Handmade soap. Soap making basics at home. What tools are needed
Hi all!
Soap making is a fascinating and at the same time very simple process. Get on the Internet and you will find all the information you need on it. But it takes a lot of time and money to get it right. Yes, yes, yes, pleasure is not cheap. After all, if you are really drawn into this process, then you will not get by with just one dye or smell. Will want more.
Soap making is a great hobby. Interesting and basically easy. And this process does not require any long time, everything is quite fast. The main thing in soap making is your imagination! If she is, everything will work out ...
Today I want to make a very clear review on the topic of soap making, so to speak, to summarize the information. I will be as concise as possible)))
So, the necessary ingredients for soap making:
1. Soap base (matte or transparent). Price kg about 250 rubles.
2. Titanium dioxide (colors a transparent base matte)
3. Dyes. The price of one is 50-70 rubles.
4. Perfumes. The price is about 50-80 rubles.
5. Base oils. 40-100 rub.
6. Essential oils. 30-200 rub.
7. Containers for soap making.
8. Wooden or glass sticks
9. Molds for soap making.
10. Alcohol (in a spray bottle)
11. D-panthenol, vitamin E.
12. Soap additives.
You don't need to use all the ingredients at once. Let's say essential oils and fragrances together are rarely needed. Vitamin E or D-panthenol can also be omitted, etc.
There are many ways to make soap. This:
1. whole soap
2. soap with swirls,
3. soap in several layers
4. soap with loofah
5. soap with additives.
6. scrub soap
7. anti-cellulite soap
8. combination of several positions, etc.
Soap can be made in the form of a piece of cake or pastry, in a flat form or in the form of a figurine, soap is melted into one another, made multi-colored, just cannot be counted ...
Here are some soap making secrets and tips for beginners:
1. The soap base can be melted in a water bath or in a microwave. The base must not be allowed to boil.
2. The use of dyes and essential oils should be strictly dosed. This is especially true for essential oils.
3. You can not add a lot of base oils, otherwise the soap will not lather.
4. Some essential oils cloud the base, this must be taken into account if an absolutely transparent effect is needed.
5. Do not mix the base very vigorously, otherwise there will be a lot of bubbles.
6. Always degrease all surfaces and layers with alcohol.
7. It is better to use silicone molds. It is easier to get soap out of them.
8. Start with the simplest soap, do not immediately take on complex methods.
9. Use additives carefully. Don't overdo it! Otherwise, soap will be difficult to use and additives will clog drains.
10. Soap can always be digested or somehow used for other soap, so never be upset if the soap does not turn out the way it was intended)))
Of course, there are a lot of tips. These are some of the main points.
Handmade soap is a great gift. If you don't know what to give as a gift, try making soap. This gift will be both pleasant and useful! Soap is a small art! Create and you will succeed.
I post pictures of my soaps. I do this for the soul, so do not judge strictly. By the way, she herself used only one soap, the rest is all given away)))
All pleasant impressions and good mood!
“… I liked using natural honey soap for washing. The skin after it is very soft, moisturized. Even the cream after washing, I do not always apply ... ”. Read on for a detailed review with photos of handmade soap “Handmade soap”!
You can buy handmade soap in any store and even make it at home. But soap made from natural ingredients that will meet all quality parameters is not easy to find. I continue to try Ukrainian natural cosmetics and introduce you to new brands. Today according to the plan - handmade soap "Handmade soap". What came out of our acquaintance with him, read further in the women's magazine!
Go!
About handmade soap “Handmade soap”
The handmade soap shop that I will talk about is on Instagram. The link to it is at the end of the article. There you will find soap for any type of skin and for solving a variety of cosmetic problems. They contain natural ingredients: starting with the base, ending with essential oils, dried flowers and even.
About packaging
Handmade soap was enclosed in such a box. Simple, concise and natural. I really love this style of natural cosmetics packaging.
Opening the box:
Inside - two bars of soap, carefully laid on shavings. To your left is handmade soap-scrub “Calendula”, to your right is “Honey soap”.
Under each bar lay an insert with additional information: the composition of each soap and weight:
And now about each soap in more detail.
Handmade soap-scrub “Calendula”
Making soap with your own hands is a creative and incredibly exciting process. You can make soap from the base, from scratch, or use baby soap, filling it with aromas and useful substances. There are hundreds of recipes for making homemade soap.
If this is your first time deciding to make your own soap, start with the easiest way.
You need: - 2 pieces of baby soap (or any other that does not have a pronounced smell); - 4-5 tablespoons of base oil (olive, palm, almond, cedar, and so on); - 100 milliliters of boiling water; - 2 tablespoons of glycerin; - dyes, fragrances, flavors as desired.
Soap bought in the store, rub on a fine grater. It is advisable to protect the respiratory tract from soap dust by wearing a mask. Boil water in a large saucepan and place a container on top in which you will cook soap. Get a water bath. Pour the base oil and glycerin into the container, mix with a wooden or plastic spatula. As the mixture heats up, pour in the soap crumbs, constantly stirring the whole mass. During cooking, add boiling water if necessary. Instead of water, you can add decoctions of medicinal herbs to make the soap even more useful. However, it is worth remembering that soap with herbal decoctions should be used within 1-2 months.
If the lumps do not want to disappear in any way, you can beat the mass with a mixer
When the mass becomes homogeneous, it can be removed from the water bath. Now it's time to add useful ingredients: - perfume or essential oil (not recommended to use them together) will give your soap a fragrance; - soap with the addition of milk powder, coconut flakes or ground almonds perfectly moisturizes the skin; - dried and ground herbs (yarrow, succession, celandine , chamomile, oregano) will help the skin become softer, accelerate wound healing; - cosmetic clay, salt, ground coffee will give the soap a scrub effect; - food or special soap dyes will change the color of your soap.
Lubricate silicone molds with vegetable oil and place the resulting soap mass in them. Let it cool for a few hours, and then remove the almost finished soap from the molds. Lay it out on clean sheets of paper and leave for 2-3 days so that each piece dries well.
Many who have tried to melt purchased soap and make handmade soap out of it are often not satisfied with the texture, and sometimes the smell. Soap from the base has a more pleasant texture. The base itself has a neutral pH and practically does not smell.
Soap for colds
You will need: - 100 grams of soap base; - essential oils of eucalyptus, spruce, cedar; - dried heather flowers.
Pour dried heather flowers into a thermos and pour 100 milliliters of boiling water. Close the thermos and let the broth brew for 1-2 hours, and then strain it through cheesecloth.
Melt the soap base in a water bath.
To speed up the process, the soap base can be cut into small cubes.
Remove the melted base from the water bath and add 1 tablespoon of heather decoction to it, as well as essential oils. The total amount of oils should not exceed 1/3 teaspoon. Mix the mass and pour into molds. Leave to harden at room temperature for 2-3 hours, and then remove the soap from the molds, spread it on sheets of paper and leave it overnight to dry completely.
Bath soap
If you like to take a steam bath, then you simply cannot do without amazing soap with the aroma of chocolate and coffee.
You will need: - 60 grams of transparent soap base; - 30 grams of white soap base; - 1/2 teaspoon of natural ground coffee; - 1/2 teaspoon of grated dark chocolate; - 1/2 teaspoon of honey; - 1/2 teaspoon spoons of glycerin; - fragrance "Chocolate".
Melt the clear soap base in a water bath.
You can also heat the soap base in the microwave by setting the timer for 15-20 seconds. Do not allow the base to overheat and boil
Add glycerin and 3 drops of chocolate flavor to the base. Mix thoroughly. In a water bath (the microwave method is not suitable here), melt the honey, add ground coffee and chocolate to it. Stir until the consistency is homogeneous. Add the hot filler to the soap base, stirring constantly with a wooden or plastic spatula.
Lubricate the silicone baking dish with vegetable oil to make it easier to pull out the soap later. Pour the dark soap mixture with coffee, honey and chocolate so that it fills about half the mold. From a spray bottle, spray alcohol on the soap a few times to remove any bubbles that form. Leave to dry for about 20 minutes at room temperature.
At this time, melt the white soap base, add a few drops of glycerin, Chocolate flavor to it. Take the mold, spray a little more alcohol on the surface of the soap and fill it with white soap base. Soap is almost ready. It will remain only after 2 hours to pull out of the molds and leave overnight for complete hardening.
Mistakes of beginner soap makers
Very often beginner soap makers add too many essential oils. First, too strong a smell can cause dizziness. Secondly, it is possible that an overdose of oils will provoke an allergy or skin irritation. If homemade soap is intended for children, it is better to refuse the use of essential oils altogether.
If you don't want to use food coloring but want a red colored soap, don't add hibiscus tea or scarlet rose petals. They will give not red at all, but a dirty gray-green color.
Watch the amount of base oil. If there is too much of it, then the soap will not lather.
If you decide to make soap with sea salt, then add this ingredient when the mass is just above room temperature. If you pour salt into hot soapy mass, it will decompose into soap flakes and water.
Before making soap, look at the master classes on the Internet. You will see many tricks that will allow you to make you colorful soap in different shapes and invoices.
Soap making at home is one of the trendiest hobbies among girls of all ages. This is a great way to escape from routine work and make with your own hands not only a beautiful, but also a useful thing that will certainly come in handy in the household. Moreover, handmade soap can be a great gift for a loved one, because it has a number of advantages over a similar purchased product.
Modern soap, thanks to the useful components in the composition, can not only cleanse the skin, but also moisturize, nourish and even heal it. However, the history of soap goes back over 6,000 years. In antiquity, only fine sand was used for washing. In ancient Egypt, girls washed themselves with beeswax paste. To date, there are two main versions of the appearance of classic soap.
According to the first version, the first soap was made in Rome. So, during archaeological excavations in Italy, numerous soap factories were discovered. Moreover, the word "soap" (English "soap") according to this version comes from the name of Mount Sapon. There is a legend that says that it was on this mountain that regular sacrifices took place. The Romans brought birds, domestic and wild animals there, and then burned them as a gift to the gods. A mixture of wood ash and remains fell into the river along with clay.
Girls who washed clothes in this river began to notice that with such a mixture, clothes are washed much easier and faster. The mixture began to be called "Gifts of the Gods" and was used not only for washing, but also for washing the body and head.
The second version indicates that soap was invented by the Sumerians, the ancient population of Southern Mesopotamia. There, during the excavations, numerous records with soap recipes, stone tablets from soap factories were also found.
Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, as you know, natural body odor was valued. Even ordinary washing with clean water was not popular. On average, Europeans bathed no more than once a year. The main opponent of frequent washing was the church, according to which, when washing, a person washed away everything spiritual from himself. The French king Louis XIV, according to some reports, took water procedures only a few times in his entire life.
According to history, it was at this time that perfume appeared, the main purpose of which was to drown out an unpleasant smell. The fashion for washing appeared thanks to the Crusaders, who brought various novelties from campaigns. So, the first bar soap was brought from Italy, which is probably why Italian soap is considered one of the best to this day. Its cost was very high, only the nobles could afford to wash themselves with a novelty.
Mass production of solid and liquid soap began only in the 18th century. The method of making soap was kept secret, in connection with which a law was passed in England that forbade professional soap makers from being under the same roof with other craftsmen. Soon, special equipment was invented that made it possible to produce soap in large quantities.
Appearance in Russia
In our country in the same period, the tradition of washing in a bath looked rather strange for Europeans. So soap appeared much earlier. According to history, the secrets of soap making were borrowed from Byzantium. The first Russian soap factories began to appear in the 14th and 15th centuries; often entire villages and villages were engaged in the manufacture of soap.
The ingredients of the first solid soap were quite simple and natural, the base was wood ash and vegetable oils. Sometimes lard was used instead of butter. For industrial purposes, soap began to be produced a little later, but at the same time it was also very expensive and was not available to ordinary people. Peasants used ordinary potatoes or ashes as the main detergent.
Handmade soap began to appear on sale in the 2000s. At the same time, a variety of books began to appear on sale with master classes and techniques for making soap at home. At the moment, handmade soap is not just a way to get closer to art, but also an opportunity to avoid harmful, synthetic ingredients that many unscrupulous manufacturers add. Many recipes contain natural oils, bases, essential oils, natural extracts, which, of course, are not found in ordinary soap.
Contrary to stereotypes, making soap at home is not difficult at all, even if you are hearing about soap making for the first time. Recipes contain mostly simple ingredients, everything you need can be purchased at the nearest store.
If you like the lesson, you can additionally purchase various molds, perforated fragrances, decor. In the future, soap making can become not only a hobby, but also a way to earn extra money. Natural, organic cosmetics are very popular, and there are more and more people who want to buy them every day. With a little imagination and a little love attached to the work, you can get not just soap, but a real masterpiece.
List of basic materials
In order to make soap with your own hands, you will need to first purchase some ingredients. Many of them are likely to be found in the house:
Soap beginners are usually interested in how to make handmade soap from baby soap, and if you can do without the base. In fact, it is not necessary to buy a soap base at all. It will be enough to choose high-quality baby soap, it is desirable that it be without any fragrances and have the most natural composition. The soap base is a specially designed mixture that contains glycerin, water and detergent components.
On sale you can find a transparent, translucent, white or colored base. They look great both individually and in combination with each other. When dye is added to a white base, incredibly beautiful pastel shades are obtained.
The soap base melts quite quickly when heated and easily takes the desired shape when solidified. When buying, it is best to pay attention to the bases made in Germany or in Russia. They dry slowly, so they are great for beginners.
As for dyes, you can use both ordinary food and pigments that are sold in specialized stores. Thanks to the pigment, you can get products of a rich, bright color. In addition, they are perfect for multi-layered, multi-colored soaps. Before using the pigment, dilute it with alcohol or glycerin. On sale you can find ready-made, diluted pigments that will greatly simplify the process.
Oils are the most important components that soap making at home includes. Recipes usually include olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. These oils, in addition to their beneficial properties, guarantee a rich and fluffy foam. However, here you can show imagination and use the following oils:
- Jojoba oil - anti-inflammatory, softening effect.
- Avocado oil - moisturizing, nourishing effect.
- Cocoa butter - regenerating, protective, nourishing effect.
- Calendula oil - softening, moisturizing effect.
The oil must also be of high quality, from a trusted manufacturer.
In order for the finished product to smell delicious, you can use ordinary food flavors, best of all - in liquid form. However, it should be borne in mind that in an alkaline environment, the aroma weakens, so such a soap will have a subtle, mild aroma. For lovers of intense odors, cosmetic fragrances are suitable. They are completely safe and have a wide variety of unusual flavors.
It is not necessary to use artificial fragrances and flavors. You can use only essential oils if you wish. When choosing, it is necessary to focus not only on the smell, but also on the useful properties. So, for example, lavender essential oil gives a calming effect, and grapefruit, orange essential oil - invigorating.
For decoration, you can use dried lavender, rose petals, star anise, cinnamon, coffee beans, dried fruits, nuts, zest, sea salt.
Soap molds can be plastic or silicone. For starters, silicone molds for cupcakes, which every housewife probably has, are perfect. This is an ideal option for beginners, the soap in such molds hardens quickly and is easily removed.
Baby soap recipe
DIY soap recipes from baby soap are simple and with a minimum of ingredients, this is a great option for beginners from scratch. However, there are a few key things to keep in mind:
- Multi-color soap will not work.
- The cooking process takes longer.
- In some cases, the smell remains.
First you need to prepare shavings and cook a soap base from baby soap. To do this, the bar should be grated on a coarse grater, poured into a suitable container and put in a water bath. You can also use the microwave, but it is important not to overheat the mixture. In the process of melting, hot water must be gradually added to the mixture (can be replaced with milk, herbal decoction if desired). As a rule, about 4-5 tablespoons of liquid go to a standard bar weighing 100 g.
On average, in a water bath, the melting process lasts about 15-20 minutes, a homogeneous consistency of liquid sour cream should be obtained. In order to speed up the process, you can add a little sugar or honey to the chips. Then the container must be removed from the stove and pour in 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Coconut oil, cocoa butter must be preheated. Then you can add about 5-10 drops of essential oil, flavoring. In the process, the mass must be gently mixed, there should not be too much essential and base oil, otherwise the finished soap will not foam well.
The last stage is the addition of dye and fillers, decor. For an intense color, you need to add 5-7 drops of liquid pigment, for a pastel color, 3-4 drops are enough. After the mixture is ready, it must be poured into molds, previously lubricated with any oil. The soap according to this recipe hardens at room temperature for 2-3 hours. However, it will be possible to use it only after complete drying - after 3-4 days.
Soap based masterpieces
Using the finished base allows you to fully realize your creative ideas. The manufacturing process will take you very little time, and the result is almost always perfect. Simple Orange Glitter Soap Recipe:
The soap base must be cut into small cubes, and then put in a water bath. It is important to constantly stir the mixture and prevent it from boiling. After the base is completely melted, the base oil and dye should be added.
The next step is the addition of essential oils, fragrances. At the very end, add some golden glitter to the mixture. This is very important, because when added to a hot mixture, it simply settles to the bottom. For a light shimmering effect, ¼ teaspoon will be enough. The mold for soap should be sprinkled with alcohol, and then pour the already cooled mixture. If desired, you can decorate the product with zest, star anise. You can remove the soap from the mold after 1-2 hours.
