully adds a personal connection to the ingredients we use.
We’re especially proud to use locally grown rapeseed oil, harvested in Wicklow Town, only a short distance from our BtF soap studio. Alongside contributing to a mild, skin-conditioning bar, using rapeseed oil allows us to support Irish farming and keeps our ingredients as local and sustainable as possible. Supporting local aligns us quite nicely as a member of Guaranteed Irish.
Natural Moisturiser – Glycerine
Glycerine is often described as nature’s own moisturiser, helping to draw moisture to the skin while working in harmony with our carefully selected oils and butters. This natural humectant is created during the soapmaking process and remains in traditionally made, natural soap.
In many commercial soaps, glycerine is removed to produce a harder, longer-lasting bar and is often used in other skincare products instead. Without glycerine, soap can feel more drying on the skin.
By keeping glycerine in our soaps, we create a gentler, more skin-conditioning bar that helps leave your skin feeling soft and cared for after use.
Pure Natural Essential Oils
To complement the quality of our plant oils, using pure essential oils has always felt like the natural choice for scenting our soaps. Carefully selected for their aroma and character, they bring out the true scent of each botanical, from fresh and uplifting citrus notes to calming floral blends.
Beyond their fragrance, essential oils are valued for their ability to help create a more balanced and enjoyable sensory experience, whether that’s promoting a sense of calm, feeling gently invigorating, or adding to the overall soothing nature of the soap.
Used in harmony with our base oils and butters, they help turn a simple daily routine into a small moment of care for both skin and well-being.
Clays, Charcoal + Plant Powders
For colour, we turn to nature by using mineral-rich clays, activated charcoal and botanical powders to give each bar its unique tone. It’s a simple, natural approach, but one that brings more than just appearance.
Clays are valued for their gentle cleansing properties, helping to draw out impurities while adding a soft, silky feel to the lather. Activated charcoal is known for its ability to absorb excess oils and cleanse the skin, making it a popular choice for more oily or teenage skin types.
Botanical powders such as cacao and coffee add a natural exfoliating quality, helping to lightly buff the skin and leave it feeling smooth and refreshed. Together, these ingredients enhance both the look and the feel of the soap, creating a bar that is as functional as it is beautiful.
Flowers, Herbs + Seeds
You’ve probably noticed that many of our soaps are finished with delicate botanicals and seeds, adding a natural, decorative touch to each bar. They bring a beauty that makes each soap a pleasure to display as much as to use.
But their role goes beyond appearance. Many of these botanicals are infused into our oils, allowing their natural colour and gentle plant properties to become part of the soap itself.
Where possible, our botanicals are sourced locally, ensuring they are properly dried and suitable for use in natural skincare. Any additional botanicals are carefully handpicked from the wild Irish landscape.
