In recent years, as people’s awareness of health and environmental protection has increased, more and more individuals are choosing to make their daily care products.
DIY essential oil handmade soap, as a natural and creative skincare product, is becoming increasingly popular.
It not only allows for customization according to personal needs but also offers the joy and satisfaction of crafting.
Making Steps
The process of making essential oil handmade soap is not complicated, but it requires attention to some basic chemical reactions and safety precautions. The main steps in the process are as follows:
1. Prepare Materials: The basic materials for making handmade soap include vegetable oils (such as olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, etc.), sodium hydroxide, water, and essential oils. Natural colorants, dried flowers, oats, and other additives can be added based on personal needs to enhance the appearance or effectiveness of the soap.
2. Prepare the Lye Solution: Slowly add sodium hydroxide to water while stirring until it is well mixed. The lye solution will undergo a strong exothermic reaction, so careful operation is required to avoid skin contact.
3. Heat the Oils: Heat the vegetable oils to an appropriate temperature. Different oils have different melting points, so it’s important to control the temperature to ensure the oils are neither overheated nor too cool.
4. Saponification Reaction: Slowly pour the prepared lye solution into the oils while continuously stirring. This will initiate the saponification reaction, where the oils and lye interact to form soap and glycerin. The duration and intensity of stirring will affect the final texture of the soap.
5. Add Essential Oils and Other Additives: Once the soap mixture reaches a suitable viscosity, add the prepared essential oils and other additives, mixing well.
6. Mold and Cure: Pour the well-mixed soap mixture into molds and let it sit for 24 to 48 hours to initially solidify. Afterward, remove the soap from the molds, cut it into pieces, and place them in a cool, dry place to cure for 4 to 6 weeks, allowing the saponification process to complete and the soap to mature.
Advantages
Compared to commercially produced soaps, DIY essential oil handmade soap has many incomparable advantages:
1. Natural Ingredients, More Gentle: Commercial soaps often contain chemically synthesized additives, fragrances, and preservatives, which can burden the skin with long-term use. Handmade soaps primarily use natural oils and essential oils, making them gentler and more suitable for sensitive skin and those prone to allergies.
2. Retains Glycerin, Moisturizes: During the soap-making process, the glycerin produced from the reaction between oils and lye acts as a natural moisturizer. In contrast, glycerin is often extracted from commercial soaps for use in other skincare products, leading to dryness of the skin after use. Handmade soaps retain glycerin, effectively keeping the skin hydrated and preventing dryness.
3. Skincare Benefits of Essential Oils: Depending on the added essential oils, handmade soaps can provide different skincare benefits. For example, handmade soap with lavender essential oil can soothe stress and promote sleep; soap with rose essential oil can help with anti-aging and brighten the skin; tea tree essential oil can assist in cleaning pores and preventing acne.
4. Eco-Friendly and Harmless: The process of making handmade soap is simple and environmentally friendly, as the materials used are natural and biodegradable, causing no pollution to the environment. In contrast, commercial soaps often contain sulfates and other chemicals that can negatively impact ecosystems if discharged over time.
DIY essential oil handmade soap is not only a natural skincare product but also provides us with the opportunity to create customized skincare products ourselves. Why not give it a try?
