Saturday, January 30, 2010

The TRUTH about Handmade Liquid Soaps

I've been keeping tract of a lot of soapmaking topics online, and one of the main false facts that I keep running across is about the topic of 'HANDMADE LIQUID SOAPS'.
The common misinformation that I keep seeing is potental customers staying clear of handmade shower gels (and the likes) because they keep seeing handmade soapmaking shops offering shower gels that contain the same ingredients as what you buy in the common grocery store.
This is NOT SO with all handmade shower gels, bubble baths, liquid hand cleansers, shampoos and the likes. There are a few of us who pride themselves on the fact that they can and DO produce a completly handmade liquid soap without all those nasty chemicals, surfactants, SLS's, and detergents. The fact is, there are a LOT of soapmakers who make handmade bar soaps, that is, soaps made from the cold process method of soapmaking, but they offer shower gels that are made from a pre-made base! Those pre-made bases are quite similar to the difference between a cold process soapmaker and a melt and pour soapmaker. The difference is in the process and the ingredients.
When you make pure true liquid soaps, any variety, (i.e. shower gels, bubble baths, liquid hand soaps, and shampoos) you can still make them without harsh chemicals, detergens, surfactants, and SLS's.
This process is called the 'HOT PROCESS' method of soapmaking. I'm sure you have heard of it, their are some who hot process bar soaps, although being somewhat of the same process as making pure liquid soaps, there are slight differences. The main difference is the use of Potassium Hydroxide instead of the common Sodium Hydroxide (for use in bar soaps, because molecularely, it produces a 'HARD BAR' by crystalizing the oils). Potassium Hydroxide is what we use to make a true liquid soap, it produces a much softer type of soap ideal for melting down into liquid form. Potassium Hydroxide is the base for all liquid soaps. Potassium is much more soluble than sodium and less able to form crystals. Liquid soaps are clear because light passes unobstructed through liquid soap much as it does through a bar of transparent soap.
The truth is in the ingredients, please read ALL ingredients carefully, true liquid soapmakers are few and far between. The actual process can be quite lengthy, it is because of the amount of time it can and does take to create a batch of liquid soaps, from start to finish, they usually carry a slightly hefty price. A true handmade liquid soap, of any form, is a luxury.
True handmade liquid soaps have the same feel on your skin as a true handmade bar soap, they will leave you feeling fresh, clean, and moisturized.
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