Today’s project is making a bath soap that is very nourishing for skin. This post will be relatively short. The post on “Hand-Crafted Soap” has all the basic information and principles of making soap. If you have not read that yet, you may find it helpful to look at that to get some basic knowledge. So, we will not be repeating everything that was said there. We will stick strictly to the background and procedures for making this particular soap. However, I do want to stress that you should follow the safety guidelines given in the Hand-Crafted soap post. Click HERE to see that post.
Soap Qualities
Bath soaps may have different qualities depending on the proportions of fatty acids chosen in their formulations. Practically speaking, we could say there are 3 spectra of quality to pay attention to: hard vs soft, cleansing vs conditioning, bubbly vs creamy (lather). So, formulating a soap inevitably demands a trade-off because a soap cannot be everything. Lets examine these dimensions of quality individually.
Hard vs Soft
In an opposition like “hard vs soft” one quality naturally excludes the other. “Hard” refers to the physical hardness or durability of a soap. The harder a soap is, the longer it should last. So, hardness is a desirable quality to have in a bar soap, while there are no real benefits in a soft bar of soap. Hardness is obtained by using “hard oils”, such as Palm oil, Coconut oil, Palm Kernel oil, Stearic Acid, as well as various butters (cocoa butter, Shea butter etc.) and even beeswax. Unfortunately, the goal of making a hard soap is not as simple as choosing hard oils, because the hard oils will also impact the type of lather and the conditioning vs cleansing dimension of the soap.
Cleansing vs Conditioning
In the world of soap making, “cleansing” refers to a soap’s ability to latch on to foreign molecules. This does not refer to the strength seen in a grease cutter or solvent that dissolves grease on contact. But a cleansing soap will attract and hold dirt, grease, and oils and wash them away. We want soap that will clean, but the more cleansing a soap is, the more it will strip away natural oils from the skin. When using a highly cleansing soap, your skin will feel different afterwards with its oils stripped away.
In contrast, “conditioning” soaps are gentle on the skin without removing the skin’s oils. Fatty acids that contribute to a conditioning quality typically also make a soap softer.
Soaps cannot be both highly conditioning and highly cleansing as these qualities cancel each other out. A soap may have a balance of these qualities, in which case the soap would have moderate levels of both. Or a soap can be strongly either. In this project, we are leaning on the conditioning side of the spectrum.
Bubbly vs Creamy
The lather of a soap may have some combination of the qualities of being bubbly or creamy. Bubbly lather is perhaps more visibly apparent or impressive, but it is also more difficult to achieve in soap. Creamy lather is almost always results from the ingredients used to make conditioning soap. I would advise not getting too hung up on the issue. A good creamy lather has its own charm. The key issue is to produce a good amount of lather whether it be bubbly or creamy. In this soap we are making today, there is a close balance of both these qualities, with a lather that is just slightly more creamy.
Soap Recipe / Ingredients
- 10% Castor Oil
- 24 % Coconut Oil
- 31% Palm Oil
- 35% Oleic Acid
- Glycerine
- Aloe Vera
- Essential Oils of your choice
- Sodium Hydroxide
First I will give a little information about the ingredients and then we will talk about the procedure for making this soap.
Castor Oil
Castor oil is a thick viscous oil that used in soap making because it supports the production of good lather. It is the only oil that contains Ricinoleic Acid. It should be used sparingly, (maximum 10%) as it will make a soap softer.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a must use ingredient that is found in most soap. Coconut oil brings 3 needed qualities to soap: (1)cleansing ability, (2) good, bubbly suds, (3) hardness.
Palm Oil
There are only 2 sources of Palmitic Acid: Palm oil and Lard. People with vegetarian concerns will of course avoid Lard. However, the spread of Palm oil farming has many concerned about the destruction of forests and the habitat of apes. For this reason some soap makers avoid using Palm oil. Others will use Palm oil if it comes from a source that is certified as using sustainable practices.
In any case, Palmitic acid, and particularly Palm Oil does contribute greatly to making good soap. It is possible to make soap without Palm oil, but Palm oil really makes good soap making easier. Palm oil adds 3 qualities to a soap: (1) hardness (2) skin conditioning (3) creamy lather.
Oleic Acid
Oleic Acid is the main constituent of Olive oil. Castille soap, which has Olive oil as its only fatty acid, has a reputation as a soap that nourishes skin. Indeed, Olive oil is a main staple for soap makers and is the most used ingredient for adding a conditioning quality to soap. In this soap, we are using pure Oleic Acid, not Oilve oil that is just mostly Oleic acid. This should add, to some degree, in making the soap more beneficial to the skin.
Glycerine & Aloe Vera
Glycerine and Aloe Vera are humectants that help skin retain moisture. These will be used as additives.
Procedure
REMINDER: Please use the safety precautions found in the “Hand-Crafted Soap” post, HERE.
We will make this soap using the cold-process. The amounts I have listed below are for making a small batch of only 500 grams of oil weight. If you want to make a full loaf of 1000 grams, just double the recipe–especially the lye (Sodium Hydroxide).
- Castor oil 50 grams
- Coconut oil 120 grams
- Oleic Acid 175 grams
- Palm oil 155 grams
- Sodium Hydroxide 71.82 grams
- Water 145-190 grams
- Glycerine 1 Tablespoon
- Aloe Vera 1 Tablespoon
- Essential Oils 25-40 grams
In a large glass or stainless steel bowl add the Sodium Hydroxide to the water. I have given a range for the amount of water you use because we can be flexible with water. (If you use less water, your soap will dry and harden faster.)
Separately, put all the oils together in a pot. The Palm oil and Coconut oil will be solid at room temperature, do you will have to melt them. Put the pot on the stove and heat at low temperature just enough to melt the solids. Palm oil melts at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. You want to keep the temperature as low as you can. When you mix the oil and Sodium Hydroxide solution (lye) together you want them both to be in the range of 100-115 degrees Fahrenheit.
When both components are in the right temperature range mix them together in a NON-ALUMINUM container. Using a stick blender, blend them together for about a minute to start an emulsion. After a minute, work the mixture with a whisk. Occasionally use the stick blender but be sparing with it.
“Trace” is the stage reached when the liquid is somewhat like pancake batter. When you drip a portion of the liquid on the rest of it, there will be traces left suspended on the surface. When you can see traces like this, this means the chemical process is well underway.
At this point, you can add the Glycerine and Aloe Vera. Use the whisk to thoroughly distribute and incorporate them into the batch. When this is finished do the same with the Essential oils.
When the Essential oils are completely incorporated, pour the batch into a lined mold and cover with a towel. Allow the soap to dry for 1-2 days. Check the firmness and if it is firm enough, remove it from the mold. Cut into bars and place on a shelf to dry. For best results, allow to dry 4-6 weeks before using.