How All-Natural Soap Is Made
Understanding products and whether they are good for you can be very confusing. Soaps are no different. More than ever, people want to know what they’re purchasing, especially with the popularity of alternative and green health and beauty products. Understanding how all-natural soap is made is essential to making good consumer choices.
What Is All-Natural Soap?
The term “natural soap” is more of a common phrase used to describe a way of creating the product. Generally, natural soaps are ones made using traditional methods and typically utilize natural materials. They vary in base oils, with different plants offering different textures. Many are scented using essences rather than chemical reproductions of scents. Handmade varieties often use creative ingredients, such as flower petals or coarse herbs granules for exfoliating.
What’s in All-Natural Soap?
Traditionally-made soaps consist primarily of alkali salts of fatty acids, according to the FDA. During the creation process, lye is introduced to the chosen oil variety. This could be anything ranging from olive, coconut, palm oil, or others, and soaps often consist of an ideal mix.
Most natural soap bars have around three essential ingredients that form the basis of the bar, plus the various scents, colors, and decorative materials. For all-natural soaps, less is typically more when it comes to ingredients, and many makers strive for transparency on their labels to assure the consumer of real quality.
Understanding the Process
Soap is created by first mixing the base ingredients. This can be done cold or heated, such as in a double boiler. The lye is slowly and thoroughly dissolved into the water before it is added to the oils.
The mixture of oil and lye is then poured into a mold and allowed to sit for two days. Molds often come in fun designs, allowing for even more creative expression by the creator. After the initial setting, the bars are removed and left to set for an additional four to six weeks. During this time, they are regularly turned to ensure they cure evenly.
Understanding how all-natural soap is made comes down to the chemical reactions that happen during the curing stage. During this gradual solidifying and changing of the soap, glycerin is produced. This is the natural moisturizing agent that makes soap buttery smooth and good for the skin.
The result is fabulous soap that is free of nasty chemicals and is incredibly luxurious! Scentennial’s soap selection includes a fine selection of simple and elegant soaps every family member will love. Additionally, the sheer variety of designs with all-natural soaps is amazing on its own. Soap crafters, like our team at Scentennials, take great pride in creating a unique and carefully curated selection of natural and high-quality luxury bar soaps.
