More and more people want to use cleaning products on a daily basis, but also care products for the face, body and hair that do not contain any chemical components. the solid soap does not escape this craze. Ecological, economical, hypoallergenic (if you choose the right components), it is as effective as commercial soap, and everyone can opt for a naturally scented or unscented soap according to their tastes and needs. Some do not dare to start because the principle of saponification worries them. So let’s start by taking stock of the hot and cold saponificationthen let’s see how the simplest making of a homemade solid soap goes.
Cold saponification to make homemade soap
The term saponification just define the chemical reaction which makes it possible to obtain a soap. There are two forms, namely:
- The cold saponification : it is the one that we generally use at home because it is the simplest but not only. It preserves the ingredients. Note that a cure time of at least 1 month must be respected before using the solid soap thus obtained.
- The hot saponification : it consists in raising the temperature to at least 80°C and up to 100°C of the various ingredients used in the composition of the soap which, in this way, will be in the form of cooked dough which in this case can be used within a shorter period of time.
Cold saponification, a process generally used to create homemade soapis a one-step embodiment temperature between 40 and 50°Ceven at room temperature, i.e. below 30°C. This method perfectly preserves the properties of the oils used for the preparation of a natural product. We thus obtain a solid soap whose raw materials are respected. This is, for example, the method that makes it possible to prepare a surgras soapperfect for skin care.
It should be noted that by opting for cold saponification, it is necessary wait a few weeks before he can use his soap. This curing time lasts at least four weeks. It is fundamental to allow the soap to dry and the saponification process to take place in full.
A natural solid soap that you make yourself by cold saponification is 100% biodegradable. It therefore has no harmful impact on the environment.
Prepare a homemade solid soap: essential ingredients
You can make different natural soaps yourself, changing some ingredients depending on what you want to get. According to active subtances it contains, a soap can be intended to soothe dry skin, rosacea, tighten dilated pores and eliminate pimples and blackheads, but it can also be a soap intended to detach linen without dulling the colors.
The basic recipe for a homemade natural solid soap without soda is as follows.
- 45 g of soap (real soap, shavings or flakes),
- 14 g of argan oil,
- 1 drop of vitamin E,
- 30 drops of essential oil (geranium, lavender, lemon…).
All the ingredients must be mixed together except for vitamin E, then heated in a water bath because it melts fatty substances at a very gentle temperature. It is only when the mixture forms a homogeneous paste that vitamin E is added. Then simply pour the still liquid soap into a mold and let it dry during the curing time. It will therefore solidify and “make itself”.
To create a slightly more sophisticated natural solid surgras soap, you can proceed as follows:
- Place in a large salad bowl sodium hydroxide as a base,
- Add a fatty substance such as a vegetable oil (no palm oil of course). Coconut oil, shea oil or virgin olive oil are among those frequently found in solid soaps,
- Mix with a hand whisk for 2 or 3 minutes,
- Then incorporate:
- And “fat” body such as glycerin, apricot kernel oil, Macadamia nut oil, etc.
- A few drops of essential oils (rose, true lavender, citrus, thea tree, etc.),
- Honey, clay, flowers or even honey, donkey’s milk…
- Mix to obtain a perfectly homogeneous material,
- Line one or more molds with parchment paper,
- Pour in the preparation,
- Let the soap sit in each mold for 24 hours without touching it,
- Take the soap out of its mold after 24 hours,
- Cut the block into several solid soaps,
- Let dry for 2 months (8 weeks) before use.
We can create a range of solid soaps extremely varied, with witch hazel, calendula, orchid flower, Aloe Vera and even a ultra mild homemade soap perfectly adapted to the fragile skin of Babe.
Know how to create solid soaps is very useful and it leaves plenty of time to prepare nice personalized gifts to offer on different occasions (birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas)… For women, for men, for teenagers, for babies… there is something for everyone.
Generally, when you start to prepare your own soap, you take a lot of pleasure in it and you are ready to make many other products such as its essential oils, shower gel, shampoo and even dishwashing liquid. Appointment is therefore made for a next workshop…