Soap Science 101 - Making Handmade Soap

by Judi on Nov 9, 2006

How handmade soap is made - the process.

All soap is made with a chemical process called, Saponification.

Simply put, a liquid mixture containing sodium hydroxide (a.k.a. lye) is mixed with choice oils/fats/butters. It then goes through the chemical process called saponification. Mixed in the correct proportions and all of the lye mixture molecules and all of the oil/fat molecules pair up, leaving no extra lye molecules. Once the process has completed, the end result is soap.

No soap can be made without the use of sodium hydroxide. If sodium hydroxide was never an ingredient, it is a detergent bar, or similar - this is what you’ll typically find on the grocery shelf.

Unlike our great ancestors, who made soap using ash and fats over an open fire, we are able to use recipes and scales which measure our ingredients exactly - thus, done properly, result in soap that will not ‘burn the hide right off ya’.

Make your own handmade soap using our tutorial: Instructions for Making Crock Pot Handmade Soap.

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Ingredient and Oil Properties for Soap, Lotion, Serums, Bath and Body

by Judi on Nov 9, 2006

Ingredient and Oil Properties for Soap, Lotion, Serums, Bath and Body

To help take the mystery out of the ingredients listed in soap, lotion, serum or other products you have received from Momma Muse (or other handmade bath & body companies), here is a list of the commonly used ingredients by common name, label name (the FDA required INCI name - International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients) and description of skin benefits and properties it provides. Don’t let those mysterious names on the labels scare you off - so much of it is just a complicated name given to a simple ingredient.

Almond Oil
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
- An excellent skin softener and moisturizer. Almond oil is great for all skin types but especially beneficial for dry or irritated skin.

Apricot Kernel Oil
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil
- High in both vitamins A and E. It helps moisturize and soften skin. Helps skin retain it’s elasticity, clarity, and suppleness.

Citric Acid -

Cocoa Butter
Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter Sodium Cocoa Butterate
- Cocoa Butter is absorbed quickly into the skin to soften, lubricated, moisten and nutrients the skin. Works great to prevent and treat scars, stretch marks, and damage skin.

Coconut Oil
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil Sodium Cocoate
- Coconut oil makes a hard bar of soap which lathers beautifully.

Colorants
- We use a combination of micas, oxides, spices, and clays to achieve colors in our products.

Cyclomethicone
Cyclomethicone
- Used to prevent a greasy feel and impart a soft & silky feel to lotion. Commonly used in lotions to provide a “powdery” feel. Also used in body sprays and bath items (bath salts, etc).

Distilled Water
- We always used distilled for safety and purity.

Emulsifier (a.k.a. ewax)
Glyceryl Stearate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
- Because lotion is made with mixture of both oil and water, an emulsifier is necessary to blend and hold the two together. We have chosen a natural self-emulsifier which helps to provide a natural moisturizing factor found in the skin. Our emulsifier provides a conditioning and softness to the skin.

Ewax – see Emulsifier

Fractionated Coconut Oil
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- This light oil helps carry therapeutic oils under the skin. Containing medium-chain triglycerides, it also helps moisturize and soothe the skin.

Fragrance Oil
Fragrance
- Fragrance oils are added in small enough quantities to not be an irritant for most people. Yet, we add enough to give a light scent which, in your favorite fragrance, you’ll have a hard time resisting the urge to sniff your hands (again and again!). May not be included in all our lotions, as we are able to make available unscented, scented naturally with hydrosols or with essential oils - usually by special request.

Glycerin
Glycerin
- Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to the skin. This is the whole idea of lotion right? To moisturize our skin, keeping it soft. Good stuff.

Hydrosols
INCI depends on the hydrosol used.
- Hydrosols are also known as floral waters, essential waters, or distillates. They are purified waters which occur during the process of extracting essential oils from plants and flowers. The hydrosols we use are all natural, containing no added fragrance.

Infusions and Teas
- In some recipes, infused oils with herbs, or create a tea, using distilled water and herbs are used to maximize the benefits of specific plants. Not to mention, it’s lovely label appeal.

Jojoba Oil
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
- Jojoba oil contains protein and minerals. It is similar to our own sebum which is secreted by our glands, helping lubricate, as well as, protect our skin.

Lye
Sodium Hydroxide
- This is the chemical used to make soap. Without this chemical, there is no soap, period. Sodium hydroxides causes a chemical reaction called saponification. Once saponification is complete, the finished product is soap - and there is no lye in the finished product. You will see sodium hydroxide on our ingredient list, however another way to list it is as a saponified oil - for example, for an olive oil soap we could just list it as “sodium olivate” - which means the same as sodium hydroxide, olive oil.

Monoi de Tahiti
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (and) Gardenia Tahitensis
- A moisturizing and naturally fragrant oil, which quickly penetrates the skin acting as a natural barrier helping prevent dehydration (and wrinkles) of the skin. A wonderfully, naturally scented oil excellent for all skin types.

Olive Oil
Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Sodium Olivate
- A moisturizing oil used in soaps - castile soaps are generally 100% olive oil, but there is no requirement as to what percentage must be used. It softens skin while attracting moisture to your skin. Makes for a mild soap which keeps your skin soft, supple and younger looking.

Olive Squalane
Squalane (Olea Europea)
- Squalane is a very light, fine oil which is absorbed deeply and quickly into the skin, leaving no oily residue. Squalane is a wonderful oil for skin issues such as eczema, dermatitis, rashes, psoriasis, cracks, so far as helping with bruising or healing of the skin. Because squalane is naturally present in the skin (a botanical lipid) having an identical molecule structure to human lipids, it is effectively used in facial products to help reduce wrinkles and rejuvenate the skin.

Palm Kernel Oil
Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil Sodium Palm Kernelate
- Very similar in qualities as palm oil, it produces a cleansing, hard bar of soap which lathers well.

Palm Oil
Sodium Palmate
- Used as a base ingredient in many luxury and expensive soaps. It is considered a vegetable tallow which produces a hard bar of soap which is both mild and cleansing.

Preservative
Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynl Butylcarbamate
- The preservative we use in our lotions is a broad spectrum, non-paraben bactericide and fungicide. It is highly effective against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, yeasts, molds and troublesome house organisms. We do not have our lotions tested, other than to give to family and friends, however we always use the recommended percentage of preservative to provide maximum safety for our users.

Rice Bran Oil
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil
- A nourishing oil and a powerful skin protectant, high in gamma-oryzanol as well as anti-oxidants, which will protect and replenish the skin. RBO is rich in phytosterols, helping to help reduce inflammation and soothe discomfort. It also contains the highest quantity of vitamin E in liquid form. Beneficial to mature, sensitive and delicate skin.

Shea Butter
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit
- Shea Butter is deep penetrating and long acting. Is needed to restore the skin’s moisture balance and prevent visible signs of aging and wrinkles.

Stearic Acid
Stearic Acid
- We use stearic acid 100% palm derived (i.e. vegetarian friendly). Stearic acid is used to help bind the oils and water together, but also to help thicken, as well as stabilize, lotion.

Vitamin E –
Tocopherol
- A natural skin antioxidant, promoting healthy tissue - healing and rejuvenation.

Copyright (c) 2007 Judi Cox. (updated 1/16/08)
Judi Cox is a work at home mom living in the Ohio Valley with her husband and 4 children. She enjoys gardening for fun and for the birds, playing with the kids, reading, and promoting other mom businesses. She has been making soap and lotion since 2001. Find her on MySpace & Cre8Buzz.

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Handmade Soap - made and curing

by Judi on Oct 20, 2006

I have been buried in pounds of soap the past week. A couple years ago, I made several soaps using Rice oil… it made for a very nice soap. But, because I have to have it shipped in, I switched back to Olive oil. However, the price of Olive oil has risen past the point of being reasonable. It is more cost effective to ship in large quantities of Rice oil, than to continue purchasing Olive. Which makes me happy, as I prefer the Rice soap anyway.

Later I will give each soap it’s own page, description, but for now here’s what I have on the cure shelves:
Lavender, made with essential oil - my all-time favorite face soap
Sheherazade, an exotic, sensual scent
Oatmeal Milk & Honey, one of my most popular scents, consistently over the years
Yuzu, citrus - still a big favorite also
Egyptian Spice, very popular, earthy, warm and sexy

On my to-do list this weekend:
Blackberry Sage
Karma
A Love Spell, maybe
Sandalwood Vanilla, maybe

On another note, I’ve opened a shop in a local Emporium. It’s a new market place located in West Carrollton, Ohio, in the old Roberd’s Furniture store. It’s dubbed, The Mall without Walls. Vendors, crafters, resellers - all are welcome to come set up shop. Hours are Thursday - Sunday from 9 a.m - 5 p.m., subject to change.

My shop is the Picket Fence Gifts - and won’t be missed - a holiday gift shop, rotating with the holidays. And of course, I’ll have soaps… and maybe soon some lotion too. Special requests welcome. It’s also my hope to start reselling other wahm products. So, if you sell a handmade product, with a low wholesale minimum, please contact me.

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Lavender, Tea Tree, Oatmeal Soap Recipe

by Judi on Oct 5, 2006

This is one of my favorite soaps. It’s a very simple recipe. Consistently creamy lather. A wonderful face soap.

Lavender soap with Tea Tree Oil and Oatmeal

Ingredients:

Olive Oil - 75%
Palm Kernel Oil - 25%

Lye (sodium hydroxide) - 6% discount

Water or goatmilk (or other preferred liquid) amount per your soap calculators recommendation or your own experience. When I use goat milk, I don’t discount as I do when using distilled water.

.6 ounce per pound of oils - lavender essential oil
.2 ounce per pound of oils - tea tree essential oil

I add powdered lavender, however, if you only have lavender buds, grinding them finely works just as well (in similar fashion as the oatmeal). I don’t recommend using whole lavender buds as they don’t hold their lovely lavender color throughout the soaping process and tend to look like something you’d rather not have in your soap, or anywhere else for that matter! (mouse droppings) How much lavender powder depends on your preferences; I typically use about a tablespoon per pound of oils.

Powdered oatmeal - I toast whole oats in the oven until lightly browned. Then I ground very fine in a coffee bean grinder. Same as the lavender powder, my typical usage rate is about a tablespoon per pound of oils. I also like to add a bit of organic baby oatmeal cereal. I like that it has the extra vitamins. Whether they hold up in the soap process or not, the idea is nice.

Optional: If I am using distilled water, or infused water (e.g lavender tea, chamomile tea, oatmeal “milk” (by soaking oats in water), or similar) I like to add a few tablespoons of coconut milk powder. It seems to give a little extra bubble, as well as a nice creamy feel.

Note:
Momma Muse recommends always running your recipe through a soap calculator to ensure you are using safe amounts of lye. See a list of online lye calculators.

Notes:
- Be sure to use a soap calculator specifically used to calculator amounts, particularly making sure you have the correct amount of sodium hydroxide.
- If you need to make substitutions within your recipe, be sure to recalculate, as the lye amount may change.
- Remember your safety and for those around your soap making area. Label items appropriately, wear appropriate safety gear.

Momma Muse, and Judi Cox, is in no way held liable for your soap making adventures or misadventures. Though we are happy to share your experiences, should you wish. :)

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