My General Interests :)

Many people have found problems with their store-bought and commercially produced soaps: theyare filmy and thick and leave you feeling sticky. Theyare also made with harsh chemicals that are tough on your skin. But you canat just stop washing. Instead, try making homemade soap, which will be gentler on your skin. Making your own soap is fun, and the soap you produce will do away with many of the problems you find in commercial soap.

One of the biggest downsides to commercial soap is that it isnat soap at all: its detergent! This is a petroleum-based product, and will tend to dry out your skin over time, leaving you itchy and miserable. Homemade soaps, on the other hand, are made with gentle, natural oils like coconut, olive, and palm, which will both clean your skin and moisturize it.

Homemade soaps are less complicated. Rather than being made of petroleum, theyare made chiefly with water and oil. As such, theyare better for your skin and help moisturize it. Also, because you control the process of how the soap is made, not only do you have comfort in knowing for sure that it hasnat been animal tested, but you can also choose environmentally friendly and organic materials.

One of the most fun parts about making your own soap is that you can choose exactly what to put in it. You can put in any fragrance (after all, making vanilla- or cinnamon-scented soap is easyabut whatas the last time you saw a soap like that in the market?), and you can choose to specifically exclude materials that you find harsh on your skin.

Making soap is also a great creative project, one that lets you use your imagination as you combine ingredients, fragrances, and colors. Homemade, handmade soaps also make great gifts, and it gives you a chance to learn how to make something which is essential to our lives, but which many people take for granted.

One easy soap making recipe uses only lye, purified water, olive oil, coconut oil, and grape seed oil. The basic procedure is to make a mixture of lye and water, and a separate mixture of all the oils. The two mixtures are then combined when they are at the same temperature – about 110F. The lye-water mixture will require some cooling, while the oils will require some heating. Then the combined mixture is mixed with a blender until it is the right consistency and finally poured into molds.

Because lye is very caustic, youall need to remember to exercise basic safety precautions, and youall want to make sure that youare wearing gloves, goggles, and an apron to protect yourself. However, if you handle everything carefully, making soap is as easy as that!

Not only is making soap easy and fun, itas a creative project that helps you keep alive a dying art, and helps you be healthier and more environmentally friendly. Give it a go: soap-making is a great project to try out!

Jen Hopkins has worked in the skin care industry for years. She maintains websites about making organic soap, and make homemade soap. If you want to contact her, you can use the contact form at one of her sites.