About Us

Farhill Craftworks and The Soap Farm

Although Farhill Craftworks has been in existence for 20 years, it was in early 2000 that soapmaking and body care products became an integral part of the business. Not being pleased with the drying commercial soaps that were on the market, I read some books on soapmaking and dove right in, making my first batch of soap. That was all it took to get me hooked. I have recruited various family members as testers and all report that they enjoy the benefits of using handmade soap. They no longer use commercial soap bars, if they have a choice.

Studying aromatherapy, I became intrigued with the effects that essential oils can have on the body, mind and spirit. I incorporate essential oils in many of the soap recipes and also in the body and skin care products that I make. These enticing products are a delight to use, and most importantly, are good for your skin.

A decision was made to name the soap and body care portion of the business “The Soap Farm”, to separate it from the hard crafts. While we are a growing business, we never plan on becoming a large corporation. Each batch of soap or lotion is produced from scratch. Each soap batch is hand-measured, stirred, poured, cut and wrapped. In a world of mass-produced products, our natural products are made by hand with integrity, not machines.

And we choose to take a minimalist approach to the wrapping of the soap bars. Where we can, we use a cigar band type of wrap, made from handmade recycled paper.

Our Handmade Soaps

Our soap bars are made using top-quality oils and have added ingredients such as aromatherapy grade essential oils, florals, and herbs such as organic mint grown on Vancouver Island. Each soap batch is hand-measured, stirred, poured, cut and wrapped. Where we can, we use a cigar band type of wrap, made from handmade recycled paper. The bars do not contain detergents, artificial preservatives or petroleum products. Each bar is pleasantly scented without being overpowering.

Cold process soap retains all the natural glycerin in the soap, unlike commercial bars. Glycerin is a natural emollient that dramatically boosts lather and provides a milder soap that is gentler to the skin. Glycerin is removed from commercial bars since it is a valuable chemical in its own right – more valuable than the soap. Many commercial bars are actually “detergent bars” as they are based on synthetic detergents instead of natural ingredients.

Our Skin Care and Body Care Products

The development of our skin and body care products was a natural off-shoot of the soapmaking venture. Regular commercial body lotions did not alleviate the dryness and itching of legs nor the cracking of heels caused by exercise and the wearing of sandals. The Lotion Bar was developed to take away the dryness of shins but was used on hands and elbows too because of the rich and luxurious feel of the skin afterward. Because of the petroleum content of many commercial lip balm products, our recipe has no carnuba wax, mineral oil or petroleum jelly. We use beeswax, oils such as sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil and essential oils. The Emu and MSM Cream was created to help sports injuries such golf elbow. We have received feedback from our customers that they experienced pain relief with the EMU-MSM as well as the Sore Muscle Relief Cream, which contains menthol crystals and MSM.

Our Soy Candles

The majority of the world's candle makers use wax made from paraffin, which is a petroleum based, non-renewable resource. For a healthy alternative, we have chosen soy wax for our candles because it is a cleaner burning wax, a renewable resource and an environmentally friendly choice. A cleaner burning soy candle will help to maintain air quality and not contribute or further aggravate beathing problems, such as asthma.

Soy candles burn with less soot and if burned properly, will burn longer. Soy wax candle spills are easy to clean up with hot soapy water. This also allows the votive holders to be easily cleaned and used again for another candle.

For those who do not wish to have an open flame with a burning candle, may we suggest our soy wax melts. These sit in the top of a wax melter and the heat from a tealight located securely below the bowl will melt the tart and release the fragrance to the room.