When you buy soaps off the shelf, it is due to the impact of the product’s advertising. But, how do you check the quality and skin-friendly aspect? That’s a tough call! It could mean that it is now time to make a switch to handmade soaps. The beauty of it is that you choose your own ingredients and fragrances. Only the making needs some practice. That’s all.
So, here I go sharing with you tips on how to go about making handmade soaps.
Here Is The List Of Natural Homemade Soaps:
Here are those 8 natural handmade soaps which will give you and your skin immense joy and satisfaction:
1. Lemon Soap
Know the smell of citrus scent? Handmade lemon soap gives you the exact properties and texture – it leaves you feeling rejuvenated. In fact, such is the citrus scent in homemade lemon soap that you don’t need to add colorant to it.
Ingredients:
- One and half cup Shea Butter Soap Base or Goats Milk Soap Base (cubed)
- 4 to 6 drops lemon essential oil
- Lemon zest of 3-4 dried lemons
Equipment:
- Soap molds
Tutorial:
- First of all, cut the soap into cubes and then microwave it in an interval of 30 seconds. BTW, this soap gives you the benefit of 3 soap bars.
- Melt soap for about a minute. If it hasn’t melted fully, then give it a time of 15-30 seconds more.
- When the soap cubes have turned into liquid, put in a few drops of lemon essential oil and the lemon zest. Stir it well.
- Now is the time to pour all of this into soap molds. You need to give it a lead time of 1 hour for it to harden up.
- To release soap, press the mold.
Best suits for: Acne skin
2. Pumpkin Soap
This is a Cold Process homemade soap recipe. Pumpkin, by nature, is full of fruit enzymes, antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids and vitamins A and C – all of which keep your skin youthful and refreshed.
Ingredients:
- For ‘Liquid & Lye’ Portion, you need 119 gms of Lye, 227 gms of distilled water
- For ‘Oil Portion’, you need 454 gms of Lye; 227 gms of coconut oil; 85 gms of sunflower oil, and 85 gms of cocoa butter
- 2 ounces of canned pumpkin
- Vanilla spice layer
Equipment:
- Small plastic container
Tutorial:
- Pour 1/3rd of the batter in a small plastic container (you can also use a recycled yogurt container)
- Now blend in 1 tsp of vanilla absolute, and 20 to 30 drops of clove essential oil
- Pour half of the pumpkin soap into the mold lined with parchment paper.
- Then add the vanilla spice layer, and then on top put the balance pumpkin soap
- Cover this and let it lie undisturbed for 3 days at the max
Best suits for: The fall season
3. Pure Coconut Oil Soap:
The coconut oil soap is high in superfats so it gives you a dense lather when you rub it on skin. Want a light bubbly and lathering effect? Then get yourself a natural sponge in handmade coconut oil soap.
Ingredients:
- Coconut oil
- Lye (or Sodium Hydroxide)
- Water
- Essential oils (optional)
Equipment:
- Soap mold
- Crock pot (or small cooker)
- Hand blender
- Digital scale
- Thermometer
- Glass measuring cups
- Small glass bowls
- Plastic spoon (which has long handle)
- Rubber spatula
- Sink or bowl (that has water and vinegar for cleaning purpose)
- Protective equipment (plastic/rubber gloves, long-sleeved shirt, safety glasses etc)
- Parchment paper (for lining the soap mold)
Tutorial:
- Start with a clean work area (and keep kids away, please)
- Now measure the liquid oils (in terms of weight), and pour them into a small cooker – the crock pot. Heat up the oils by increasing the flame.
- Put on your protective gear. Add water first and then ‘lye’ to a medium sized bowl
- Keep mixing the contents with a long-handled spoon. The mixture is likely to get hot, so be careful. Let it cool down. Make sure not to breathe the vapors.
- In a saucepan, add coconut oil. Heat it to 120-130F.
- Now pour coco oil in your crock pot, set it to low flame.
- Time now to add lye to crock pot. Keep stirring it a few times (there should be no splash)
- Use stick blender for ‘mixing’ now – to get the thickness and texture of a light pudding
- Cover the pot and let it cook on low flame. While the process is on, the oils will rise up – like the sides of a wave – and then fold back into the mixture. Keep stirring (so that it reduces in volume)
- How to make out whether the soap is ready? It will look semi-transparent Vaseline (with no oil puddles in the middle)
- Like to do a pH test, to see if it’s done? Go ahead, and do. Dip a pH strip and wait for a couple of minutes, for it to change its colour. You have to make sure all the ‘lye’ has got converted, or else the finished soap can burn!
- Want to add essential oils? Then, wait for the mixture to cool a little, and then add the essential oil (it will lose its fragrance otherwise)
- Put a spoon into the mixture and let it cool.
- Did you know, Coconut oil makes a hard bar? If it becomes very dry, it becomes difficult to cut it. So, cut it the moment it gets cool and firm.
- Now place the coconut soap bars on a tray or rack, leaving a bit of space between them. Let then dry and harden out (when left for a few days)
- 2 to 3 weeks is the ideal time for the bars to sit before they are fully geared up with the skin conditioning properties.
Best suits for: Dry and itchy skin
Disclaimer: Since Lye (chemically called Sodium Hydroxide) is caustic in nature, you need to handle it with care.
So how did you find the very concept of handmade soaps in the first place? Do write in, and share with us more of the handmade soaps that you use and are close to your heart.
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Easy Homemade Conditioners For All Hair Types
Homemade Mouthwash Recipes
DIY Lip Balm And Lipstick Recipes
Homemade Sunscreen Recipes
2 comments
how to make soap at home without lye?
Cut the soap into small cubes and melt it in a pot. Add coloring one drop at a time while stirring and melting the soap to achieve the desired colour. Now add the essential oil.Add other ingredients you’d like to, and pour the paste into soap moulds. Let it cool for 24hrs after which allow the moulds to air dry.