Making your own facial soap is a great way to take control of the ingredients in your skincare products. You will know exactly what's in them, and you'll also be able to customize them to suit your needs. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of making facial soaps. So get ready to DIY!
There's something really unique about using a soap made with love, care, and passion. Not only does it feel good to use, but it is also really good for your skin.
There are a lot of products available on the market when it comes to facial cleansing. You can buy bars of soap, liquid washes, and even wipes. However, if you're looking for something gentle yet effective, you may want to consider making handmade soaps.
The popularity of handmade facial soaps is on the rise. Natural, handmade soap is becoming increasingly popular among consumers. Many individuals find that handcrafted soap is superior to commercially produced varieties. If you're curious about why this is the case, or you're wondering how to make your facial cleansing bar, read on! In this article, we'll discuss the benefits of handmade soap and provide some tips for making a face wash bar that's perfect for your skin type.
Be creative; unlimited options are waiting.
You can make any facial soap at home with ingredients of your choice, such as coconut, honey, herbs, coffee with your favorite essential oil. Whatever the reason behind making facial soap at home, you can feel reassured that you are doing something great for yourself and the environment.
In addition, you can experiment with designs such as marbles, layered, intricate swirls, or simple Castile bars. There is an unlimited option to be creative with your soap.
People struggling with allergies or have sensitive skin will find relief in making their facial soap as they can control the ingredients that go into their products. Many people with dry skin switch to natural handmade soaps because store bought soaps often contain harsh chemicals and detergents, which can irritate the skin.
Handmade facial soaps are natural soap, but how?
People usually call handmade soap natural soap. However, the definition of natural soap is not as straightforward. One can interpret the term "natural" in many different ways. And that is why it's important to know what ingredients are used in a product before labeling it as such.
We call handmade soap natural because it does not contain harsh chemicals or artificial fragrances. Natural soaps are made with oils, kinds of butter (shea butter, murumuru butter, tucuma butter), and essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances.
Handmade soap is usually better for the earth than store bought varieties because it does not contain harmful chemicals that can leach into our water supply when washed down the drain or discarded in landfills, where they require years to decompose.
Handmade facial soaps v/s store bought soap
The main difference between handmade and store bought soap is that handmade soap contains natural ingredients, while most store bought soaps contain harsh chemicals and artificial fragrances. Handmade soap bars also contain more glycerin than their counterparts, which helps to moisturize your skin.
Store bought soap often contains synthetic ingredients to increase shelf life and reduce cost. This makes it more drying for the skin than handmade soaps, which have natural moisturizing properties like glycerin and pure essential oils in them!
Benefits of Handmade Soap Bars
Handmade facial soaps have a few key advantages over store bought varieties. For starters, they tend to be better for your skin because they don't contain any harsh chemicals or artificial fragrances. Instead of harsh chemicals, you can use skin nourishing ingredients that will not irritate your face. For example, coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter are the best choices for use as a facial soap base.
People who have allergies or sensitive skin may find relief in using handmade facial soaps because they can control the ingredients that go into the product.
Second, handmade facial soaps infuse essential oils, which offer additional benefits like antibacterial properties and help to combat acne causing bacteria on the face.
Thirdly, these soaps tend not to strip away natural oils from your face, which can lead to dryness and irritation (especially if you have sensitive or dry skin).
And finally, the essential oil in handmade facial soap helps soothe redness or inflammation caused by acne breakouts.
Natural handmade soap v/s liquid or industrial soap?
Some people prefer liquid soap over facial soap bars. However, liquid soaps are not as natural as facial soap bars. Liquid soap contains synthetic ingredients such as detergents or sulfates, which can be harsh on your skin. In contrast, the natural ingredients of handmade facial soap are beneficial for your skin.
1- You're well versed in the ingredients in your soaps:
Homemade soaps are often in small batches in small kitchens or workshops. The maker has complete control over the ingredients and can customize the soap recipe to exclude fragrances or other sensitivities an individual might have. In addition, soap makers dispose of their waste responsibly. A soap maker will not dump any leftover lye down the drain or pour out into streams as factory manufacturers might do.
2- Homemade facial soaps are vegan and cruelty free:
Most factory made soaps contain animal fats in their ingredients or during the soapmaking process. By contrast, handcrafted facial soap recipes can be made without animal fats. It means they are vegan friendly, and they can also be made without any synthetic ingredients. Instead of animal fat, they contain vegetable based oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter.
3- Handcrafted facial soaps are more cost effective than liquid soaps or factory made soap.
The cost of a bar of handmade facial soap is usually less than the cost of a bottle of liquid soap, and it lasts much longer. So, you can use handmade facial soaps for bathing, shaving, and washing dishes – an all purpose, cost effective soap to cater to all your needs. Liquid soaps contain a large amount of water, so they do not last as long.
Making Facial Soaps At Home:
If you are interested in making your facial soap, there are several recipes available online. You can find a recipe that fits your needs by using ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter. These natural ingredients will help feed and nourish your skin while providing the same cleansing effect as traditional soap bars.
It is a great idea for a beginner soapmaker to find a simple and easy recipe. Once you have mastered the basic process of making facial soaps at home, then try experimenting with different ingredients and techniques to create your unique product!
Let's see in detail how to make facial soap at home.
Oil:
You will need a high quality oil like coconut, olive, or olive oil to make your soap. You can also add butter like Shea butter or cocoa. Using only oils or a combination of oil and butter depends on your choice. The beauty of the handmade soap making process is that you can customize it to fit your needs.
Lye:
Sodium hydroxide(NaOH) saponifies the oils and makes soap (lye water). If you add too much lye, your soap will be harsh on the skin. Make sure that you have a good idea of how much lye each type of oil requires before starting your project.
Distilled water:
Distilled water is necessary to dilute the lye so that it does not burn your skin. It is most important to use distilled water in the process because tap water can contain chlorine or other chemicals that can affect the final product.
Essential oil:
Essential oils give your soap a nice scent and can also provide therapeutic benefits. You can pick any pure essential oil that you like, or you can use a blend of oils to create a unique scent.
Instructions to make facial soaps:
The following instructions are for a basic soap recipe that uses coconut oil, olive oil, and lye. You may change the amounts of each component to make soap as per your specific requirements.
Measure out the oils and lye:
Before making your soap, it's important to ensure that everything is measured correctly. First, weigh out the amount of oil you will need for your recipe.
Mix together the lye and water:
This process is called saponification (or "SAPONIFY"). In a safe area, mix the lye and distilled water. Be very attentive when working with lye – it can cause serious burns if it comes into contact with skin.
Stir until the lye is dissolved:
Once the lye and water are mixed, stir until the lye is completely dissolved. This process should take a few minutes.
Add the lye water to the oils:
Pour the lye water into the oil and stir until they are combined.
Mix until it thickens:
At this point, you will require to start stirring the mixture constantly. It will start to thicken and become difficult to stir. Keep stirring until it reaches the "trace" stage.
Add essential oils:
Once the soap has reached trace, add your choice of essential oil(s). Stir until they are evenly distributed.
Pour into molds:
Now is the time to pour your soap mixture into molds. You can use any mold, but it's a good idea to use something that will hold its shape.
Let the soap cure:
When you've finished mixing your soap mixture, place it in molds. Let them sit for 24 hours. This allows any excess lye water to evaporate and helps the bars harden up so they can be removed from their molds.
Remove from the mold:
After 24 hours, remove your soap bars from their molds and cut them into individual bars. Be sure to wear safety gear (gloves and goggles) when doing this! The lye water may still be caustic at this point if it hasn't completely evaporated yet.
Let facial soaps cure for at least four weeks:
After cutting your bars, leave them out to cure for at least four weeks. This waiting time allows excess moisture to evaporate and helps the soap harden up, lasting longer when in use.
Facial soaps for sensitive skin:
People who have sensitive skin or are fragrance sensitive can use alternate ingredients for their soap. When Homemade soap makers create soaps, they also think about different skin types. You can also customize your soap according to your need.
Many recipes for sensitive skin facial soaps don't use lye. In addition, you also try making unscented soap without any essential oil or fragrance oil if you are fragrance sensitive.
There are some other alternatives for facial soaps:
- Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a great additive to make it gentle and helps with skin irritations.
- Goat Milk: Goat milk has a high pH and is packed with nutrients beneficial for the skin. It also includes lactic acid, which helps to remove dead skin cells and rejuvenate the new ones.
- Honey: Honey has antibacterial properties and helps to soothe and heal the skin.
- Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is a natural healer and helps soothe sunburns, irritated skin, and bug bites.
- Almonds: Almonds are a natural exfoliant and help remove dead skin cells.
Facial soaps for dry skin:
Dry skin needs a facial soap that will not strip away the natural oils from your skin. It also needs ingredients that will help add moisture back into your skin. People who suffer from dry skin, eczema, and psoriasis may benefit from homemade facial soaps by adding more fats or oil to their soaps.
Natural ingredients and natural oil bases are rich in fatty acids, like olive oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and shea butter, which pamper dry or mixed skin.
There are some options for making facial soaps for dry skin.
- Avocado Oil: Avocado oil has many great benefits to your skin, including anti-aging properties, reducing inflammation, and being a great moisturizer.
- Shea Butter: Shea butter helps to rehydrate the skin, so it is a great additive for facial soaps.
- Castor oil: Castor oil is a moisture drawing agent with anti-aging properties and can help reduce inflammation.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is a super moisturizer for dry skin and can help to prevent wrinkles.
- Coconut oil: Coconut oil has surprising moisturizing properties for dry skin and helps to reduce inflammation.
- Glycerin: Glycerin is a great humectant that draws moisture to the skin and helps it stay hydrated.
It's important to remember that dry skin is a permanent condition. You can manage the symptoms with moisturizers, but you won't cure them without medical treatment permanently. You can cure it with natural ingredients and homemade facial soap. By adding more fatty oils or kinds of butter to your soap, you can help to add moisture back into your skin.
Tip: Milk soaps, especially goat milk soap, are also good for dry skin. It has a high level of cholesterol and fatty acid, which absorb in dry skin and maintain fats and water levels in the skin. They are also gentle on the skin and do not strip natural oils.
FAQ's related to homemade facial soaps
Hopefully, this article answered some of your queries about homemade facial soaps. Please feel free to ask in the comments section below if you still have questions.
Why do handmade soaps melt faster during use?
Like many other things, handmade soap has a shelf life, just like other skincare products. Handmade soap is made with natural ingredients, deteriorating more rapidly than commercially produced products containing preservatives and synthetic ingredients.
The longer your handmade bar of soap sits on the counter or in the shower, the more difficult it will become and the longer it will last.
Handmade soap is not made with preservatives or other chemicals that give commercial soaps a lifespan of several years. Most soap has a shelf life of about one year, but if you're using natural ingredients in your soap, then the chances are that you won't be able to use it for more than a year. It's better to put soap in a soap dish that allows the water to drain out.
Why doesn't my handmade soap lather?
If your handmade soap doesn't lather, there are a few reasons why. First of all, it might be because you're using too much soap or not enough water. Try adding more water and less soap to your recipe if this is the scenario.
If you've tried both of those methods and still aren't getting any lather from your handmade soap, then it might be because of the ingredients you're using. Some ingredients, like oatmeal, don't lather well. Try using a different base oil or kinds of butter.
Can you put on some light on the melt and pour process?
The melt and pour process is one of the easiest ways to make soap. It's a practical way for beginners to get their feet wet, but it can also be used by more experienced soapmakers who don't want the hassle of making cold process soap. The bright side of the melt and pour process is that you don't have to deal with lye, which can be dangerous if mishandled.
The melt and pour process is about melting the soap base in a microwave with 30 second intervals and stirring it until its liquidy state, then use silicone mold to make soap and leave it out for a couple of hours or overnight. Once your soap has hardened, you can pop them out of the mold and enjoy!
It's important to remember that melt and pour soap is not a substitute for cold process soap. It's better to use it in combination with your handmade soaps or as a base for creating other products like bath bombs and scrubs.
Many bath accessories shops are selling handmade soap. How can I differentiate between handmade and commercially produced soap?
Commercially produced soaps are usually made with synthetic detergents that have been pH balanced to be mild and gentle on the skin. On the other hand, Handmade soaps are made with natural ingredients that vary in pH level. This means that some handmade soaps might be more alkaline or acidic than commercial soap, which could cause skin irritation.
Another way to tell if a bar of soap is handmade is to look at the ingredients list. Handmade soap is usually made with simple, natural ingredients like oils, kinds of butter, and herbs. If you noticed a long list of chemicals on the back of a bar of soap, it's most likely not handmade.
The best way to tell if a bar of soap is handmade or not is to ask the seller. They should tell you how their soap is made and what ingredients are used. If they can't answer these questions, then the chances are that the bars aren't really handmade at all!
How do you keep the soap fluid after heating while working with the design?
One way to keep your soap fluid is to add a small amount of glycerin. This will help the soap to stay melted and easy to work with. Another option is to use a double boiler. It helps keep the soap warm but not too hot. The last option is to use a slow cooker on low heat or warm a plate.
The key here is to have time with your creation before it hardens up and becomes un-moldable. It's important to keep an eye that all types of soap will eventually cool off and harden once melted down.
EndNote:
Soapmaking is a great way to get into the DIY beauty scene. It's a fun, creative process that can be rewarding both artistically and practically. Not only will you have beautiful bars of soap to use yourself, but you'll also know that they're made with ingredients that are good for your skin and the environment. So go ahead and give it a try!
