Soap making
process
While researching the art of soapmaking, we decided to make an all
vegetable oil soap using only natural ingredients. Our goal was to make an all
natural high quality soap to keep our Customers coming back for more!
Homemade soaps made in the cold batch method, as opposed to the commercial
process used in most other soaps available to us, naturally have more
moisturizing qualities because glycerin, which is a natural byproduct of the
soap making process, is allowed to remain a part of the soap instead of taken
out and sold separately. Soap is made simply through a reaction of fats/oils and
a solution of sodium hydroxide and water, also called lye. When the fats/oils
and lye make contact with each other and react, they make soap. This process is
called saponification. When saponification is complete, the properties of sodium
hydroxide are completely changed and it is no longer a harsh substance. It is
important to have the ratio of fats/oils : lye precisely measured. If too much
lye is used, it becomes a soap that is too harsh for most skins. We use less
than the maximum amount of sodium hydroxide needed to react with the oils to
turn them into soap, leaving a small percentage of the oils to remain in their
original state. This lends even more moisturizing properties to the finished
product. Our basic recipe includes coconut oil, rice bran oil, palm oil, soybean
shortening, and shea butter. To this basic recipe we add nutrients, spices,
natural exfoliates and pure essential oils to make interesting soaps with a
variety of properties.
While all the oils we use in our recipe are healthy for the skin, they each
have specific qualities.
- Coconut oil lends lathering properties
- Palm oil makes a hard bar of soap, making it last
longer.
- Rice Bran oil has moisturizing qualities that are
comparable to those found in olive oil.
- Shea Butter has been known to be very nourishing
for the skin
- Soybean shortening lends mildness and stable
lather to finished soap.
We aim for a high quality, mild, all natural bar
of soap that cleans,
moisturizes and smells delightful as well. Use it and enjoy ~Your skin will
love it!
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