How to make soap instructions. How to make soap. Make black soap

Making soap at home is of interest to most novice soap makers, as this useful activity is interesting and does not take much time.

Making soap at home is attractive for beginner soap makers due to a number of advantages:

minimal investment for the purchase of cheap equipment;
accessible product manufacturing technology;
opportunities to enjoy the creative process;
the ability to create an environmentally friendly and natural product, unique in content and form;
an unlimited number of consumers of the finished product (adults and children, men and women of any profession and status in society);
the opportunity to experiment and create something new;
likelihood of receiving income from the sale of your products;
lack of competition due to the uniqueness of each product.

Disadvantages of home soap making:

the need to invest your own resources at the initial stage of work;
search for sales points and buyers;
risk of allergies (making soap involves working with essential oils and chemical elements, so it is not suitable for people with sensitive mucous membranes and skin).

Materials and accessories

Making soap at home for beginners at the initial stage of work involves costs for materials, equipment and tools. Their choice depends on the intended production technology of the product.

The basis

You can use the following as a soap base:

a self-prepared mixture (the most labor-intensive method, which requires compliance with safety precautions and knowledge of chemistry);
factory-made soap base;
unscented baby soap;
remnants and remnants from ordinary soap (the most economical method).

The bases from different industries differ in a number of characteristics:

cost;
hardness;
cooling speed;
degree of naturalness (there are completely natural base masses to create an environmentally friendly, safe product).

Most bases sold in specialized stores are glycerin, without alkalis in their composition, which is why they compare favorably with ready-made soap made in a factory. The glycerin base has a gentler effect on the skin and forms a large amount of foam.

English soap base is of high quality, but it is expensive and hardens very quickly after melting, which is why it is inferior in popularity to Russian raw materials. In addition to them, there are soap bases on the market from Belarus, Germany, China, and Bulgaria.

The “SLS-free” mark on raw materials guarantees the absence of surfactants (surfactants) that have a negative effect on the skin and mucous membranes.

For soap with a water-soluble image, it is advisable to choose an English base, the Belarusian product “Ideal” or the Russian base “Myloff” for the top layer, since in this way you can achieve maximum transparency of the product. The thinner the top layer, the more clearly the pattern underneath is visible.

There are 4 types of soap bases:

Solid soap base. The most popular are classic white (including matte) and transparent base. The white base contains titanium dioxide pigment. If necessary, you can purchase it separately to create white soap from clear soap.

A transparent base allows you to create soaps of bright colors; a white base will give a pastel tone to any dye. Vegetable oils, milk (goat or cow), and mango butter can also be added to solid bases. There are also foundations on sale that are made only from natural raw materials.

The basis for creating “swirls”. When heated, it acquires a viscous structure without turning into a liquid. Thanks to this property, it is possible to create soap with unique patterns and inclusions from it.

Soft base. It is used when making scrub soap and soft soap (a product with a pleasant texture, reminiscent of ice cream).

Liquid foundation. It is ready for use in everyday life, and also serves as a basis for creating new hygiene products.

Particularly popular is the liquid foundation from England “Liquid Crystal Concentrate”. It cannot be used in its pure form due to the high concentrations of active substances in the composition.

Making soap “from scratch” with the creation of a base yourself is a labor-intensive and harmful process due to the use of caustic alkalis, so it is advisable for novice soap makers to use a ready-made soap base at home.

To make transparent soap, you need a transparent base; to make a matte product, you should choose matte raw materials. The average cost of 1 kg of base mass is 300 rubles.

If baby soap is chosen as the base, it is worth buying options without fragrances, since it will be impossible to get rid of its original aroma.

To make your own soap base you will need 3 ingredients:

alkaline base;
liquid (herbal infusions, milk, purified water);
special oils for saponification.

Caustic soda is required to produce solid soap. The alkali ensures saponification of fat, in this case, base oil (any vegetable oil, in rare cases, pork fat).

The liquid is necessary to pre-dissolve the alkali and prepare it for mixing with fat. If you use milk or decoctions of beneficial herbs as a liquid, the finished soap will become healthy, take on a natural color and acquire a natural smell.

Base oils

Base oils enrich the soap and give it the necessary properties (moisturizing the skin, softening it, nourishing it). Soap without base oils will dry out the skin, create a “drying” feeling, and lead to cracking and peeling. To enrich the product, you can also add cream, body milk, boiled milk and cream.

The main thing is not to get carried away with enriching substances, otherwise the soap will not foam well.

The most commonly used base oils are:

for hands: cocoa butter, shea butter, olive, palm, walnut, jojoba;
for normal facial skin: cocoa and avocado butter, olive and almond;
for dry skin: shea butter, evening primrose, wheat germ, rose hips, avocado, almond, castor;
for oily skin: apricot and peach kernel oil, sweet almond and hazelnut oil;
for problem areas of facial skin: sea buckthorn or olive;
for the body: sesame oil, shea butter, almond, coconut, cocoa, olive.

Selection of base oils according to skin type

An oil is often chosen based on its effect on the skin:

for wilting – wrinkle-smoothing geranium oil;
for dryness – mint oil;
for saturation with vitamins – juniper oil;
for rough, dry skin – lanolin oil;
to fight cellulite and add elasticity - orange oil, loofah oil, algae oil in combination with pieces of ground coffee.

Essential oils

Essential oils are used to give homemade soap a pleasant aroma. Instead, confectionery and cosmetic flavorings, coffee, chocolate, honey, dried fruit zest, and parts of dried flowers are also used. The disadvantage of essential oils is their rapid weathering. Therefore, they are added to soap at the end of preparation.

The choice of a specific oil depends on what healing effect is to be achieved. For example, lavender relieves headaches and has a calming effect; jasmine gives vigor and improves mood; Tea tree oil is effective in fighting bacteria.

You can select the necessary raw materials depending on the area of application of the soap:

Any essential oil can be used for the skin of the hands.
For normal facial skin, chamomile, jasmine, geranium, and lavender oils are best suited.
Essential oils of lavender, mint, jasmine, palmarosa and neroli will help dry skin.
Lemon, rosemary, cypress and geranium oils can reduce skin oiliness.
Essential oils of eucalyptus, tea tree, juniper, sandalwood and fir are effective in the fight against problematic facial skin.
Tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, as well as orange and grapefruit oil are beneficial for the body.

Dyes

Thanks to dyes, you can color your homemade soap in the desired shade.

The main features of using coloring pigments:

in a transparent base the colors are saturated, in a white base they are delicate and muted (with the exception of neon dyes);
Several colors can be mixed to obtain the desired shade.

All dyes are divided into food and pigments:

Food colorings They leave the soap transparent, do not add cloudiness to its base and color it in rich, bright shades. However, with their help it is impossible to create multi-colored soap, since the colors easily transfer into other layers.

They are produced in the form of powders, gels and oils. They are highly concentrated. Dosage of food coloring: from 1 to 5 drops for 100 g of base.

Liquid dyes are more convenient to use. They are divided into classic colors and neon (more saturated and bright shades). Neon pigment allows you to get bright soap even when using a matte white soap base. The disadvantage of liquid dyes is that the base becomes cloudy. The dosage of liquid pigments is from 5 to 7 drops per 100 g of base.

Natural dyes are safer

Ready-made dyes, sold in specialized stores, will color soap in brighter colors than its natural counterparts.

However, natural dyes are safer:

For the red color of the soap, you need red pepper or red sandalwood powder.
The green color is obtained by adding chlorophyllipt (easily available at the pharmacy) or dried herbs to the soap.
To give the product an orange color, use turmeric powder.
For a brown tint, add chocolate, coffee or cinnamon to the soap.

Pigments are more popular due to their versatility and wide range of colors. The main advantage of artificial dyes is the absence of color migration when making a multi-layer multi-colored product.

Dry pigments are presented as powders. They are not suitable for making soap, as they often settle in it without dissolving. They can only be used if the soap base is prepared independently, since alkali does not corrode such dye. The transparent base also becomes cloudy.

For 100 g of soap, 1/3 tsp is required. dry pigment pre-mixed with alcohol, oil or glycerin.

Pearlescent pigment (mickey) is available in the form of powders. It does not need to be mixed with anything before use. Mother of pearl can only be used on a transparent soap base, as it will not be noticeable on a white surface. They often decorate finished soap using fingers or brushes. It can also take away the transparency of the soap. For 100 g of raw materials you need from 1/3 to 1/2 tsp. pigment.

Zenikolor pigments, available in paste form, are of high quality. They do not penetrate into different layers of soap and maintain its transparency.

Ordinary titanium dioxide, a white pigment, will allow, if necessary, to transform a transparent base into a matte one. It is also necessary for making a white base for swirls. For 100 g of soap base you need to take 1/3 tsp. titanium dioxide mixed with oil, alcohol or glycerin.

Decorative decorations, useful additives

For decorative purposes the following are used in soap:

glitters (large multi-colored sparkles added to transparent soap);

mother-of-pearl (a pigment with an iridescent color, used both for coloring soap and for decorating it after production);
water-soluble pictures (for making soap with pictures and inscriptions);
dried flowers and plants;
texture sheets and stamps (for creating patterned designs and relief on the surface of the soap).

Soap is also supplemented with caring components to give it certain properties:

to obtain scrub soap: oatmeal, poppy seeds, crushed herbs, sugar, nut shell crumbs, ground coffee or coffee beans;
for medicinal effect: parts of medicinal plants and herbs;
for a tonic effect: fruit zest, honey;
for gentle skin care: skin milk, creams, cream, milk, propolis tincture;
for nutrition and hydration: vegetable oil, honey, herbal decoction, glycerin.

When making homemade soap, different types of cosmetic clay are often used.

It is advisable to choose fillers based on the characteristics of the skin:

Lanolin, wax and glycerin are useful for the skin of your hands.
Cosmetic clay, crushed coffee and herbs, and milk will help maintain the health of normal facial skin.
Milk, glycerin, cosmetic clay, and herbal decoctions will help reduce dry skin.
Activated carbon, cosmetic clay, camphor alcohol, calendula extract, chamomile, propolis will reduce the greasiness of oily facial skin.
Using cosmetic clay, eucalyptus leaves, activated carbon, and herbal decoctions, you can reduce the number of skin rashes.
Ground coffee, sea salt, clay, honey and tar can help maintain the beauty of your skin.

To improve the quality of soap, the following ingredients are used:

Useful material	Properties	Examples of substances
Plasticizers	For plasticity and foam formation.	Honey, glucose, sugar, sorbitol.
Acids	For product hardness and antibacterial effect.	Citric, lactic, succinic acids.
Lanolin	For a softening effect.	Lanolin.
Glycerol	Hydration.	Glycerol.
Oil	Enrichment.	Shea butter, avocado.

Fresh fruits, berries, vegetables, and plants cannot be used as useful ingredients, as they will quickly rot and spoil the soap. Instead, it is better to use dry fruits, leaves, herbs, petals, flowers, and ginger powder.

Molds, alcohol and accessories

Rubbing alcohol is often used to improve the appearance of soap.: it prevents the appearance of air bubbles on the surface of the product and allows layers of multi-colored soap to be held together. For this purpose, it is sprayed onto the soap after pouring into molds.

Making soap at home for beginners and experienced soap makers is impossible without the appropriate equipment:

enamel and steel pans;
pans for melting the soap base;
plastic and glass containers for microwave ovens;
spoon;
corolla;

measuring cups;
kitchen electronic scales;
a small spray bottle for spraying alcohol;
soap molds.

You can use the following forms:

special molds for soap;
silicone baking molds;
plastic forms for playing in the sandbox;
plastic containers for fermented milk products;
small plastic elastic containers.

The most convenient are flexible silicone molds, since it is easier to get hardened soap out of them. Containers and tools used to make soap should not be used for cooking.

Tips for home soap makers:

When you start making soap, you need to prepare all the ingredients and tools: the product hardens quickly, and you need to work quickly.

Dyes, additional components, flavors must be selected before production begins, and not during the process itself.
Pigments and fragrances should be used minimally so as not to get too strong a smell or color the body of the soap.
Baby soap will melt faster if you add sugar or honey to it.
You can remove air bubbles from the surface of the product by spraying alcohol on it.
1 tsp. Glycerin, when added to 100 g of soap base, will eliminate excessive brittleness of soap.
It is advisable to grease the molds with oil: then it will be easier to remove the soap from them.
If the product turns out to be too soft, next time you should add less liquid when making it.
The soap can be easily cut with any knife, previously soaked in hot water and dried dry.

A quick way to make soap for beginners

How to make soap with your own hands at home - for beginners, it is advisable to practice with the easiest recipes: this way you can understand the features of the preparation technology and methods of work.

Recipe:

The finely chopped base needs to be melted in a water bath.
Add base oil to the liquid hot mass in a dosage of 3 tsp. per 100 g of product.
Next, you need to add milk to the mixture to form the consistency of thick sour cream.
After complete melting, the liquid is removed from the heat. Essential oil (2-3 drops) is poured into it, 1 tsp. glycerin, pigments, flavors, useful components.
After adding all the components, the soap must be poured into molds, treated with alcohol and left until the mass hardens.
After 2 days the soap will harden. You can remove it from the container and start using it.

Honey soap

Components:

base (matte or white) – 100 g;
liquid honey - 2 tbsp. l.;
flavoring "Honey" - 5 drops;
yellow dye - 3 drops.

How to make soap with your own hands: step-by-step recipe for honey soap

Preparation:

The crushed base must be melted.
After melting, pigment is added to it.
Then you need to cool the product a little and pour honey and flavoring into it. They should not be added to the hot mixture to preserve their beneficial properties.
The resulting mass must be quickly poured into a container. The product hardens within 1 hour.

Coconut

Components:

soap base – 125 g;
coconut oil – 1 tsp;
coconut flakes – 12 g;
almond oil – 7-8 g;
sugar – ¾ tsp;
lavender essential oil – 3 drops.

Only white ingredients are used for the product so that it resembles coconut in appearance.

Preparation:

It is necessary to melt the crushed soap base.
Add coconut oil to the melted mixture.
Almond oil, essential oil, and coconut flakes are added to the mixture.
At the end of the process, sugar is added, then everything must be quickly mixed and poured into molds.
Spilled soap will harden after 3 hours, after which it is ready for use.

Chocolate

Components:

base – 100 g;
ground coffee (not brewed) – 1 tsp;
cocoa or chocolate – 1 tsp;
milk - 1 tsp;
avocado oil – 3-4 drops;
fragrances - optional.

The soap will turn out to be three layers: for this, each layer must be poured separately. The first layer will be coffee, the second – chocolate, the third – with milk. The form for filling should be simple - in the form of a circle, square, triangle.

Preparation:

Melt the base in a water bath.
You need to add oil to it and mix until smooth.
Divide the resulting liquid into three equal parts, pouring into separate containers.
In the first bowl (the bottom layer of soap) you need to add coffee and add coffee or vanilla flavoring. After thorough mixing, pour into container. The soap should be allowed to harden slightly for 5-10 minutes.
Pour cocoa and chocolate flavor into the second bowl, stirring. After this, you need to sprinkle the first layer of soap with alcohol and pour in the second layer of soap mass.
The top milk layer is prepared in a similar way. It is possible to add flavors such as “Steam milk”, “Vanilla”, “Caramel” or “Coconut”.

Coffee soap-scrub

Components:

base – 100 g;
ground coffee – 1 tsp;
fragrance “Vanilla” – 3 drops.

Preparation:

The crushed base is melted in a water bath.
You need to pour coffee into the liquid mass and mix.
After removing from heat, you need to add fragrance.
Pour the soap and sprinkle alcohol on top.
The soap will harden in 3 hours, after which it is ready.

Coniferous

Components:

base – 100 g;
spruce essential oil – 6 drops;
green pigment – 3 drops;
chamomile grass or pine needles, crushed to a powdery state - 1 tsp;
fir oil – 1 drop;
alcohol.

Preparation:

The base needs to be melted.
After melting, add chamomile or pine needles and stir until smooth.
Next, you need to remove the soap from the heat, add dye, essential oils and stir.
Soap can be poured into molds by sprinkling the surface with alcohol.
After 3 hours the product is ready for use.

Lemon

Components:

base – 100 g;
essential lemon oil – 5-6 drops;
dried lemon zest – 1 tbsp.

Preparation:

The crushed base must be melted in a water bath.
Add lemon zest to the liquid mass and mix thoroughly. Do not stir quickly to avoid bubbles.
Remove the mixture from heat and add essential oil to it.
Next, you need to pour the product into the container and let it harden for 4 hours.

Degtyarnoe

Components:

natural base – 100 g;
calendula oil extract – 1/3 tsp;
birch tar (sold in any pharmacies) - 1.5 tsp;
essential peppermint oil – 5-8 drops;
formic alcohol (for spraying).

Preparation:

The base is crushed and melted in a water bath.
Calendula extract is added to the liquid mass. The mixture should not be hot, otherwise the beneficial properties of calendula will disappear.
Tar is added, the mass must then be thoroughly mixed until smooth.
After the mixture has cooled, you need to add mint essential oil to soften the pungent smell of tar.
The finished mixture is poured into molds and sprinkled with alcohol to remove bubbles from the surface.
Tar soap takes a long time to cool, so you can keep it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to speed up the process.

Lavender

Components:

soap base – 100 g;
lavender essential oil – 4-6 drops;
dried lavender flowers - 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

The base is melted in a water bath.
When the base becomes liquid, essential oil is added to it - 4-6 drops and dried flowers.
The product is placed in the container for 4 hours until hardened.

Soap making is a fascinating process, which results in a beautiful and useful product that is constantly in demand. Therefore, novice soap makers, even those preparing soap at home, should think about how to turn this hobby into an exciting income-generating project.

Article format: Natalie Podolskaya

Video about home soap making

How to make soap with your own hands:

Making soap at home is not only very exciting, but also useful, you get a 100% natural, environmentally friendly and high-quality product. Homemade handmade soap is a great gift for any holiday for family and friends.

An interesting fact is that at the beginning of the 20th century it was common to make this product at home, using, as a rule, animal fats. Medicinal plants, herbs and dried flowers were used as additives. In the modern world, alkalis, oils and all kinds of decor are used as additives. Despite the popularity of this type of handmade, many are interested in the question - “How to make soap at home and what is needed for this?”.

Devices for soap making

To make soap at home you will need the following tools:

Making soap at home is very interesting because you control all the processes yourself. One of the most popular cooking methods is the cold mixing technique.

Which ingredients are suitable for different skin types?

It's no secret that it is important to choose this hygiene product individually. You can come up with a recipe for making soap at home with your own hands, depending on personal preferences, the main thing is that the components are combined.

Useful tips for selecting components:

For normal skin types, it is recommended to add milk instead of water. Base oils can include lavender, geranium, jasmine and chamomile. You can also add oatmeal, poppy seed crumbs, strawberries, orange and eucalyptus oils as an additive;
Include clay supplements, celandine, and horsetail if you have problem skin. From essential oils, choose juniper, fir, sandalwood or tea tree oil;
For oily skin, it is recommended to add camphor alcohol. With its help you will narrow your pores. Calendula, chamomile and propolis tincture will add antibacterial qualities to your soap. Crushed herbs and fruit seeds in homemade soap will give a scrubbing effect. Homemade handmade soap will definitely not cause any harm to the skin;
If you have dry skin, it is not recommended to rinse your face with soap more than ten times a month, as the product can dry out the skin. Choose castor oil as a base oil; it will soften your face. Lavender and jasmine are also ideal for dry skin.

Soap Making Recipes

Based on “baby” soap

For this recipe, you can even use a soap base (colorless and always of plant origin).

Ingredients:

Cooking method:

Grate the main ingredient. Place 2 containers on the stove, creating a steam bath.

Pour a glass of water over the soap shavings and begin to melt until completely homogeneous.

Adding honey will help reduce the melting time of soap on fire. Cool the semi-finished product slightly and pour in the oil base. Beat thoroughly with a mixer. Add aromatic oils and your chosen decor into a homogeneous mass. Distribute the product among containers. Cool in the cold until firm.

Soap based

If you don’t know how to make soap quickly at home, then use this recipe. For those who don't like to wait long, this is an ideal way to make soap. As a result, the product is natural, the color is original, and the individual scent will be exactly the way you want. A soap-based hygiene product can be used immediately after completion of the cooking stage, which has a great advantage compared to other manufacturing methods.

To prepare you need to take:

piece of soap base - 375 g;
essential oil – 12 drops;
soap decor.

Cooking method:

Melt white soap shavings over steam. Cool and, stirring, pour in the essential ingredients and selected additives. Distribute the mixture among the molds and leave to cool in the cold. Your homemade hygiene product according to an exclusive recipe is ready, it will be a delicate beige color. You can even out the transparency using titanium dioxide, or you can buy a specialized white base. Various impurities will give the product the desired shade, texture and aroma.

Volume soap

This homemade hygiene product can be of various shapes and textures. The volume is obtained by using special plastic molds or by connecting containers to each other.

Ingredients:

Cooking method:

In order to make soap, you need to prepare molds that, when connected, form a volume. Pour the semi-finished soap product into the prepared molds and let it cool. The soap will harden more slowly because it is placed in closed molds.

Pepper balls

For those who like to soak in the bath after a hard day at work, you should prepare these balls. They make the water less hard and your skin becomes soft and silky.

Ingredients:

baking soda – 460 g;
lemon – 315 g;
corn starch – 275 g;
essential oil – 3.8 ml;
liquid of your choice – 10 g;
red pepper – 8g.

Cooking method:

Pass soda, starch and lemon through a sieve. While stirring, pour in the essential ingredients. Sprinkle the mixture with water until the mixture sticks together. Divide the resulting volume into equal parts, into one of which add hot pepper. Place the mixture tightly into the molds. There is no need to cook anything. Leave the preparations in the cold for a day. Once completely cooled, leave the pepper balls to dry for 3.5 hours. You can add flower buds and petals as decoration.

Liquid soap

For production, you need to take leftovers from past experiments, soap remnants from the store, or potassium hydroxide.

Your product will have more emollient properties if you add 10 ml of alcohol and glycerin to the main composition.

Melt the remainder, previously crushed in a food processor, in a steam bath and add liquid. Starting to beat the resulting mass, add essential oil little by little.

Stir your semi-finished product and add decor and additives, then leave to cool. The density of the soap will depend on the volume of liquid introduced. Pour your finished product into a container convenient for you. DIY liquid soap at home is ready, enjoy.

You can easily add beef tallow to your homemade soap;
As an experiment, instead of water, add milk, tea, herbal infusions and even beer;
Choose the most convenient “basic” recipe for yourself, add all sorts of nuances: color, smell, play with the shape;
Be sure to combine essential oils in combination with olive oil, which will neutralize the irritating effect;
Don’t throw away the not-so-successful workpiece, cut it into medium pieces and process it by adding new components. As a result, you will become the owner of a new soap masterpiece;
It is especially important to observe the proportion and weight of the selected products. Weigh and measure all components with extreme care. You can’t do it “by eye” here.

In the initial stages of soap making, after all your efforts, the result will not be quite as planned. However, little by little you will be able to make the perfect homemade soap. Handmade soap is a 100% exclusive product, an excellent gift for yourself and your loved ones.

Now you know how to make soap at home and get a quality product and financial savings.

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recipes:

Theoretically, making soap is easy: one - melt, two - color and scent, three - pour into a mold and you're done! In practice, many nuances are revealed that can not only harm the appearance of the soap, but also completely ruin it. We reveal some of them in ours, describing in detail all the intricacies of the process, but there are things that are better shown visually. For those who find it easier to see once, we have prepared recipes with photos.

Our collection contains the best recipes for making soap at home for both beginners and experienced soap makers. You will find simple soap making recipes in the “soap from base” section, and if you are looking for something more complicated, look at the next section and choose your favorite soap making recipe from scratch.

In addition, from the components on sale you can make not only soap, but also cosmetics, candles and even cookies, cakes and candies. And the “packaging” section will help you present your masterpiece beautifully.

Our collection is constantly growing, and if you find something unusual on the Internet and don’t know how to do it, leave a request for our forum, and we will be happy to prepare a photo recipe.

We carefully check and repeatedly test every product we offer you. All soap making recipes for beginners are the result of many years of experience of our masters, just like you, who are in love with home soap making. The recipes contain not only the cooking technology, but also a complete list of necessary materials and tools, so all you have to do is prepare everything you need and enjoy creativity!

Now we are close to making cold process whipped soap.

For decorating our prepared bases, as well as for independent holiday (and not only New Year's) cupcakes, whipped soap is perfect.

Whipped soap is loved with tender love for a number of advantages:

It is definitely more gentle than regular classic toilet soap.
Its airy texture melts into the skin, leaving only pleasant sensations after washing.
It doesn't sink in water. And for children it can become another toy in the bathroom.
It looks very attractive compared to the smooth and even classic soap from scratch.

But at the same time, whipped soap has several inconveniences:

It washes off somewhat faster than regular toilet soap.
Longer maturation compared to regular classic sodium soap.
You want to come back to it again and again, thereby forcing yourself to make new batches of soap!

Homemade soap making is another “handmade” hobby that has become so popular in recent years. This is not surprising, because now everything natural is in fashion, including organic cosmetics that do not contain substances harmful to the skin. But making handmade soap can become not only a useful hobby, but also a way to create a unique souvenir product for yourself and your loved ones.

How to make soap at home

Making homemade soap from scratch is not so easy, because in this case you will have to deal with lye and you will need to strictly follow the instructions, while observing safety precautions. But if you still decide to do this, then you will make one that is absolutely free of thickeners, preservatives and foaming agents, which are part of everyone’s favorite soap base.

There are two ways to make soap from scratch - cold and hot. The cold method is good for soaps with swirls (blurry swirls and patterns) and does not involve heating the components, but in both cases the alkali reacts with fatty acids and water.

What you need to make cold soap from scratch:

kitchen scales;
utensils made of wood, glass or enamel;
measuring cup for determining the amount of oils;
large container, such as a saucepan;
stirring stick;
thermometer;
mixer;
means for measuring alkaline solution;
soap molds - you can choose a regular food container or homemade wooden molds;
sodium hydroxide (lye) for solid soap and potassium hydroxide for liquid substance;
vegetable or animal fats - it is better to purchase vegetable oils;
solid butters;
liquid - water, herbal decoction, etc.;
essential oils;
aromatic fragrances.

Using a soap calculator (available on the Internet), create a soap recipe that will determine the weight of all components.

Melt solid butters and waxes in a water bath, after cutting them into pieces. Weigh vegetable and solid oils and place in separate containers.

Wear protective equipment. Weigh sodium hydroxide and dissolve it little by little in any liquid, while stirring with a glass rod. Attention! Lye should be placed in water, and not vice versa, otherwise the container may burst or explode due to overheating.

After this, measure the temperature of each of the compositions, it should be approximately the same and pour the lye into the oils.

Blend the mixture using an immersion blender or mixer until thickened.

Pour the soap into molds, after adding dyes, fragrances or essential oils, wrap the container in a thick towel and put it in a dark place for several hours.

Then cut the resulting soap into pieces and leave it to “mature” in a well-ventilated place.

For multi-colored soap, one or more dyes are added to the base, which creates unusual swirls - swirls.

Sodium hydroxide is a dangerous and caustic chemical that can cause pain on contact, so be sure to take precautions when working with lye.

Store the lye in a place where children and animals cannot find it, and close the lid of the package tightly.
Wear safety glasses and a work coat when making soap. Getting crystals of a substance or its caustic vapors in high concentrations into the eyes leads to dire consequences, including blindness.
Use rubber gloves until all work is completed.
If lye gets on your skin, wash it off immediately with water.
All traces of sodium hydroxide must be carefully removed. It is desirable that the process takes place away from food products.

What is homemade soap made from?

Making soap from scratch often seems overwhelming for beginners. And not all experienced soap makers are ready to experiment with alkali. Still, the most popular base is considered to be:

Baby soap without a pronounced aroma is ideal for the first experience. It is cheap and already contains all the necessary components - lanolin, glycerin,...
The soap base is very easy to use, even children can handle it. It has different composition and manufacturers. Available in two types - white and transparent. The most famous are domestic (from 200 rubles per 1 kg) and English basics (from 400 rubles per 1 kg). Cut into pieces, melt in a water bath or in the microwave.

Main ingredients:

Base oils are natural vegetable fats that impart beneficial properties to the finished product. For example, castor oil is suitable for softening and nourishing. Grapeseed oil works well on skin, and olive oil restores the upper layer of the epidermis and heals wounds.
Essential oils serve as natural flavoring agents. Before using this component, it is necessary to study its therapeutic effect, as well as test for allergic reactions.
Food flavorings and cosmetic fragrances give the product a pleasant smell.
Coloring pigments or food dyes (they tend to migrate, that is, color adjacent layers).

Additional Ingredients:

sparkles and pearls;
natural fillers - ground coffee beans, honey, milk, clay, etc.;
herbs and dried flowers for decoration;
water-soluble paper with various pictures.

You will also need molds - special ones, for making soap there are plastic and silicone. In the absence of them, you can also use baking trays, ice trays, or even ordinary jars and containers.

Homemade Soap Recipes

Regardless of the specifics of the recipe, prepare your workplace and tools in advance:

a large saucepan for melting in a water bath or microwave;
a grater if you are making with baby soap;
kitchen scales to accurately measure the amount of base;
measuring cups;
spoons, wooden sticks;
pipettes for filling small parts;
knife and napkins for removing sagging;
molds for soap, baking or ice.

Soap-scrub from "Children's" - a simple master class

Take 4 pieces of soap without a strong aroma and rub them with a fine grater.

You can use anything you can find in the house as molds - containers, plastic cups, molds for baking and playing with sand. It is better to pre-lubricate them with oil.

Pour one tablespoon of base oil (sunflower, olive, peach, etc.) into a saucepan, put it on the fire and gradually add soap shavings. The process may take from 10 to 30 minutes.

After dissolving the soap base, we introduce all kinds of components - dyes, aromatic oils, cosmetic fragrances and dried flowers. In this case, we got coffee-cinnamon soap with grains. The base can be laid out in several layers, after sprinkling with alcohol. After hardening, the soap is removed from the mold; you need to lightly press on the edges and it will “pop out.”

Base soap with glitter - master class

To prepare soap with a light scrubbing effect we will need:

transparent soap base;
food colors - blue and pink;
carrier oil, such as calendula;
geranium oil as a flavoring agent;
ground grains for exfoliating effect;
multi-colored sparkles;
glass stirring rods;
Silicone forms.

We cut the base into small pieces for faster melting. Place the measuring cup in the microwave and make sure the base does not boil.

Stir the base and pour half of it into another glass.

Add 1/4 of the base oil, 4 drops of essential oil, a couple of drops of dye, scrub particles and glitter.

Pour the base into the molds and spray with alcohol to remove bubbles. As soon as our soap hardens a little, put it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

Soap making kits

In order to purchase all the necessary components for handmade soap, you don’t have to spend hours in online stores or run around the city looking for the right ingredients. For beginner soap makers, ready-made kits that include all the components are quite suitable. It will allow you to create and help avoid mistakes in the future.

It is included in the kit?

at least one type of base, sometimes 2 or 3 different types, differing in color and degree of transparency;
food dyes or pigments - 2 pieces;
flavorings or fragrances - 2 pieces;
one silicone or plastic mold;
detailed instructions.

This set is basic; some sets add more shapes, flavors and dyes, as well as sparkles, glitters and water-soluble pictures, and a liquid to remove bubbles.

Secrets of soap making

Like any other hobby, soap making has its secrets and nuances. The result of your work directly depends on compliance with certain rules, so do not neglect them.

When melting baby soap, do not stir vigorously, this will lead to saturation with air, the appearance of many bubbles and loss of softness.
When heating in the microwave, be careful not to allow the soap base to boil; this will significantly degrade the quality of the finished product. The remaining base should melt when stirring.
For 100 grams of base you can add: half a teaspoon, 1 spoon of glycerin, 1-6 drops of food coloring, one-third teaspoon of dry pigment or mother-of-pearl, 1 spoon of herbal decoction, 3-5 drops of flavoring or fragrance.
Essential oils should not be mixed with food flavorings.
Air bubbles can be easily removed by spraying them with alcohol from a spray bottle. It is also used for gluing individual layers.
To make the soap cool faster, you can place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
You can put ground coffee or grains, sugar or other abrasive particles in the soap that perform the function. Do not add salt, it will not bring any scrubbing effect.
Clay, as a rule, settles in soap in one layer. A more suitable option is to use a base for swirls; it takes longer to harden.
Fresh fruits or vegetables, insufficiently dried flowers and herbs will quickly deteriorate and the soap will develop an unpleasant odor.
Soap tends to dry out, so it should be stored for no more than 6 months in a dark place.

How to make soap: video

Airy foam, captivating aroma and thin streams of water - all this, like nothing else, can lift your spirits in the morning and relax you before a good night's sleep. But double pleasure will come from the understanding that the block, gently sliding over the body, was made independently and exclusively for yourself. Therefore, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the simplest technology of how to make soap at home in accordance only with personal preferences and needs.

To make the same thing, just your own unique soap, you don’t need much. In fact, the recipe is very simple: the main thing is to strictly follow the instructions.

Step one

We purchase components. The base will be baby soap. It is advisable to purchase its hypoallergenic version, without fragrances. In addition, you should choose an oil base. As a rule, for beginners it is recommended to take sunflower or olive oil. But, having worked out the technology, you can begin to experiment with other oils, for example, rosehip, grape seed, coconut or sea buckthorn. The third component necessary for making soap is glycerin. Its presence is highly desirable, because it is thanks to it that a special moisture-saving layer is created on the skin. And finally, boiling water.

Step two

We are preparing “working” tools. Before you make soap, you should prepare a creation kit at home. So, you will need a grater to form large flakes, medical safety glasses and gloves, three containers (for creating a steam bath and forming soap shavings), a whisk and molds.

Step three

The mystery of soap making. For this basic recipe you will need to grate 180 grams of baby soap on a coarse grater. Needless to say, in the process of preparing soap flakes it is necessary to protect your eyes and respiratory system? If so, then before starting the soap-making process you should protect your own vision and breathing with glasses and a mask.

Once the flakes have been prepared, you can proceed directly to cooking. To do this, five tablespoons of oil are mixed with two identical spoons of cosmetic glycerin and heated in a steam bath to approximately 40 degrees. Then carefully add soap flakes and boiling water. By the way, the volume of the latter should be 100 ml. During the cooking process, the mass must be constantly stirred, and this is best done with a whisk, which will help avoid lumps.

As soon as the consistency of the mixture begins to resemble mashed potatoes, it is removed from the bath and molding begins. To do this, molds prepared in advance for future soap are lubricated with the oil on the basis of which it was prepared. And only then the mass is carefully placed to harden.

By the way, you can use almost any container: these are baby beads, silicone baking molds, and special professional molds for soap makers. As soon as the mixture hardens, it should be taken out and transferred to paper to dry in the open air for three days.

As you can see, both the recipe and the process are so simple that they are accessible even to those who have never tried themselves in this type of creativity. However, unfortunately, the result will be the same if you do not include additional ingredients in the recipe.

Different soaps are needed, different soaps are important

And in order for the soap to become the most beloved, but, in addition, to be practical and aesthetically pleasing, additional ingredients are added to it during the creation process.

Soap-scrub

Making it is not as difficult as many people think. It is enough to just add a little to the basic composition. So, the best properties for gently exfoliating dead skin cells are rightfully considered to be ground coffee, ground cherry or apricot seeds, oatmeal, crushed dry medicinal herbs and inflorescences, and culinary poppy seeds.

There is another feature of this type of homemade soap - its oil base. It is worth abandoning the types proposed above, replacing them with grape seed oil (soften and tone the skin), shea and sesame oil (rejuvenating and tonic effect), almond and cocoa oil (regenerating and anti-inflammatory effect).

How to make homemade soap in scrub form?

In general, the process is similar to that presented above. Only instead of the traditional oil base, they choose the oil that best matches the functions of the future soap. But you should add scrubbing substances only when the mixture has been removed from the bath, but before pouring into molds.

Cosmetic soap

Your favorite soap can become a kind of mini-salon. To do this, it is enough to add certain additives to the already prepared mixture. So, to remove excessive redness of the skin, honey is added to the soap mass. In this case, it is enough to add three spoons of a sweet product to the basic recipe presented above.

In order to gradually even out the skin tone and partially whiten it, just add white clay powder. Also, do not forget that the essential oils of many plants are excellent ingredients. For example, orange beauty is suitable for those who have an uneven skin surface. Bergamot and eucalyptus are suitable for those who suffer from low immunity.

But you can simply add your favorite scent and enjoy its notes on the skin. To do this, it will be enough just to add a few drops of perfume to the ready, but not frozen mixture. Just use perfume, not perfumed water and, of course, not eau de toilette.

This is worth knowing: trial and error

Creativity is not called a process of trial and error for nothing. Likewise, soap making can be overshadowed by quite common mistakes that most novice soap makers make.

The most common one is adding more base oil than necessary. Such a volume will not only make the soap too greasy, but will also stop lathering. Therefore, it is best to strictly follow the recipe: one spoon of oil per 90 grams.

The second mistake is not understanding the dyeing processes. To create shades at the very beginning, it is best to use food coloring. But with natural ones, it’s best to “work out” the cooking process using the trial method. So, if you add turmeric, you can actually get different shades of yellow. But instead of intense red, hibiscus petals will give the soap maker a dirty green tint. After all, some plant components do not “behave” in the most predictable way when reacting with glycerin.

But don’t despair, because making soap is so exciting that even mistakes can turn into success in creating a new recipe.

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