A Coconut-Free Update!

If you've followed our progress, you know we take our goals seriously. When we announced our plan to develop a coconut-free formula for our soap bars, it wasn't just an empty promise. In fact, since we shared our initial post on the subject in early January, we've been hard at work continuing that journey!

Our Popular Shield Maiden Soap Bar, Now Coconut Free

Changes are Happening Fast!

It's hard to believe that it's only been three months since we shared our vision with you. We started hinting about it in the exclusive Discord group for those interested in testing our new ideas. Deb and the production team have worked tirelessly to find the perfect balance, ensuring no corners were cut.

Remember, friends: this isn't a new idea. We've been offering coconut-free items for years. While we're proud of our shampoo bars and solid cologne tins, we know that our fans want more, and so do we.

Our January 2024 blog post announced that our first coconut free soap would be our Shield Maiden signature bar. It's always been among our most popular scents, so it was a natural choice. And we're pleased to say that the experiment was a success!

Our Convenient Sample Pack of 9 Hypoallergenic Soaps

In the months since then, we have added considerably to our collection of coconut-free and allergen-free products. After we perfected the coconut-free blend on Shield Maiden, we started to use it in all our major releases. Our list of coconut-free soap bars has now grown to five! This list now includes:

• Shield Maiden, Lingonberry & Spice
• Fenrir the Great Wolf, Sandalwood & Vanilla
• Itchy & Scratchy Pet Soap (yes, we make soap for your pets!)
• Total Anarchy!, a Carrot, Turmeric, and Honey bar made for early Spring
• Neon Rainbow Pride, a yearly creation for us, this time with the new formula

That’s two of our Signature Scents, two seasonal bars, and a brand-new endeavor in pet soap! 

Fenrir, the Great Wolf - Now Coconut Free!

Why Bother?

We want to give you the best, that’s why. It would be far easier not to do all this research and experimentation. We could have just kept going with the original formula, or worse, stepped back and started using cheaper, synthetic, or unethical ingredients. Understand it won’t be a quick - or inexpensive - process. But, we know it is worth it!

Coconut oil is an allergen that many skincare companies include in their products. This is one main reason we are now changing the recipe to our soap base. But, we are also making other decisions to maintain our quality and reputation as a natural soap brand.

For example, palm oil is another easily sourced ingredient of soap. However, most palm oil is procured in a questionable, and unethical, manner. According to this page on the World Wildlife Fund’s website, there are several major negative impacts from palm oil production, including air, water, and soil pollution, contributing to climate change, and displacement of endangered species. The article goes into a lot about the industry, its environmental effects, and what can be done about it all. It is worth the read.

Image credit: World Wildlife Fund

The Drooping Shoulders of Giants

It doesn’t take a lot of searching to see that a lot of the big-name brand soap bars use synthetic soap ingredients. In fact, and this came as a shock to me, some brands that usually come to mind when thinking of store-bought soap bars can’t even call themselves soap anymore!

Look at some of these ingredients for one popular "soap" brand:

What even is that stuff? I looked it up so you don’t have to.

• Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate: A synthetic detergent derived from fatty acids, used as a surfactant (cleansing agent) in many personal care products.
• Sodium Isethionate: A synthetic detergent derived from isethionic acid, used as a gentle surfactant and cleansing agent.
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine: A synthetic surfactant derived from coconut oil, used as a gentle cleansing agent and foam booster.
• Kaolin or (ou) Titanium Dioxide: These are inorganic compounds used as opacifiers, colorants, or abrasives in personal care products.

Do these ingredients work? I assume so, as this company has been around since the ‘50s. Are these ingredients natural? Not all of them, that’s for sure. And the fact that this specific product line is no longer called ‘Soap Bars’, but ‘Beauty Bars’, kind of speaks for itself.

Now let’s take a look at this product:

Now here we go! The first ingredient is soap! That must mean it’s exactly what you’re looking for! Except, what are those ingredients in the brackets?

• Sodium Palmate: A soap base derived from Palm Oil
• Sodium Palm Kernelate: A soap base derived from Palm Kernel Oil
• Sodium Cocoate: A soap base derived from (you guessed it) Coconut Oil

Where Do We Go From Here?

Birds of Valhalla is so much smaller than those giants. We don’t have the years of experience, the marketing budget, or the name recognition. Yet, unlike them, we are aggressively changing all the time. We see problems and we do what we can to correct them. Most times, this means taking risks. And most times, the risk pays off. Being the little guys may mean less visibility, but it also means that we don’t have the fear that the bigger guys do. We can only grow. With every decision we make, we are getting bigger and better, and taking more and more risks. We will always do what is right for you, no matter the cost. 

This coconut-free endeavor is just another part of our prologue. We haven’t even started yet! You’re sticking with us through our awkward hatchling years. We aren’t going to wait to get pushed out of the nest. And we’re learning to fly pretty damn fast, so keep up!