FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What ingredients are in your soaps?
Our soaps are made with simple, natural ingredients. Our Bare soap contains 100% pure olive oil, distilled water, and sea salt. All our other bars have Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter and/or Mango Butter, Shea Butter & Castor Oil plus Sea Salt. Then each bar is individual to which other botanicals, including essential oils, that we add. Our Kind soap contains no essential oils if you are looking for something minimal.
During the natural soap making process Glycerin is produced, a humectant which attracts moisture.
Each product page lists the complete ingredient list.
Do you use palm oil?
No, never. The oils we use are listed above. Palm oil does make a hard bar of soap, and some luxury brands will use predominantly palm oil in their soap, however we believe that any use of palm oil - even sustainable - is contributing to the palm oil industry, and that industry puts immense pressure on deforestation of native forests. It is just not something we can get on board with.
How long do your soaps last?
With proper care and storage in a dry place, our handmade soaps typically last 4-6 weeks with regular use for handwashing, and 2 to 4 weeks in the shower.
Can you make brightly coloured soaps?
Yes we can, however we don't want to put too much pressure on your skin by adding large amounts of botanicals. The brightly coloured soaps you see are typically coloured with micas, and sometimes clays. I have seen one that was coloured with coral (!). Micas are in a lot of makeup such as lipstick, however it doesn't contribute to making soap a better product so we don't use them. Its a personal thing too, as we can't hand on heart swear that child labour was not used when mining the micas and clays, so if we do add clay, it will be one from New Zealand - and we will never use micas.
My soap feels damp and slippery
Yes, natural soaps contain Glycerin. This is good for our skin and unfortunately is removed from many supermarket soaps. Glycerin is a humectant just like hyaluronic acid. This means they attract moisture. The bar is not producing the moisture it is attracting it from the atmosphere. Different bars behave differently and we have found the Quiet bar to be the worst culprit, although it smells so good, and is a firm customer favourite, we need to keep it in our lives!
Pat the bars that feel damp and slippery dry and store them in a dry place or airtight container. If you are actively using one, a hemp soap bag helps.
Are your products suitable for sensitive skin?
Yes! Our Bare soap is specifically designed for sensitive skin - it's fragrance-free and made with gentle, nourishing ingredients. The Kind bar may also suit you.
Are any soaps suitable for babies, toddlers, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding?
Yes! I was once all of those things at different times in my life. Some essential oils are said to be ok to use when any of the above, but we would quide you away from essential oils. To be 100% safe we have created the Bare and Kind bars. The Bare bar has Saponfied Olive Oil, Glycerin, Distilled Water, and sea salt in it, nothing more. It will not create a super bubbly lather or clean grease off dishes, but it will cleanse your skin gently. The Kind bar has all our usual butters and oils, plus Colloidal Oats. It is unscented so will also be gentle on skin.
These bars may also suit you if you are recovering from illness or have hormonal imbalances.
How should I store my soap?
Keep your soap in a dry place between uses. A soap dish with drainage works best to help extend the life of your bar.
Why do your bars not smell fruity, or strong like some other soap bars?
That is such a good question and one we love to answer. We use botanicals to scent our soap not perfumes and fragrances. The fragrance used in a well known body care shop here in NZ gave our soap maker headaches & dizziness after a few moments visiting them. So we use essential oils. As many things created in nature these oils can be fickle and many will not smell the same or hold their scent during the soap making process, not only that but we stick firmly to the international safety guidelines (not regulated here in NZ) for safe scent usage. Perfumed soap is good for making your drawers smell nice, our soap is made to be seen and used. However the Quiet bar has a great scent that lasts, and if you're interested in something minty and fresh, Candy will be the bar for you.
Do you offer international shipping?
Currently we ship within New Zealand. Please contact us if you have questions about shipping to your location.
How can I contact you?
You can reach us through our contact form or email us directly. We typically respond within 24 hours.
Why does my soap not have bubbles when lather up?
Some of our soaps do not bubble up like handwash and detergents. This is down to how much olive oil we use and we do try to keep the pH of our soap as low as humanly possible for real soap. We add castor oil, as it is a beautiful rich ingredient and will produce a lather, and sometimes we will add a little sugar or fruit - both also known to help create a more bubblier lather. There is definitely a soap for everyone! The Bare bar will hardly bubble at all, however rest assured it is cleaning your skin, and as an added benefit it leaves a super rich moisturising feel once rinsed from your skin.
If you have any questions reach out at hello@terrasulis.co.nz
'How Far That Little Candle Throws It's Flame'
This is a line paraphrased from Shakespeare that I carry with me always - quite literally.
For a long time, I lived in a world of high-stakes finance. It was a world of numbers, returns, fund reports, and venture capital. It was a career built in a sector known for "big" moves. But life has a way of teaching us that the most significant investments aren't always found on a balance sheet.
My journey toward Terra Sulis wasn't born from a business plan, but from the quiet, heavy moments that define a life.
I have known the profound silence of having to let go two babies mid-pregnancy. In that wilderness of grief, what stayed with me wasn't grand gestures, but the small ones. A friend who sent a tiny bunch of flowers with a note saying she didn't know what to say, but was there. A home-cooked dinner that arrived by taxi from someone simply wanting to do the impossible and help me. I didn't heal then, but sixteen years later, those small flames of kindness still light my way. They taught me that when the world feels dark, a tiny spark of intentionality is enough to guide someone home.
One person can do a lot, one small gesture can stay forever.
Life has also asked me to be a witness to its fragility. I have stood on the beach and found the courage to move forward, somehow, when the waves returned a young life they had taken. I did it to make sure a son could be returned to his mother. I have sat for hours in the sand with a stranger, holding space in the salt and the wind while the helicopters searched for a partner the ocean wouldn't give back to her.
These moments made me. They taught me that authenticity and kindness are the only currencies that truly matter.
Starting The Journey
I left the corporate world to save my own spirit and to build something that honors these lessons. Terra Sulis is my "little candle." I use only the most exceptional, luxury ingredients because I believe that the rituals of caring for ourselves are how we heal and be healthy so we can, in turn, care for others. Every ingredient and packaging choice is plant based and carefully considered for it's impact on the planet.
I love the creativity and science of making soap. And I don't want to just make soap; I want to create a snowball effect of light. By pledging 50% of our profits to local charities who protect & help the vulnerable, and the planet, every bar becomes a quiet act of service.
The other 50% of profit is going towards building The Little Candle Foundation, a dream I have had since those first small gestures, to make the light of that little candle reach further in the future.
One person can do a lot. One small gesture stays forever.
Welcome to Terra Sulis. Let’s see how far this light can throw.