photo by ghbrett
Are you drawn to commercial soap products for their persuasive claims and lovely models of the nourishing benefits to your skin, yet the opposite is happening? Do you feel desperate for not being able to find a soap that naturally cares for your skin rather than strip it of moisture causing dry spells? You’re not alone in this struggle.
Many individuals, groups, and organization today are in the craft of soap making after reports of the adverse effects of synthetic chemicals used in commercial soaps are reaching consumers. Besides that, many consumers are searching for all-natural pure soap that doesn’t leave any residue on the skin and doesn’t cause it to dry.
Natural handmade soap contains natural oils and herbs making it a great alternative to commercial soap products in the market. However, bear in mind that not because they’re handmade doesn’t mean they don’t contain some of the synthetic products you wanted to avoid in the first place. Thus, your scrutiny is also required when choosing a handmade soap especially that the US FDA does not strictly regulate herbal products.
Selecting a handmade soap
One thing is certain when it comes to handmade soap – there are hundreds of products to choose that can sometimes lead you into indecision. The handmade soap industry accounts this popularity to the growing number of evidence against commercial soaps. Thus, handmade soaps are no longer just available in specialty beauty shops but they are widely available on the Internet, by mail order, and in department stores.
Handmade soap formulations vary upon the manufacturer’s preference and concept of handmade soap. To guide you, here are a few things to consider when buying handmade soap:
1. Look for soap products made from a blend of vegetable oils like coconut, vegetable, peanut, sunflower, palm, and palm kernel. These are but a few of the popular vegetable oils used in the industry today. Olive oil contributes to the quality of a handmade soap. If you have oily skin, avoid a handmade soap that contains high amounts of coconut oil since it can leave it dry.
2. Handmade soap with no animal fats or tallow is most preferred. Tallow has comedogenic properties that tend to remain on the skin as if creating its own barrier. Animal fats include bees wax, tallow, lard, lanolin, honey, and milk.
3. Check for additional natural ingredients such as cocoa butter, shea butter, vitamin E, and Aloe Vera along with other organic herbs and spices. If you want a handmade soap with exfoliating abilities, select those that include oatmeal, ground almond, cinnamon, and corn meal.
Fortunately, the rising popularity of handmade soap has provided consumers with an excellent alternative indeed and healthier skin in the future.
Do you want to know how to make vegan soap? This vegetable-based vegan soap recipe is very easy to make and yields a delicious, cruelty-free soap that you will love.
Soap recipes using lard are among the best for beginners, because it’s sold in grocery stores and is very cheap. When the recipe contains only Lard, Lye, water, FO or EO, with no other oils, it makes a hard, white bar of soap with lots of bubbles. This helps you achieve that much needed sense of accomplishment before proceeding on to more complicated and expensive recipes.
On the internet you can get hundreds of soap recipes with a few clicks, but sometimes a simple, foolproof soap recipe for beginners can be hard to find.
