Natural Soap. Melinda Coss
for soap makers providing an inexpensive hard, long lasting soap bar with a relatively low foam. Palm oil is produced from the fleshy fruit of the palm.
INCI in soap: Elaeis Guineensis
Palmitic: 43–45%
Oleic: 38–40%
Linoleic: 9–11%
Stearic: 4–5%
Iodine: 45–57
PALM KERNEL OIL *
Widely used as a base in industrial soap production, this is a good bulking oil and has a different fatty acid make up from palm oil. Because of the high lauric content this oil traces very quickly. Palm kernel oil is produced from the kernel of the palm fruit
INCI: Elaeis guineensis
Lauric: 47%
Oleic: 18%
Myristic: 14%
Palmitic: 9%
Iodine: 37
PEACH KERNEL OIL
High in protein, vitamins A and E and omega 6. Good for all skin types and lovely in creams.
INCI: Prunus persica
Oleic: 55–75%
Palmitic: 5–8%
Linoleic: 15–35%
Iodine: 108–118
ROSEHIP SEED OIL
Rich in vitamins A and C, this cell regenerator is great for stretch marks and scar tissue.
INCI: Rosa mosqueta
Palmitic: 3-5%
Oleic: 10–20%
Linoleic: 26–37%
Stearic: 1–3%
Iodine: 179–192
SEA BUCKTHORN OIL
High in Vitamin C and B-carotene, natural antioxidant known to combat wrinkles, excema and dry skin.
INCI: Hippophae rhamnoides
Palmitic: 34-35%
Linoleic: 35–36%
Iodine: 86
SUNFLOWER OIL *
High in fatty acids and easily absorbed by the skin, a good base oil for all skin types. Great option for liquid soap and as a bulk oil in bar soaps although, it should be combined with coconut oil or the soap will be very soft.
INCI: (Helianthus anuus)
Linoleic: 70%
Oleic: 16%
Palmitic: 7%
Stearic: 4%
Iodine: 119–138
SHEA BUTTER (KARITE)
High in saturated fats, an effective moisturizer that stimulates cell growth, good for stretch marks and scar tissue. Great moisturizer and hardener when used in bar soaps. Thickens creams.
INCI: Butyrospermum parkii
Oleic: 40–55%
Stearic: 35–45%
Linoleic: 3–8%
Palmitic: 3–7%
Iodine: 55–71
TALLOW (beef fat) *
A traditional soap making ingredient that produces a hard, conditioning soap bar.
INCI in soap: Sodium tallowate
Oleic: 37–43%
Palmitic: 24–32%
Stearic: 20–25%
Myristic: 3–6%
Linoleic: 2–3%
Iodine: 43–45
WHEATGERM OIL
An anti-bacterial that stimulates skin cells. High in vitamins and essential fatty acids but goes rancid very quickly.
INCI: Triticum vulgare
Linoleic: 55–60%
Oleic: 13–21%
Palmitic: 13–20%
Stearic: 2%
Iodine: 125–135
VITAMIN E OIL
INCI: Tocopheryl
A natural antioxidant that will extend the life of your products. Smooths dry and rough skin.
SCENTS AND SENSIBILITIES
One of the most important elements of your soap is fragrance. Those of us who want our products to be totally natural opt for essential oils diffused or pressed from plants or citrus fruits, used both for their fragrance and for their therapeutic value. The second option is synthetic fragrance oils. These can imitate scents that would be too expensive to achieve naturally (such as rose), and they can also mimic fruit and even lemon meringue pie if that is the perfume you are trying to achieve. Whatever your preference, the one important fact you need to bear in mind if you are planning on marketing your soap is ‘no smell, no sell’.
In mass produced soap, fragrance is added well after the chemical reaction is complete and it is therefore stable and strong in the soap. In cold processed soap making we add the fragrance while the chemical reaction is going on and therefore we have to be careful that the blend of oils we choose will withstand this saponification process. The extensive art of aromatherapy would fill this book all on its own but basically, essential oils are split into three categories or ‘notes’, being top, middle and base notes. A ‘top note’ fragrance is the first to reach your nose but can be fleeting, a ‘middle note’ is the core of the fragrance blend whilst a ‘base note’ anchors the blend and gives it a sensuous undertone. When composing a blend for a cold process soap it helps considerably if you use a combination of the three notes, or at very least include a base note oil.
Another useful trick is to add your essential oil to dry matter before you put it in your soap. If you plan to put herbs, petals or clays in your soap pour the essential oils over them first – this process helps to suspend the fragrance in the soap mix and increases its holding power. When working with liquid soap you don’t have this problem as the saponification is complete before you add the fragrance.
When buying essential oils always go to a reputable supplier and ensure that the oils are 100 per cent pure. This does not mean you have to use the most expensive varieties, but do check that oils do not contain dilutants as these may interfere with the saponification process and cause your soap mixture to seize. Likewise, when using artificial fragrances only buy from a supplier who understands cold process soap making and make sure the fragrances are of a cosmetic grade and not just produced for fragrancing a room or for candle making.
If you are making toiletries for yourself, perhaps because you have allergies or sensitive skin, you must bear in mind that both natural and unnatural fragrances can be very high in allergens and these, along with pigments, are the biggest cause of skin irritation. In Europe, by law your fragrance content must not be more than 2 per cent of your total soap formula, and this is for good reason.