Q: Which soap formula is best for my/my customer's skin?
A: This is a difficult question, as skin varies widely, so we have summarized some information below that may be benificial in your decision making:
We made a general chart for "soaps by skin type" on the left navigation if you don't want to read through all the soap ramblings below.
All natural soaps are generally better for your skin than fragrance soaps because synthetic fragrances, which can irritate skin, are absent. Even the soaps we make with synthetic fragrances, however, are still better for your skin than the average commercial soap. Either way, some skin is too sensitive for any additives and needs to be "unscented". For face washing, we recommend soap that is free from natural or synthetic fragrance.
Almost all of our soaps are made for a range of skin from moderately oily to moderately dry skin. See our soaps by skin type list.
Below is a description of base oils and their character in soap:
Olive oil is very popular for sensitive skin, but we are convinced that castor oil, when properly used, is one of the best base oils. Never the less, olive oil is a remarkably mild oil and makes an amazing soap that has been used for a very long time. Both olive and castor oils have incredible emollient characteristics and draw moisture to the skin and create mucho glycerine. However, too much castor oil will make a soft bar of soap and too much olive oil can lather away quickly or be unstable. Both oils are impressive and are great performers when used propery. Good for any skin type. Other similar oils to olive, and near equally benificial, are rice bran oil and sunflower (high oleic) oil.
Recommended products: Olive Oil Soap Line for olive oil content, Natural Classics for Castor Oil Content.
Palm Oil is a great base oil for the base oils because it makes a thick hard bar. If we made soap with only one oil, this would probably be the one. The problem with palm is that is not especially mild by itself. Also, many enviromentally concerned consumers have raised issue with palm oil because of the industry cutting down rainforests to plant palm trees. Though we are not experts, we would point out that the soap industries' demand for palm oil, compared to the rise of bio-diesel fuels, is small. We believe the demand for palm has risen only recently because of demand for bio-diesel fuels. We would also point out that the oil palm produces more oil than any other oil plant, so it really is an efficient use of natural resources, hence why it is sought after.
Palm kernel and coconut oils are great oils for making hard bars of soap and great lather. Best blended with other oils that are moisturizing. Any soap with this oil will generally have good lather.
Recommended products: Most (if not all) of our soaps contain palm kernel oil and/or coconut oils.
Shea Butter does not saponify (become soap) completely when in the mix of oils. In fact much of the qualities of shea butter remains intact for great moisturizing properties. Too much shea butter in the soap can make it unstable and undesirable effects may occur.
Recommended products: Most of our soaps contain shea butter, but Natural Classics: Super Shea contains more than double the shea butter of our other soaps.
Avocado Oil is quite similar to shea butter in the sense that it does not saponify completely making it a great moisturizer. Is a great oil overall, but cannot be overused or the soap will become unstable and undesirable effects may occur.
Recommended products: Tres Leches soaps and Aloe and Extracts soaps contain Avocado Oil among others.
Aloe Vera is an amazing additive down played in many individuals' minds as not being truly benificial. This is generally because it's hype is common in the market place and used to promote products that do not contain enough aloe to be truly beneficial. When we add aloe vera we use it abundantly so you can gain the true benefits.
Recommended products: Aloe and Extracts Soaps and Natural Classics: Aloe and Calendula
Soybean Oil is a great soaping oil. Though we do not usually use soybean because of its instability, we have created short runs, etc. with soybean. Soybeans are american grown, high in vitamin E (if not overprocessed) and makes a great white hard veggie bar when blended with other base oils. We think this oil is better in soap than in cooking.
Some of our short runs/artistics soaps may have soybean oil, but our regular soaps do not currently have soybean oil.
Q:What are those "chemically sounding" ingredients listed on the back of commercial soap boxes?
A: The following are a few "chemically sounding" names that are found in many soaps. When oils are made into soap (saponified) they are processed with sodium hydroxide, which is necessary to make the soap. Therefore the oils then have a scientific name "Sodium _____________" because the oils have changed. We prefer to use the term "Saponified ______________" so that the terms are easier to understand for the average "non-scientist", however, here are the technical terms.
Sodium Tallowate- Saponified Beef Tallow (fat)
Sodium Cocoate- Saponified Coconut Oil
Sodium Palmate- Saponified Palm Oil
Sodium Palm Kernelate- Saponified Palm Kernel Oil
Sodium Oleate- Saponified Olive Oil
Sodium Castorate- Saponified Castor Oil
Stearic Acid- Plant or animal derived- usually used for hardening soap or thickening agent.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine- Derived from coconut oil and used as a thicker and surfactant.
Sodium Chloride- Salt, usually added to extract glycerine from the soap (which is then sold).
Glycerine- Naturally occuring in the soap process. Usually listed as an ingredient when technical ingredients are listed because it is present. Often times it is extracted in the process and then added back in later in smaller amounts. Glycerine is usually not listed when technical terms are not used (we do not list glycerine, though it is present).
Petrolatum- Derived from petroleum and often used in jellies.
Pentasodium Pentetate- Water softener and fragrance protector.
Tetrasodium Etidronate- Water softener.
Titanium Dioxide- A common naturally derived white pigment.
