Newest Creations

Here's my latest soap... Citrus Sunrise. Scented with papaya, dragonfruit, mango, coconut, and tangerine. Yummy! The designs are stamped, then hand-painted using bath & body safe metallic colorants. I'll have these up for sale in my Etsy shop sometime today.

Oops!!

I apologize for neglecting the blog recently, but I've been making soap by the pounds! I also have to say that I'm not the best photographer, so please forgive the ugly pics... and the ugly soap :-)

So today's subject is... OOPS!! Yes, it happens, even to the most experienced soap makers. It's sometimes avoidable and sometimes not. The smallest mistake can make a world of difference! For example, below you'll see what I think is a beautiful bar of soap. But... OOPS! I wanted the white portion very white, so I added TD, but if you can see the tiny white spots, you'll notice that I didn't mix it very well. I used Acai Berry FO for the first time in CP and it accelerated trace, so I had to speed things up. So now I have TD spotted soap that I can't sell. Click the pic for a better view of my lovely spots. I made 3 pounds, so I have (12) 4oz. bars of OOPS...

I usually use birch wood molds with slip line. However, I found the best silicone mold and had to have it! So I ordered it and waited very impatiently for my 2-3 day FedEx order to arrive... and it did... 10 days later. This always irks me when I order from a company and pay a small fortune for FedEx (because it's the only method they offer) and they wait 6 days to ship it out. Hmmm.... why would I want 2-3 day FedEx shipping if it's gonna take 10 days to get to me?? Sorry for the rant, but I was a a little fumed. Patience is not one of my virtues to begin with. Anyway, rant over... on to my next moment of dismay. 

The silicone mold arrived, and being my impatient self, I went to work on a new batch. This one is what I call one of my "natural" bars, which really just means I use essential oils, herbs, spices, etc. instead of synthetic fragrance oils. So I made this batch up and it was gonna be good! I used lemon and orange essential oils, added some powdered concentrated lemon juice, and dried organic lemon and orange peels (I didn't dry them - again... no patience) that I purchased from my oh-so-awesome herb supplier. I made the batch with organic palm, jojoba, sweet almond, walnut, coconut, castor, soybean, and cottonseed oil. This was gonna be the best soap EVER!

I've never used silicone for CP before, so I assumed I needed to insulate it well. I took the slip line dividers out of my super-sweet birch flat mold and, holy smokes, the silicone mold fit like it was meant for it! I was ecstatic! I poured my soap in carefully because this mold has separate cavities for each bar to prevent having to cut... an idea I absolutely love due to being challenged when it comes to cutting straight - even with a mitre cutter box. I know... wth?  Anyway, I got the cavities filled and put the wooden lid on top. For some reason I still thought I needed to insulate the mold, so I tucked it in with care using my little wool soap throw.

Then I (im)patiently waited 12 hours to make sure it gelled well and had time to set up and cool a little. I took the cover off, just to take a quick peek, and there sat my soap.... swimming in oil! I took the silicone mold out, set out some paper towels, and began the process of mopping oil from each bar. After taking out the first bar, I noticed it was pocked. I knew right away that it had overheated... OOPS! I was sad. 

After mopping off the oil, I sat them on the curing rack (because I don't have enough OOPS bars on hand, ya know). The next day, all of the oil had dried out and the pocked look started to grow on me. I mean, how often do you see soap like this? It's been a couple weeks now and I'm actually considering doing it again! If I left out the lemon and orange peels, it would look just like Rice Krispie Treats! Yep, even though I like the way they look, they are still the dreaded screw-up OOPS bars.

These are just two ways to mess up your soap. Not fully dissolving colorants and temperature issues. There are so many ways to make OOPS soap and not all of them are under your control. For example, high humidity, temperature of the room its in, partial gels, DOS (dreaded orange spots), colors that are not supposed to bleed bleeding, fragrance oils accelerating trace, seizing, or discoloring. I'm the worst at not testing my oils - I jump in and make a full batch without having any idea how it will act.  Note to self: I should probably stop doing this.

The thing to remember is that most soap mistakes are cosmetic. Now if you have lye pockets in your soap, then there's a real problem. If it zaps, zips, or zings... DON'T USE IT. But if it's just ugly soap, it's probably still good soap. You can always rebatch, which I don't like to do, but it does save it. I prefer to save my OOPS bars by felting... but I'll save that post for another day.

About My Soap

I'd like to point out a few things about my soap that I think you should know if you intend to use it.

Every product that I gift or sell will have the ingredients listed right on the packaging. This not only follows FDA rules, but it's also important for anyone with allergies. You can always trust that if an ingredient is listed on my packaging, it's in there! I mention this because, unfortunately, there are some shady people that are only interested in making a buck. They will list an ingredient, even though there's not a drop of it in their product, just to make a sale. I recently saw a person boldly state in a forum that they often do this. My thought was that if they didn't have a problem about being honest about it in a forum, then why not on their business site? Because people on the forum aren't potential customers, that's why. It really irked me! I can't run this business without profits to support it, that's true, but I'm not going to lie to get one single sale. I don't just want to sell to you once, I want you to come back for more!

I make my soap with quality ingredients. There's more than one reason for this. Not only do I think that quality is very important, but it's practically impossible to make good soap without it! Using the cheapest supplies can be a disaster in the soapmaking process and throwing batch-after-batch away because it didn't turn out is a waste of time, effort, and money. I would rather use the good stuff and have it turn out right every time. This benefits everyone. I have less problems with making it and you get a high-end product. It just works out well all the way around. The suppliers that I use for my ingredients have been chosen with care. I use reputable companies that offer excellent soap supplies and are just as concerned about the quality of their products as I am about my soap. I will never compromise when it comes to quality!

I want to touch briefly on the "organic" topic. I intend on doing an entire blog on this subject, but I still want to mention a few quick things. I've noticed that several online handmade soap companies are labeling their products as "Organic" or even go so far as to say "100% Certified Organic". So... there's that strict little regulatory agency called the FDA, and my-my are they picky! In order for an item to be FDA Certified Organic, it must undergo a very expensive laboratory testing process. In addition to this, the facility where the product is made must be inspected to verify that there's no possible cross-contamination of non-organic ingredients with organic ingredients. This is not a process that many soapmakers can afford and there are very, very few who do. Organic products have become increasingly popular in the last few years because people are more concerned about what they put in, and on, their bodies. I understand this because, to an extent, I am too. Because of this, many people are trying to use this one word (organic) as a marketing strategy. Don't get bamboozled! Even if every single ingredient I add to my soap recipe is made with 100% Certified Organic oils, the FDA still only allows me to mark it as 85% organic. The reason for this is because organic doesn't simply mean how that item was grown, but also how it was processed and made. I've seen a lot of FDA rule infringements online, but you can bet that I've done my research and will not risk the hefty fine imposed on those who are caught. I do use a few 100% Certified Organic oils, but I would never make a soap only with organic ingredients. Why? Because anything organically grown is more vulnerable to bacteria and parasites. In October 2002, the FDA undersecretary stated this himself. A month later, the Institute of Food Technologies made the statement that organics "have the potential for greater pathogen contamination". When I was in college studying nursing, I took a required nutrition course, as well as microbiology. I specifically recall learning that foods grown with animal fertilizer only (as organic foods are grown) often contain the bacteria Escherichia coli, better known as E. Coli. The reason for this is because this pathogen grows benignly in the intestines of cows. Actually, cows are the greatest reservoir of the organisms. I really don't want to use 100% Certified Organic ingredients that may contain bacteria or parasites, so I mainly use non-organic oils. When I do use organic, and sometimes I do, I make sure I soap at a higher temperature to kill any bacteria that may or may not be in the oil. Soap that I've made with organic oils or butters will be marked "made with organic ingredients" but I do this for information purposes, not as a marketing strategy. I don't want to scare you about organic items, so please keep in mind that E. Coli is only harmful to humans when ingested. I just don't want to take a chance on it being in my soap. I've traveled a little off topic here, but my point is, not everyone runs their business with honesty. While trends may be important in selling products, compromising your integrity to entice someone into purchasing from you shouldn't be common practice. Unfortunately, it often is and organic products are the current trend. You'll always know exactly what's in my soap. Nothing more, nothing less.

Now that the "organic" topic is out of the way, let's move on to the way I define and use the word "natural" in my products. I make two different types of soap. The first method utilizes synthetic fragrance oils. This is to give you scent options that aren't available with natural essential oils (i.e. strawberry, mango). Please view my "Scenting Soap" post for more information on the difference. When using fragrance oils, what I'm trying to achieve is a soap that is good for all skin types and smells really good! The oils I use vary, so some are more moisturizing than others, some are better for mature skin, etc. I don't always make a fragrant soap that works well for all skin types, but that is my general goal, and if there are any variations, this is noted in the description of the soap. The second method utilizes natural essential oils. These are oils that are derived directly from natural plants. The purpose of using these oils is that not everyone wants synthetics in their products. Although essential oils also have therapeutic uses, marketing soap with essential oils for healing would mean that the FDA would then consider my product a "drug" rather than soap. So I mainly use them because they aren't synthetic, they're less likely to irritate skin, and they're nice and strong. When making my "natural soap" I also incorporate herbs, herbal teas, spices, milks, sugars, sea salt, sea algae, and other items that come directly from nature. My two favorite soap additives are goats milk and Earl Grey tea. I just like the combination and it's good for my skin. Many soaps are marketed as "natural" and that can be such an ambiguous term. I think it's important to inform my customers of how I define and use the word. Just to be clear, the soap I make with fragrance oils will be listed under the category "Fragrant Soap" and ones made with essential oils will be under "Natural Soap".

Just a note about my natural soaps and a recent question I received. I've been asked where I get my herbs and spices. I'm sure you'll understand that I'd rather not reveal my source, but I will say that I don't just grab them off the shelf in the spice section at the grocery store (this is how the question was worded). If you're new to making soap, getting your spices from the grocery store is a great way to try them in your soap and find the ones you like. That's exactly what I did in the beginning. The supplier I use offers herbs, spices, and specialty teas from all over the world, including India, Egypt, Bali, Morocco, Italy, and many more. However, I'm sure the spices at the grocery store are imported from the same places. I just prefer to purchase these items in bulk, I love the specialty teas, and I have a greater selection of hard-to-find items.

I've probably left something out of this post that I wanted to include, but it's been a long day (and night) of soapmaking. As I remember what I've forgotten, I'll update this section. If you have a question that you'd like answered, please feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to answer it!

  ~ Amy ~

My Story

After several requests to explain why I started making soap and how I learned, I thought it might be a good idea to write my story for anyone else who may be curious. You would think that someone wouldn't just jump up one day and decide to make soap, but that's exactly what I did. And here's why.

An undisclosed number of decades ago, I had the most beautiful skin. Then I turned 12... and the nightmare began. I suffered from oily sensitive skin and acne. As with most teens, I had reached a point where my appearance was extremely important to me. The days of hopping out of bed, excited to jump on my bike and go play without caring how I looked were over. I was transitioning from a child to an adult and puberty was not kind to me. 

When the acne started, I was living with my grandparents in the middle of nowhere and we bathed in harsh well water. I was certain the hard mineral water was the culprit causing the ugly, painful blemishes. For the next few years, I bounced between living with my mother, father, and grandparents. The water changed, but the acne wouldn't let up. I lived with my father for a few years in Hawaii and my skin looked better than it had in years, however, the acne was still there. I'm certain that spending every day swimming in either the ocean or the pool, saturating my skin with as many UV rays as possible, was helping my skin. However, I was also seeing a dermatologist by this time and using medicated cleansers, toners, and lotions chalk-full of benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid products weren't yet available - yes, that may clue you in to low long ago this was! My skin had improved, but only slightly. I then moved back to Texas and continued to use the benzoyl  peroxide prescriptions, however, they no longer worked. I realized that the salt and chlorinated water I was emerging myself in daily in Hawaii was the cause for the improvement in my skin. Back in Texas, my condition worsened. Concerned about my appearance, I attempted to cover the blemishes with make-up. I knew it would aggravate my skin, but I couldn't go out in public looking like that! So I kept doing it. As I grew older, the acne diminished somewhat, but it was still there. Even today, I have to be very careful about the what I use because my skin is extremely sensitive. There is not one product on the skin cleanser aisle that I haven't purchased with high hopes, only to be disappointed. I've ordered from the web, paying a small fortune for more disappointment. I've tried it all.

In 1998, I'd had enough. After seeing dermatologist after dermatologist, trying this antibiotic or that medicated salve, I was fed up. I started researching skin conditions, herbal remedies, and homemade solutions that I could make myself. After learning about what was beneficial to skin, and what was not, I needed to a way to make a personalized skin care treatment designed just for me. I wanted to be able to control everything that went into my skin care treatment. Soap was the answer. I'd never made soap before, but I knew that if I didn't learn, I would just continue to suffer.

I began my soapmaking journey by scouring the internet. I found many soapmaking sites that were willing to explain how to make soap. However, the free recipes they offered didn't include the oils that I was certain would help my skin, so I needed to learn how to change things up. Because I'd never made soap, I decided to make the free recipes just to see if I could do it. Some worked and some didn't. The valuable lesson of not believing everything on the internet was quickly learned. A few of those free recipes were downright dangerous due to excessive amounts of lye. The soap I made in the beginning looked like soap, and smelled like soap, but it wasn't good soap. I continued my research by buying soapmaking books and continuing my trial and error process. It was quite an expensive venture because more batches were thrown in the trash than kept. Even with the knowledge I found from books and credible soapmaking sites, it didn't always work. I pressed on. I was certain this was the answer to my troubles. Success would eventually come with practice, right? I kept working on it and eventually "mastered" the technique. However, it took a very long time to get it just right. Soapmaking isn't as easy as you would think - I learned this the hard way. I didn't have anyone to teach me and didn't know anyone who had any idea of how to do it. I can't say I'm self-taught, because I used many excellent resources for the bulk of the information. I did learn many tips and tricks on my own though, just by not giving up.

I made soap for several years, but just for personal use. Then life got a little crazy and I didn't have the time to make it anymore. My skin suffered yet again. I've only recently had the time to dive back into this favorite hobby of mine. My husband and I discussed possibly selling it, because we can only use so much - I make more than we could ever use. We both agreed and Lather Lane was born. If you're wondering if my skin has improved, the answer is yes and no. It's a little more difficult making soap for different skin types, rather than just my own. I sample each batch myself, which may not be the best idea because my skin is so finicky. I normally have to be very careful about everything I use, but how could I possibly sell a product that I haven't used? I would never do that, so even though my skin appreciates that I'm not using the pressed detergent bars that commercial manufacturers call soap, it doesn't always like the different oils that are beneficial to skin types other than my own. 

Now you know why I make soap! Did I mention that it's fun?

~ Amy ~

Scenting Soap

The nose is a wonderful thing! The olfactory sense (sense of smell) serves a unique purpose. Our nose tells us not to eat something because it smells bad, it can alert us to danger by smelling smoke or something burning, a particular scent can vividly bring back memories from decades ago (such as a grandmother's perfume), it can lift our mood or bring it down, and relax or energize. I'll bet that you've never thought about just how interesting the nose is, but it does much more than just sit on your face and look pretty!

People are often confused about the difference between fragrance oils, essential oils, and extracts. If you intend on making soap, or any bath & body products, it's important that you know which oil to use, how to use it, and why when scenting your products. Although I do make some soap without scented oils and rely on the ingredients for fragrance (such as honey and spices), most people prefer to have their products scented with oils. I believe this is because people expect a strong fragrance due to the overpowering scents in the commercial products they've used in the past. I also believe that many people have become desensitized to fragrance because they've used strongly scented commercial products and their olfactory sense can no longer pick up on lightly scented products. When selling anything scented, it's important to understand that you simply can't please everyone. This person loves your soap because it's strongly scented, while that person thinks it's too strong. Just as some people prefer florals over spices, it's a matter of individual preference. So let's take a look at scenting options.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are made by distilling portions of plants, shrubs, and trees to create an oil. Whether it is the bark, roots, leaves, flowers, or buds that are distilled, all essential oils are derived from nature. Essential oils are not chemically made in a lab, but created by extracting the pure essence of the plant. They are concentrated and often require less to achieve the desired results.  Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to aid in physical and psychological well-being. Regardless of whether you believe in the benefits of aromatherapy, it's important to note that many people do and this should be considered if you intend to sell your products. Essential oils also have therapeutic properties and are used as anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agents, relief for certain skin conditions, and a wide variety of healing properties depending on the individual oil.

When determining if you will use essential oils in your soap, you'll want to think about what you're trying to accomplish with the soap and your target audience. For example, a young teen who wants a dupe fragrance of the latest popular scent probably doesn't care what type of oil is used to fragrance the soap, as long as it smells like he/she wants it to. Someone who is particular about what they put in and on their body (such as Vegans) will be very specific about the type of oil that's used in products and will check ingredient lists carefully. If you intend on using a specific essential oil, you need to do your research because each oil is different and shouldn't be used by everyone. For example, expecting mothers should not use peppermint essential oil. Tea tree oil, while extremely beneficial to humans, can be fatal to cats and should not be in a home with a feline pet. When making soap or bath products, know your ingredients, the flash point of your oils, and any precautions associated with them.

Fragrance Oils

Fragrance oils are synthetic oils created in a laboratory. They are more likely to irritate sensitive skin than essential oils, however, this does not occur often when using skin-safe fragrance oils. Again, you must do your research when using fragrance oils because not all fragrance oils should be used in soap or bath and body products. I'll point out that candles are made using fragrance oils to emphasize that not all fragrance oils are meant to be used directly on the skin. The purpose of using fragrance oils, rather than essential oils, is because not all fragrances are available in essential oils. For example, strawberry, honeydew melon, mango, etc. We love these scents, but an essential oil simply cannot be made from these fragrant fruits. In contrast to essential oils, fragrance oils do not provide any therapeutic benefits. Their only use is to smell yummy! 

Extracts

Extracts are made by "extracting" a raw portion of a nut, seed, or fruit to recreate its taste and scent. This method of extracting is done by using ethanol (alcohol). Extracts should not be used when making cold process soap as the alcohol does not react well when combined with lye. I've seen some cold process recipes that used extracts for fragrance, but personal experience says this does not work well! The scent of the extract rarely survives the saponification process, so the purpose of using it in the first place is nullified. 

*Extracts may be used when making melt and pour soap because the use of alcohol with this method is beneficial for many reasons.

Now that you know about the differences between the types of oils that can be used for scenting soap, the fun part begins! Get your sniffer ready and pick out your favorites. I often find that smelling only a few scents at a time helps to prevent them from all smelling the same. I think my nose just gets tired, but I do keep it very busy :-) Happy soaping!

  

~ Amy ~ 

Lye Explained

If you're concerned about soap made with lye, please read this article. Before I get started, let me just say that soap absolutely cannot be made without lye. ALL soap is made using lye!

Lets take a look at what lye is and what it does. Lye, Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), is created from a chemical reaction between sodium carbonate (soda) and calcium hydroxide (lime). If you'll notice the word "Sodium" and the element "Na" you'll see that lye is a type of salt, but a very caustic salt. Although the components of lye (soda and lime) occur naturally in the earth, lye must be made by chemists combining those components. While lye is a man-made substance, some of the same properties of naturally-occurring salt apply for lye also. For example, sodium (salt) in any form, including the sodium in our bodies, has a very strong affinity for water... meaning it is attracted to it and seeks it out. Lye is no different. It seeks out even the tiniest amount of moisture and absorbs it. Because lye has such a strong affinity for water, when mixing the two, an explosive reaction can occur because the lye reaches a point of water retention that it can no longer handle. Therefore, the combination of lye and water causes extreme heat. This is how we make "cold process" soap. Mixing cold water (to prevent explosion) with lye to produce heat. 

 

Now let's look at why lye is made and how it's used. Without going on with my chemistry lesson, I'll simply say that lye breaks down fatty, sticky, gooey substances. Soap ABSOLUTELY CANNOT be made without lye. No lye, no soap. This includes laundry soap. Even liquid soap is made using lye, however, that method of soap-making uses potassium hydroxide (KOH / caustic potash) rather than sodium hydroxide, but it's still lye! We all know that oil and water don't mix, right? However, soap is a solid form combination of oil and water. How is that possible? Lye. The chemical reaction when mixing lye with water and oils causes the water and oil to mix. No other substance can do this and that is why soap absolutely cannot be made without lye. I'll say it again - no lye, no soap. It's just not possible.

 

How is it safe? When making soap, the chemical reaction that takes place between the oils and the lye water is a process called "saponification". Saponification is the process of making soap and the word "soap" is actually derived from the name of this process. When saponification occurs in soap-making, lye is no longer lye. The chemical reaction caused by the mixture of the oils and water disposes of the lye completely. Therefore, although lye is used to make soap, it does not remain in the soap and is safe for use. It's worth mentioning that the saponification process does not only make soap, but it also makes a wonderful by-product that we all know and love... glycerin! You may notice that we do not list glycerin as an ingredient in our soap, but that's only because we didn't add it to the recipe. It's still in there (and it's full of it!) thanks to saponification. 

I can imagine that by now, you're probably quite terrified of lye and may never want to bathe again! Let's not get too hasty... after all, you've been using soap all of your life, right? And it's always been made with lye - you just didn't know it. In case you're still worried, it may interest you to know that lye is used to cure some foods! Some of the food items preserved with lye include pretzels, canned mandarin oranges, green olives, hominy, noodles, and much more.

I hope this helps explain the use of lye in soap and soap-making. If you come across any soap that's for sale that claims to be made without lye, I hope you'll remember this article.

 

Now would I lye to you?

Amy

Oil Properties

If you're new to soapmaking, you're probably wondering what oils to use, and more importantly, why? I'll try to collaborate as much information on oils as possible, so you have everything you need right on your computer screen. Please keep in mind that the following information is based on endless hours of research, as well as actually using the oils myself to verify the information found in my research.

*Disclaimer: The information posted here is not meant to be used to diagnose and/or cure any medical condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are based solely on my opinion, use, and research. 

- Almond Oil, Sweet -

Sweet Almond Oil is an excellent moisturizer and conditions skin. It's often used in soapmaking as a superfatting oil and should be used at 1oz. per pound of oils and added at trace. Past Mistake: I've tried using it as a base oil for soap and it leaves the soap weepy to the point of dripping. Many people have nut allergies, so if you're gifting or selling your soap, be sure to boldly state "contains nut oil" on your label. People with allergies tend to watch ingredient lists carefully, but I like to emphasize the more common allergies.

- Apricot Kernal Oil -
Apricot Kernal Oil is a light, moisturizing skin conditioner that's high in Vitamin A and Vitamin E. I recommend using it as a superfatting oil at approximately 1oz. per pound of oils and added at trace. Past Mistake: I've also tried using this oil as a base oil and it turned out very weepy and dripping with oil.

- Argan Oil -
Pressed from the nuts of the Argan tree, growing exclusively to regions of Morocco,  Argan oil has been labeled "liquid gold" due to the amazing results it has on skin. Full of Vitamin E, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids, argan oil revitalizes dull, dry skin and provides therapeutic healing for eczema, psoriasis, and acne, as well as restoring skin on a cellular level, which improves the look of skin. Due to this, it is often used in anti-aging products, including soap. Argan oil is also an excellent moisturizer for dry hair. I use it in a few of my shampoo bars, but I like to add the oil directly to my hair after washing to make it silky smooth. Because this oil is made from a somewhat rare tree and is difficult to produce, Argan oil can be expensive. I've found that using it in soap doesn't really provide any more benefits to skin than other oils (olive oil, safflower oil, walnut oil), however, it does make a tremendous difference in the look, health, and feel of my hair.


- Avocado Oil -
An excellent skin moisturizer and full of skin healing vitamins, including Vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E. It also contains high amounts of lecithin (an agent that helps oil absorb into the skin), protein, and fatty acids. In my opinion, it's the perfect oil for dry, damaged, and sensitive skin because it is very gentle. In soapmaking, avocado oil can be used as a base oil at rate of up to 30%, but I prefer to superfat (5%) to retain the healing properties of this amazing oil. Please keep in mind that avocado oil is high in unsaponifiables and should be combined with other oils that are high in saturated fat. Helps to produce a stable lather.

- Babassu Oil (Cusi Oil) -
Babassu Palm Trees grow in the Amazon in South America (Brazil) and produce an oil-rich seed. The kernels are then cold pressed to remove the oil. In soap, it works well for both dry and oily skin and has therapeutic healing properties for eczema, inflamed, itchy, and/or dry skin. Babassu oil is a very light oil that absorbs into the skin easily and does not leave that "greasy" feeling like many other emollients. It is non-comedogenic, so it doesn't clog pores. In soapmaking, babassu is an excellent replacement for coconut oil and saponifies easily (although it is slightly more expensive and not readily available at the local grocery store). It produces a nice, hard bar with fluffy, bubbly, and stable lather. Babassu is a good oil to work with, but keep in mind that if you use too much, your soap can be drying rather than moisturizing. A general rule of thumb is to keep your babassu oil under 30% as a base oil. It's important to note that babassu, coconut, and palm kernel oils are very similar in their makeup, so your combined percentage of these oils should also be kept under 30% to prevent a skin drying bar. Babassu is a white oil, so I've found that it works well in batches that I'm swirling with white (although I still add titanium dioxide). I mainly use babassu in my baby soap because it makes a very mild and gentle soap. Note: Babassu oil is solid at room temperature.

- Beeswax -
Use up to 1oz. per pound of oils to make a harder bar of soap. I love the sweet smell of honey! Many people have an allergic reaction to bees, so if you're gifting or selling your soap, be sure to boldly state "contains beeswax" on your label. People with allergies tend to watch ingredient lists carefully, but I like to emphasize the more common allergies.

- Borage Oil -
Borage oil is produced from borage flower seeds, which are the richest known source for GLA (gamma linoleic acid or Vitamin F) - an essential fatty acid. Borage oil is an excellent anti-inflammatory for problematic or sun-damaged skin and helps relieve the itchiness caused by eczema. It's also great for overly dry and mature skin due to the high content of fatty acids and it absorbs well into the skin. At my age, it's just not fair that I have to combat both acne and wrinkles, but I've found that adding borage oil to my soap has significantly improved the look, feel, and health of my skin. In soapmaking, borage oil provides conditioning, stable lather, and helps to harden the bar (minimally). It can be used as a base oil up to 10% (some say 20% - I respectfully disagree), but I've found that superfatting at 5% works best for me. Plus, I believe this method retains the healing properties of the oil.


- Calendula Oil -
Calendula, known to most people as marigold flowers, has very therapeutic properties in soap. It helps to heal burns, dry skin, and wounds. I use calendula oil as a superfat, added at trace, with a ratio of 1.5 tbsp per 2.5 lbs of oil. Calendula can also be used as a base oil, but I wouldn't calculate more than 15% per lb of oils as it can make your soap too soft.


- Canola Oil -
Canola oil is very easy to find, inexpensive, and moisturizes skin well. It's also a good choice for Vegan soap as it is made from corn. Because of this, it contains very little saturated fat which causes the oil to saponify slowly. If you're using it as a base oil, be sure to combine it with other oils that contain a good amount of saturated fats. I prefer not to use canola oil in my soap as it can cause DOS (dreaded orange spots).


- Castor Oil -
Oh how I love Castor Oil! The therapeutic properties of castor oil include the healing of wounds, dry skin, acne, burns, eczema, psoriasis, boils, calluses, corns, sore muscles, bug bites, and so much more. It is a wonderful humectant that conditions skin by attracting moisture to the skin and holding it in. In soapmaking, castor oil gives a nice bubbly and creamy soap. I use it in every batch! While some soapmakers use it to superfat and add at trace, I prefer to use it as a base oil. When doing this, I usually add it to my recipe at a rate of 10%, but you can add up to 30% depending on your other oils. Adding more can cause your soap to be too soft. Castor oil is also excellent for hair - it not only conditions dry hair, but it can even grow hair! I never make a cold process shampoo bar without it. I intend on doing a blog specifically on castor oil, so please check back soon to learn just how amazing this oil is!


- Coconut Oil -
I use coconut oil in almost every batch! Coconut oil provides a very hard bar (so it lasts longer) with beautiful fluffy lather - even in hard water. I live in a very hard water area, so this is a vital ingredient in my soap. Coconut oil in soap is the only oil that will lather in sea water, which is important for anyone who enjoys camping on the beach, deep sea fishing, or lives on a houseboat. Coconut oil is purely saturated fat, and although it works wonders in soap and soapmaking, it can be very drying to the skin if you add too much. I've found that keeping it around 20% for my base oil prevents skin drying. While coconut oil doesn't provide many skin benefits (as compared to others), it's excellent to mix with other moisturizing oils to produce a good bar of soap that is still beneficial to the skin. Note: Coconut oil is solid at room temperature. Fractionated coconut oil should not be used in making soap, but it works well in bath oils, lotions, massage oils, and perfume oils.
*Did you know?* McDonald's french fries are so yummy and addicting because they fry them in coconut oil! Because it's a saturated fat, I prefer not to put it IN my body, but I will put it on it.


- Cottonseed Oil -
Cottonseed oil produces a nice thick lather that also conditions skin. The recommended amount of use is no more than 20% as a base oil. It's important to note that cottonseed oil spoils easily, so using less is vital. In addition to keeping the amount of cottonseed oil down, I also prefer to add a combination of preserving oils, such as Vitamin E (with 50% mixed tocopherols), wheat germ oil, rosemary extract (I use approx. .5% as this does add scent to the final product when too much is used), or grapefruit seed extract (1%) to prevent my soap from spoiling after gifting or selling.


- Emu Oil -
Research has shown that emu oil penetrates the skin quickly, has anti-inflammatory and healing qualities, and is non-comedogenic (does not clog pores). It is said to be helpful in relieving skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, burns, and dry or cracked skin. It is also said that Emu oil regenerates skin cells and reduces wrinkles. In soapmaking, 1oz. per lb should be added at trace. Emu oil is not Vegan-friendly as it comes from the Emu bird. I personally do not use Emu oil in my soap, simply because I found it to be comedogenic on my skin (I have very sensitive skin, but the breakouts "could" have been caused by something else). I have used it undiluted on my hair and found my hair was very soft and shiny. However, I had to stop doing this due to breakouts in my hairline. I do use it in my foot scrubs and butters as it works wonders for cracked heels (a problem I often have in summertime due to my obsession with flip-flops). Emu oil smells terrible when adding it directly to skin or hair, but the scent rarely survives the saponification process and masking it with strong essential oils in foot products works well. 


- Sunflower Oil -
I use high linoleic sunflower oil at approximately 5-10% (usually 10%) of my base oils, although you could easily go as high as 25%. It's important to note that sunflower oil goes rancid easily, so it helps to add either Vitamin E (with 50% mixed tocopherols), wheat germ oil, rosemary extract (I use approximately .5% as this does add scent to the final product when too much is used), or grapefruit seed extract (1%) to extend shelf life. Using sunflower oil without these preserving oils will work, however, I would be careful not to use it with any other oils that spoil easily.


I hope you've found this information helpful. Please keep in mind that I am not an expert - I'm just a soapmaker that is very picky about what goes in my soap. I simply will not put it in my recipe without a reason and that reason usually depends on what I'm trying to accomplish with the batch I'm making. I'll be adding more oils to this post as time permits. As for now, it's time to make soap!

~ Amy ~