The base ingredients for homemade soap are fat and a form of lye, a caustic chemical.
Basic Ingredients:
- Fat: This can be from various sources, such as:
- Animal fats like tallow or lard
- Plant-based oils like olive oil, coconut oil, or palm oil.
- Lye: This is a caustic chemical, typically sodium hydroxide (for bar soap) or potassium hydroxide (for liquid soap).
Additives:
While the two base ingredients create soap, many homemade soap makers add other ingredients to improve the quality, scent, or appearance of their soap. According to the provided reference, these include:
- Dyes: To add color to the soap.
- Essential Oils: To provide fragrance.
- Texturizers: To create specific textures, like adding oatmeal or sea salt.
- Other Enhancements: A wide range of other ingredients can be added for various purposes, such as herbs, clays, or butters.
| Ingredient Category | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Base Ingredients | Fats, Lye | Saponification (the chemical reaction that creates soap) |
| Colorants | Dyes, natural colorants (clays, herbs) | Adds color |
| Fragrances | Essential oils, fragrance oils | Adds scent |
| Texturizers | Oats, sea salt, poppy seeds | Creates texture or exfoliation |
| Other Enhancements | Herbs, butters, clays, additives | For skin benefits, enhanced properties or aesthetics |
The process of making soap involves combining the fats and lye, which results in a chemical reaction called saponification. This reaction creates soap, which is a mixture of fatty acids and glycerine. The additives enhance the soap by changing its color, scent, feel, and beneficial properties.
