Handmade Soap Facts
By Yvonne
Takhtalian
How many people
know what soap really is? Several of the cleansing bars
that you buy at the store, for example, are detergents-and
not soaps at all. They are called syndet bars, or synthetic
detergent bars. They are made from synthesized chemicals and
are usually much harsher than soap. Detergents contain
petroleum distillates rather than oil. On the other hand,
true soap is made from natural oils (such as olive, coconut
and palm) and is a gentle cleansing product more appropriate
for use on skin than is detergent.
Soaps, unlike
detergents, are made by combining sodium hydroxide or lye, oils and
water in a process known as "Saponification". Some people may
question the use of lye in handcrafted soap. The fact is that all
soap is made with lye. What needs to be made clear is that once the
process of saponification is complete, the lye and oil molecules
have combined and chemically changed into soap and glycerin. There
is no lye present in the finished bars of soap.
The oils in our soaps
are put there for a specific purpose. The coconut oil creates a
wonderful lather. The olive oil is used for a high quality, long
lasting bar. Canola and Palm oil carry nutrients to the skin, and
the safflower oil make a creamy bar.
Glycerin is a skin
soothing emollient that adds to the goodness of handmade soap. In
commercial soaps the glycerin is removed for sale to the cosmetic
industry to sell separately, sometimes at a higher price than the
soap itself! Glycerin is important to skin care because it is a
humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air, which in turn
moisturize your skin. A whole 1/5 of a bar of our soap is
glycerin.
Most soaps have
artificial ingredients to scent or color. Some handcrafted soap is
scented with fragrance oils. These are synthetic chemicals that are
mixed together to imitate a particular scent. They have contributed
in many cases to chemical sensitivity in some people. They also
have no aromatherapy benefits. The scents in our soaps should come
only from essential oils, which are steamed or pressed from plants.
Essential oils are the fragrance emitting components of plants and
are at the heart of aromatherapy. Not only do they smell good; they
have many beneficial effects on the body, mind and
spirit.
The coloring in our soap should come from
nature as well. The petals of Lavender and Rose can be used.
Earth Pigments can also be used, which are simply finely
ground rocks. This makes the colors rich and earthy, rather
than artificial looking.
About the
Author
Yvonne Takhtalian, C.N.H.P, H.I.
spent the past 10 years developing and improving Vita-Myr Natural
Products helping thousands like you heal gum disease and
gingivitis. She just released a new line of 100% Natural Vita-Myr
Soaps to compliment her Vita-Myr Mouthwash & Toothpaste. Find
out more about effective natural relief of gum disease at
http://www.vitamyr.com/ or email questions/comments
to Yvonne at mailto:vitamyr@mindspring.com
Copyright © 2004 Vita-Myr® International Inc All rights reserved.
Natural Products For Healthy Living ®
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