Handmade soap

The term "soap" is today used for many products that do not have anything that even resembles soap. What we call soaps today are actually detergents and not soaps. The right term for them is syndet bars or synthetic detergent bars. Soap by its very nature is rather mild. These detergents use synthesized chemical compounds that are a lot harsher than the traditional soap. Soap is made from oil, animal or vegetable, whereas detergents make use of petroleum distillates. The traditional soap relied on many types of natural oils like olive, palm, and coconut and was meant as a gentle cleaning agent that was meant for sensitive human skin. The detergent is better suited for washing clothes but modern soaps are often detergents that make good cleaning agents but are not as gentle on the skin.

Soaps are made through a process known as saponification. This process involves a chemical reaction between lye (sodium hydroxide), oil, and water. Though there is often some concern at using lye to make handcrafted soap such concern is always misplaced because soap has always been made from lye. It needs to be understood that once the process of saponification is complete there is no lye left in the soap. The toxic lye is chemically combined to create soap and glycerin that are not toxic at all but make excellent cleaning agents.

The oils included in the handmade soap have different effects. For example, coconut oil is essential for soap to create lather. The olive oil in a soap bar gives the bar of soap a longer life and also enhances its quality. Palm and canola oils contain nutrients that are good for the silk. Modern science has made it possible to include many more oils for specific skin types.

Glycerin has a soothing effect on the skin and this makes it pleasant to use the soap. In most commercial soaps the glycerin is taken out and is sold separately to the cosmetic industry. The glycerin costs much more than the soap. Glycerin is an important part of skin care since it is a humectant. Humectants have the property of drawing the moisture in the air and applying it to the skin, acting as a moisturizer. 20% of a bar of soap is actually glycerin.

Additional materials are added to handmade soap to give it a unique color and smell. Some handmade soap uses fragrant oil for scent. Sometimes synthetic chemicals that can imitate certain scents may also be used. However, care must be taken because the synthetic chemicals are not compatible with all skin types and they have no benefits like aromatherapy. Whenever possible it is best to stick to natural fragrant oils to give scent to soap. Essential oils are either steamed or pressed out of plants. Essential oils are the part of plants that give them their scent and also the basis for aromatherapy. Not only to essential oils allow soap to smell nice but they also have additional health benefits.

Colors can also be derived naturally in a handmade made soap. The petals of rose or lavender are good for such purposes.