Most of my soaps are made with around 50% Olive Oil. Olive oil has been used in soaps for centuries and is well known for its nourishing qualities. It is mild enough for almost all skin types.
I also use coconut oil in my soaps. Coconut oil helps to harden a soap and gives it plenty of bubbly lather. Note: Sailors of old used to make their soaps with all coconut oil, because it would lather even in salt water!
At this point, I start to play around a little with different oils. I like to use Grapeseed Oil, Organic Canola OIl, Sweet Almond Oil, and/or Rice Bran Oil. Each of these oils add its own property to the soap. Grapeseed Oil is rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid quite important for the skin and the cell membranes. Canola Oil is moisturizing and extremely mild, and adds a texture to the soap that I like. Sweet Almond Oil is conditioning, and helps to create a stable lather. Rice Bran Oil is similar to Olive Oil in its properties - mild and conditioning.
Then I get into what I consider the luxury oils. These are what makes a soap special! One of my favorite luxury oils is Wheat Germ Oil. Wheat Germ Oil is so good to "mature" skin. It's very rich in vitamin E making it a natural antioxidant. It nourishes dry and cracked skin, and helps to sooth such skin problems as eczema and psoriasis. Another favorite is Cocoa Butter. Cocoa Butter makes a wonderfully hard bar of soap, and is so soothing to the skin! And along that same line, Shea Butter. Shea Butter is softer than Cocoa Butter but still makes a rather hard bar. Shea Butter is used through out the world for its healing properties, often used as a salve for burns. I also use Avocado Oil at times, especially in soaps that will be used by children because it is so mild and conditioning.
For scenting my soaps, I use both Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils. Essential Oils are natural oils extracted from plants, whereas Fragrance Oils have synthetic components. All my Fragrance Oils are phthalate free, high quality, and skin safe.
One of my favorite additives is goat milk. Goat milk contains many skin aiding vitamins and proteins. It helps to create a nice creamy moisturizing bar of soap. Other additives include natural clays, which I use for coloring. Honey and oatmeal. And sometimes I just have fun and add things like beer, cocoa, coffee, agave nector, and even pumpkin!
I also use coconut oil in my soaps. Coconut oil helps to harden a soap and gives it plenty of bubbly lather. Note: Sailors of old used to make their soaps with all coconut oil, because it would lather even in salt water!
At this point, I start to play around a little with different oils. I like to use Grapeseed Oil, Organic Canola OIl, Sweet Almond Oil, and/or Rice Bran Oil. Each of these oils add its own property to the soap. Grapeseed Oil is rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid quite important for the skin and the cell membranes. Canola Oil is moisturizing and extremely mild, and adds a texture to the soap that I like. Sweet Almond Oil is conditioning, and helps to create a stable lather. Rice Bran Oil is similar to Olive Oil in its properties - mild and conditioning.
Then I get into what I consider the luxury oils. These are what makes a soap special! One of my favorite luxury oils is Wheat Germ Oil. Wheat Germ Oil is so good to "mature" skin. It's very rich in vitamin E making it a natural antioxidant. It nourishes dry and cracked skin, and helps to sooth such skin problems as eczema and psoriasis. Another favorite is Cocoa Butter. Cocoa Butter makes a wonderfully hard bar of soap, and is so soothing to the skin! And along that same line, Shea Butter. Shea Butter is softer than Cocoa Butter but still makes a rather hard bar. Shea Butter is used through out the world for its healing properties, often used as a salve for burns. I also use Avocado Oil at times, especially in soaps that will be used by children because it is so mild and conditioning.
For scenting my soaps, I use both Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils. Essential Oils are natural oils extracted from plants, whereas Fragrance Oils have synthetic components. All my Fragrance Oils are phthalate free, high quality, and skin safe.
One of my favorite additives is goat milk. Goat milk contains many skin aiding vitamins and proteins. It helps to create a nice creamy moisturizing bar of soap. Other additives include natural clays, which I use for coloring. Honey and oatmeal. And sometimes I just have fun and add things like beer, cocoa, coffee, agave nector, and even pumpkin!