Published: 8/05/2025
Here at ALTER/NATIVE, we believe in giving your hard-working hands the care, love and CHOICE they deserve!
So, you’ll find we have multiple options when it comes to hand soap, with an array of gorgeous scents and fragrances, meaning there is something for everyone.
In a nutshell, we have boxed handmade soaps, which are all palm-free. Then we have two options of glycerine soaps to take your pick from: round (these ones have been going longer than most Suma workers!), or rectangle.
Our Boxed Handmade Soaps – Fragrances and Ingredients
These soaps are made using the traditional cold process method. The cold process method takes two days and the soaps are then allowed to cure for 21 days. As little energy as possible is used throughout production; they pour, then cut every bar of soap using a mixture of Yorkshire grit and elbow grease, and each bar is individually boxed in recycled and recyclable cardboard boxes. This process produces zero by-products.
The core ingredients of these soaps are coconut oil, rapeseed oil and shea butter.
Coconut oil is a great foundation for soaps, as it offers a unique combination of cleansing, firming and lathering properties.
Shea butter is a skin-loving ingredient thanks to its moisturising qualities, and is great for sensitive skin.
Natural variations
Every batch of ALTER/NATIVE by Suma soaps has been handmade and hand-cut in small batches. This means there may be slight variations in the size and shape of each bar. We also use a variety of plant-based ingredients to colour some of our soaps, so colour variations between soap batches can occur. Please be assured that these variations do not affect either the quality or performance of our products.
Colours and exfoliates
A lot of research and development work went into our soaps, especially around the colours and exfoliates. We sent over bags of our wholefoods ingredients for our suppliers to experiment with and they sent back lots of boxes filled with strange and wonderful textured and coloured soap mixtures for Suma workers to try. You can’t get more handmade than that! Aduki beans were a triumph and created a great exfoliating texture, making them fab for gardeners. They’re in our cinnamon and orange handmade bars, but if you prefer a gentler exfoliation experience, try our peppermint and pine soap with poppy seeds.
A bit about our scents
- Rosemary & Lavender – Lavender essential oil soothes the mind and spirit while rosemary leaves and essential oil combine to waken and refresh, leaving your skin feeling toned, gently exfoliated and thoroughly revived.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf, linalool*, limonene*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Grapefruit & Mandarin – A citrusy-crisp scented bar filled with tangy fragrances to lift the spirit while refreshing, rejuvenating and clearing the mind. Infused with gentle and soothing calendula petals, a treat for tired skin.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil, citrus nobilis (mandarin) peel oil, calendula officinalis (marigold) flower, limonene*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Fragrance Free Aloe Vera – Gently soothing and hydrating, aloe vera helps take care of dry skin.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice powder.
- Lavender & Lime – A relaxing blend of lavender and crisp lime essential oils. The lavender helps promote a sense of calm and relaxation while the lime provides an uplifting, refreshing zin,g creating a refreshing soap with a warm floral scent.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, citrus aurantifolia (lime) peel oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower, ultramarine violet ci 77007 (mineral pigment), linalool*, limonene*, citral*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Patchouli & Hemp – A fantastic scrub with enriching ingredients, this soap’s musky, earthy fragrance leaves skin feeling super-toned, smooth and smelling wonderful.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), pogostemon cablin (patchouli) leaf oil, pterocarpus soyauxii (sandalwood) wood extract, cannabis sativa (hemp) seedcake powder
- Lemongrass & Chamomile – A beautiful peach coloured bar infused with chamomile flowers. The lemongrass and chamomile combine to make a wonderfully refreshing soap that will leave your skin thoroughly moisturised with a refreshingly clean and toned feeling.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) leaf oil, chamomilla recutita (chamomile) flower, citral*, geraniol*, limonene*, linalool*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Tea Tree & Eucalyptus – Tea tree, renowned for its superb antiseptic qualities and eucalyptus for its antibacterial action, combine to create a wonderfully aromatic soap for deep cleansing, with added nettle leaf to soothe tired skin.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil, eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) leaf oil, urtica dioica (nettle leaves), urtica dioica (nettle) leaf powder, limonene*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Peppermint & Pine – A great wake-up soap, refreshing and uplifting, perfect for that early morning shower. The poppy seeds add great exfoliation to help make your skin tingle and leave you ready to face the day.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, pinus sylvestris (pine) leaf oil, papaver somniferum (poppy) seed, limonene*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Bergamot & Green Tea – The Earl Grey of soaps; cooling and refreshing with an uplifting citrus scent paired perfectly with green tea leaves for gentle all-over exfoliation.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, capsicum annuum (paprika) fruit powder, camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf, limonene*, linalool*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils
- Cinnamon & Orange – A zingy bar with wonderful brown flecks. A warming, sensually spicy soap with added aduki beans known for their cleansing properties, all perfectly blended to invigorate and revitalise your skin, leaving you feeling reenergised and ready to go.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) oil, cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) leaf oil, phaseolus angularis (aduki) seed powder, limonene*, eugenol*, benzyl benzoate*, linalool*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Coconut & Ylang Ylang – A richly lathering, exotically fragrant soap bar made with coconut milk to moisturise and added oatmeal to calm irritated skin. Perfectly balanced with ylang ylang essential oil for an all-over pamper sensation.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), cananga odorata (ylang ylang) flower oil, cocos nucifera (coconut) fruit extract, avena sativa (oatmeal) kernel flour, linalool*, benzyl benzoate*, benzyl salicylate*, farnesol*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
- Rose & Geranium – A wonderful, richly moisturising soap bar with a subtle rose geranium fragrance very much like Turkish delight. This soap creates a gentle and relaxing cleansing experience, perfect for looking after dry skin.
Ingredients – sodium cocoate (coconut oil), sodium rapeseedate (rapeseed oil), aqua, sodium shea butterate (shea butter), pelargonium graveolens (rose geranium) leaf oil, rubia tinctorum (madder) root, rosa centifolia (rose) flower, citronellol*, geraniol*, linalool*.
*occurs naturally in essential oils.
More on our soaps:
Not found what you’re looking for and want to know more about our hair and body care liquid range? Get in touch – [email protected]