What is Soap

What is soap?

The Marriam - Webster dictionary defines soap as:  a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usually by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids

b :  a salt of a fatty acid and a metal

A simple definition is soap is simply a substance made of oils or fats mixed with a strong alkali. Like sodium hydroxide or pot ash.

It's amazing how "oils", alkali and water turn into a substance that cleans and form suds when wet and rubbed with water.

That being said, ALL hand made soap is made with lye - even melt and pour soap (usually known as Glycerin soap). Technically Cold Processed Opaque soap is glycerin soap but that's a conversation for another time.

So the process of turning oil and lye into soap is called SAPONIFICATION.

What is Saponification?

The web definition: a chemical reaction in which an ester is heated with an alkali (especially the alkaline hydrolysis of a fat or oil to make soap)

This happens in stages. Just too uninteresting to spell out here and time consuming to break down.
So in my words: when you mix the oil with the lye solution it heats up and begins to thicken. This process is Saponification. The soap can heat up to 200 degrees and will (Gel) turn translucent before it eventually cools and settles on being opaque.

Is this important to know? I think it is. I formulate my soaps by the fatty acid properties the oil has. I do believe knowing the chemistry of soap making will ultimately help you make a better bar of soap. While I didn't outline the specifics of the chemistry of soap making, it is something worthwhile to look into.

Hot Processed Soap Making - Honey Coconut Shampoo Bars

Honey Coconut Shampoo Bars

I love Shampoo Bars - They are totally the best for curly hair, there are no bottles to throw out and minimal packaging to fuss with. I love that I can customize a bar of soap with oils that work for all hair types.

So pretty soon I am going to the Toronto Natural Hair Show and I wanted to sell some Shampoo Bars. So I came up this this recipe. This is my Honey Coconut Shampoo Bar. (No actual honey used). I did however use honey fragrance oil.

Oils melting in the Crock Pot

Melted oils

Oils mixed with Lye Solution 

After about an hour of "cooking" with the lid on

Sticky Paste now soap in the mold :)

Soul Scentsibility Vegan Lip Butters

So what is the difference between Lip Balms and Lip Butters? to be honest I couldn't really tell you from any real scientific measurement (at least not with a straight face). My idea however, is that butters are just as the name implies. Buttery balms that are high in "butter oils" and are softer than regular lip balms. So with really dry skin, I had to try my hand at making these wonderful emollients. Can I just say I love them! We now carry four variety of these wonderful little buttery goodness.
My Favorite use is as an overnight lip conditioner.

Soul Scentsibility Vegan Lip Butters

This is not the recipe I use for my vegan butters,( but pretty darn close) it was taken from http://www.humblebeeandme.com/take-that-burt/?ref=featured , but I think that this is the best recipe to give you an idea and you can modify it for your own personalized lip butter

Ingredients: 

20g (0.7 oz) beeswax, or vegetable based wax like Candelilla
25g (0.88 oz) Shea Butter
15g (0.5 oz) cocoa butter
40g (1.4 oz) coconut fractionated
2g (0.1 oz) vitamin E oil

10 drops of Natural flavor oil. 

I melt waxes and cocoa butter first over a low heat in a double boiler.

Once the wax is completely melted I add the liquid oil and shea butter. 

Once that is melted remove from heat and stir. Once cooled enough to not burn off the fragrance, add vitamin E and flavor oil.

Pour into containers/tubes or small jars.

I found that with the added shea butter, these balms can get grainy.  Should this happen it is easily fixed by running a heat gun or hair drier to melt the top a little. Let set back up before using again.

Little Miss - Outfit of the day

Indroducing my 11 year old daughter, she is a little fashionista. This is her outfit she created. I knew we were in trouble when at 5 years old she stopped a ramdom woman on the street ( well actually in the mall) to tell her she liked her dress. Anyway, she has got some style.

                                                        We recently uploaded an OOTD (outfit of the day)