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TIMES
What are your opening times?
Shop opening times: 9 am – 5 pm (Monday to Friday); weekends upon reservation.
TOURS
When can I visit the farm?
You are welcome to come and visit the farm and its shop during the week throughout the year*. Guided tours are upon reservation during the spring and summer school holidays. You can meet our foals and their mums and discover how aromatics are distilled.
* Annual closure: 23/12 to 05/01
Can we see how your soaps and cosmetics are produced?
For the moment, it is not possible to view the soap and cosmetic making process. However, we are building a new lab for this purpose. You will soon be able to find out all about the soap and cosmetic making process thanks to a space reserved for visitors.
Can we see the distillation process?
Distillation takes place at certain times of the year. Don’t hesitate to contact us to find out more. However, the distillation area is accessible all year round. We’ll show you how organic essential oils and floral waters are extracted.
WHAT WE DO
What exactly is an artisan soap maker?
At Hitton, artisan soap making encompasses the cultivation and distillation of organic aromatics, rearing Pyrenean donkeys, and the handmade manufacturing of organic cosmetics and cold process (CP) soaps.
- Cultivation and distillation of aromatics: We grow organic aromatics (on our land covering 77 hectares) and distil them using water vapour to extract organic essential oils and floral waters.
- Rearing Pyrenean donkeys: We also rear Pyrenean donkeys. We collect donkey milk and use it in our donkey milk cold process soaps (30%) and cosmetics (40%).
- CP soap making process: Our soaps are handmade using the cold process soap making technique.
We source our products from ethical, sustainable partners from around the world to provide you with products made with high-quality raw materials. We take care to respect the environment, animal AND human wellbeing when making our products.
Visit our “The Farm” page for more details about our work.
LABELS
Is your farm an organic farm?
The entire farm is certified organic, and we have the Nature & Progrès label for our donkey milk and our aromatics crops (77 hectares).
Are your products organic?
Our soaps and cosmetics have been awarded the Nature & Progrès label. As for our donkey milk cosmetics, these too have the Nature & Progrès label and are certified by Cosmos Organic. All the raw vegetable materials used are sourced from organic agriculture. We are also winners of the Slow Cosmétique award, which is an “ecological and ethical approach grounded in the common desire to promote a natural, healthy and reasonable form of consumption of cosmetic products.”
ANIMALS
Are your products tested on animals?
None of our products are tested on animals. According to the French Directorate-General for Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products, recalls that “animal testing is prohibited on all cosmetic products sold on the European market”. As such, it is prohibited to include information such as “not tested on animals”.
So, where does animal wellbeing fit into all this?
Yes, let’s talk about our jennies! Without them, none of this would have been possible. Cécile has a real passion for donkeys, and it didn’t take long for Manu to succumb to their intelligence and gentleness. The Pyrenean donkey is a brave, loyal animal that is very close to humans, and a creature with a great degree of sensitivity. It is also a breed that is threatened with extinction. In fact, only sixty or so births are recorded a year. At Hitton, we are actively involved in conserving this breed as around a dozen foals are born here every year. For us, our jennies are true partners, friends even. They live in semi-liberty on 30 hectares of land (the lucky girls!). To produce donkey milk and allow us to collect some for our products, we separate our jennies from their foal (but don’t worry, it’s only for a few hours a day, and they can still see and hear each other! Over the weekend, they rest up with their foal????). The male foals (jacks) leave at ten months of age to be trained to become valuable work partners in the world of agriculture and hiking. Our elderly jennies, meanwhile, find homes with animal lovers for a well-deserved retirement.
Our goats, cows, chickens and rabbits frolic around and also make the most of the wholesome life on the farm.
We are committed to making a positive impact, working with thoughtful men and women who are keen to help the planet and ensure animal wellbeing.
You’ll often hear us talking about our ethos as that’s the driving force behind our way of thinking. To find out more about our initiative and our actions, click à HERE ß
PYRENEAN DONKEY
Why the Pyrenean donkey?
We wanted to give a sense of purpose to how we produce milk, and we chose the local Pyrenean donkey breed because it’s threatened with extinction. Given the number of births each year on the farm, we are actively participating in conserving this breed. In fact, it’s why we won the Prix de la Fondation du Patrimoine pour l'agro biodiversité animale* in 2018, which recognised our work in conserving the Pyrenean donkey.
* Heritage Foundation prize for animal agrobiodiversity
OUR PRODUCTS
Where are your products manufactured?
Our products are handcrafted within our laboratory on our farm in Biran, in the département of Gers (south-west of France).
As with any laboratory, we make sure we observe the health measures required to produce organic soaps and cosmetics. We comply with standard ISO 16128 when producing our organic cosmetics, as well as Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products. In addition, we scrupulously adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
What percentage of donkey milk do you use in your products?
We use 30% donkey milk in our soaps and 40% in our cosmetics.
Do you have any products without donkey milk?
To find the list of our soaps with no donkey milk and learn about their benefits, click àHERE (Mum & Baby link)ß.
To find the list of our cosmetics with no donkey milk and learn about their benefits, click à HERE ß.
To find the list of our essential oils and floral waters, as well as their benefits, click à HERE ß.
How do you make your herbal infused oils? Do you make them straight from flowers or using essential oils?
Our herbal infused oils do not contain any essential oils. To make our calendula herbal infused oil, we infuse dried calendula flowers in sunflower oil for three weeks. Calendula herbal infused oil is rich in soothing, softening and anti-inflammatory ingredients. It is perfect for sensitive, dry, irritated, cracked and reactive skin, as well as for mums and babies.
Do you have any products without essential oils?
We have a range of products without essential oils that are ideal for sensitive skin, mums and babies.
What floral waters do you produce on the farm?
We produce lavender, rosemary verbenone, helichrysum, camomile and peppermint floral waters. All our floral water are organic.
Where are the other essential oils from?
The other essential oils come from sustainably managed lands around the world, and all are certified organic. An independent laboratory tests all the essential oils to guarantee their purity and quality (high aromatic compound content, free from pesticides or other contaminants, with no synthetic molecules added).
Do your products contain palm oil?
We do not use palm oil in our products. It’s one of the guiding principles of the Nature & Progrès charter that we signed up to.
USING OUR PRODUCTS
Are your soaps suitable for the face?
All our soaps can be used on the face AND body (except our exfoliant). They are ideal for the delicate skin on your face and will soothe and soften even the most sensitive of skin.
How should I use your shampoo bar soap?
Advice for using our shampoo bar soap:
Wet your hair and the bar soap, rub it in your hands or apply it to wet hair. Massage your scalp and use the excess lather to wash your face and body. Rinse. Caution: If the product comes into contact with your eyes, flush thoroughly with clean water.
Tip: Apply floral water to seal the hair follicles.
For more information, read our article about our range of shampoo bar soaps.
How can I make my soap last even longer?
To make your soap last even longer, we recommend that you follow the advice given below:
- Keep your soap dry by placing it in a soap dish or a tray so it can air out.
- Leave to air dry at height.
- Use a shower puff or a washcloth to use less soap when showering.
Are your deodorants suitable for sensitive skin or pregnant women?
As part of our range of deodorants, we have come up with a deodorant that has no essential oils and is suitable for sensitive skin and future mums-to-be.
Are your products suitable for babies and children?
We have developed products without essential oils (deodorants, soaps, and shampoo bars) so that babies and children can benefit from all the goodness of our body care products.
Can I use your products in the wild?
Our products are organic and have the Nature & Progrès label. That means they most definitely can be used occasionally when you’re camping or in the great outdoors!????
Can I use your products on my pet?
Of course, we couldn’t possibly forget about our furry companions! For their delicate skin, we’ve designed specific products to eliminate impurities in their fur and strengthen their skin barrier.
PRODUCTION
What does cold process soap making entail?
Feel free to read our article about cold process (CP) soap making by clicking HERE.
How does distillation work?