About Us
Zenoté Handmade began in 2019, founded by us—Andrea and my husband Neil—born from a moment of reflection and a desire to live more consciously.
The spark came after watching the BBC’s Blue Planet II. Like many, we were deeply moved by the devastating impact of plastic pollution. It prompted us to re-evaluate our lifestyle, starting with simple changes in our own home. One of the first—and most transformative—was swapping out plastic bottles of shower gel for traditional bar soap.
That small decision led us down an unexpected path, blending science with creativity. With no background in soap-making, we dove headfirst into the craft. Our first bar? A humble Coffee & Oat soap—handmade in our kitchen and infused with ingredients already in our cupboards. It was a revelation: natural, skin-loving ingredients were not only effective—they felt better, smelled better, and aligned with our values.
As we learned more, we became increasingly aware of just how many everyday products are loaded with synthetic, and sometimes harmful, ingredients. That realisation shaped our mission: Keep it simple. Keep it plant-based. Keep it conscious.
Every Zenoté product is handmade in small batches using high-quality, natural ingredients that are kind to your skin and the planet. We believe in transparency, sustainability, and taking a slower, more mindful approach to self-care.
Our name, Zenoté (/Zen-oh-tay/), is inspired by two powerful ideas. “Cenote,” a Mayan word meaning “well,” represents nature’s purity and sacredness. “Zen” reflects peace and presence. Together, they embody the experience we hope to create with everything we create —a moment of calm, connection, and care.
About our work
How we make soap
We make our soap by hand and small batch using the traditional cold process method. Cold process soap is made by combining a mixture of oils with sodium hydroxide (lye), which causes a chemical reaction called saponification. The great thing about this process is that we get to choose the oils, butters, colour and essential oils, giving us a lot of exciting possibilities.
Choosing ingredients
We take great care in choosing the best ingredients, many of which are food grade, and fully traceable to source ensuring each one is ethically and sustainably produced. All ingredients are plant based, 100% vegan, and palm oil free.
The science
It takes 24-48 hours for the saponification process to complete, at which point the bars are safe to use but need to dry out. We dry our soaps for 4-6 weeks during which time moisture evaporates leaving a longer lasting bar.
Packaging and impact
As with our ingredients we also ensure that our packaging is eco-friendly, recycled, recyclable and as minimal as possible. We also continuously work with our suppliers to try and ensure that all of our ingredients are sent to us in minimal packaging and where possible using recycled and recyclable packing materials.
Blending essential oils
Not all essential oils work well together, so we spend time trying different blends of each note type to ensure we find ones that we feel work well as a blend.
Whilst synthetic fragrances may last years in soap, essential oils will eventually start to fade so taking time to find the right blend is very important to us. Essential oils are categorised into top, middle and base notes and using oils from each category help to keep it all together and remain as strong as possible. We also try to choose essential oils that have great skin and health benefits.
Certification
Certification is required for every type of soap that we sell. All skin products must be approved by a cosmetic assessor before they can be sold to the public.
As well as the certification process, we must document everything we do for traceability. Ingredients and additives must be written in Latin (if you’ve ever wondered why that is), there’s a lot to it, a lot of paperwork and all soap makers have to do this. It’s good to know this and always worth a check if you are unsure about any skincare product before you buy. We are also members of the Guild of Craft Soap and Toiletry Makers.
