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Welcome to Skinsations Handmade Soap and Bath Products! I first tried soap casting, or glycerin soap making in 1999 as a rainy day project with my young son. I have always loved scented soaps and bath products, but have sensitive skin and often had allergic reactions. I also was wary of the list of unpronounceable ingredients on most of the products offered in stores. I found that I could use handmade soaps and glycerin soap without any problems. Q. What is soap? A. Chemically speaking, soap is the sodium (or potassium) salt of a fatty acid. When a fatty acid (fats such as tallow or live oil), is mixed with an alkali (a substance that corrodes, such as lye) the fat splits into 2 parts- fatty acid and glycerin. The sodium part of the lye joins with the fatty acid to become soap. This process is known as saponification. Simply put~ Oils + Lye = Soap. You can not make soap (of any kind) without lye (sodium hydroxide) or potassium hydroxide (used to make liquid soaps). However, once the chemical reaction takes place the lye is no longer present in its alkaline form. As a matter of fact, it has now turned into something very pleasant and wonderful.
History of soap: Soap making can be traced back to as early as 2800 B.C.. The first evidence of commercial soap making can be found in ancient Rome. The ancient Celts also were know for making soap. This early soap was likely made from goat tallow and wood causticized wood ash and was used mainly for cleaning textiles such as wool and cotton. While public baths were popular in Rome, soap was not used for personal cleansing. During the Dark Ages, the making and use of soap fell off drastically and wasn't fully revived until around the 13th Century when France joined Italy and Spain in the production of soap. Due to its availability olive oils were used in the southern regions while to the north, beef tallow was more commonly used. Colonists in the New World found it easier to make their own soap than to have it imported. Soap was usually made once a year at butchering time to utilize the animal fats and ashes that had been gathered from the hearth. This soap was generally a very soft soap, stored in barrels. Lye was made by running rain water through wood ash and was tested by dropping an egg in. Depending on if the egg sank or floated indicated whether or not the lye was strong enough or too strong. It was difficult to get good results and this soap was often very harsh. Salt was a rare and expensive commodity, but if available could be added to the soap to make it harder. Since then, soap making has evolved. Instead of wood ash, we have sodium hydroxide (lye) or potassium hydroxide (used to make liquid soap) and have formulas that tell us the proper ratios of oils to lye to get consistent results. We also have a wider variety of oils and fats, as well as exotic butters to choose from. Most commercially made soaps today are actually detergents, or petroleum based rather than animal or vegetable based.
Skinsations Soap uses only the highest quality ingredients in all of our products. Our handmade soaps are ecologically friendly and do not contain any harsh, unpronounceable chemicals. We use food grade vegetable oils, plant essential oils and top quality cosmetic grade fragrance oils. We use a variety of colorants including FD&C food colorings, micas, oxides, and herbs and spices.
Here are a few facts about glycerin soap:
About our ingredients: Rosemary essential oil is steam distilled from the tops of the rosemary plant and is imported from Morocco. It has a lovely aroma. It is stimulating and is used to energize, brighten mood, and for improving memory. It is antiseptic and is used to help with headaches. Lavender essential oil is steam distilled and is imported from France. It is used to relieve headaches and stress and to promote sleep. It is highly antiseptic, and can be used directly on the skin to treat burns and minor wounds. Combined with rosemary it makes an effective soap for treating blemished skin. Tea Tree essential oil is steam distilled from the Tea tree native to Australia. It is highly antiseptic but gentle enough to be used directly on the skin. It is anti-bacterial and fights viruses and fungi. It is good for acne, oily skin and for relieving inflammation. Tea tree oil is also used to treat athlete's foot and makes a good deodorant soap. Honey is a natural emollient, which means it softens and smoothes. Goats milk is very moisturizing. (Cleopatra was fond of milk baths to keep her skin soft) Oatmeal is soothing as well as being a gentle exfoliant. Cocoa butter comes from the seed of the Cacao tree, it is known to stay on the surface of the skin to help protect and lock in moisture. Shea butter comes from the fruit of the Karite tree, and is one of the best butters for dry, cracked skin. It helps to heal scars, eczema, as well as revitalizing skin, protecting from aging and providing a slight natural sun protection Olive oil contains nutrients which help keep skin moist and is exceptionally mild to the skin. Castor oil acts as a humectant, draws moisture to the skin and produces a rich bubbly lather Coconut oil is the only oil that lathers in any type of water. If used in the right percentage in a recipe, coconut oil is moisturizing and makes lots of fluffy lather Read an interesting article on the FDA website pertaining to soap. See our Soapmaker Resources
for additional information. Q. What is your handmade glycerin soap made out of? A. I use the most "natural" soap base available. Our soap base contains the following ingredients: Saponified vegetable oils, vegetable glycerin, purified water, sorbital (a natural humectant derived from fruits and berries), aloe vera and propolyene glycol (a common ingredient in cosmetics, it penetrates the skin and promotes retention of water)..
Q. Do you make these yourself? A. All of our soaps and bath products are made by hand right in my own kitchen. While I do make loaf soap upon request, the majority of my soaps are individually hand cast. No two are alike. I usually make very small batches, often with the help of my son who likes to weigh and measure for me. Q. My glycerin soap gets beads of sweat and becomes slippery to the touch. What causes this? A. This is caused when the soap draws moisture from the air and it gathers on the surface of the bar. This occurs when humidity is high. It is harmless, and means that the glycerin is doing its job. Simply rinse it off. Q. Where are you located? A. We are located in Muskegon, Michigan.
*Comments from our Customers* *** "...I LOVE it! The scent has held while
the soap has gotten smaller without being overpowering in the beginning...
but best of all was the way it lathered. I've had a lot of fancy
soaps, and some are hard as rocks and about as lathering. This soap
lathered beautifully each and every time I used it, sending fragrant
bubbles all over my hands..." ***"Got the soap today. I gotta tell you your
soap is awesome." ***"I keep meaning to write to let you know
how much I enjoy my soaps! ...Anyway, they smell great, the lather
is incredible, and I've even been using it instead of shaving cream
(great $$ saver). Thanks again! You are fantastic!" *** "Once again...you're soap is wonderful...DH's(=dear
husband) first thought was--"You gonna cut that up tonight??"
when it came! *g* The one thing he doesn't get mad about when I
order online! *g*" |
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