 Handmade Soap
The Cold Process Method described above is how many soap makers today craft their homemade soaps. The process dates back to 1st century A.D., but of course, we have come along way since that time in perfecting the process and in creating unique handmade soaps. For the customer, that means you can find just the right soap to suit your special skin needs and also to delight your senses.
A soap maker today has a wide array of oils, fats, essential oils and fragrances, natural colorants and exfoliates to choose from in order to create unique soap products that meet the individual needs of their customers. Experienced soap makers know the exact saponification value for each oil, fat and enhancement. They also know which ingredients to add to make a soft bar, a hard bar, a bar with more lather, a bar with more moisturizing qualities, and many other factors that lead to the perfect bar for the individual customer. By knowing the saponification value of each ingredient, they can get perfect results each and every time. With such great advancements in technology this is a great place in time to be a soap crafter!
The beauty and appreciation of this technology is further revealed by the increasing popularity in the handmade soap industry. More and more customers are realizing the value of handmade soaps. After all, we all want beautiful skin and who doesn't love the qualities of aromatherapy. It's just a wonderful way to treat you, your skin and your senses each and every day of the year.
HANDMADE SOAP INGREDIENTS
Avocado Oil: Avocado Oil is a gold mine when it comes to valuable treatment for dry skin conditions. It is highly therapeutic and rich in Vitamins A, D & E, proteins, amino acids to name a few. All of these exquisite qualities provide a wonderful emollient for the skin which helps mature, dry, scaly skin and scalp. It is also known to regenerate skins cells.
Calendula Oil: Calendula Oil is known for its regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Good for irritated, itchy or rashy skin.
Canola Oil: Canola Oil contains proteins and moisturizing qualities. It penetrates the skin easily in most skin types.
Castor Oil: Castor Oil is a great humectant by attracting and retaining moisture to the skin,
Coconut Oil: Coconut Oil is an emollient which soothes and softens skin. It provides a rich lather in handmade soap.
Grape seed Oil: Grape seed Oil is rich in vitamins, minerals and linoleic acid. It is light penetrating oil and works well to tone the skin.
Olive Oil: Olive Oil is a valuable humectant. It not only attracts and retains moisture to the skin; it forms a breathable film to prevent loss of internal moisture.
Palm Oil: Palm Oil is used with other carrier oils for soap making. It pulls the other oils into a quicker saponification and produces a harder bar of soap which results in less melting in the shower or bath. It cleans the skin well.
Palm Kernel Oil: Palm Kernel Oil is similar to palm oil. It also pulls other oils into saponification and produces a harder bar of soap which results in less melting in the shower or bath.
Soybean Oil: Soybean Oil is the primary ingredient in vegetable shortening. In soap, it is used to contribute bulk, mildness and a stable lather.
NUTRIENTS
Sweet Almond Oil: Sweet Almond Oil is very nourishing to the skin. It relieves dry itchy skin.
Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera is traditionally used for healing burns and injuries to the skin. It soothes dry damaged skin.
Jojoba Oil: Jojoba Oil works as a wonderful humectant by attracting and retaining moisture to the skin. Jojoba closely resembles the natural moisturizing oil, sebum, which is secreted by human skin. It naturally extends shelf-life to handmade soaps and is easily absorbed by most skin types.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant and helps eradicate free radicals from the skin. It naturally extends the shelf life of handmade soap.
Wheat Germ Oil: Wheat Germ Oil is also an antioxidant. It naturally extends the shelf life of handmade soaps.
BUTTERS
Avocado Butter: Avocado Butter contains vitamins A, E and minerals. It is moisturizing, softens and increases skin elasticity.
Cocoa Butter: Cocoa Butter has excellent moisturizing qualities. It provides a protective layer and holds moisture to the skin making it a good skin softener.
Mango Butter: Mango Butter is very lubricating and an excellent butter for dry aging skin.
Shea Butter: Shea Butter is extremely moisturizing, nourishing and gentle to the skin.
EXFOLIANTS
Ground almond, oatmeal, cornmeal are all excellent exfoliants.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Chamomile: Chamomile is relaxing and an anti-inflammatory.
Clove Bud: Clove Bud is energizing and uplifting to the skin and senses. It also has an antibacterial property that helps with acne and oily skin.
Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus has healing, invigorating, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It relieves itching and muscular aches.
Geranium: Geranium is balancing, soothing, an antibacterial, an antifungal, a circulatory stimulant and an excellent ingredient for acne and oily skin.
Ginger: Ginger is anchoring, strengthening, warming and provides circulatory stimulation.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit is inspiring, uplifting, reviving and has antibacterial properties. It helps with muscular aches and cellulite.
Lavender: Lavender is soothing, calming and helps with muscular aches. It is also an antibacterial, antifungal and helps with acne and oily skin.
Lemon: Lemon is cooling, refreshing, and uplifting to the skin and senses. It is an antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and a circulatory stimulant. It is also good for acne, cellulite, wrinkles, warts and rheumatoid arthritis.
Lemongrass: Lemongrass is cleansing, invigorating and toning to the skin and senses. It is an antifungal and anti-inflammatory. It is good for cellulite, oily skin and arthritis.
Lime: Lime is energizing, uplifting and toning to the skin and senses. It is an antibacterial and good for oily skin and rheumatism.
Myrtle: Myrtle is wonderfully soothing, moisturizing and aids acne and oily skin conditions.
Nutmeg: Nutmeg is rejuvenating, uplifting, warming, a circulatory stimulant, and good for oily skin and muscular aches.
Sweet Orange: Sweet Orange is inspiring, calming, relaxing and toning for the skin and senses. It is also good for acne, wrinkles and muscular aches
Patchouli: Patchouli is an aphrodisiac. It is soothing and good for wrinkles, cellulite, dry and oily skin. It is one of the best essential oils for rough, cracked skin.
Peppermint: Peppermint is cooling, revitalizing, stimulating, an anti-inflammatory, circulatory stimulant, and good for muscular aches, cellulite and rheumatoid arthritis.
Rose Geranium: Rose Geranium is a cellular regenerative, skin conditioner, has a balancing effect on body and mind.
Rosemary: Rosemary is clarifying, warming, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and a circulatory stimulant. It is good for reducing nervous tension, cellulite, arthritis & muscular aches, oily skin & scalp and dandruff.
Sandalwood: Sandalwood is useful for dry, chapped skin and rashes.
Spearmint: Spearmint is comforting, healing and soothing.
Tea Tree: Tea Tree is energizing, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and excellent for blisters, ringworm, cold sores and insect bites.
ANIMAL PRODUCTS
Cebe Soap Company does not use animal products which are derived from harming any animals and we do not use animal testing. However, Cebe Soap Company does use honey/beeswax and lanolin in some of its specialty bars. Products containing honey/beeswax or lanolin will be marked with the following symbols:
(bee symbol) Honey or Beeswax
(sheep symbol) Lanolin
Beeswax or Honey: Honey lays down a clear, protective film that helps skin maintain moisture. It hydrates and soothes the skin and is thought to be slightly antiseptic and bacteriostatic.
When an exfolliant is used to release debris and cleanse the skin, a moisturizing and antiseptic ingredient should also be included to avoid irritation and dryness. Shea butter, cocoa butter, castor oil, jojoba oil and honey contain excellent moisturizing nutrients.
Lanolin: Anhydrous lanolin is a fatty substance taken from the wool of the sheep. It is extremely effective for softening chapped, cracked, dry skin. It has a thick sticky consistency which allows it to remain on the skin longer than other emollients and therefore allows moisture to remain longer.
IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTE: Lanolin comes from wool so, if you are allergic to wool, you may also be allergic to lanolin. Please consult with your physician prior to using lanolin products if you have an allergic reaction to wool.
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