Goat's Milk Soap is highly sought after for it's moisturizing properties. Milk has alpha-hydroxy acids which break down the glue holding dead skin cells together. Alpha-hydroxy acid is well known for softening skin and leaving it rejuvenated.
The milk's nutrients are retained because the soap is made in small, controllable batches through cold processing and with closely monitored low temperatures. This makes the soap rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals which all nourish the skin.
Goat's Milk Soap also has a PH level similar to our skin, which helps protect the skin from invading bacteria and chemicals we come in contact with every day.
People who suffer from skin allergies, winter itch, eczema, psoriasis and dry skin are frequent users of goat's milk soap.
Showing posts with label what's in my soap?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label what's in my soap?. Show all posts
The many benefits of Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is a natural and healthy way of maintaining a great skin,
thanks to its calming and emollient (moisturizing) properties. Being
rich in nutrients and antioxidants, it is widely used for medicinal and
cosmetic purposes and is found to be effective against acne, eczema, inflammation, general redness and irritation of the skin. Some of the benefits of sunflower oil for skin are as follows.
12. Due to its emollient properties, sunflower oil helps the skin retain its moisture. Using sunflower oil as lotion on the skin of pre-term infants’ acts as a protective barrier and massaging them with this oil helps in reducing skin infection by nearly 14 percent. Hence, sunflower oil can be used in their daily skincare.
13. Sunflower oil is extremely high in Vitamin E in comparison to other skincare products like almond oil or shea butter. Vitamin E is essential for preventing damage to skin cells by ultraviolet light or UVA from the sun. Vitamin E improves the appearance and health of your skin through prevention of scarring and smoothing of existing wrinkles.
14. Sunflower oil is also rich in vitamins A, C and D and healthy carotenoids and waxes which form a protective barrier on the skin. Thus, this oil is effective in the treatment of acne. Being exceptionally light and non-greasy, it gets absorbed into the skin easily without clogging or blocking the pores. Its range of vitamins and fatty acids act as antioxidants to regenerate skin cells and help the skin get rid of acne causing bacteria.
15. Beta-carotene is a richly pigmented fat-soluble compound that can be converted into Vitamin A and its antioxidant properties are beneficial for the appearance of your health and skin. Sunflower oil is an excellent source of beta-carotene. Consumption of this compound makes your skin less sensitive to the sun. The antioxidants in it neutralize the free radicals that penetrate your skin, causing sunburn and other types of sun damage such as skin cancer.
16. The antioxidant properties of sunflower oil help in preventing premature signs of aging. Exposure to free radicals and sunlight increases the rate of aging of skin, causing the occurrence of wrinkles and fine lines at an early age. The antioxidants in sunflower oil lower the risk of developing premature signs of aging.
17. Being naturally emollient, sunflower oil improves your skin’s moisture retention capacity and is beneficial for individuals with dry, dehydrated or sensitive skin. A mixture of sunflower and castor oil is effective in making your skin supple and removing dead cells and impurities. This mixture can be used as a cleanser and there is no need to use a moisturizer as the oils contain fatty acids and vitamins to moisturize your skin.
18. Sunflower seed oil is an oil of fine quality as it is light in texture and extremely suitable for eye and skin care. It is suitable for normal to dry skin and is increasingly used in aromatherapy because of its mild scent and light texture. It is used in skin products and creates a soft feel on the skin.
From http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-benefits-of-sunflower-oil-for-skin-hair-and-health/
12. Due to its emollient properties, sunflower oil helps the skin retain its moisture. Using sunflower oil as lotion on the skin of pre-term infants’ acts as a protective barrier and massaging them with this oil helps in reducing skin infection by nearly 14 percent. Hence, sunflower oil can be used in their daily skincare.
13. Sunflower oil is extremely high in Vitamin E in comparison to other skincare products like almond oil or shea butter. Vitamin E is essential for preventing damage to skin cells by ultraviolet light or UVA from the sun. Vitamin E improves the appearance and health of your skin through prevention of scarring and smoothing of existing wrinkles.
14. Sunflower oil is also rich in vitamins A, C and D and healthy carotenoids and waxes which form a protective barrier on the skin. Thus, this oil is effective in the treatment of acne. Being exceptionally light and non-greasy, it gets absorbed into the skin easily without clogging or blocking the pores. Its range of vitamins and fatty acids act as antioxidants to regenerate skin cells and help the skin get rid of acne causing bacteria.
15. Beta-carotene is a richly pigmented fat-soluble compound that can be converted into Vitamin A and its antioxidant properties are beneficial for the appearance of your health and skin. Sunflower oil is an excellent source of beta-carotene. Consumption of this compound makes your skin less sensitive to the sun. The antioxidants in it neutralize the free radicals that penetrate your skin, causing sunburn and other types of sun damage such as skin cancer.
16. The antioxidant properties of sunflower oil help in preventing premature signs of aging. Exposure to free radicals and sunlight increases the rate of aging of skin, causing the occurrence of wrinkles and fine lines at an early age. The antioxidants in sunflower oil lower the risk of developing premature signs of aging.
17. Being naturally emollient, sunflower oil improves your skin’s moisture retention capacity and is beneficial for individuals with dry, dehydrated or sensitive skin. A mixture of sunflower and castor oil is effective in making your skin supple and removing dead cells and impurities. This mixture can be used as a cleanser and there is no need to use a moisturizer as the oils contain fatty acids and vitamins to moisturize your skin.
18. Sunflower seed oil is an oil of fine quality as it is light in texture and extremely suitable for eye and skin care. It is suitable for normal to dry skin and is increasingly used in aromatherapy because of its mild scent and light texture. It is used in skin products and creates a soft feel on the skin.
From http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-benefits-of-sunflower-oil-for-skin-hair-and-health/
Skin benefits of honey soaps
• Honey has a hygroscopic nature, which means when exposed to air, it naturally absorbs moisture in from the air, keeping skin hydrated and fresh and preventing dryness
• The effective antimicrobial agent in honey prohibits the growth of certain bacteria
• Honey can help treat minor acne by attacking the bacteria that cause the outbreaks while moisturizing the skin to aid rejuvenation
• Honey contains natural antioxidant properties that can destroy biologically destructive chemical agents. Not only could honey's antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals in the body, they are also part of the nutrient supply for growth of new tissue, helping protect your skin under the sun and help the skin to rejuvenate and stay young-looking
• The effective antimicrobial agent in honey prohibits the growth of certain bacteria
• Honey can help treat minor acne by attacking the bacteria that cause the outbreaks while moisturizing the skin to aid rejuvenation
• Honey contains natural antioxidant properties that can destroy biologically destructive chemical agents. Not only could honey's antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals in the body, they are also part of the nutrient supply for growth of new tissue, helping protect your skin under the sun and help the skin to rejuvenate and stay young-looking
Glycerin?
Something neat I thought I'd share:
What you see here is a raw soap mix, as in the oils & fats are chemically altered by the lye (saponified) to form soap, stirred with a hand blender. While blending something really neat happens on the surface: the formation of pure glycerin!
In commercially processed soap the glycerin formed in the saponification process is separated from the main soap to be sold separately, leaving the soap itself more harsh. Which is exactly why any hand made cold process soap is immediately nicer in use than commercial soap as the naturally occurring glycerin is still in the bar.
Here I stopped blending and the glycerin whirlpool sinks / absorbs back into the soap mix. This particular mix is Lye Soap, made with local organic lard and well water.
What you see here is a raw soap mix, as in the oils & fats are chemically altered by the lye (saponified) to form soap, stirred with a hand blender. While blending something really neat happens on the surface: the formation of pure glycerin!In commercially processed soap the glycerin formed in the saponification process is separated from the main soap to be sold separately, leaving the soap itself more harsh. Which is exactly why any hand made cold process soap is immediately nicer in use than commercial soap as the naturally occurring glycerin is still in the bar.
Here I stopped blending and the glycerin whirlpool sinks / absorbs back into the soap mix. This particular mix is Lye Soap, made with local organic lard and well water.
Why Goat's Milk?
The popularity of natural handcrafted soaps is on the rise, particularly ones that offer therapeutic properties such as goat milk soaps with all natural oils and fats and homegrown botanicals. As many who suffer from sensitive skin realize how chemically made skin care products not only effect their skin condition, but overall well being, many are making the switch to natural products. Goat milk soap is just one of several types of natural soaps one can choose from. You may be thinking why you would put something that comes out of a farm animal all over your body? Goat’s milk has amazing benefits for your skin; a fact well known in the skincare industry as Cleopatra, who was known for her amazing skin, would soak her entire body in goat’s milk bathes.
• Goat’s milk has the closest PH level to our skin. This helps protect our skin from invading bacteria and chemicals.
• Loaded with essential nutrients and vitamins like vitamin C, B1, B6, B12, and E.
• Goat’s milk soaps are free from harmful chemical and a very mild soap bar safe to use for all skin conditions.
• Goat milk consists of natural emollients and triglycerides that act as natural moisturizer.
• Goat milk soap is less allergenic than synthetically loaded commercial soaps and detergents.
• It is known that goat milk can reduce skin inflammation, and soothes dry and damaged skin and has recently been proven to effectively treat acne.
• Goat’s milk soap has alpha-hydroxy acids that soften the skin by breaking down the glue that holds dead skin cells together and thus could reduce wrinkles and delay signs of skin aging.
from the Top 10 Benefits of Goat's Milk
making my own tallow
For my soap project I got a 5 gallon bucket of beef fat from Maine's restaurant supply store off of route 13. They sell the stuff for 50c a pound, but that's before rendering and I was pretty curious how much tallow would be rendered and how long it would take! Well, it took me two days to cook it all down, first boiling it down in a stock pan, then frying it in a cast iron skillet to get it all... The house reeked of frying for days (kinda pleasant/unpleasant) and the stove needed a good cleaning as well, but the (pet sitted) dog and chickens loved the cracklings left over!
Quite a few of my soap making books referred to getting tallow for free from supermarket butchers (leftovers) but after asking around town no-one seemed willing to do so. Maine's was the only one willing to separate and store the fat (not just for me) for a small fee and he told me with the fda cleanliness rules anything that leaves the cutting block and hits the garbage can is therefor contaminated and can not be sold/given away ever, even for animal food or soap making. Maine's has food grade buckets they sort the beef fat into before tossing, which is extra work, and not something everyone wants to do.
From the 25 lbs of fat I got about 12 lbs of tallow, which is about a dollar a pound. Still better than pig fat at $1.75 a pound, but that's already rendered and does not leave the stove looking like a pic sty :)
soap resources
Mountain Rose Herbs
large selection of organic and non organic oils, butters, herbs etc.
Majestic Mountain Sage
Good recourse for materials, recipes and hosts the MMS Lye Calculator.
Miller's Homemade Soap Pages is full of technical know-how and recipes.
Soapnuts
A good resource for recipes, ideas and tips.
Agway for local 100% lye.
And of course Regional Access for locally made and processed oils
what do those oils & fats do?
Sweet Almond Oil is one of the most useful, practical, and commonly used oils. It is great for all skin types as an acting emollient and is best known for its ability to soften, soothe, and re-condition the skin. Sweet Almond Oil is often used for superfatting soaps and makes a stable lather.
Beeswax has the sweet smell of honey. Beeswax makes a harder bar of soap and is also used in creams, lotions, lip balms and candle making. It contains a high percentage of unsaponifiables.
Canola Oil is a good moisturizer but is less saturated than other fats, so it can be slow to saponify.
Castor Oil is often used to superfat. It attracts and holds moisture, is very soothing to the skin and acts as a barrier agent and protective medium against harsh conditions and extremes.. Use it in combination with other vegetable oils to produce a nice hard bar of soap.
Cocoa Butter is used to make soaps harder. When used in soap as a superfatting oil it acts to lay down a protective layer which holds the moisture to the skin, so it is an excellent skin softener. It has a natural chocolate scent but is also available in unscented versions.
Coconut Oil is a great oil for general moisturizing and serves as a protective layer, helping to retain the moisture in your skin. It also acts as a mild oil suitable for those with inflamed and irritated skin, and those with skin sensitivities. Coconut oil is without a doubt, the number one lather-producing agent used in soaps but it can be drying when it makes up a large portion of the soap's fats. Coconut oil rich soap even lathers in very hard water or even sea water.
Grapeseed Oil is a lightweight oil that absorbs into the skin quickly without leaving a heavy greasy feeling. Used in soaps as a superfatting oil.
Honey is also a humectant, so it helps retain moisture on the skin in much the same way as glycerin.
Lard is made from pig fat much like bacon fat. Its advantages are that it is cheap, easily obtainable, and makes a nice lathery, white bar of soap.
Olive Oil is excellent as a base oil in soaps, either in whole (Castile soap) or in part. Avoid extra virgin olive oil. It is great for cooking but not for soap making. The lower the grade the better. Olive Oil prevents the loss of your skin's natural moisture, softens skin and attracts external moisture to your skin. It helps keeps your skin soft, supple and younger looking. If you're making an especially mild soap use Olive oil.
Palm Kernel Oil is pressed from the fruit kernels of the palm tree Elaeis guineensis.It is most commonly found in handmade soap to increase its lather and hardness and for its moisturizing properties. It has most of the same qualities as palm oil.
Shea Butter is derived from the vegetable fat of the Karite Tree. It forms a breathable, water-resistant film and is the leading natural product for moisturizing. It is a wonderful superfatting agent and contains a large percentage of ingredients that do not react with the lye thus remaining in the soap to nourish your skin.
Soybean Oil produces a mild, stable lather.
Sunflower Oil is a less expensive alternative to olive oil. It contains Vitamin E, so it naturally resists going rancid (Vitamin E is a preservative).
Wheat Germ Oil is thick, sticky and antioxidant. It's also very rich in vitamin E. Can be used to nourish dry or cracked skin and soothes skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. Helps to prevent and reduce scarring and may prevent stretch marks. Mature skin, in particular, will benefit from wheat germ oil.
Excerpt from Mountain Rose Herbs and Colebrothers.com
Beeswax has the sweet smell of honey. Beeswax makes a harder bar of soap and is also used in creams, lotions, lip balms and candle making. It contains a high percentage of unsaponifiables.
Canola Oil is a good moisturizer but is less saturated than other fats, so it can be slow to saponify.
Castor Oil is often used to superfat. It attracts and holds moisture, is very soothing to the skin and acts as a barrier agent and protective medium against harsh conditions and extremes.. Use it in combination with other vegetable oils to produce a nice hard bar of soap.
Cocoa Butter is used to make soaps harder. When used in soap as a superfatting oil it acts to lay down a protective layer which holds the moisture to the skin, so it is an excellent skin softener. It has a natural chocolate scent but is also available in unscented versions.
Coconut Oil is a great oil for general moisturizing and serves as a protective layer, helping to retain the moisture in your skin. It also acts as a mild oil suitable for those with inflamed and irritated skin, and those with skin sensitivities. Coconut oil is without a doubt, the number one lather-producing agent used in soaps but it can be drying when it makes up a large portion of the soap's fats. Coconut oil rich soap even lathers in very hard water or even sea water.
Grapeseed Oil is a lightweight oil that absorbs into the skin quickly without leaving a heavy greasy feeling. Used in soaps as a superfatting oil.
Honey is also a humectant, so it helps retain moisture on the skin in much the same way as glycerin.
Lard is made from pig fat much like bacon fat. Its advantages are that it is cheap, easily obtainable, and makes a nice lathery, white bar of soap.
Olive Oil is excellent as a base oil in soaps, either in whole (Castile soap) or in part. Avoid extra virgin olive oil. It is great for cooking but not for soap making. The lower the grade the better. Olive Oil prevents the loss of your skin's natural moisture, softens skin and attracts external moisture to your skin. It helps keeps your skin soft, supple and younger looking. If you're making an especially mild soap use Olive oil.
Palm Kernel Oil is pressed from the fruit kernels of the palm tree Elaeis guineensis.It is most commonly found in handmade soap to increase its lather and hardness and for its moisturizing properties. It has most of the same qualities as palm oil.
Shea Butter is derived from the vegetable fat of the Karite Tree. It forms a breathable, water-resistant film and is the leading natural product for moisturizing. It is a wonderful superfatting agent and contains a large percentage of ingredients that do not react with the lye thus remaining in the soap to nourish your skin.
Soybean Oil produces a mild, stable lather.
Sunflower Oil is a less expensive alternative to olive oil. It contains Vitamin E, so it naturally resists going rancid (Vitamin E is a preservative).
Wheat Germ Oil is thick, sticky and antioxidant. It's also very rich in vitamin E. Can be used to nourish dry or cracked skin and soothes skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. Helps to prevent and reduce scarring and may prevent stretch marks. Mature skin, in particular, will benefit from wheat germ oil.
Excerpt from Mountain Rose Herbs and Colebrothers.com
what's in my soap?
My goat's milk soaps and specialty soaps are made with organic ingredients when affordable, locally sourced when possible and home grown when available!
The oils & fats I like to work with:
sweet almond oil; natural or organic
canola oil; organic and locally sourced through Regional Access or Greenstar
castor oil; natural
cocoa butter; organic
coconut oil; organic
lard; organic, local (Kingbird Farm at the Ithaca Farmers Market)
olive oil; natural (no chemical extraction methods used)
palm oil; organic - refined (white) or unrefined (retains the orange fruit color)
palm kernel oil; organic
shea butter; natural, imported from Africa
soybean oil; not available local for some reason tho grown all around
sunflower oil; organic and locally sourced through Regional Access
wheat germ oil; natural or organic
beeswax & raw honey; local (Waid's Apiary, Rowland's Farm or friends)
vegetables & fruit; home grown, Greenstar or organic from the Ithaca Farmers Market
My palm oil is farmed and is not part of rainforest deforestation.
I don't use hydrogenated oils (like shortening) because I don't want to lather myself with something I wouldn't want to eat :)
The oils & fats I like to work with:
sweet almond oil; natural or organic
canola oil; organic and locally sourced through Regional Access or Greenstar
castor oil; natural
cocoa butter; organic
coconut oil; organic
lard; organic, local (Kingbird Farm at the Ithaca Farmers Market)
olive oil; natural (no chemical extraction methods used)
palm oil; organic - refined (white) or unrefined (retains the orange fruit color)
palm kernel oil; organic
shea butter; natural, imported from Africa
soybean oil; not available local for some reason tho grown all around
sunflower oil; organic and locally sourced through Regional Access
wheat germ oil; natural or organic
beeswax & raw honey; local (Waid's Apiary, Rowland's Farm or friends)
vegetables & fruit; home grown, Greenstar or organic from the Ithaca Farmers Market
My palm oil is farmed and is not part of rainforest deforestation.
I don't use hydrogenated oils (like shortening) because I don't want to lather myself with something I wouldn't want to eat :)
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