Soap is a funny thing. People use it everyday but often have no clue what they are allowing to touch and be absorbed into their skin. For the most part, the soap that is purchased at the store is most likely a detergent. Just like your dish soap and laundry soap (both are not actually soap), it is mainly non-natural manufactured chemicals that are designed to "clean" your skin, hair, clothes and whatever else gets dirty. Chemical absorption into the skin is a real concern in our era of "cleaning" everything. One thing that manufactured industrial chemical cleaners are doing is stripping your skin of what makes it so important to our well-being. For instance, the oil in your skin is a miracle. It protects against the sun, chemicals, and germs by creating a barrier so that you epidermis is protected. Real soap does not strip your skin of its oils instead it removes the dirt and bacteria. To be clear, detergents are not soap - they are cleansers. Only soap is soap. Real soap comes from the chemical reaction of mixing an oil (acid) with lye (base) to create a fairly ph neutral product. The oil and lye molecules go through a saponification process where heat is created. After soap goes through a curing process (there are different methods) it is ready for use.
Our soap is made from plant-based oils which include coconut, olive and palm oil. We use other oils as well but this is our main base. The oils are measured and mixed with a lye that is dissolved in water which becomes extremely caustic. The water that is used here is rainwater that we collect from our home in western Pennsylvania. I prefer to use the cold process for making my soap which allows for a more thorough and gentle saponification. This process is simple but requires a detailed approached that takes years of experience. After pouring the mixture into a mold, the soap goes through a gel phase in which the compounds that hold the oil together are releasing and are now attaching to the lye. This creates a moderate amount of heat and after a couple hours cools to room temperature. At that time the soap is cut into its final shape. I slice my soap logs into 1" thick bars. They take 4-6 weeks to fully cure and harden.
When mixing our oil and lye water together the mixture thickens and this is when we add the scent. We only use essential oils. Why? Many people are actually allergic to fragrance oils which are industrial-chemical products. Essential oils have properties that have added benefits in their use but due to labeling restrictions we are not able claim any medicinal uses.
Many of this you may already know or understand but let me caution you about some homemade soap makers. People take short-cuts and products aren't always as they seem. Many people use a melt and pour method that uses store bought industrial manufactured bases of glycerin that have added chemicals for colors and consistency. This is not soap; do not be fooled. I have zero additives into my soap besides for the essential oils. No colors, no plant parts, nothing unnecessary. I make soap that is to be used and enjoyed. The use of my soap can vary. It is a fantastic body soap and for regular hair it can be a decent shampoo. I often use the soap after working on my vehicles and it is a great degreaser. Also, the soap is soft and gentle for kids and sensitive skin. How can it be so universal? Because it is soap, not a detergent.
Lastly, our prices. Handmade soap is often sold at extraordinary prices. Folks that use the melt-and-pour recipes sell theirs from about $1.50-$2.25 an ounce. $8 for a bar of industrial detergent is a shame. Then you have folks that actually make their soap. They put in colors and fragrance and put flower petals and herbs into the bars charging about $1.75 - $2.50 an ounce. The average bar of soap that is sold is usually between 3-5 ounces. $9 for a bar of soap is outrageous. We sell our soap at approximately $1 per ounce. Our bars are not uniform but our current price is $4.50 per bar. I do not make a lot of money on these but that is because I want people to have good quality soap at an affordable price.
Occasionally we do break from our dedication to simple soap and make coffee, beer and bacon soap. These soaps are single batches made with ingredients that offer something a little different. The coffee soap is made with coffee infused lye water and the grounds are added before the mixture is poured into the mold. The beer soap is similar in that the brewed beer and spent grains are added. Lastly, the bacon soap is our only soap that uses animal fats. The lard that is used comes from leftover cooking grease and is the base oil. The same process is completed as with the plant-based soap.
There are many things that can be said about soap but one thing to always remember is when you are purchasing soap at a craft show, farmer's market, county fair or even online, make sure to ask questions about their products. If they can't answer your question or tell you something that doesn't jive, make sure to have a conversation with them. I am an amateur alchemist and I don't have all the answers but we have to begin the conversation on the products that we make, buy, sell and use. The soap business is being overrun by people that are riding the wave of the return to simple products but their processes and methods are mainly to seek profits. I want you to have the best soap possible, know where it comes from and be educated about the things we take for granted in this consumer world.
Keep soap simple and real.
Peace
