Okay, I am on my soap box now. Having made soap for the past 5 years, and running a small business doing so, something is getting on my nerves. And that is that you cannot make soap if you do not use lye, or sodium hydroxide. I have heard so many people tell me that they only use pure glycerine to make their soap, or that they make soap without lye, etc etc. Well, let's debunk this myth, shall we? You cannot make soap without lye. PERIOD. END OF STORY. You cannot make soap from pure glycerine, it is impossible. Glycerine is a by product of the soap making process, which large soap companies take out of their soap, put into lotions, and then fill the soap up with various other "things" which are not necessarily skin friendly.
Soap comes to be through a process called saponification. That is a chemical reaction which occurs when you mix the lye water with the oils you are using to make your soap. No lye, no soap. Once this reaction takes place,and the soap is cured enough, there should be no lye left in your soap. But you cannot make this chemical reaction occur if you do not use lye, or the sodium hydroxide. Sorry! Very harsh chemicals to be sure, but once it cures and you haev done it properly, you are rewarded with a bar of amazing soap.
In Canada, there are pretty strict labelling guidelines to follow, and every ingredient you use must be included on your labels. I generally use soap from a base, and guess what? Sodium hydroxide is listed on the ingredients on my suppliers package. I have made soap from scratch too, and would also include it, if I was to sell it.
So, if you encounter a soap maker who tells you they do not use lye in their soap, there are 2 reasons why. First of all, they are using a base or rebatching soap. Or secondly, they do not want to disclose for whatever reason, that there is lye in thier soap.
Yes, even Dove, even Ivory, even bars of baby soap are made using lye or some ingredient that is a chemical, to start their soap off with. And it isn't a bad thing. You can't get soap without it!
There, back to cleaning now....
You said it, sister!!
ReplyDeleteAnyhooo, just popping in to say hello and see how things are going where you are :)
I will send you a proper e-mail soon-ish. Hope all is well! Thinking of you guys and your big adventure to come! Still wish you were moving to Manitizzle!!! XOXO
Oh you made me giggle :-). Yes no lye no soap!! I hear people looking for all "natural" no lye soap to arrrg!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post sister...you have set me and lots others straight...I need to soon try my own hand at soap making...but never seems to be any time.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Connie
Hi Ellie, I was researching how to make homemade liquid soap w/o lye. I had a feeling it couldn't be done. Now I'm sure. I'm new to soap making and still doing reaserch.
ReplyDeleteSo, in order to get any ngredients (oils, butters or waxes into a "soap" status it takes some amount of lye to process/break down the componets. Am I right to assume that the lye undergos a change too.
I mean it would have to if you wanted to get a mild soap, yes? Also can you recommend a list of good vendors/suppliers. I've been looking on the internet and I haven't found any site that looks good or feels safe. I'd love to get a email with some suggestions. thanks for the info. In His Service
DeeKDubu "I.C".