Popular soap base recipes

Making soap at home is not only a fashion trend. This skill helps to produce a useful and safe personal care product, and it is quite simple. All you need to do is warm up the finished base, add colors and flavors, and pour into the mold. After mastering this process, you can move on to advanced technologies. For example, to the production of soap with swirls.

The first step to making soap is choosing a base. There are many basic options. Some of them include synthetic ingredients. Others contain natural ingredients. The bases are also divided into white and transparent. In the final product, the transparent base will produce brighter colors. And white will contribute to getting pastel colors.

Glycerin is a by-product of the soap making process. This substance is not thrown away, but is usually kept by most soap manufacturers for sale in order to increase profits. This ingredient is good for the skinbecause it moisturizes it very well and has some healing properties.

Natural soap base must have 100% organic matter... If the manufacturer does not indicate the full composition of the ingredients, then you should not buy his products.

Most melting and pouring soaps, with the exception of goat milk varieties, do not contain animal products such as fat. If you are concerned about this issue, be sure to check the ingredient list for the specific soap base you plan to use.

Soap brewing bases are also:

• with shea butter;
• honey;
• oatmeal;
• with olive oil;
• with aloe vera;
• with coconut milk.

The recipe for making homemade soap is very simple, but the handmade process itself takes a lot of time. The good news is that the homemade soap will only contain the ingredients you choose. This is perfect for allergy sufferers and people who value natural cosmetics without preservatives. Soaps are usually made from vegetable oils. And the detergent it contains is a sodium hydroxide solution.

Let's analyze the process of making soap at home using a specific example.

To make soap, we need:

• 1 kg of cake or 1 liter of olive oil;
• 127 g sodium hydroxide;
• 380 ml of cold distilled water.

The manufacturing process consists of several main phases.

First phase.

1. Pour 127 g of hydroxide into a bowl. Then we measure out 380 ml of water in another container.
2. Slowly pour the hydroxide into the water, remembering to stir. During this operation, a lot of heat is generated, the water becomes hot.
3. Place the thermometer gently into the solution. If you are confident in the strength of your dishes, you can put them in the sink with cool water, the mixture will cool down faster.

Next phase.

1. Slowly pour the lye into the oil in a thin stream, stirring with a wooden spoon.
2. Next, you need to whip the mixture in a blender. Gradually, the yellow liquid turns into a homogeneous creamy mass.
3. After the soap base has warmed up, you can add fragrances and other ingredients. Then pour the resulting mass into molds.

The last stage consists in pouring the mass into molds.

1. Pour the prepared mass into the prepared form. Then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or wrap with a towel.
2. To keep the shape warm, we place it next to a radiator or other heating device.
3. Let the solution sit for about an hour to cool and solidify.

Let's consider some more additional features of the process.

Regardless of which soap base you choose, the first step to making soap is to grind the base into small pieces. This helps the soap to melt evenly and quickly. To do this, divide the soap base into small pieces, about 1 cm each.

The amount of colorant added depends on the type of colorant. Use dyes that are specially formulated for soaps. They are safe on the skin and will not irritate or damage the skin.Avoid using food or other dyes that you think are suitable for the case.

Soap dyes are of two main types:

• dry powdery;
• liquid soap, safe for the skin.

In addition to dyes, soap can be supplemented with other additives.

• You can add your favorite spices or ingredients with healing properties at the appropriate point in the recipe. Thanks to this, the soap will not only look attractive, but also smell good.
• To get a beautiful cosmetic, add bell peppers or turmeric to the mass before pouring into the mold.
• To flavor the soap, add a few drops of vanilla, two pinches of cinnamon, or aromatic tea to the mass. You can also apply flower petals.

Before starting to consider different recipes, you need to dwell on some general rules.

• Try adding gentle essential oils that are safe to apply to the skin in low concentrations. These include, for example, lavender, orange or sesame oil.
• Adding oil to the base also helps create a nourishing soap that cleans the skin well. The secret is to add enough oil for a softening effect without overdoing it. Otherwise, the product will be too soft or oily.
• Add oil in an amount of no more than 1-3% of the total weight of the soap.

Dried herbs of lavender, chamomile, and rose petals are excellent choices. You will need 6 to 12 grams of herbs per 450 grams of soap. Add herbs or flowers before pouring the soap into the mold. Thus, they will not lose their color much. Herbal soap works great as a hand soap. But it can be too "prickly" as a bath or shower soap.

With just 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of ground spices, you can take your product to a whole new level. Stir the spice into the soap after removing it from the heat. A wide variety of spices are available, including cinnamon, pumpkin, and ground turmeric.

Experts have also highlighted several ingredients for a moisturizing effect.

• Do not use regular cow's milk butter or it will go rancid. Instead, try one of the following oils: cocoa, shea, mango, or vegetable. You will need 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 grams) per 450 grams of soap.
• Cocoa and shea butter are great for lathering.
• Mango oil is used to soothe irritated skin, treat sunburn and reduce dryness.

Extracts are not the same as essential or aromatic oils. While some of them can add fragrance to soaps, they are mainly used because of their individual properties. Usually use 1-2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of the extract per 450 g of soap - add these along with the dyes and fragrances. General properties and benefits are listed below.

• Chamomile extract is good for relieving stress. It is also an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent. Can be used in the manufacture of baby soap.
• Grapefruit seed extract is a natural disinfectant. It contains vitamins A, C and E.
• Green tea extract can help with sunburn, irritation and acne.
• Guava fruit extract contains vitamins A, B and C. It is especially good for aging skin.

Add this to your soap base right before you add it to the mold.In most cases, you will need 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 grams). Some popular options are listed below:

• jojoba and oatmeal are gentle exfoliants suitable for sensitive skin;
• fine-grained sea salt and sugar - exfoliants of medium strength;
• coffee and strawberry seeds - rough exfoliants, 1-2 teaspoons are enough here;
• clay application gives a positive cosmetological effect.

Swirls in English means "whirlwinds" or "curls". Special soap bases for swirls retain their viscosity when heated. This property is used to produce multi-colored bars of soap, with various beautiful and unusual patterns (stars, hearts, and others).

Let's consider this method of soap making with a specific example.

Materials:

• 150 g white shea butter soap;
• 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil;
• 5 drops of turquoise dye;
• seashell shape;
• spray bottle for alcohol.

Instruments:

• 2 measuring cups;
• 2 chopsticks;
• cutting board;
• knife;
• microwave;
• toothpick.

Soap creation looks like this.

1. First you need to cut the soap base into cubes. Melt them in the microwave until the mixture is completely melted.
2. In one cup, mix 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil with soap. In the other, combine 5 drops of turquoise dye with soap.
3. Pour both colored mixtures at the same time into one of the seashell molds. Stir gently with a toothpick. Do not overdo it. If you want to leave colored swirls, quickly spray alcohol on the surface of the soap.
4. When you've filled out all the shell forms, let the soap cool for an hour. Then turn the mold over and carefully unpack the soap. If the food does not come out of the mold, place it in the freezer for 15 minutes and try again.

The soap, depending on the composition, is ready for use after three weeks or several months from the date of manufacture. After this time, the pH of the soap will drop to the desired value and the product is ready to use. Soap is measured with litmus paper or a special instrument called a pH meter. Use soap when the pH reaches 7.5-9.

The different swirling techniques are described in the video below.