-Soap Oils

Ever wonder just what is in a good, handcrafted bar of soap? Well, lots of good things of course! Lol But the simple fact of the matter is, all soap is fat + lye. Remember that fats are oils, both solid and liquid. It is the type of fat, or fats, and the additives that set each handmade soap apart. I keep stressing "handmade" because most any soap that you buy from a big box store is going to be a syndant bar, a detergent bar, in other words, a made with synthetics bar. Just check out the ingredients.  Commercially made soaps are more harsh, using less fats and removing or harvesting the natural glycerin that is a byproduct of soap production.  
Anyway, there are not just one or two oils to choose from to make soap, and there are certainly not just one or two oils that are good for using in the soap. We jokingly say "too many oils, too little time", yet to most Soapers this is really not a joke. We are constantly experimenting and reformulating, striving for that perfect combination of oils. The problem is, there is not just ONE perfect combination, rather, there are many! So we find our favorites and stick to them, until we find new favorites. But I digress again....


So how do soap makers decide which oils to use? Certainly each Artisan has their personal favorites, for a myriad of reasons, I am sure. While availability and cost must factor in, hopefully there is an understanding of the oil's properties, as well as an understanding of how those properties will enhance the soap and benefit the user.  So here are just a few of the fats that are commonly used in soaping. Well, I say commonly, but I should have said, that I commonly use in soaping.  



Apricot Kernel Oil (Prunus armeniaca) – is expressed from apricot kernels. It is known for its ability to penetrate the skin easily, leaving it soft and smooth. It is a very lightweight emollient, high in oleic and linoleic acids. It’s also high in minerals,  as well as vitamins A and  E. It's gentle enough for a baby, and it is very similar, both in how it feels, and in its properties, to sweet almond oil, to which many are allergic to. 


Avocado Oil (Persea americana) – This oil comes from....yep, you guessed it, the pulp, of the fruit, of the avocado tree. It is categorized as a vegetable oil, but the avocado is really a fruit since it has a stone. It is a great oil (and fruit), rich in protein, vitamins A, D and E, as well as lecithin and potassium. It is highly  moisturizing, and studies have actually indicated that this oil increases the collagen in the skin, which makes this a great oil for any skin, especially for aging skin. It is also purported to relieve the itching and dryness of psoriasis and eczema, as well as reduce age spots, alleviate scars and sun damage. 


Babassu Oil (Orbignya Oleifera (babassu) seed oil) is a solid, white fat, that melts when it touches the skin. In fact, it actually draws heat from the skin in order to initiate the melting. The resulting heat transfer produces a cooling effect on the skin as well. And the Babassu oil forms a protective, soothing coating when its applied. It leaves the skin with a very pleasant, velvety feeling, and has been used for centuries to soothe dry skin. 
This oil is cold pressed from the fruit kernels of the Babassu palm, which is native to the southeastern Amazon region of Brazil. It is ultra-refined without chemicals, and is a superior emollient. It is beneficial for both dry and oily complexions, and gently moisturizes the skin without contributing to an oily sheen. It's properties make it especially suitable for eczema, itchy, dry and inflamed skin. It contains about 70% lipids (fats), glycosides, vitamins and minerals, and it creates a nice, mild soap with good lather. This oil is a bit on the pricier side, but I really feel it is worth it! 

Besides that, the tree that bears the fruit used to make this oil is highly sustainable and quite beneficial. The fruit is used to produce products such as medicines, beauty aids, and beverages. The seeds contain the oil, which is used for cooking, as well as soap making. The leaves of the tree are used to provide thatch for houses, and woven into mats for constructing house walls. The stems are even used for timbers. Natives make use of every part of this tree, as well as benefiting from the exporting and sale of the oil.

Caster Oil (Ricinus communis) comes from the castor bean plant. I use cold pressed castor oil in almost all of my soaps. It is a humecant, meaning that it actually attracts and pulls moisture to the skin. Castor oil is a skin softener and emollient. It is great for many skin conditions, including psoriasis. When added to soap, it helps to create a nice, bubbly soap lather. Almost every bar of soap that I make has castor oil in it, it just adds so much! 

Coconut oil  (Cocos nucifera) is an oil that is not only in almost every bar of soap that I make, but is in most every bar that everyone makes. Why? It produces a nice, hard, bubbly bar of soap. Coconut will bubble and lather in the hardest of water, and has been used for centuries as a cleanser. But it is also, in the correct proportions, very moisturizing. Coconut oil presents as a solid, but melts as it is warmed by the skin.  

Hemp Seed Oil (Cannabis sativa) has a high amount of essential fatty acids, and is considered a wonderful healing oil for all skin types. It is a very emollient, nourishing, balancing and restorative oil, so it is great for all skin conditions, even the most severe. Many studies have been done on this oil and all report great results. This is not the same cannabis variety that produces marijuana. This plant has so little THC that, even if you grew it, rolled it and smoked it, you would not get high. So don't worry about its use. It is even gentle enough for a baby! For more in depth info on hemp seed oil, check out this past post, as well as this one, from my exotic oil series.

Olive Oil (olea Europaea (olive) oil) is another oil that is in almost every bar of soap made. In fact, some soap has nothing else with it, Castile Soap, and some has just another oil or two with it, Bastile Soap. Why? Olive oil is exceptionally mild. In fact, it is almost always chosen for baby soaps and soaps for sensitive skin. While it doesn't really produce much in the way of bubbles, it does have a nice, rich, albeit maybe a bit slimy lather. Used alone, this soap may take some getting used to. But as a part of a base, this is considered the king of soaping oils. Not only is it a humecant, attracting moisture to the skin, but at the same time, this oil allows your skin to breathe, as well as preventing it from losing  its natural moisture. Olive oil keeps the skin soft and supple, and is very emollient. This is a wonderful oil for many skin conditions and is a good for infants to elders.

Of course these are but a few of the oils available, and are not even all of the oils that I regularly use. But these are my top "go to" oils. For more oil information, check out my Exotic Oils series from about this time last year. You can start with Babassu oil (3-1-11), and find about two a week, sometimes more, through the 5-27-11 Wheat Germ oil post.   

Make it Yourself Monday- Bath Butter

What melts in bath water, smells terrific, and moisturizes your skin like nobody's business? Bath Butter, that's what! What is bath butter? Think of a cross between a bath oil and a body moisturizer and you will be close to this tantalizing and exotic treatment.

To make, you will need;
1   cup regular or deodorized cocoa butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
2 teaspoons olive oil
6-12 drops essential oil(s) of choice

The choice of deodorized or regular cocoa butter is yours to make, but keep in mind the EO(s) that you want to use, and how they will blend with the scent of the cocoa butter that you choose. Once decided, melt the cocoa butter in a double boiler on the stove. Then add the coconut oil. When they are melted, add the almond and the olive oils, stir, remove from the heat and add the essential oil(s). Blend well and when it begins to cool, after about 4-5 minutes or so, pour it into the jar or tin of your choice. Then set aside and allow to completely set up. You can place it in the refrigerator to help it set up faster if you choose. This recipe has a shelf life of at least 6 months, but care must be taken to keep water from coming in contact with the product. If water is introduced, the nasties will begin to grow and your product will be ruined, possibly within days of the contamination. So make sure to use a spoon to scoop it out of the jar and into the tub. If the spoon comes in contact with the water, don't place it back in the jar! How much should you use? That's up to you! Start out with one heaping teaspoon and add another one or two, or even three if you want! Just be very careful when getting in and out of the tub, as this will make the tub slippery! The butter should be, will be, firm in the container, but will melt in the warmth of the bath water. So sit back, soak, and relax as you treat yourself to this wonderful moisturizing treatment!

Make It Yourself Monday-Tropical Mask

Bromelain is a protein digestive enzyme that helps the skin to get rid of dead cells and dirt. It also helps counteract histamines and even has anti-inflammatory properties. Why am I telling you this? Because you can find bromelain in pineapple! And, on top of all that, pineapple is also a mild astringent and skin freshener. Then, if you add some nice, healing, high in vitamin E olive oil to your pineapple, you have the makings of a great, natural skin mask! Now, for the best, skin-loving mask, you will want to make sure that you use a good quality, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, but yes, the kind you find in your local grocery store will work just fine. Do, however, check the label carefully and make sure that it is ALL olive oil. There are quite a few very deceptive labels out there that lead you to think you are getting all olive oil, when in fact, when you read the ingredients label (the small print), you will see other oils mixed in! 


Once you have your olive oil and some pineapple, all you need to do is to add about 4 large pineapple chunks (or 1/2 a can of drained pineapple) and 3 Tablespoons of olive oil into your blender. Blend until almost smooth, then apply the mixture to your face and neck with your fingers. Leave it on for about 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water, pat dry, and moisturize as normal! 

Make It Yourself Monday - Winter Hair Conditioner

I hope that you had a relaxing weekend, and are prepared for the week!  Since it is Monday, it's time to make something! The dogs benefited last week, so this week we are going to move back to treating ourselves.
We all know that the winter wind and cold, or for that matter, the summer sun, wind and heat, wreaks havoc on our skin. What we often times forget about though, is the impact that the weather has on our hair. Over-exposure to the elements, aka that ski trip you took after Christmas, or that tropical vacation you took to get away from the cold, can make your hair dry and brittle. Even when you don't think that your hair is in bad shape, the following treatment is great for maintenance. The best part about it? You can make it yourself!


A hair conditioner that you can quickly whip up at home combines eggs, avocado and oils, and you don't even need to have eggs on hand! Simply peel and pit one ripe avocado and mix it together with one cup of mayonnaise (mayo is simply eggs and oil). The mayo, however, should be the all natural kind. You will be able to purchase this kind of additive free mayo in your local health food store, unless you are into making your own.
Mash the avocado and the mayo in a small bowl until it is well blended, then rub it onto your head and over all your hair. Take advantage of this time by massaging the scalp as you apply. Once you have it all mixed in and slathered on, cover your head with a shower cap (or plastic wrap if you don't have a shower cap) and relax for twenty minutes as the ingredients cook into your hair. Once your time is up, rinse and shampoo as normal.


If you want to be adventuresome, while at the same time saving yourself some money, as well as a trip to the health food store, you can easily whip up some mayo yourself....although you will have to have eggs! To make a simple mayonnaise all you need to do is to slowly add olive oil to an egg yolk (some people use the whole egg), while vigorously whisking. You must whisk hard enough to disperse the oil and continue whisking so that the water from the yolk and the oil will form the base of an emulsion. The lecithin, which is in the yolk, is also an emulsifier, and it will stabilize the mixture.
For the hair this is all that is necessary, but, when making a mayo for eating, you may want to add some salt, cider vinegar, and a bit of lemon juice for taste, as well as a tad of mustard, which will sharpen the taste and  further stabilize the emulsion. Today, many people add various other herbs, such as paprika, tarragon, or red pepper, to create a designer type of mayo.  It's all up to you, your taste buds and your imagination!

*Just a mixing note; when mixing the mayo, if the liquid starts to separate and it begins to look like a curd, just start over whisking another egg yolk, then slowly, very slowly, add in the curd. Keep on whisking and  it will turn into (emulsify into)  mayonnaise. A little patience goes a long way,
.

Ingredients for Making Mayonnaise

MUCH ADO ABOUT MOISTURIZER

After a long, therapeutic soak in the tub, or even after a quick daily shower, you need to moisturize the skin. Your skin is constantly exposed to sun, wind, heat, cold, water and, if not cared for, will break down. Apply an appropriate moisturizer to your skin every day after your shower or bath. When finished bathing, never rub your skin dry, rather pat it. This avoids abrasion and allows some moisture to remain on the skin. Since it is better to apply the moisturizer while your skin is still warm and slightly damp, this works out great! Make sure that you use a moisturizer that is appropriate for your skin. That is to say, one that has ingredients that are suitable for your skin type. You may need to try several before you find one that does not feel greasy to you and will not clog your pores, but experimentation is the only way to know for sure! Rich, heavy oils are best for dry skin. Think olive oil, caster oil, hazel nut oil, and sesame oil. Lighter, finer oils or gels are better for normal to oily skin. Think sunflower oil, jojoba, sweet almond oil, apricot kernal oil, and grapeseed oil. Everyone should stay away from petroleum based and animal fat products (such as baby oil), as these are not easily absorbed by the skin and they tend to form a greasy layer on top of the skin which can cause irritation.

----MAKE YOUR OWN MOISTURIZERS---

*Dry Skin Moisturizer Recipe* 2 Tbs. grated beeswax 2 tsp. distilled water 1/2 cup cocoa butter 3 Tbs. sesame oil 2 Tbs. coconut oil 1 Tbs. olive oil Over a low heat, in a small saucepan, melt the grated bees wax with the water. Once melted, spoon in the cocoa butter and stir. Once the cocoa butter is melted, gradually add in the remaining oils, blending well. Then pour into a glass jar and allow to cool. The lotion will thicken as it cools. Once cooled, apply liberally over your body! Sesame oil is one of the few natural oils that contains sun-screening properties. Olive oil is very nourishing externally, is very lubricating, and relieves the effects of stings or burns. Coconut oil is high in vitamins, minerals, and saturated fats. Both the coconut oil and the cocoa butter coat the skin's surface with a thin layer that locks in the skin's natural moisture, effectively protecting it from nature's damaging elements. All of these ingredients combined make this recipe great for over-exposed, dried skin, even sun or wind burnt skin. *Normal to Oily Skin Body Softener* 2 Tbs. grated beeswax 1/4 cup distilled water 1/2 cup sweet almond oil OR apricot seed oil 1/4 cup rose water (see http://uniquegardenessences.blogspot.com/2008/06/step-two-to-facial-care-is-steam.html for instructions on how to make rose water yourself) 5 drops galbanum essential oil 4 drops rose essential oil Over low heat, in a small saucepan, melt the grated beeswax. After it is melted, pour it into a blender and blend on low speed. While the blender is running, pour in the sweet almond oil (or apricot seed oil if this was your choice), rose water, and essential oils. The mixture should have the consistency of frosting. Pour into a glass jar and allow to cool. This is a very thick and rich lotion, so you will not need to use very much when applying. It should remain good for 3-5 months. Galbanum is a sap from the Ferula plant from Southern Europe and parts of Africa and Asia. When applied to the skin it is a peticularly effective skin regenerator. Rose oil, which is known to heal dry skin, help with circulation, prevent scarring and fight wrinkles and broken capillaries in the skin. Mixing these two main ingredients makes this recipe especially great for face and hands care, but is also good as an all over moisturizer! *Cooling Moisturizer* 2 Tbs. grated beeswax 2 Tbs. distilled water 1/4 cup wheat germ oil 2 Tbs. whitch hazel 2 drops lemon essential oil Over a low heat, in a small saucepan, melt the grated beeswax with the water. Once melted, pour into a blender and blend on low speed. While still blending, pour in the wheat germ oil and the witch hazel. Blend until smooth, then add the essential oils, stir to mix, then pour into a jar fro storage. The recipe will thicken upon cooling. Witch hazel is very cooling and posesses cleansing properties. Wheat germ is very high in vitamin E and is a very effective antioxidant. Lemon oil adds a very cool, refreshing scent. Add these all together and you have a moisturizer perfect any time, but especially in the hot summer months! *Dry Climate (or dry skin) Moisturizer* 1/4 cup aloe vera gel 1/4 cup cocoa butter (may sub 1/8c shea butter and 1/8c cocoa butter if desired) 1 Tbs. olive oil 4 drops essential oil (your choice of lavender, rose, chamomile) Over a low heat, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and the olive together. Once melted, remove from the heat and add the aloe gel and essential oil. Stir to mix well for at least a full minute or two, then pour into a jar for storage. The shelf life on this mixture is 3-6 months.