Why Handcrafted Soap, anyway?
March 10, 2009 by admin
Filed under Blog, Fullearths, handcrafted soap, health, skin care, skincare
We all know that taking care of our skin is important. (if you didn’t know, now you know!) It is the only skin you’ll ever have. You determine how well it will look now, and have some control over how it will look in the future. You want to be certain that the products you use to care for your skin are the best possible thing for your skin.
There are SO very many “Bath Bars” and “Beauty bars” sold over the counter. The advertisers lead you to believe that the only reason these products are not called soap, is because they add moisturizers to them. In actuality, they are not called soap because legally they are NOT soap. What exactly is soap? Taken from the FDA website:
“How FDA defines “soap”
Not every product marketed as soap meets FDA’s definition of the term. FDA interprets the term “soap” to apply only when –
- The bulk of the nonvolatile matter in the product consists of an alkali salt of fatty acids and the product’s detergent properties are due to the alkali-fatty acid compounds, and
- The product is labeled, sold, and represented solely as soap [21 CFR 701.20].”
In other words, a soap is made when a catalyst salt ( ie. Sodium Hydroxide [LYE] ) and fats (oils and butters of any kind) are combined, to bring about a chemical reaction to leave behind a cleansing agent, glycerine and none of the original catalyst. The process is called saponification, and the FDA will only recognize a “bar” as soap if it is made in this manner, and if the cleansing properties of that bar come from the compounds left behind by the saponified fats.
Because most bath bars are made with added synthetic detergents, they cannot be labeled as “soap”. And a natural by-product of the soap making process – glycerine – is also extracted from these bars and sold to cosmetic companies to be added to lotions and other moisturizers. If that weren’t enough, these products are often filled with harsh chemicals, parabens and other mysterious ingredients that you would not want to put on your skin if you really understood what they were. And since our skin is our largest organ, all of these chemicals are absorbed directly into the blood stream to be distributed throughout your body. Honestly, you may be better off eating them, then putting them on your skin!
Homemade soap is a natural product, made the traditional way, with no added chemicals or ingredients that can be harsh to your skin. There are extra gentle and mild options for those who experience sensitivities and allergies. Options that truly DO NOT CAUSE the reactions, instead of just masking the reactions. Glycerine is left in place, to naturally hydrate the skin after bathing. Handcrafted soap is almost always made in small batches, making it possible to use skin loving, natural, wholesome ingredients that are beneficial to your skin – inside and out! And you won’t have to worry about introducing carcinogens, like Parabens directly into yours or your family’s bodies through your skin.
Besides that, Handcrafted soap is PURE luxury!! Luxurious ingredients make handcrafted soaps and bath items well worth making them part of your everyday life. Think of the possibilities when you bathe daily with things like cocoa, mango, shea and avocado butters; olive, coconut and sweet almond oils; alluring scents from life giving essential oils like sweet orange, lime, lavender, geranium, eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils; and pampering natural additives like rose petals, lavender buds, calendula petals, red & white clays and root powders.
Here’s a little gift for you! Try this simple recipe, enjoy a luxurious bath tonight, and see what your skin tells you:
Cleopatra’s Bath Milk
2 cups powdered milk
1 Tablespoon Jojoba or Sweet Almond Oil
2 Tablespoons dried rose petals (can be obtained at large health food stores)
1/2 cup ground oatmeal (grind oats finely in your blender)
10 drops lavender essential oil or other favorite oil
Mix all ingredients well and keep in a glass jar in the refrigerator. To use, put as much as you like into your bath under running water.
enjoy!
naturally. it’s all about skin.
