Using a soap base is a simple and enjoyable way to embark on your soap-making journey. Can this soap base be used as regular soap? The answer is an absolute yes. However, you may wonder what differences, if any, exist and whether there are any associated concerns. Let's delve into that.
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A soap base can indeed serve as commonplace soap. The key distinction from other varieties is its absence of fragrance. Yet, if a clean, unscented product is what you desire, a soap base may just be your perfect match. Let's venture deeper into its composition and production.
A prevalent query cropping up online is the legitimacy of soap base as actual soap. This confusion is due to the striking similarity of its constituents to those in store-bought variants. Certainly, one can use them straight out of the box! Yet, certain factors and precautions warrant consideration for effective usage.
Delving into the definition, what exactly constitutes a soap base?
A soap base is a cleansing component derived by amalgamating animal or vegetable oils with potassium or sodium hydroxide. Let's explore its usage in the popular 'melt and pour' soap-making process.
Functioning as the raw ingredient for soap crafting, soap bases arrive as a block. Each 'melt and pour' base comprises essential components - lye, water, oil, and glycerin. Sodium hydroxide featured in the list of ingredients is in fact, the lye. They might also refer to glycerin as glycerol. The advantages of using soap base are manifold.
Can a soap base be classified as melt and pour soap? Let's unfold the main elements that compose a soap base.
The ready-to-use soap base constitutes a melt and pour soap, amalgamated from fatty acids, glycerin, and various natural elements. This base undergoes 'saponification', a thorough blending of fats and alkali, followed by a minimum curing period of four weeks prior to usage. Let's expound on its impact and utility for skin.
Contrasting with a cold process soap, a melt and pour soap base can be used instantaneously. All it requires is melting the base, incorporating dyes, fragrances and pouring them into moulds. The base often includes hydrating and nourishing ingredients like argan oil, shea butter, or olive oil, enhancing its allure for soap crafting.
What is soap base for?
Soap base helps soap makers in producing high-quality, professional soap bars with convenience. You can mold a soap base into the most beautiful, fragrant, and nourishing soaps without the hassle of mixing the lye and curing the soap. Making soap with a soap base is also much faster than any other soap-making process.
Soap bases are equally popular among beginner crafters and experienced soap makers. They are a safer alternative to cold process soap as you don’t need to handle lye directly.
What is a soap base made of?
The primary ingredient of a melt-and-pour soap is its base. Coconut oil, palm oil, glycerin, safflower oil, water, and sodium hydroxide (lye) are the essential ingredients present in a soap base. Other ingredients such as shea butter, goat milk, or olive oil may be added to make the soap extra nourishing.
But most soap bases will not have anything special to them as they are supposed to be neutral in smell and shape. This means that soap bases will and should not have any fragrances added to them.
Can I use soap base as soap?
Technically, soap base is soap. So you can use a regular bar of boring old liquid detergent as your go-to for hand washing, and it will get the job done just fine. The only difference between them and other types is that they lack aromas like lavender or peppermint; however, this may not bother those who dislike sweet smells in general.
Can we use a soap base directly on the skin?
Well, since we already answered the previous question, you can use your soap base directly on your skin because it has already gone through the saponification process.
The soap base you get ready-made for making colorful, fragrant soaps is ready for use as it has no active lye present in it.
You can apply it on your skin immediately or as soon as it hardens because it has also undergone the curing time.
What can you do with soap base?
Making your soaps brings you on a safer side because you never know how many chemicals are present in commercial soaps. You can give your soaps as much variety as possible by adding natural oils, herbs, and foods that are beneficial for your skin. You can also dye your soaps as desired or add fragrance oils that have a soothing effect on your skin.
These DIY soaps made from soap bases are good for personal use, and you can earn by selling these soaps.
Nowadays, you can find three types of soap bases – hard, liquid, and soft.
- Hard – used to make classic hard soaps.
- Liquid – used in making shampoos, shower gels, and other body care products
- Soft – used in making cleansers and scrubs
Types of Soap Base:
There are several soap bases available in the market today from which you can choose depending on your personal preference. Mostly soap bases are white or clear. White soap base produces pastel hues, whereas clear soap base will produce vibrant colors.
Standard White Soap Base:
The plain white soap base is ideal for most beginner soap makers to start their soap-making business. A 2-lb package is very easy to handle and stock. The neutral odor will let your soap hold the fragrance oils for a longer period.
Some soap makers prefer adding extra moisturizing ingredients to their soaps. They should not exceed the quantity of any oil beyond one tablespoon per pound of soap because Excessive oil will reduce the lather.
White Low Sweat Soap Base:
Glycerin is added to the soap base as a natural humectant, and it helps keep the skin moisturized. The soaps that contain a greater amount of glycerin sweat quickly as they attract moisture from the air. Such soaps need to be stored very carefully. However, the low sweat soap does not sweat so quickly.
Castile Soap Base:
Castile soaps are made with everyone’s favorite extra virgin olive oil. They can be turned into nice and fragrant soap bars.
Clear Soap Bases:
If you want to make vibrant colored soaps, you will need a clear soap base. You can also display your artistic skills by adding aesthetic embeds or layers. You can make it opaque with the help of titanium oxide or other dyes.
Ultra Clear Soap Base:
The ultra-clear soap base is yet another excellent choice for soap making. It has a greasy texture due to its higher glycerin content. The finished product does not retain the slippery texture, but you should store it in a cool, dry place as it may absorb moisture.
Clear Low Sweat Soap Base:
Though it is not as sparkling as the ultra-clear soap base, it is great for soap making as it does not sweat. It has a lower glycerin content that prevents dew formation.
Moisturizing Soap Bases:
Moisturizing soap bases already contain skin-softening ingredients so that you don’t need to worry about adding additional oils and butter. They give adequate foaming and cleaning without making the skin excessively dry. You just need to make your fragrance oil, color, and botanicals if desired.
Shea Butter Soap Bases:
Shea butter has excellent skin-nourishing qualities. Shea butter is an effective soothing emollient that is why it is widely used in the personal care industry. It is a common ingredient in commercial and homemade soaps.
Goat’s Milk Soap Bases:
Goat’s Milk Melt and Pour Soap Bases are a perfect choice for soap makers who want to create lovely, moisturizing soaps. Goat milk contains essential vitamins and minerals that nourish the skin.
Olive Oil Soap Bases:
The olive oil soap bases are loaded with the extraordinary nourishing qualities of extra virgin olive oil. They are not greasy and are ideal for making friendly soaps.
Hemp Soap Base:
It comes with the goodness of unrefined hemp seed oil and extra virgin olive oil. The soap base is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. It also contains oleic acid to nourish the skin.
Re-batch Soap Base:
Rebatch Soap Base is also famous among soap makers and their customers because it produces a nice, rustic-looking soap bar. You can not microwave it as the temperature in the microwave can ruin it and turn it into a mushy mess. The final product is very close to the cold process soap in its characteristics.
The Final Verdict:
Melt and pour soaps are popular among people who want to make their soap for personal or business purposes. This is a standard shortcut for soap making as it saves you from handling lye and curing the soap.
You can cut a soap base into pieces of usable size and use them as soap. Or you can melt them and pour them into molds. You can also customize them with pleasant colors, sweet fragrances, and cute botanicals to make them more attractive.
