Soap making is one of the most rewarding hobbies today. And Using The Correct Soap Making Ingredients is important to your success.
This article is a very brief explanation of the ingredients needed to make soap at home – for our full, comprehensive breakdown on soap making ingredients please click here to learn more.
Soap making: it’s not only fun but also when it is done with friends and family, can be a very memorable experience. It’s simple It’s easy and can bring friends and family closer together.
It also promotes teamwork and creativity.
For those who haven’t tried making their own natural soap yet, here’s a list of the basic ingredients needed in soap making:
1.Lye – It is one of the most essential ingredient in making soap. Lye is also known as Sodium hydroxide which combines with the fat to form soap.
Almost all kinds of natural homemade soap are made of lye except for some liquid soap which is made of Potassium hydroxide.
2. Fats and Soap making oils – The fats used in soap making may come from different animals or plants.
The hardness and the lathering properties and transparency of soap vary depending on the fats and soap making oils used.
A combination of fats and oils can be used though the hardest fats like beef tallow produce the better soaps.
3. Water – Distilled water is the best choice for making natural soap as tap
water has certain chemicals and additives that make it less ideal for soap making.
4. Soap Colorants – There various choices of colorants in the market today that is suitable for soap making.
There are natural colorants as well as synthetic ones. Some are readily available in your kitchen and some you can buy easily in the supermarket.
Just remember though that it is very important to test first before putting it in your soap because color may differ from what you expect it to be.
5. Soap making fragrance and essential oils – The best part of making your soap is you can choose any scent you want.
Essential oils are great natural way to add fragrance to your homemade soaps.
It is commonly used today to help heal the body as well as the mind. Of course, like with any other ingredient, it is very important to handle essential oils with caution as they are concentrated and some can be irritating to the skin when not diluted.
6. Soap preservatives – Some ingredients used in making homemade soaps may be prone to spoilage, so preservatives are added to ensure a long shelf life and also added when superfatting soaps.
Some preservatives like Vitamin A, C and E can already be found in various oils thus it doesn’t only extend your soap’s shelf life but it can also nourish your skin.
7. Other Soap making additives – Sand or salt can act as scrubs when added to natural soaps. Also, some metals can be added for its antibacterial properties
Now you have the basic ingredients in making homemade soaps. All you need now is a recipe, a few soap making molds and a little of your time, then you’re ready to make your own natural soap.
Take the next step
Make sure you download our FREE comprehensive beginners guide, ‘How To Make Soap At Home’, by clicking here.
If you are ready to get serious about soap making, we have a special offer on our Soap Making Ebooks range, with a risk free 60 day money back guarantee! Also available for Kindle, iPhone, iPad, Android and all major Ebook reader platforms.