Soapmaking with natural soaps in Pullman Washington

Soapmaking is one of those pioneering skills which has not only survived, but made a comeback in recent years. Many people question why anyone would want to practice the art of soapmaking in this day and age. Why would anyone want to engage in soapmaking when one can go to the store and buy a bar of soap for less then the cost of the ingredients to make one? Besides, soapmaking takes time. So, why go to the extra trouble of soapmaking?

I believe the comeback in soapmaking is due to the fact that since World War II, when detergents began to replace soap for many purposes, manufacturers have been increasingly moving away from the science of traditional soapmaking. For instance, they have been adding more and more detergents and chemicals to a bar of soap. Unlike the practice of traditional soapmaking, they also remove the glycerin. Sometimes they add a little back and tout it as "glycerin soap". Detergents are irritating to the skin of many people and many health conscious individuals do not want to apply the many chemicals to their skin which may now be found in a manufactured bar of soap. Therefore, it’s no wonder that soapmaking is making a comeback. In the process of soapmaking one can make a bar of pure soap and one can make the soap "sumptuous" with moisturizing and healthy oils, natural healthy herbs and essential oils for awesome fragrance. So, it’s easy to see why many health conscious individuals have a renewed interest in soapmaking.

Soapmaking ... both a science and an art.

1. As a science: Knowledge of chemistry is helpful in formulating soapmaking recipes.

   • Soapmaking glycerin? Soapmaking mathematics? Yes, characteristics of making soap, rather soapmaking seem odd but these following ingredients are vital.

     Soapmaking involves the use of fats and a base, such as sodium hydroxide, the combination of which results in soap and glycerin. Which fats or oils one chooses to use in soapmaking determines the characteristic of the resulting soap. Another name for fats or oils is triglycerides, which means they contain three fatty acids on each glycerol molecule. Each of these fatty acids has different characteristics. Some are more conditioning, others make a hard bar, others make fluffy lather, and still others make stable lather. Soapmaking involves choosing a combination of fats or oils which will give you the best of all these characteristics. I have personally chosen to use vegetable oils, rather than animal fats in my soapmaking. After determining what characteristics I want in my soap and picking out the oils I will use, I must determine how much base I need to saponify (make soap out of) my oils. There are mathematical equations which are used, but in the day of the Internet, the easiest way to figure it out is to use one of the many soap calculators available on the Net. I always superfat, that is, add at least an extra 5% oils to my soapmaking recipe to ensure that all of the sodium hydroxide is used up and there is a little added oil to nourish the skin

2. As an art: Soapmaking can create soap that is truly sumptuous to the senses.
   
   
   
   • How does the soap feel? This is an important aspect of the soapmakers job.
     
     The feel of the soap is something important to consider in the process of soapmaking. Do you want a smooth creamy soap or do you prefer soap with texture? The creaminess of a soap is determined by the oils and nutrients added in the soapmaking process, such as shea butter and jojoba oil. Oatmeal, cornmeal, pumice, ground rosehip, lavender and other herbs provide texture and an exfoliating bar of soap.

What does the soap look like?
Color is also a factor to consider in soapmaking. There are many natural colorants: ground herbs, flowers, minerals, and some essential oils. They can be swirled in and marbled for a beautiful effect.

How does the soap smell?
Fragrance is an important aspect of soapmaking. Personally, I find the scent of essential oils far superior to fragrance oils. Many people who are sensitive to fragrances find that they not only tolerate, but greatly enjoy and even benefit from the scent of essential oils. In soapmaking, there is a real art to blending essential oils, balancing top notes, middle notes and base notes in the fragrance. The results are often some of the most satisfying aspect of soapmaking.

Caveat: Soapmaking may be addictive.
For some people, soapmaking is just an interesting subject which provides some background for the soap they enjoy purchasing from soapmakers. This warning is not for you. The warning is for those of you like me who find that although soapmaking is very time consuming and expensive, they are drawn in by the creative and scientific challenge of making a sumptuous bar of soap. Yes, soapmaking can become addictive! So, practice soapmaking at your own risk !*_*!