We are all busy especially if making soap is on your to-do list these days. Here are just a few facts:
Glycerin – Did you know that companies take the glycerin out of their soap and use it to make lotions and other products? Glycerin is a humectant that pulls moisture from the air and into your skin. This is basically the big difference in homemade vs store bought soap. If you wonder why store bought soap is so drying compared to homemade soap, this is why. They take out the good stuff. The shiny liquid on top of the cooking soap in the pictures, this is the glycerin.
Lye – A lot of people get this weird look when you mention lye was used in the soap making. There is no lye in finished soap but soap cannot be soap without lye, unfortunately. It can be a little scary – I think I had a container of lye in my house for about a year before I got the guts to start making bar soap. Basically lye reacts with all the oils and butters through a chemical process called saponification. Each oil and butter requires a specific amount of lye so if you plan to make soap, invest in a good kitchen scale as well.
Some advantages of homemade bar soap:
- A bar of homemade soap will contain different oils and they will have both cleansing and moisturizing properties. More blogs to come on each oil and benefits.
- Homemade soap is better for the environment. Large companies tend to use harsh chemicals, synthetic ingredients and plastic packaging.
- The oils, colors, scents, exfoliate combos are limitless.
- Making homemade soap can be much cheaper over time than store bought soap.
For more info on soap making, oils, etc. be sure to follow my blog. You can also find us on Facebook and Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaperStreetSuds?ref=search_shop_redirect
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