The Soap Box » making soap http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com Exploring Soap Making and Soap Making Oils Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:01:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 The Science of Soap Making Oil http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2010/07/15/the-science-of-soap-making-oil/ http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2010/07/15/the-science-of-soap-making-oil/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:44:09 +0000 Soap Oils http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/?p=261 If you’re anything like me, you’re always wondering how things work, and how to make things work better. There’s an exact science to many things in life, but usually not crafts. Soap Making is unique in that it requires that you know quite a bit about science. Who would have ever thought that science and crafts would ever mix?

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Soap Making brings together three worlds:

  • Cosmetics
  • Science
  • Crafting

So how exactly do science and soap making come together in a peaceful and harmonious manner? The secret’s in a special and sometimes tough-to-pronounce word called “Saponification”.

Saponification is the hydrolysis of an ester under basic conditions to form an alcohol and the salt of a carboxylic acid (carboxylates). Saponification is commonly used to refer to the reaction of a metallic alkali (base) with a fat or oil to form soap. Saponifiable substances are those that can be converted into soap.

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a caustic base. If NaOH is used a hard soap is formed, whereas when potassium hydroxide (KOH) is used, a soft soap is formed. Vegetable oils and animal fats are fatty esters in the form of triglycerides. The alkali breaks the ester bond and releases the fatty acid salt and glycerol. If necessary, soaps may be precipitated by salting it out with saturated sodium chloride. The saponification value is the amount of base required to saponify a fat sample.

In a classic laboratory procedure the triglyceride trimyristin is obtained by extracting nutmeg with diethyl ether.[1] Saponification to the sodium salt of myristic acid takes place with NaOH in water. The acid itself can be obtained by adding dilute hydrochloric acid.

In Other Words…

It’s literally how you make soap, and it’s the science of soap making. The name Saponification literally means “Soap Making”. The root word is “sapo” which is latin for soap. Each carrier oil or base oil is chosen based on which characteristics it imparts on it’s final product of soap.

Saponification Table and Characteristics of Carrier Oils / Base Oils In Soap Making

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oil or fat (acid) SAP Hard/Soft cleansing fluffy lather stable lather skin care
avacado oil 133.7 soft fair yes no amazing!
coconut oil 191.1 hard great yes no fair
castor oil 128.6 soft fair yes yes great
olive oil 135.3 soft good no no great
palm oil 142 hard great no yes fair
peanut oil 137 soft fair no yes great
soybean oil 135.9 soft good no yes fair
sweet almond oil 137.3 soft good no yes amazing!
jojoba oil 69.5 soft fair no yes great
kukui nut oil 135.5 soft good no yes great
lard 138.7 hard good no yes fair
tallow 140.5 hard good no yes fair

(as seen on soap-making-resource.com)

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]]> http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2010/07/15/the-science-of-soap-making-oil/feed/ 0 A Basic Soap Making Recipe http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2010/06/04/a-basic-soap-making-recipe/ http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2010/06/04/a-basic-soap-making-recipe/#comments Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:30:25 +0000 Soap Oils http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/?p=176 Ever wondered how you could get started making soap, without getting into something to difficult? This is a wonderful recipe for beginners, and it really gives you a feel for basic soap making

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This is a great soap making recipe for beginners from this source.

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Mix your lye solution first and set it aside to cool. Measure and heat your solid oils until completely melted. Measure and add the liquid oils to the melted solid oils. When both the lye and the oils are at about 100-110 degrees, slowly pour the lye solution into the oils. Stir with a stick blender, alternating short blasts with the blender and stirring. Mix the soap until it reaches a light trace. Add the fragrance oil. Mix them into the soap thoroughly. Pour the raw soap into your mold and let it sit for 12-24 hours until it has cooled off completely and is hard enough to cut. Remove it from the mold and slice into bars. Let it cure an additional 2-4 weeks.

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]]> http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2010/06/04/a-basic-soap-making-recipe/feed/ 5 Common Soapmaking Terms – A Helpful Glossary http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2009/12/29/common-soapmaking-terms-a-helpful-glossary/ http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2009/12/29/common-soapmaking-terms-a-helpful-glossary/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:28:01 +0000 Soap Oils http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/?p=116 Ever wonder what all of this means? CP, CPOP, HP, Tare, Trace, etc. Look like Greek to you? Here are a few helpful tips for you!

Additives = Ingredients used that are not oils, butters and fragrance in the soapmaking process – e.g., Jojoba Spheres, Poppy Seeds, Clays and Herbs, etc. – enhancements to your soap

CP = Cold Process Soap
CPHP = Crock Pot Hot Process Soap
CPOP = Cold Process, Oven Process Soap
CS/CSDBHP = Closed System/Closed Sysytem Double Boiler Hot Process Soap
Curing = Amount of time required for batch to complete saponification process

DB = Double Boiler
DH = Direct Heat
DOS = Dreaded Orange Spots
DW/DWCP = Discounted Water Cold Process Soap

EO/EOs = Essential Oils

FP/Flashpoint = The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture in air
FO/FOs = Fragrance Oils

GM/GMS – Goat Milk Soap
GSE = Grapefruit Seed Extract – Antioxidant

HP = Hot Process Soap

INCI = International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients – Listing of ingredient names

KOH = Potassium Hydroxide/Lye (Liquid Soap Making)

Lye – Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide

NaOH = Sodium Hydroxide/Lye (Bar Soap Making)

MP/M&P = Melt and Pour Soap
MSDS = Material Safety Data Sheet

OHP = Oven Hot Process Soap

Rebatching = Rebatching is a method of making unattractive, downright ugly, imperfect batches into beautiful new batches by shredding the old batch and adding a bit of oils and/or liquids. This is also a great method to use to add herbs and clays and/or exfoliants, etc.
ROE = Rosemary Oleoresin Extract

SAP Values = Saponification Values
Saponification = The chemical reaction between lye and oils/butters to make soap
Seize = When a Fragrance Oil makes your beautiful batch turn in to mashed potatos!
Stick Blender = Electric kitchen tool to mix/blend your batch together
Superfat = Measured in percents…The amount of fat left over in the batch after saponification.

Tare = Feature to allow you to “zero out” the weight of your container oon your scale
Trace = Point where you can dribble your batch onto itself and show a trace…A light pudding

Contributed by Kelley Perea-Shaffer of Soapies Supplies. If you are in the AZ area, or plan on being in the AZ area, they are currently offering 3 levels of soapmaking lessons starting in December! They are also having an all day Melt and Pour Soapmaking class with M&P Expert Debbie Chialtas of SoapyLove in January!

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]]> http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2009/12/29/common-soapmaking-terms-a-helpful-glossary/feed/ 2 A Beginner’s Try at Soap Making – An Experiment http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2009/05/27/a-beginners-try-at-soap-making-an-experiment/ http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/2009/05/27/a-beginners-try-at-soap-making-an-experiment/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 15:34:31 +0000 Soap Oils http://blog.cibariasoapsupply.com/?p=28 Hello blogosphere! I am Terra, and I run the internet fun at Cibaria Soap Supply (We Sell Soap Oils / Soap Base Oils. I have to say that I’ve learned quite a lot about soap making in the past month or so. Our company, Cibaria International, has launched a Soap Oil Supply division, and I got to create the website and social efforts. To do this, one must learn the trade… the very special trade of soap making.

I have to be honest and say that I am not a crafty person. You know how some people are just “naturally” crafty and more inclined to create nice things with their hands? Well, that’s not me. I am impatient, and it hardly ever turns into a “good situation” when I try to make things that have anything to do with crafts.

I am a typical computer nerd,/ internet geek – minus being a girl in her mid-20′s. That being said, I am stepping way out of my element in saying this, but I am going to try my hand at making soap! If you asked anyone I knew if they’d ever expect me to say those words, they’d laugh at you.

But it’s true… I genuinely want to learn how to make soap. Some of the creations I’ve seen are just gorgeous!  Some of it has been quite creative too,  just look at these truly unique soap ideas…

You soapers are truly a special bunch, and I’m excited to get to know more of you! As a web designer first, I have a deep respect for people who can create unique situations out of ordinary products and everyday novelties. I’ve got some great ideas for soap making adventures!

In the meantime, feel free to follow our website’s latest news, special sales, new soap oil additions, and my own soap making adventures at http://www.twitter.com/CibariaSoapOils

[ 7/20/2009 Update: We've been Stumbled like crazy over the weekend - so welcome Stumblers - glad to have ya!]

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