Aloe Vera Soap Recipe

July 31, 2010 By
Aloe Vera Soap Recipe

Aloe Vera Soap RecipeAloe Vera is the most prestigious herb used for skin care. It contains almost 20 amino acids, minerals like calcium, magnesium and sodium in sufficient quantities, enzymes, vitamins, polysaccharides, nitrogen and other components that make it a miracle beauty herb.

If anyone would like to try this recipe for Aloe soap:

  • 425 g coconutoil
  • 382 g oliveoil
  • 298 g lard
  • 71 g sheabutter
  • 272 g aloegel and water purée (add water to the aloe till you reach 272 g total)
  • 191 g NaOH
  • 283 g water

For scent I used 10 g cucumber from MacSoapy, 5 ml Hagebutte Malve and 5 ml Palma Rosa. No colour was added. Mix oils and caustic well and pour in the aloegel and water purée along with the scents BEFORE trace. I cut the soap after 24 hours.

Note: If you use aloe from your own plant – be sure to harvest only the clear gel from the leaves!!

Benefits Of Aloe Vera Soap

Aloe vera soap is one of the best things you can do for your skin.  The aloe plant has long been revered as a medicine for various skin ailments ranging from dryness to burns.  It has even been suggested by many doctors as an alternative treatment for those suffering from internal issues such as arthritis, interestingly enough. Even in situations like this, aloe vera is said to be of help because a topical application sees it penetrating the skin and reaching the ailing area, providing relief from the pain.

Aloe vera has also been said to have promise in fighting off the onset of alopecia in men.  Alopecia is the medical term for balding, and a lot of men worry about it constantly.  This is actually one reason aloe vera does not only show up in soaps but also in shampoos.  Furthermore, the powerful moisturising properties of the plant’s sap help to prevent the skin, scalp, and hair from drying out.  This is one of the best reasons to use aloe vera soap, as a matter of fact: for its richly emollient, moisturising properties.  It can help to make your skin look and feel suppler and younger.

Aloe vera soap can truly be used for a lot of things.  Many studies have also shown that aloe vera can help to speed up healing for cases such as burns.  This is why some cultures actually apply the sap from the plant to scrapes or burns on the skin, in an effort to help the wound heal without a scar.  There are also cultures where it is used to prevent itchiness from allergies, rashes, insect bites, and the like.

Essentially, aloe vera soap can benefit you a great deal due to its many beneficial qualities.  In addition to the ones already mentioned above, aloe vera is also known to be a strong detoxifier, thus helping you clear away all possible substances that could add to the aging of your appearance.  It is also a proven antibacterial substance, so you can be sure that your body is being properly cleansed aside from being properly soothed when you use it.

Filed Under: Homemade Soap Recipes Tagged With: 20 Amino Acids, aloe soap recipe, Aloe Vera, aloe vera soap recipe, Calcium Magnesium, Coconutoil, Cucumber, Enzymes, how to make aloe soap, how to make aloe vera soap, Lard, Malve, Minerals, Miracle, Ml, Nitrogen, Palma Rosa, Quantities, Scents, Sheabutter, Skin Care, Soap Recipe, Sodium, Vitamins

How to Make a Homemade Lye Soap

May 10, 2010 By
Homemade Lye Soap
Homemade Lye Soap

photo by INeedCoffee / CoffeeHero

It is very easy to do your own homemade lye soap. You do not really need special ingredients because everything that you need can be found at your nearest grocery store.

For your basic homemade lye soap, all you need is a combination of fat and lye with water for the catalyst. For a more luxurious soap, you can add aromatherapy or scented oils and dyes for cool colors. Some people use tap water while some use distilled or rainwater.

Lye (sodium hydroxide) is a chemical used in soaps that can cause skin burns so it is very important to be careful when using it. Before using it, be sure to read the instructions and then follow them carefully.

When making homemade lye soap, you may want to use a lye calculator to be sure that you are using the right amount of lye on your soap. The amount of lye that you will use depends on the type of fat or oil that you are going to use.

To begin with your homemade lye soap put the lye in a bowl of water. Take note: pour the water first and then lye and not vice versa. It is better if your water has ice in it. Continuously stir the soap mix and be aware of the reaction that will occur. Lye causes the water to boil. Stop stirring and wait for the simmering to stop. After the bubbling stops, let the soap base mix cool down under room temperature.

You can use whatever type of oil that can be used for making soap. Oils can come from plants, vegetables or from hydrogenated oils to animal fats. If you are going to use animal fat, just make sure that it is clean, fresh, contains no salt and has no solid and rough particles. The advantage of using animal fats (lard or tallow) is that is makes soap denser compared to plant oils. What is good about using plant oils from coconuts is that the soap will produce creamy lather while olive oil gives out silky, fine bubbles that are gentle to the skin.

The reaction between the animal fat and lye is called “saponification”. It may take more time to reach trace (the joining of lye and oils). Once it reaches trace you can now add both coloring and scented oils. Afterwards, pour the soap base mix in the mold and let it cool down until it solidifies. Let your homemade lye soap cure for two to three days and let it completely dry for best results.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Animal Fat, Animal Fats, Coconuts, Creamy Lather, Dyes, Grocery Store, Homemade Lye Soap, Homemade Soap, Hydrogenated Oils, Lard, Luxurious Soap, Lye Calculator, Plant Oils, Rainwater, Scented Oils, Skin Burns, Soap Base, Soap Oils, Sodium Hydroxide, Tallow