There are a variety of Soap Making Fragrance Oils in the market today that can be used in making soap. Oil is composed of fatty acids, and each type of fatty acid has certain properties that differ from the others.

Some oils are added in soaps for their moisturizing properties, while others are used for their scent or healing properties. Confused on which one to use in making your soap?

Here’s a quick list on commonly used soap making oils today:

Aloe Vera Oil – It is soothing and healing therefore it provides the best relief for dry and damaged skin.

Avocado Oil – A great moisturizer, contains Vitamins A, B, D and E. Good for baby soap and perfect for dry or wrinkled skin

Beeswax – Makes a harder soap. Beeswax has softening and smoothing properties and helps retain moisture to the skin.

Canola Oil – It is less saturated than most oils and can be used to replace more expensive oils.

Coconut Oil – Also makes a hard soap. Coconut oil makes a great lather but can be drying to the skin.

Cocoa Butter – Has a yummy chocolate scent and makes an excellent skin softener and lubricant.

Grapeseed oil - Grapeseed oil has a mild astringent property so it is useful for acne and other skin problems.

Jajoba Oil – Has antibacterial properties and helps moisturize the skin.

Olive Oil - Olive Oil is an excellent base oil. It is very mild, perfect for moisturizing and softening the skin.

Sesame Seed Oil – It is said to be good for Psoriasis and eczema.

Shea Butter – It is good for treating dry skin, scars, skin discolorations, blemishes and wrinkles.

Wheat Germ Oil – This thick antioxidant is rich in Vitamin E. It nourishes dry skin and reduces scarring and stretch marks.

Like choosing the ingredients in any recipe, choosing the oils in your soap is essential in soap making. It is very important to balance out these properties to be able to make that perfect bar of soap.

You have to keep in mind though that some of these oils may irritate sensitive skin so it is very important to test first
your oil before deciding on anything.

The Soap Making Made Easy Book will provide you with a more complete list of soap making oils and its properties.

The Book also gives you detailed information on the amount needed for each batch of soap, and when it should be added in the soap making process. Also includes soap making equipments, techniques and recipes.

ebook “Soap Making Advice”

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Here are the different ways of making homemade soap:

1.Cold Process Soap Making – This method is commonly favored by those who want to make soap from scratch.

It is so named cold process because after all the ingredients are combined,
no additional heat is applied.

It involves mixing a combination of natural soap making oils and fats with a
lye solution until it reaches a process called Saponification.

Once Saponification takes place, a trace forms. Then the mixture will then be poured into a soap making mold and allowed to cool and harden.

It is called cold process because after the water, lye and fat are mixed, no
more heat is added to the mixture. It is the most common method of soap making.

2.Hot Process Soap Making – This method differs from the cold process method in that in the hot process method, external heat is applied after the fats and oils are mixed together.

Unlike the cold process method, the hot process soap can be used immediately after it has cooled and hardened. Because it is completely neutralized, no curing time is necessary.

3.Melt and Pour Soap Making – By far the easiest soap making method. It involves creating new bars of soap by melting commercial bars or pre-made bars of soap, then adding your own soap making fragrance, oils and other additives.

Once the additives are blended with the soap, it can then be poured into soap making molds.

There is no need to wait for weeks for the soap to cure. Once it’s cooled and hardened, it is ready for use. There is no trace stage since the soap has already been saponified before you purchased it. This method is faster and more convenient especially for beginners.

4.Re batching Method – this process is useful if you have made soaps that are physically deformed or flawed but still useful.

It involves melting this soap and remolding them. It also helps to bring out the full medicinal or beautifying benefits from any herbs you may have added to the soap.

Now that you have learned the soap making methods, all you need next is a good soap recipe.

You can make your own soap using whatever soap making ingredients you choose. You can even add essential oils, natural scrubs and your favorite soap making fragrance.

Want to start making soap at home but still need more help?

Soap Making Made Easy gives  you comprehensive information on everything you need to know about soap. It Also includes soap making techniques, tips, and recipes.

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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.

Having trouble choosing the right soap making recipe? Soap Making Made Easy will help you decide and also gives you a step by step instruction on how to make your own soap.

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There are several different soap colorants today that are available for soap makers.

Natural soap making colorants are more favored by expert soap makers as it is much safer to use.

For example, saffron can give your soap a yellowish glow.
Indigo root can be used to give your soap a deep blue color and Moroccan red clay can be used to give your soap a brick red color.

If you prefer using synthetic colorants, there are a variety of choices that can be used.

By way of comparison, they are easier to use than many soap making colorants and provide a much wider range of colors.

FD&C colorants are colors made in the laboratories, usually mass produced and as a result, more inexpensive than the natural colorants for soap making.

It is more popularly used in the food industry but this can also be used in coloring your soap.

FD&C colorants are used in many processed food.

These colorants are available in a wide range of colors and can come in both liquid and powder form.

They are mainly used in Melt and Pour soap making and don’t usually remain stable in Cold Process soap due to its high alkalinity.

In addition to the natural and FD&C colorants, you can also use micas.
Micas are a combination of synthetic and natural materials. Shimmery micas are usually used for cosmetics, but it also can be used for soaps especially if you want your soap to have a little glittery effect on them.

This soap making colorant is best used in translucent soaps.

It is important however to test this first before using large amounts.

Many factors are to be considered when choosing a soap pigment. First and foremost, it is very important to make some tests before you decide on a color.

Some colorants, even if they’re natural, are irritating to the skin. It is also a good idea to mix and match colorants first to see if it is just the right amount of concentration you want on your soap.

Some shades of colorants may change drastically. The end results depend on the oils and fats used or how the soap colorant reacts to lye, and sometimes the type of essential oils or soap fragrances you’ve used in making your homemade soap.

So how do you test a colorant?

There are three tests for natural colorants.

The lye test, oil test and finally, testing on a small batch of soap. Also, different types of colorants should be added at different stages of the soap making process.

It all depends on the type of soap making colorants you are using.

Remember to always use safety precautions when handling any kinds of colorants.

Make sure to review first each material if you decide to experiment with different soap making colorants.

You need to be patient and accepting of the results, after all, practice makes perfect.

More information about soap making colorants can be found The Soap Making Made Easy Book.

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The better news is that you can actually make your own herbal soap at home.

Herbs are well known to have medicinal, aromatic and skin smoothing properties.

Herbal soaps are those soaps that are mixed with natural ingredients such as juice, extract, or even chopped leaves of herbal plants.

Using herbs in the soap making process will make the soap intensely nourishing and can be used to treat skin conditions such as acne or eczema.

To meet the specific requirements on your soap making list, you have to consider the herbal ingredients used.

You have to know which type of herbs have the specific properties necessary for the required results.

Pick them at the prime stage of development and utilize the most vital part
of the plant.

Always maintain the highest quality ingredient.

Once you have decided on which herbs to add, you can now start making your very own homemade herbal soap.

The simplest way to make herbal soap is through the melt-and-pour method.
This simply involves a plain soap base such as glycerin, ivory, castile or other mild, unscented soaps.

You will also need a saucepan or glass container that you can use as double boiler.

Here is a sample of a basic herbal soap recipe.

Things you’ll need:

*Soap colorants
*Soap fragrance
*Soap molds
*Vegetable oil
*Sauce pan or glass container used as double boiler
*Kitchen knife or grater
*Dried herbs
*Measuring cups
*Measuring spoon
*Plain soap(glycerine soap or any other mild, unscented soap)

What to do:

1 Decide first on what kinds of herbs you’d like to use for your soap.
There are different kinds of uses for different kinds of herbs. Lavender is used for its lovely fragrance, mint for its invigorating properties and comfrey for its ability to soothe irritated skin.

You can experiment with different kinds of herbs to find your perfect combination.

2.Use your vegetable oil to coat your soap mold.

3.Heat 1/3 cup of water to a simmer in a double broiler

4.Crumble 3 to 4 tablespoon of your favorite herbs into the water.

5.Take the water off the heat and allow the herbs to submerge for 15 minutes,

6.Heat the pan again and add the bar of soap that has been cut into small pieces

7.When the soap has already melted, pour the mixture into the soap mold.

8.Let it stand at room temperature until the soap has hardened.

9.Remove the soap from the mold.

Viola, you’ve already made your very own herbal soap!

It is very simple and only takes a few hours of your time.

So why not give your skin the natural treatment it deserves?

Go on and try making your very own herbal soap today

If you want more recipes and great information on how to create your own Herbal and Home Made Soap then grab the E-Book Soap Making Made Easy for further information.

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The origin of cleanliness dates back to prehistoric times.

The earliest people then know that water has cleansing properties.  They didn’t know just yet about soap.

The early Greeks bathed for aesthetic reasons, and apparently, not with soap.  They cleaned their bodies with blocks of clay, sand, pumice and ashes.

Clothes were washed without soap in streams.

The ancient Egyptians also bathed regularly. They combined animal and vegetable oils with alkaline to form a soap-like material used for treating skin diseases.

It was not until the 2200 B.C. that the earliest record of soap recipe was found.

The recipe called for water, alkali and cassia oil and was written on a Babylonian clay tablet.

By the 900s, soap making was now common in Spain and Italy and by the 1200s in France.

Unfortunately, because it was difficult and costly to make, its usage was not widespread until the 18th and 19th century.

It was also at around this time that the chemical nature of soap and how it works was discovered.

In the early twentieth century, soap was typically made at home, using pig lard, or cow tallow, that was leftover from butchering or cooking meat.

To determine if the lye was fit for use, the soap-maker would float an egg or potato in the lye; if the object floated with a portion the size of a modern-day quarter above the surface of the lye, then the lye was good.

If it was too strong, water was added to dilute it; too weak, and it was boiled down to the correct strength.

However, during World War I, animal fat, like many other resources, was in short supply, because most available resources had to go to the troops.

While searching for an alternative material, it was discovered that a variety of vegetable and plant-based oils were useful for the soap-making process.

Not only were the vegetable oils useful during the shortage, but it was found that the vegetable oils were actually superior to animal fat for making soap.

The soap produced was of a finer quality, and the vegetable oils were more readily absorbed by the skin than animal fat.

Also, animal fat can clog pores, and aggravate certain skin conditions.

Currently, only a small percentage of the industry uses age-old methods for making soap.

Standard grocery store soap recipes are comprised of approximately 80% tallow (animal fat) and 20% coconut oil, with added chemical sudsing agents.

There was a time when a bar of soap was considered a luxury and was even exchanged among world leaders as a gift of great favor and goodwill!

Today, there are already a variety of soaps that blend the skills of Old World tradition with modern day chemistry, accuracy and knowledge of superior ingredients.

If you would like to know more about the history of Soap or you would like to learn how to make your own home made soap then check out the Soap Making Made Easy Book for detailed information on making your own elegant soaps.

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Why make your own natural soap?

Making your own all natural soap is a very easy and also beneficial. The differences between handmade and store-bought soaps are quite vast.

Instead of using your preferred all natural oils that help balance skin moisture, commercially bought soaps add animal fat and synthetic chemicals to substitute them.

It is also interesting to note that the cost to make homemade soap is actually lower than the price you pay for average commercial soap brands.

So with benefits for both your skin and wallet,

why don’t you start making your soap at home?

There are four methods and procedures on how to make homemade soap:

1.Melt and Pour Soap Making – By melting the pre-made blocks of soap and adding your own desired fragrance

2.Cold Process Soap Making – It is the most common procedure to make soap, from scratch with fats and lye

3.Hot Process – In this process the soap is actually cooked.

4.Re-batching - grinding the soap bars, adding water or milk, and re-blending the mixture.

By choosing  quality soap making products, and adding your favorite soap making fragrance and oils, and swirl it in with a beautiful soap making colorant, your soap takes a sudden change, and it looks charming and smells perfect!.

That makes your own homemade soap more unique and just the way you like it!

But how do you go about making your own soap? You only need a few tools,
most of them already found in your kitchen, and a bit of time and willingness
to experiment and learn from mistakes.

Most importantly, you will need a good soap making book to guide you every step of the way.

The Soap Making Advice Book doesn’t only teach you how to make your own soap, but it also gives you a step by step guide on the soap making process, vital information on common soap making ingredients, soap making fragrances and colorants, soap making instructions and a few recipe for soap making.

Basically everything you need to know about soap making—all in one book!

This is a fun and easy soap making process that gives you a detailed instruction on soap making how to as well as troubleshooting soap making problems along the way.

What’s more? Your newfound hobby may even turn into a new work-at-home business!

You will learn not only about  making soap from scratch, its art and techniques but also basic information on how to start your own soap making business!

The Book starts with soap making history and soap making basics, and then adds tips and expert techniques on the different methods and soap making equipments.

You will also learn about the best soap making molds and help you decide on various soap making recipe to use.

It also includes tips on packaging and presentation, decorative soaps for you to hand out as gifts or for you to sell.

If you are interested in learning, at the same time, profiting from this hobby, this is a great book to have!

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It is also known as Sodium Hydroxide.

If you know about soap or have been making soap, you would know that almost all handmade soaps are made of Sodium hydroxide except for a few liquid soaps that are made of Potassium hydroxide.  Potassium hydroxide, unknown to many, is also a type of lye used to make liquid soap.

It is important to note though that potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide are not interchangeable in soap recipes. So to put it simply, basically all soaps are made from lye.

Lye is a very important ingredient in making soap as the hydroxide in lye binds with the fats to form soap. Lye has been known as extremely caustic and can burn the skin.

So if people knew this all along, why put something corrosive in your soap?

Let me tell you a little known fact. Remember what we learn in Chemistry?
When you mix a base with an acid, you form a neutral.

This is exactly what happens in the soap making process. Sodium hydroxide(lye) is a base and when mixed with an acid(fats or oils) forms a neutral(soap).

Thus, lye when mixed with the other soap making ingredients will form a soap safe for the skin. Of course, you have to know the correct amount of lye needed in every batch of homemade soaps you make so to balance out the proportion between the acid and the base.

Soap makers have to be very careful to have just the right concentration as too much lye would burn the skin, and too little would keep the soap from hardening.

Many people fear making their own soap because of lye. Yes, lye can cause burns but like any chemical, it can be dealt with safely and properly.

There are some precautions one must take before dealing with lye and one of these is to use protective equipment and clothing.

Also, be sure to purchase lye that is labeled for soap making, There are different uses for lye so make sure you’re getting the right one.

As long as you know what you’re doing, everything will run smoothly.

So how do you make lye soap?

For a basic handmade soap, all you will need is lye, water and some fat or soap making oils.

You can add some soap making colorants, fragrances or some soap additives for a more luxurious soap.

You will also need a good soap making recipe as well as tons of patience and determination.

You will also need a good soap making book like Soap Making Made Easy to guide you every step of the way.

It shows you  the basics of  soap making. Also includes recipes, soap making equipments, and the best solutions for common soap making problems you might encounter along the way.

Get your free mini-course on how to make and create Beautiful, Simple and Elegant Soaps.

Just enter your first name, e-mail address, and your beagles name in the form below, and we’ll email you your first lesson right now.

**Double-check your email for accuracy to ensure you receive your free mini course.

There are several different soap colorants today that are available for soap makers.

Natural soap making colorants are more favored by expert soap makers as it is much safer to use.

For example, saffron can give your soap a yellowish glow.
Indigo root can be used to give your soap a deep blue color and Moroccan red clay can be used to give your soap a brick red color.

If you prefer using synthetic colorants, there are a variety of choices that can be used.

By way of comparison, they are easier to use than many soap making colorants and provide a much wider range of colors.

FD&C colorants are colors made in the laboratories, usually mass produced and as a result, more inexpensive than the natural colorants for soap making.

It is more popularly used in the food industry but this can also be used in coloring your soap.

FD&C colorants are used in many processed food.

These colorants are available in a wide range of colors and can come in both liquid and powder form.

They are mainly used in Melt and Pour soap making and don’t usually remain stable in Cold Process soap due to its high alkalinity.

In addition to the natural and FD&C colorants, you can also use micas.
Micas are a combination of synthetic and natural materials. Shimmery micas are usually used for cosmetics, but it also can be used for soaps especially if you want your soap to have a little glittery effect on them.

This soap making colorant is best used in translucent soaps.

It is important however to test this first before using large amounts.

Many factors are to be considered when choosing a soap pigment. First and foremost, it is very important to make some tests before you decide on a color.

Some colorants, even if they’re natural, are irritating to the skin. It is also a good idea to mix and match colorants first to see if it is just the right amount of concentration you want on your soap.

Some shades of colorants may change drastically. The end results depend on the oils and fats used or how the soap colorant reacts to lye, and sometimes the type of essential oils or soap fragrances you’ve used in making your homemade soap.

So how do you test a colorant?

There are three tests for natural colorants.

The lye test, oil test and finally, testing on a small batch of soap. Also, different types of colorants should be added at different stages of the soap making process.

It all depends on the type of soap making colorants you are using.

Remember to always use safety precautions when handling any kinds of colorants.

Make sure to review first each material if you decide to experiment with different soap making colorants.

You need to be patient and accepting of the results, after all, practice makes perfect.

More information about soap making colorants can be found The Soap Making Made Easy Book.

Get your free mini-course on how to make and create Beautiful, Simple and Elegant Soaps.

Just enter your first name, e-mail address, and your beagles name in the form below, and we’ll email you your first lesson right now.

**Double-check your email for accuracy to ensure you receive your free mini course.