Ingredients & Terms we Use

At Healing Season, we believe understanding what goes into a product is just as important as using it.

Many of the ingredients and methods used throughout our products have been around for generations. This guide explains the ingredients, traditional techniques and terminology you'll find throughout our website.

Can't find a term you're looking for? Contact us and we'll happily explain it. We may even add it to this guide.

Traditional Fats & Oils

Beef Tallow

Tallow is a traditional fat rendered from beef suet.

For centuries it has been used in:

  • Soap making
  • Skincare
  • Cooking
  • Candle making
  • Household cleaning

We use tallow because it creates hard, long-lasting soaps and nourishing skincare products.

Related Pages

  • What Is Beef Tallow?
  • Tallow Soap Australia
  • Tallow Laundry Powder
  • Tallow Dishwasher Powder

Suet

Suet is the hard fat found around the kidneys and loins of cattle.

It is highly valued because it produces some of the cleanest and highest-quality tallow.

Related Pages

  • What Is Beef Tallow?
  • Why We Use Tallow At Healing Season

Rendered Tallow

Rendering is the process of slowly melting and purifying suet to produce clean tallow.

This process removes moisture and impurities while creating a stable fat suitable for soap making and skincare.

Related Pages

  • What Is Beef Tallow?
  • Why We Use Tallow At Healing Season

Soap-Making Terms

Lye

Lye is required to make true soap.

During soap making, lye reacts with fats and oils to create soap. When properly made, no active lye remains in the finished product.

Related Pages

  • Tallow Soap vs Commercial Soap
  • FAQ Tallow Soap
  • Tallow Salt Soap Powder

Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)

Also known as:

  • Caustic Soda
  • Soap-Making Lye

Used to create:

  • Soap Bars
  • Dish Soap
  • Shampoo Bars
  • Laundry Soap

Creates hard soap.

Related Pages

  • Tallow Soap FAQ
  • Dish Soap FAQ

Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)

Also known as:

  • Potash
  • Liquid Soap Lye

Used to create:

  • Liquid Soap
  • Liquid Cleaning Products
  • Soft Soap

Creates liquid soap rather than hard bars.

Related Pages

  • Future Liquid Soap Collection

Saponification

The chemical reaction that occurs when fats and oils combine with lye to create soap.

Example:

Tallow + Sodium Hydroxide = Soap + Glycerine

Related Pages

  • What Is Tallow Soap?
  • Tallow Soap FAQ

Trace

Trace is the stage during soap making when oils and lye have mixed enough that the batter begins to thicken.

Soap makers often describe light trace, medium trace and thick trace.

Cure

The period of time soap is allowed to mature and dry after it is made.

A proper cure helps create:

  • Harder bars
  • Longer-lasting soap
  • Milder soap

Related Pages

  • Tallow Soap FAQ
  • Tallow Soap vs Commercial Soap

Superfat

Superfat refers to oils or fats intentionally left unsaponified in a soap recipe.

Examples:

  • Dish Soap: 0% Superfat
  • Shampoo Bars: Low Superfat
  • Pet Shampoo: 6–7% Superfat
  • Face Soaps: Higher Superfat

Related Pages

  • Pet Shampoo FAQ
  • Tallow Soap FAQ

Water Discount

A soap-making technique where less water is used to help soap harden faster and reduce cure time.

Batch

A single production run of soap or skincare products.

Tallow Salt Soap Terms

Tallow Salt Soap

A concentrated soap produced using a traditional process known as salting out.

Salt is used to separate soap from the glycerine-rich liquid produced during soap making.

Related Pages

  • What Is Tallow Salt Soap Powder?
  • Tallow Salt Soap Powder FAQ
  • Tallow Laundry Powder
  • Tallow Dishwasher Powder

Salting Out

A traditional soap-making technique where salt is added to separate soap from glycerine.

Historically, this method was used to create concentrated cleaning soaps.

Related Pages

  • What Is Tallow Salt Soap Powder?

Glycerine

A natural by-product of soap making.

Glycerine attracts moisture and is highly valued in skincare products.

In traditional salting-out methods, much of the glycerine is removed from cleaning soaps.

Related Pages

  • What Is Tallow Salt Soap Powder?
  • Tallow Salt Soap Powder FAQ

Skincare Ingredients

Jojoba Oil

A liquid wax derived from the jojoba plant.

Popular in skincare because of its stability and skin-friendly properties.

Related Pages

  • How To Use Tallow On Skin
  • Vanilla Bean Tallow Balm
  • Whipped Tallow Night Balm

Colloidal Oats

Finely ground oats commonly used in skincare products.

Popular in products designed for dry or sensitive skin.

Related Pages

  • Honey & Colloidal Oat Soap
  • Natural Skincare For Sensitive Skin

Australian Clays

Natural mineral-rich clays used in soap making and skincare.

Examples:

  • Pink Australian Clay
  • Kaolin Clay

Related Pages

  • Lavender Luxe Soap

Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is commonly used to create dark cleansing soap bars.

Related Pages

  • Charcoal Detox Soap

Essential Oils

Lavender Essential Oil

Traditionally used in soaps, balms and skincare products.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

An Australian essential oil commonly used in personal care and cleaning products.

Rosemary Essential Oil

Popular in soaps, hair care and balms.

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Provides a bright citrus aroma.

Lemongrass Essential Oil

A fresh citrus-scented essential oil often used in soaps and cleaning products.

Frankincense Essential Oil

Traditionally used in premium skincare products.

Clove Bud Essential Oil

A warm spice essential oil frequently paired with citrus oils.

Related Pages

  • Ingredients We Use
  • Soap Collection
  • Hair Care Collection

Hair Care Terms

Shampoo Bar

A concentrated solid alternative to liquid shampoo.

Related Pages

  • Hair Care Guide
  • Botanical Tallow Shampoo Bar

Conditioner Bar

A concentrated solid alternative to bottled conditioner.

Related Pages

  • Hair Care Guide
  • Conditioner Bar Collection

BTMS-50

A conditioning ingredient used in conditioner bars to improve softness, slip and manageability.

Related Pages

  • Conditioner Bar FAQ

pH

A measure of acidity or alkalinity.

Different personal care products are formulated to work within specific pH ranges.

Household Cleaning Ingredients

Washing Soda

A traditional household cleaning ingredient.

Helps:

  • Soften water
  • Improve cleaning performance
  • Boost laundry results

Related Pages

  • Tallow Laundry Powder
  • Laundry Powder FAQ

Borax

A naturally occurring mineral commonly used in laundry and household cleaning products.

Related Pages

  • Tallow Laundry Powder
  • Laundry Powder FAQ

Citric Acid

Naturally found in citrus fruits.

Used in cleaning products to:

  • Reduce mineral deposits
  • Improve rinsing performance
  • Help reduce water spotting

Related Pages

  • Tallow Dishwasher Powder
  • Dishwasher Powder FAQ
  • Why We Use Citric Acid In Dishwasher Powder

Surfactant

A substance that helps water mix with oils and dirt so they can be washed away.

Soap is one of the oldest surfactants.

Detergent

A cleaning product that uses synthetic surfactants rather than traditional soap.

Related Pages

  • Tallow Soap vs Commercial Soap
  • Dish Soap vs Commercial Detergents
  • Dishwasher Powder vs Commercial Tablets

Hard Water

Water containing higher levels of naturally occurring minerals such as calcium and magnesium.

Related Pages

  • Dishwasher Powder FAQ
  • Laundry Powder FAQ

Soft Water

Water containing lower levels of minerals.

Tasmania generally has relatively soft water compared to many mainland areas.

Business & Brand Terms

Handmade

Products made by hand rather than mass-produced.

Small Batch

Products made in limited quantities to allow greater quality control.

Artisan

Products created using traditional methods and skilled craftsmanship.

Tasmania Made

Products handmade in Tasmania using traditional methods and carefully selected ingredients.

Why We Use Traditional Ingredients

At Healing Season, we believe simple ingredients and traditional methods still have a place in modern homes.

Many of our products are inspired by techniques that have been used for generations, including traditional soap making, tallow rendering and household cleaning methods.

While modern manufacturing has introduced countless new products, we continue to value simple ingredients, practical recipes and time-tested methods.

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