Ingredient Standards

Simple products. Clear ingredients. Always Unscented.

At The Washing Board, we make products for people who pay attention to what goes into the things they use every day.

Some of our customers avoid ingredients because of fragrance sensitivity, allergies, celiac or gluten concerns, dairy avoidance, skin sensitivities, or simply because they prefer simpler products.

We understand that because this business grew from that same kind of need.

Our goal is not to claim that one product can work for everyone. Our goal is to make dependable products with straightforward ingredients, clearly disclose what is in them, and avoid many of the ingredients that can make shopping difficult for sensitive households.

ALWAYS UNSCENTED

Unscented means more to us than simply leaving fragrance out of a recipe.

We do not use fragrance oils or essential oils in our products.

We also intentionally keep fragranced products out of our production process. Fragrance can linger in molds, equipment, materials, and the surrounding environment, and we do not want scent from another product compromising something that is supposed to be unscented.

Our products may still have a natural aroma from the ingredients themselves.

Honey, tallow, lard, oils, butters, botanicals, clays, and other natural ingredients can each have a scent of their own.

What you won't find is added scent.

That is what Always Unscented means to us.

What We Leave Out

Our products are made without:

• Fragrance oils

• Essential oils

• Sulfates

• SLS

• Aloe vera

• Dairy ingredients

• Gluten-containing ingredients

• Artificial dyes

• Mica

We choose these standards deliberately and keep them consistent across our product line.

About Gluten

We make our products without gluten-containing ingredients.

We use this wording intentionally.

A product can be made without wheat, barley, rye, or other gluten-containing ingredients and still require additional supplier documentation, manufacturing controls, and cross-contact procedures before making a broader certified or verified "gluten-free" claim.

We would rather be accurate than overstate what we can promise.

Celiac disease is primarily triggered by eating gluten, but we also understand why some customers prefer to avoid gluten-containing ingredients in personal-care products.

That may include concerns about:

• Lip products

• Hand-to-mouth contact

• Products used around the face

• Wheat allergy or contact sensitivity

• Cracked or damaged skin

• Keeping household products consistent

• Simply wanting fewer ingredients to worry about

Our job is to tell you what we use as clearly as possible so you can make the decision that is right for you.

A Note About Allergies and Sensitivities

Simple does not mean allergen-free.

Different Washing Board products may contain ingredients such as:

• Coconut oil

• Beeswax

• Honey

• Tallow

• Lard

• Seed oils

• Nut-derived oils or butters

• Botanicals

• Clays

• Coffee

• Oatmeal

• Other naturally derived ingredients

Everyone's sensitivities are different.

An ingredient that works well for one person may be something another person needs to avoid.

That is why we provide a full ingredient list for each product and encourage you to read it before ordering, even if you have purchased other products from us before.

If you have a serious allergy, please do not assume that a product is appropriate for you based only on the general standards on this page.

Why We Don't Say "Safe for Sensitive Skin"

There is no single ingredient list that is safe for every sensitive person.

People react to different things.

Someone may avoid fragrance but tolerate coconut. Another person may need to avoid coconut completely. One customer may prefer tallow or lard soaps while another may avoid animal-derived ingredients.

Rather than making broad promises, we believe in giving you useful information.

We tell you what is in the product.
We tell you what we intentionally leave out.
You decide whether it fits your needs.

Consistency Matters

Trends come and go. Ingredient sensitivities usually do not.

We are not interested in constantly reformulating products just to follow what is popular this season.

The Washing Board focuses on dependable, practical products that customers can come back to.

When something works for you, you should not have to wonder whether it will be completely different the next time you order it.

That consistency is especially important for people who have spent years trying to find products they can use comfortably.

Why Our Products May Look Different

Because we do not use artificial dyes or mica, the appearance of our products comes from the ingredients themselves.

Clays, charcoal, coffee, botanicals, fats, oils, and other ingredients can naturally affect color and appearance.

Small variations from batch to batch are normal in handmade products.

We prefer that to adding unnecessary color simply to make every batch look identical.

Ingredient Transparency

Every product should tell you what you are actually buying.

Our individual product pages include the ingredients used in that formulation so you can review them before ordering.

If a product contains an ingredient that matters to you, we want you to be able to see it.

We do not believe customers with allergies or sensitivities should have to guess.

Who The Washing Board Is For

The Washing Board may be a good fit for you if you are looking for:

• Truly unscented products

• Products without fragrance oils or essential oils

• Sulfate- and SLS-free options

• Aloe-free options

• Products made without dairy ingredients

• Products made without gluten-containing ingredients

• Products without artificial dyes or mica

• Straightforward ingredient lists

• Dependable products that are not constantly reformulated to follow trends

You do not need to have an allergy or sensitivity to shop here.

Some people simply want fewer extras.

We think that is a perfectly good reason too.

Always Read the Ingredients

Our standards apply across The Washing Board, but individual formulas are different.

Please review the complete ingredient list on the product you are considering, especially if you have allergies or known sensitivities.

If you are unsure about an ingredient in one of our products, please contact us before ordering. We would rather answer a question than have you purchase something that is not right for you.

ALWAYS UNSCENTED.

No fragrance oils.
No essential oils.
No unnecessary added scent.

Just straightforward products, clearly labeled, made with consistency in mind.