The best ingredients to make your own natural soaps

From wood ashes and vegetable fats, our ancestors made soap to clean themselves and wash clothes. Today the process for making a natural soap has practically not changed and is within the reach of anyone who wants to experiment with oils, scents and textures. You just have to dare to try.

Soap is made by a chemical reaction called saponification. This is caused by mixing an animal or vegetable fat with a solution of water and alkali (soda), which produces soap and glycerin as a result.

In the artisan manufacturing process, the glycerin formed remains in the soap, which gives it emollient properties, while in industrial manufacturing, glycerin is separated and sold separately as a raw material for other uses.

Hence, industrial soaps tend to cause more dry skin. It is important, then, choose natural or handmade soaps to care for the skin. Industrial soaps not only do not contain glycerin, but are usually made with animal fats, mainly cow or pig.

How can you make soap at home?

to make soap, dissolve the soda in the water and then mix with vegetable oils stirring constantly, until rennet is formed. It is that moment, when the soap thickens, incorporates essential oils, natural dyes or plant infusions. You must pay special attention when handling the soda, since when it comes into contact with water, it causes a chemical reaction that burns the body. contact and emits irritating gases, so you have to wear gloves and mask.Next, pour into the molds for it to finish solidifying: in 24 hours it is usually hard and ready to cut. Then you have to let it dry for 3 or 4 weeks to remove the rest of the soda. The final product you will get is a solid bar of soap, with a slightly basic pH (around 9), ready to use.

Choose a good vegetable oil

The most suitable soaps to treat the skin are made with vegetable oils instead of animal fats. Among these, the most used are:

The olive oil: provides nutrients to the skin; It can be used as a base to macerate plants and produces a light and creamy soap with small bubbles. The famous Aleppo soap is one of the earliest known soaps and has been made for centuries with olive oil and bay leaves – which contributes its antiseptic properties – in the Syrian city of the same name.Coconut Oil: produces a hard soap with large, creamy bubbles. In the article Coconut oil for hair and skin: how to use it, we explain more about its cosmetic properties.Almond oil: Also useful for macerating plants. Gives a soft and creamy soap that is very softening.Palm oil: It produces a creamy soap with small bubbles, which cleans very well, sets quickly and produces a hard bar that lasts for a long time.

Add plant active ingredients

They are added in the last phase of elaboration and grant unique properties:

Aloe vera gel: You can replace part of the water with it or add it at the time of curdling; Ideal for cracked skin, eczema and burns. Are you interested in the properties of aloe vera? You can read this article: The 4 aloes: great friends of your skin.Bee wax: it is mixed with the fat before adding it to the alkali solution; gives a sweet scent and a waxy feel.cocoa butter: excellent emollient and softener; gives hardness to soap.Clay: it is added in the curd and gives a smooth finish; Useful for deep cleansing, especially oily skin. If you are interested in knowing more about the properties of clay, you can read this article: 7 benefits of white clay that you did not know).Essential oils: they are added when the soap curdles and give a pleasant smell. They can also be added other oils vegetables: jojoba, wheat germ, rosehip, argan, avocado… to enrich the formula.