Making soap with your own hands has long been a useful and enjoyable hobby. Firstly, your product will not contain unnecessary chemical components and be bad for the skin; secondly, you will always have a beautiful and unique handmade gift at hand; thirdly, if things go well, all your friends, acquaintances and friends of friends will come to you with orders. All you have to do is learn how to make soap with your own hands at home.

What is the difference between handmade soap and factory soap?

Conventional soap has an alkaline fat base to which dyes, flavors and other synthetic substances are added. Excessive amounts of chemicals on our hands result in peeling, dehydration and premature aging. And manufacturers often replace natural fats with artificial ones.

The basis of homemade soap is also based on fat and alkali, but natural ones, and the additives are 100% natural ingredients: beeswax, coffee, herbal decoctions, aloe juice, oatmeal, honey, essential oils, vegetable and fruit juices. In general, everything that your mini-soap factory's imagination can handle. As a result, you will receive not only a fragrant, healthy product, but also a remedy for rashes, redness and irritation on the skin. Agree, there are plenty of arguments to start soap making.

Now we just need to figure out what we need to get started:

1. Base. You can use a store-bought transparent/matte soap base or regular baby soap without additives or a strong scent.
2. Glycerol. The softening and moisturizing properties of the substance have been known for a long time. At the pharmacy the product costs mere pennies.
3. Oil. You can be original and use avocado, almond or apricot oil, or you can limit yourself to traditional sunflower oil.
4. Ether. ABOUT useful properties We've talked about essential oils dozens of times. Essential oil for making soap is both a favorite aroma and a therapeutic effect at the same time.
5. Plain water or milk to dilute the base.
6. Dyes and additives - sample list we have already cited above.
7. Soap molds - you can buy special ones, make them yourself, or use regular ones for baking cupcakes.
8. You will also need a saucepan, a glass bowl and a grater.

Let's get started!

Do-it-yourself soap from soap remnants at home

And the simplest thing a beginner can do is soap made from remnants that endlessly collect on the shelf in the bathroom. It’s worth practicing on them and conducting your first experiments in home soap making.

We grate all the soap on a coarse grater, put it in a metal bowl and add a little water. We bet on water bath and wait until everything melts, removing foam from the surface from time to time. To prevent bubbles from forming, do not stir the mixture and turn it off before the mixture boils.

We prepare the molds in advance and coat them with any oil, pour them over and leave them to dry in a warm room. After a few hours, the workpieces will be completely dry. We take them out and dry them for another two or three days.

This way you will get the most banal soap with your own hands, but there are also more intricate recipes. For example, you can make fancy soap from remnants.

For this we will need pieces of different colors. We cut them into pieces of different sizes. First pour the transparent base, melted in a separate container, into the molds. Mix the multi-colored pieces and moisten them generously with alcohol so that they stick together. Place the sticky multi-colored layer in the container with the base and wait for it to dry. We cut the finished product into arbitrary pieces. Or we can immediately use various forms for hardening.

DIY liquid soap

You can also make it from leftover baby soap or use any other soap you have on hand. The recipe is extremely simple. In addition to grated soap, you will need a bottle with a dispenser, lemon juice and glycerin.

Pour a little juice and a cap of glycerin into the container, then add grated soap and fill with hot water. Mix everything thoroughly, transfer it to a bottle with a dispenser and let it sit for two to three days. Shake before use.

Tip: You can also add various essential oils, dyes and dry herbs to your homemade liquid soap. And don’t forget about glycerin: 1 tablespoon per 100 g of base.

DIY soap from soap base

For a 100 gram piece you will need:

1. 100 g base
2. 1 teaspoon glycerin
3. 3 teaspoons base oil
4. 3 drops essential oil
5. Milk or water
6. 2 drops of dye
7. Filling according to your taste

Cut the soap base into pieces. Mix glycerin with base oil and send to warm up in a water bath. When it gets hot, add the soap base little by little, stirring constantly. While it is melting, pour in a little water or milk (the latter will make the finished product less brittle). When the consistency becomes similar to sour cream, dyes and essential oil can be added to it.

Pour the finished product into molds. If bubbles appear, it is recommended to spray them with a little alcohol. We send the blanks to harden in the refrigerator. Then we take it out of the molds and let it dry for another couple of days.

DIY soap at home - 10+ recipes for beginners

Lavender

1. Take 80 grams of base and divide it into two parts. This is enough to make a 100 gram piece.
2. Cut the base into small pieces and send it to melt in a water bath, stirring constantly.
3. We divide it into two parts. Add a little dry milk to one and mix thoroughly.
4. We continue to cook in different pans. Pour 15 ml of almond oil and 3 drops of lavender essential oil into each.
5. We dilute the transparent mixture with purple dye. Leave the mixture with milk unchanged.
6. Place a sprig of dry plant on the bottom of the mold and fill it with part of the transparent base. When it dries a little, pour in a little of the white part. We alternate layers until the mass is finished.
7. Before making a new layer, each finished part needs to be slightly scratched with a toothpick and sprinkled with alcohol to improve adhesion.
8. Let the mixture harden and then remove from the molds.
9. Our fragrant gift soap is ready.

Coffee soap-scrub

This DIY soap will turn out to be not only beautiful, but also functional - it will help cleanse the skin and exfoliate dead particles. As an additional ingredient, you can add 2 tbsp. l. sea ​​salt. The recipe is quite simple.

You will need:

1. One baby soap or 80 g base
2. 2 tbsp. l. coffee grounds
3. 50 ml milk
4. 1 tbsp. l. ground cinnamon
5. 5 drops grape seed oil

Grate the soap. We prepare a water bath and melt our workpiece in it. Pour in hot milk - it will make the final product softer.

On average, the melting process will take about half an hour. Do not forget to stir constantly. Finally, add the remaining components.

Pour the resulting mixture into a mold and send it to harden in the refrigerator. These ingredients are enough for two impressive pieces, which you can use every day while taking a shower.

Honey and cream

Life Reactor has spoken about the benefits of honey more than once, including for the skin - it is an antioxidant, a source of nutrition, and a means of combating cellulite.

So, let's take:

1. 100 g base or baby soap
2. 0.5 tsp vanilla
3. 1 tsp. wheat germ oils
4. 5 drops vitamin A
5. 2-3 tbsp. l. cream

The cooking process itself is no different from the recipes described above.

Honey-oat scrub

You can also make a scrub with honey, and use oatmeal as a base. To make scrubbing particles smaller, pass them through a meat grinder or blender.

You will need:

1. 100 g base
2. 1 tsp. honey
3. 1 tbsp. l. oatmeal
4. 0.5 tbsp. l. olive oil

Tip: Moisturizing soap for dry skin can be prepared by adding aloe juice and glycerin to a traditional base.

Herbal soap

You will need:

1. 100 g soap base and baby soap
2. 1 tsp. daisies
3. 1 tsp. St. John's wort
4. 1 tsp. horsetail
5. 1 tsp. essential oil of choice
6. 0.5 tbsp. l. glycerin
7. 1 tbsp. l. olive oil

Judging by the composition, you already understand that such soap will be therapeutic - nourish, dry and soothe the skin. And if you want to make a scrub, you can add a spoonful of chopped herbs at the end.

At the first stage, we prepare a decoction of medicinal plants. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over the herbs and let it brew.

Then we melt the soap base and mix it with all the ingredients, including the broth. Pour into molds and let harden.

DIY tar soap

Everyone knows that this type of soap has proven itself in the fight against skin diseases: psoriasis, dandruff, and lichen. Of course, it’s easier to just buy the product at a pharmacy or store, but by brewing it at home, you will certainly be sure of the quality.

You will need:

1. 10 ml tar
2. 5 drops essential oil of your choice
3. 0.5 m.l. honey

The cooking recipe is no different from the traditional one. Leave the finished soap to harden for three days.

Tip: You can use harmless food coloring to color the transparent base. Dry ones have a very concentrated base, so they must first be diluted in a small amount of water.

Peach soap with rose petals

It will come in handy if you can’t choose a gift for a friend. Surely she will appreciate the creativity.

You will need:

1. 100 g base
2. 5 drops of peach essential oil (can be replaced with a scent of your choice)
3. 5 drops rose essential oil
4. Yellow or pink dye
5. Actually rose petals

We make soap according to the traditional recipe. Add dye and other ingredients to the melted base. Pour a thin layer into the mold, place rose petals, and fill with a second layer of mass. We repeat the procedure until the workpiece is finished and leave to cool.

Cucumber antiseptic

This homemade cosmetic product will help you forget about flaking and dry skin for a long time, and you can add a little dry ground basil for aroma.

You will need:

1. 100 g baby soap or base
2. Juice of 1-2 cucumbers
3. 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
4. 1 tbsp. l. dry ground basil
5. 3 drops of any essential oil

And you already know the recipe.

Lemon

It will be an ideal cleanser for those with oily skin prone to breakouts. The soap will dry, remove excess fat and tone. You don't even need flavorings - lemon itself is enough.

You will need:

1. 100 g base
2. 1 tbsp. l. lemon zest
3. A third of a teaspoon of grape seed oil
4. 5 drops lemon essential oil optional
5. 0.5 tsp. honey
6. Yellow food coloring

Green tea soap

It will be great to refresh and tone in the summer. Let us also recall the antioxidant properties of green tea. Alas, tea leaves will not give a rich emerald color, so you can’t do without a couple of drops of food coloring. You can also add a few tea leaves to the melted base for beauty.

You will need:

1. 100 g base
2. 1 tbsp. l. strong brewed green tea
3. Dry tea leaves for decoration
4. 7 drops avocado oil
5. 2 drops peppermint essential oil
6. 2-3 drops green food coloring

Tip: if you don’t have any food coloring or essential oils on hand, you can always replace them with others or find a more suitable recipe, because soap making is creativity!

It just so happened that on the pages of my blog until today I only talked about soap making from scratch. But, as a rule, most soap makers start with soap base, and given that the site is designed to help beginning soap makers, I will try to fill this gap.

Let’s not get into arguments about what is better, zero or foundation, what is more natural, etc. In my opinion, everything is obvious here.

We will consider making homemade soap from a base as the first step in soap making. In addition, making soap from a base also has its advantages over zero soap.

Advantages of making homemade soap from soap base:

• Quick and easy to prepare
• No need to have special tools or utensils to make soap
• Security of the entire process. There is no need to use alkali, so it is easy to involve children in the process. They usually really like it!
• A simple and understandable composition of the future soap. No need to create complicated recipes
• Homemade soap from a soap base turns out bright, beautiful, does not get soggy in the soap dish, and is easily and long stored
• A huge variety of molds for soap base

To make homemade soap from soap base you will need:

• soap base
• base oil
• dye
• flavoring
• soap mold

And a little about all this:

Today, manufacturers offer a fairly wide selection of soap bases.

There is an organic soap base that has a slightly yellowish tint. If color is not important to you, then take it.

If you want to make beautiful snow-white or delicate shades of soap, then it is better to use a white soap base. Then the soap will look like this:

From a transparent soap base, transparent soaps are obtained, respectively; if you do not color them, you can make soap with any picture inside.

A transparent base can be made white by adding titanium dioxide dissolved in glycerin. In this regard, it is more universal.

Beautiful soap is obtained by combining a white and transparent base.

Also in the store you can find soap bases based on shea butter, goat milk, for swirls, soft, etc. Each type of base serves a specific purpose, either in the composition of the soap or in its design.

2. Base oil.

This can be any oil or a mixture of oils that will slightly soften and improve the properties of the soap. Traditionally, no more than 1/3 teaspoon per 100g is added. soap base.

3. Dye.

For soap base, regular food dyes are used (if the soap is planned to be one-color) or special cosmetic pigments to make soap of several colors. Moreover, when purchasing, pay attention to whether the pigment migrates or not. Migrating means that after some time the color of adjacent layers of soap will mix, forming a kind of gradient. And non-migrating dyes guarantee clear boundaries of colors in the finished soap.

Add to homemade soap 1-3 drops of dye per 100g.

4. Flavoring.

The fragrance for the soap base can be an essential oil, food or cosmetic fragrance. Add 5-7 drops per 100g.

5. Soap molds

Absolutely any molds for soap can be used from the base. Both cutting molds and shaped molds are suitable.

It is more convenient to extract soap from silicone molds, but soap is also easily obtained from plastic molds after half an hour or an hour spent in the refrigerator.

Making homemade soap from soap base

Let's see how to make homemade soap from a base using the example of one of the simplest options - single-color pouring in a simple but very nice silicone mold. We will make soap from a white base base.

1 . Let's prepare everything you need to make soap: scale, heat-resistant glass, glass rod, mold, base oil - I have a mixture of olives and almonds with vitamin E in a bottle with a dropper, alcohol or a special liquid to remove bubbles, fragrance and dye.

2. Weigh the soap base. To save base, it is advisable to record the weight of the soap for each mold, then you will always use exactly the amount of base required for the soap.

3. The soap base needs to be cut into small pieces and melted until liquid. The base can be melted into microwave oven or in a water bath. I do it in the sauna.

And this is completely justified, because in addition to the fact that the cooking process itself does not cause any difficulties, it also brings a lot of positive emotions. It’s so nice to make a piece of fragrant, beautiful, healthy and unique soap with your own hands.

Soap making- this is a kind of magical ritual, during which you can realize your limitless fantasies and satisfy your thirst for creativity. The soap created by you can have an original and unusual shape, include fancy patterns, and carry a bouquet of excellent aromas.

By making soap, you can endow it with properties that are useful and necessary for you. Not a single cosmetics manufacturer knows exactly what components your skin needs. Thanks to a wide variety of vegetable and essential oils, herbs, clay, and natural additives, soap acquires the desired properties. It will have, depending on the components used, to clean, whiten, moisturize, nourish or soften the skin

There are three ways to make soap at home:

1. The base is purchased soap (preferably baby soap without fragrances or fillers).
2. For production we use ready-made soap base- white or transparent. The white (matte) base is characterized by the presence of titanium dioxide - a white dye.
3. The third, most difficult method, involves making soap from scratch. In this case, alkali is used, so you need to be extremely careful and take all safety measures.

In this article we will look at making homemade soap using a ready-made soap base. This is one of the easiest ways. It will not require any effort at all, but on the contrary, will bring a lot of pleasure from the creative process. Get goods for soap making: ready-made soap base, soap molds, oils and dyes will not be difficult. All this is sold in specialized stores in the city or ordered through online stores.

What you will need

First of all, you need to prepare everything necessary materials and the components that you will use during work:

1. Soap base.
2. Base oils. Solid and liquid oils are used. Solid ones can be purchased in the same stores where soap base is sold. Liquid oils in large assortment available at any pharmacy. The most commonly added oils are olive, apricot, walnut, almonds, cocoa, etc.
3. Essential oils. When selecting them, the cosmetological and emotional effects on the human body are taken into account.
4. Herbs, dried flowers and a variety of natural supplements.
5. Dyes. Food colorings are often used, but for greater naturalness you can use natural ones, such as beet and carrot juice, saffron, henna, and cocoa.
6. Soap mold(silicone baking molds, plastic boxes, ready-made molds from the same stores). You should not use metal molds, especially aluminum, because more soap bases react with metal surfaces and cause corrosion.

Soap making process self made

To begin, melt the soap base in a water bath or in the microwave. It is not recommended to melt it entirely in one piece; it is best to cut it into small cubes. The dish must be covered with a lid to prevent moisture from evaporating during the heating process. The melting point should not exceed 60 degrees and in no case should it be brought to a boil, as the structure may be damaged. The consistency of the molten soap base, as a rule, resembles liquid jelly without lumps.

After the base has melted, you need to immediately add the base oil. It is used in preparation to impart beneficial properties to soap, such as softening or moisturizing the skin and healing wounds. Ordinary olive oil, which every housewife has in her kitchen, will also work. You need to use one teaspoon of base oil per 100 grams of soap base.

Liquid and natural dyes are added drop by drop to the soap base until the desired color is achieved. A When using powder dyes there are two ways:

1. The powder of the selected color is diluted in a small amount of water and mixed thoroughly until completely dissolved. Then use it in the same way as liquid dye.
2. A little soap base is cast from the total mass and powder dye is diluted in it. Stir until all particles dissolve and return back to the dissolved base. Mix well until completely homogeneous.

For beginners, it is best to use the first method., since with the second, there is a high probability that the dye will not dissolve completely and stains will appear in the finished soap due to undissolved particles.

Essential and aromatic oils are introduced into the base only before pouring into the mold, when the temperature drops to 45-50 degrees. Due to the fact that essential oils have a high concentration, they must be added very carefully, a few drops at a time. Aromatic oils are not so concentrated, so they are used in larger quantities. The aromatic component of soap can be obtained with the help of a few drops of perfume.

Often, when making homemade soap, a variety of natural additives are used, which are used as decorations or carry a cosmetic load, such as washcloths or scrubs. The melted soap base is mixed with coffee, sea salt, clay or poured on top of a loofah (a sponge made from pumpkin fibers similar to a washcloth), and dried flowers.

Sometimes it happens that during creative activity the soap began to harden a little before the necessary ingredients were added to it or poured into the prepared mold. In this case, it is recommended to melt the soap a little and quickly finish the unfinished work.

Pour the soap mixture into molds carefully to avoid the appearance of air bubbles. But if foam appears, it can be easily removed using a spray bottle filled with alcohol or vodka. You just need to sprinkle the surface with alcohol.

In cases where, after completing the soap making process, there remains unused soap mixture, then you just need to pour it into a suitable container. Later it can be melted down again and used for new ideas. If the remains are colored, they are often used as multicolor inserts. Never throw away unused material, because perhaps it is thanks to it that next time you will create a real masterpiece.

After all the work has been completed soap making completed, leave the mold with the hardening soap until it hardens completely. The hardening time varies from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the size of the intended soap. An important rule is that soap should only harden at room temperature and should never be placed in the refrigerator while it is hardening. In order to make it easier to remove the soap from the mold, it is best to lubricate the mold with a few drops of fatty oil before pouring the molten base. It is believed that the longer the soap is in the mold, the easier it is to remove it later. If you forgot about the butter and the treasured piece doesn’t want to come out, then place the mold with soap for 5-10 minutes in freezer, then pull it out and carefully bend the edges outward, and then turn the mold over and carefully press on the bottom.

How to store homemade soap

If you have prepared more soap than you can use in a short period of time and are not going to use all the pieces at the same time, then the question of proper storage arises. It is best to pack the soap pieces in a plastic bag or cling film and place them in a cool, dark place. The shelf life of soap that contains natural additives is quite short, but in the case where no natural fillers were used, the shelf life increases to one year.

Be careful, it turns out the process soap making is very contagious and is persistently addictive; after trying to make soap yourself once, you can purchase hobby for life. Moreover, a simple hobby can develop into a real passion. But is that bad? This is wonderful! After all, during such a creative process you will not only relax and receive a lot of positive emotions, but also create with your own hands pieces of magical, useful and beautiful soap that you can use yourself and give to your friends and family.

Simply beautiful - handmade soap for inspiration ( click on photo to enlarge):

Homemade soap making is becoming increasingly popular today. And this is understandable, because making soap with your own hands is an extremely interesting and profitable process that quickly becomes addictive and turns into a favorite hobby. After all, this is a soap that contains natural essential oils; it may also contain natural additives - honey, oats, dried flower petals, chocolate, seasonings and much more. Homemade handmade soap is also enriched with all kinds of base oils that have powerful rejuvenating and caring effects.

Each oil has a different effect: relaxes or invigorates, has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, and much more. As a scrub, you can use ingredients such as poppy seeds, coffee, clay (blue, white, pink, green), ground nuts, etc., the main thing is not to overfill the ingredients, as the soap can crumble a lot and lather poorly. Food or cosmetic dyes are used to add color, and the presence of chemicals in this soap is kept to a minimum.

Homemade soap comes in three types: from baby soap, from soap base and soap from scratch. Beginners, as a rule, start with baby soap - this is the easiest and most accessible way to everyone. Soap base is the best material for creating designer soap, you can make soap different colors and forms. The most complex and expensive technology is soap from scratch. Here we do not use a ready-made soap base, but cook it ourselves from alkali and oils or fats. Well, to make everything more clear, let’s look specifically at each type of soap:

The simplest type of soap making at home is soap making from baby soap. If you decide to make soap at home, but are afraid, so to speak, of ruining everything, then first you can try to take the first steps using baby soap. Why should you start with baby soap? Because there are no chemical additives in it. This soap is intended for delicate children's skin, because such skin is susceptible to perfumes and alkaline environments. Therefore, you can easily add your own ingredients (oils, decoctions, flowers), and you will get soap with the desired aroma, color and shape. Baby soap also contains moisturizing glycerin, lanolin, vegetable oils, which have a beneficial effect on the skin without irritating it. When choosing baby soap, pay attention to the composition - there should be no chemical additives, flavors or perfumes.

To make soap at home from baby soap, you will need the following utensils and tools:

Fine grater (the finer, the faster the soap shavings will melt);

Durable water bath pan (iron and heat-resistant);

A glass or porcelain plate (heat-resistant) of smaller diameter than a saucepan;

Molds for pouring (soft disposable jars, silicone baking molds, children's sand molds);

A plate for melting solid butter;

A knife for cutting prepared soap and a spoon.

So: we grate our soap. If the recipe contains solid oils, melt them in a water bath first, then add soap shavings, herbal decoctions (milk, water) and wait. The melting process takes about 15-20 minutes. Don't forget to make sure the soap doesn't boil. And as soon as the chips melt, the mass becomes viscous and without lumps, you can safely add base oils (1 tablespoon per 100 grams). Then remove from the water bath and add essential oils, dyes and other necessary components. It is better to do this at the end of the procedure, since such substances are volatile. Stir the resulting mass and pour into molds. Wait until it hardens completely, remove from the molds and dry for a day.

For 100 grams of baby soap you can add approximately:

1 tablespoon of base oils;

100 grams of any liquid (milk, decoctions, etc.);

6-7 drops of essential oils;

4-5 drops of dye;

50 grams of other additives (honey, coffee, oatmeal, chocolate, sugar, etc.).

Making soap from soap base.

Soap base- This is a ready-made soap, colorless, odorless, neutral in properties. As a rule, the soap base is already balanced in terms of pH and the content of fatty nutritious oils. The composition of a soap base of any type and from any manufacturer (Russia, England, China and others) consists of natural ingredients without the addition of chemicals, and also without or with a slight odor.

The main components of the soap base are special surfactants, or surfactants, which are combined with oils and glycerin. It is thanks to surfactants that soap is able to remove dirt so well, in turn, glycerin softens the skin and makes it smooth, and oils, penetrating into the epidermis, help restore the skin and improve it appearance. Surfactants help increase the shelf life of soap and improve skin cleansing. If you are afraid of the effects of “chemicals” on your skin, then you can always soften its effect with the help of fatty base oils and active additives. Thus, getting a useful product that will help not only cleanse the skin, but also moisturize, soften, enrich with vitamins and much more.

English base is considered one of the best, because the quality of the finished soap from this base is usually pleasing. This base melts and hardens quickly, and the resulting soap does not dry out the skin. The English base has virtually no odor, which means it is easy to aromatize and retains the scents of essential oils. It does not produce lush foam like Belgian and German bases, because it contains few surfactants. However, the cleaning properties of soap do not depend on the amount of foam.

There are several types of soap base: solid, creamy and liquid. In turn, the solid base is transparent (purified), white (with the addition of titanium dioxide) and organic (based on natural ingredients, has a slight yellowish tint).

Transparent soap base- such a base, as a rule, contains a sufficient amount of glycerin, which makes it soft and moisturizing. Transparency provides depth and richness of color that is more difficult to achieve with other types of soap bases. Without a pronounced odor.

White soap base- differs from transparent only in the content of one element - titanium dioxide. This is white food coloring E171. The white soap base is completely opaque and has shades ranging from milky white to beige. It is easy to make your own white base by simply adding titanium dioxide to a hot clear soap base and stirring thoroughly. To evenly distribute titanium dioxide in soap, it is better to first dissolve it in glycerin and only then add it to a transparent soap base.

Organic soap base- this product is a cross between soap made from scratch and a glycerin base. It is considered the most natural, brewed from tropical oils, glycerin and a minimal amount of surfactants. But it has a peculiar smell and a yellowish color (since no bleaching or odor suppressing components are added to it). Not transparent. But at the same time it is perfect even for sensitive skin. Organic soap base is rightfully considered the safest, healthiest, and highest quality.

Creamy base- resembles a soft grainy white cream, ideal for making soap for sensitive skin. Designed for creating various peelings, scrubs, as well as for decoration solid soap. Does not require additional “cooking”. Easy to use. To make a scrub, it is enough to add essential and base oils, as well as abrasive particles, to a soft soap base. The advantage of a soft soap base is that it interacts with oils much better than a hard soap base. Therefore, the content of oils that you add to your cosmetics will be higher in the final product.

Liquid soap base- suitable for creating shampoos, shower gels, bath foams and more. Finished product. Easy to use. Does not require remelting. Liquid base concentrates have a neutral pH level and are therefore safe for the body. It accepts base oils well and is gentle on the skin. Easy to paint and creates a nice light foam. With the help of various decoctions, oils and other useful ingredients, you will always have healthy and natural cosmetics at home.

So, to make soap from the base you need:

soap base, dishes for a water bath (or microwave), scales, molds, measuring spoons, base oils, essential oils, fillers.

The first step is to cut the soap base into small pieces. Next, melt it in a water bath (or in the microwave). Secret good soap is that heating must be carried out only until the base melts. The base should never be allowed to heat up to more than 60-65ºC. Under no circumstances should you bring the soap to a boil; the soap will dry out.

While the base is melting, you can add a little milk or cream to make a creamy mass. Instead of milk, you can add a drop of water or a decoction of herbs, but water can cause the soap to separate. It’s best to replace water and milk with sugar, this will allow the base to melt faster and better.

When the base is no longer heated, you need to add the remaining components: these can be perfumes, aromatic essential oils, glycerin, dyes or natural products, such as vanilla or honey or other ingredients of your choice.

Now you need to pour the soap into a mold and spray the surface of the soap with alcohol from a spray bottle, this will remove bubbles on the surface. We leave the soap in the molds until it hardens completely; you can put it in the refrigerator or a cool place. After about 2-3 days, the soap will be completely dry and ready for use.

You can add 100 grams to a store-bought soap base.:

3-7 drops of essential oils

no more than 1 teaspoon of base oils

about 20 ml of herbal decoction, milk, etc.

3-4 drops of flavoring

1-7 drops of liquid dye

up to 1/3 teaspoon of pigment or mother of pearl

up to 3 tsp cosmetic clay, honey, ground herbs and much more.

Making soap from scratch.

The so-called “from scratch” soap is obtained by a chemical reaction between alkali and fatty acids (the process of saponification occurs). Fatty acids can be vegetable oils, butters, waxes and animal fats. Depending on the soap consistency you want to get, choose the type of alkali: for liquid - potassium hydroxide (KOH), solid - sodium hydroxide (NaOH), for creamy - a mixture of both.

Since this type of soap making involves working with alkali, it is necessary Necessarily will take care of safety precautions, therefore - remove all food products from the table where you will work, cover the surface with oilcloth. In addition, you will need a mask, safety glasses, rubber gloves and vinegar. The latter will come in handy if alkali suddenly gets on the skin - in this case, you should immediately drop a drop of vinegar on the affected area.

Just like when making soap from a ready-made base, when making soap from scratch, you need to prepare all the equipment you need in advance so that you don’t have to be distracted from the process later. Let me make a reservation right away that all the utensils you use will have to be donated for your exciting hobby, since they will no longer be suitable for food. And one more nuance - the dishes and tools used must be made of wood, heat-resistant glass, enameled (without damage or chips), stainless steel, plastic that can withstand high temperatures or special silicone. Cookware made from other materials may react with the lye or simply melt, so be careful.

Necessary equipment when making soap from scratch:

Kitchen scales with an accuracy of up to 0.1 grams; if you plan to make soap with a volume of over 0.5 kg, then scales with an accuracy of 1 gram are suitable;

A container that meets our safety requirements - for mixing the components of the future soap;

A larger pan is for a water bath;

A large and preferably high heat-resistant container for making an alkaline solution, since the reaction of alkali with water occurs very violently, until the water boils;

A stick for stirring this solution (glass or porcelain);

A plastic strainer for straining the solution will not hurt, although you can also use simple gauze here;

Disposable tableware (for example, a plastic cup) or regular Plastic container to weigh the alkali;

Thermometers for oil and alkaline solution;

Mixer or immersion blender (hand);

pH meter or indicator strips for measuring pH levels;

Spoon for mixing soap mass (preferably made of wood);

Soap molds; thick cloth or towels for wrapping the soap.

How to make soap from scratch - general sequence of actions:

We create a recipe for our future soap (we select the necessary oils and calculate the weight of the components using a special “soap calculator”);

We weigh our oils (including waxes and fats, if provided for in the recipe), and it is better to place solid and liquid oils in separate containers;

Weigh the required amount of water (or ice), which should be clean bottled;

Separately weigh the oils for superfat and the selected additives and fillers;

Solid oils and wax - set to melt in a water bath;

- “we arm ourselves” with our protective equipment - we put on a respirator, an apron, goggles and gloves;

We weigh the lye - carefully, trying not to spill it past the dishes;

Place the container for obtaining an alkaline solution with water (or ice) in the sink and turn on cold water (to cool the dishes faster when the chemical reaction begins);

Pour the lye into the container in small portions, stirring; if you use ice, it will immediately begin to melt;

After the alkali has completely dissolved, pour the solution into the oil mixture through a strainer so that there are no undissolved crystals in it that could cause a thermal burn to the skin and mix thoroughly.

At cold using this method, you will need an average of one hour of time, but the finished soap will need to “mature” for about another month after production, to complete the process of saponification of the oils and acquire the qualities we need.

At hot method - the soap has to be boiled for at least two to three hours. This method requires some preparation, but we can use the finished soap in about a day! I think you need to try both options and choose the most optimal method for yourself - how to make soap from scratch.

Useful additives in soap making.

Nourishing oils.

To make the soap even more beneficial and soft for the skin, you can add nourishing oils to it. They are solid (batter) and liquid. The most common batters- cocoa butter, coconut, palm kernel, shea butter, mango.

Among liquid The most commonly used oils are olive, almond, walnut, grape seed, sea buckthorn, jojoba, etc. All vegetable oils contain a complex of vitamins and fatty acids that are beneficial for the skin, each has nutritional and protective properties and each is good in its own way, but choose Of these, you can only decide which one will be most beneficial for your skin individually.

The total amount of oil added should not exceed 3-5%. You should not overdo it, otherwise the soap may not foam well. Also, excess oil can appear on the surface of the finished soap and ruin its appearance. Coconut, palm and castor oils, among other beneficial properties, also improve foaming.

Soap fillers

You can add a variety of fillers to soap, depending on what additional properties you want to give it. To make the soap more useful - moisturizing and caring for the skin, you can add honey, concentrated aloe vera gel, glycerin, liquid vitamins (for example, aevit or a complex of vitamins E, C and beta-carotene), plant extracts intended for cosmetics.

For additional cleansing, for example, oily or problematic skin, add cosmetic clay - blue, white, black, pink, as well as fine sea salt. These components also saturate the skin with valuable minerals.

You can make a scrub soap by adding ground oatmeal, bran, coffee, grated cocoa, sugar, salt, specially processed apricot or peach pits, crushed natural mother-of-pearl, etc. Due to the foam, such soap will be more gentle and delicate , rather than a regular scrub, to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. Dry herbs and flowers also act as a light peeling agent and also decorate the finished soap.

You can make soap more attractive and interesting with the help of coffee beans, citrus zest, whole dried flowers, oatmeal, coconut flakes and the like. Looks very nice in color clear soap poppy seeds, which also play the role of a scrub.

Please note that only dry plants and spices can be put into the soap base - fresh herbs, flowers, and zest will soon begin to deteriorate. And many dried flowers, for example, lavender, heather, rose petals, lose their color in soap and simply turn brown.

Sometimes larger inclusions are added to soap, for example loofah- natural washcloth of plant origin. The result is a two-in-one product - both soap and a washcloth - with which you can wash and do a light superficial body massage at the same time.

Sometimes jewelry and toys made of plastic or rubber are fused into soap.

Essential oils.

Essential oils not only give soap a pleasant smell, but also have a healing effect on the skin and the body as a whole. For example, tea tree oil is an excellent antiseptic and helps in treating oily, acne-prone skin, chamomile is good for delicate baby and sensitive skin, lavender soothes and relieves stress, and cheerful citrus scents improve your mood. Essential oils are selected individually, depending on the needs of the skin, but first of all, you should like their smell. You need to be careful with essential oils, as due to their high concentration they can cause irritation and even an allergic reaction. Essential oils have natural aromas because they are extracted from various parts plants.

Flavors and fragrances.

To add aroma to soap, fragrances or food flavorings are used. Fragrance is a complex mixture of organic substances. A fragrance contains many substances with individual odors, and a mixture of these odors provides the fragrance with an individual aroma. The intensity of a soap's odor is determined by the concentration of fragrance in the soap. The perfume composition has a multifaceted aroma that changes over time and combines floral, fruity, woody, fresh and other notes.

Food flavorings are chemical compounds coordinated with each other that form the taste and aroma characteristic of a particular food product. Food flavoring is 30..50, and sometimes more than 100 individual components coordinated with each other. These components can be either natural or identical to natural, or artificial aromatic substances. The areas of application of flavorings are limited only by your imagination. When choosing a flavoring agent, you should not draw a conclusion based on the initial “sharp” or “weak” impression of the aroma - these are “top notes” that may not appear at all in the finished product. Good results are achieved by using several aromatic additives in one product. This can be the combined use of different flavors to obtain a bouquet of aromas. There are special fragrances for cosmetics on sale. Of course, they are not natural, but they are quite safe for the skin and give the soap aromas that cannot be achieved using essential oils.

In order for the process of making soap to be pleasant and positive, and the result to please you, you should pay attention to some common mistakes made by soap makers:

The very first thing: when starting soap making, you need to clearly know what you want to get as a result. Beginners should follow this rule. It’s better to sit down and write down how you are going to add the ingredients, the sequence of actions. Because when the process has begun, sometimes you have to act quickly;

The soap base should not be overheated and brought to a boil. When overheated, the factory soap base loses liquid, the transparent base becomes cloudy, and unnecessary bubbles or foam appear. When the liquid at the base evaporates, the pH level changes and our soap becomes worse in quality;

For melting, be sure to take dishes with handles;

To make baby soap easier to grate, warm it up a little;

If the soap does not lather, feels greasy to the touch, or has droplets of oil on it, then you have added too many base and essential oils;

Do not add too many abrasive components to the soap - the scrub will be too harsh. If you put too few of them, they will all settle at the bottom of the mold;

There is no need to add water to the soap base. Adding water is necessary when making soap from scratch or from baby soap. It won't do any good in a soap base.

When adding various components to soap, you should consider the following:

Sugar, chocolate, honey - melt soap well. To make it healthier, you can add honey to the base - but not too much. Chocolate per 100 grams of base - 1 cube. Gives an intense brown color and a slight odor. It takes a little longer to harden. Honey and sugar are very important when melting baby soap shavings.

Powdered vanilla and cinnamon do not give the expected scent in the soap. Vanilla gives the soap a yellowish tint over time. This also applies to soap from scratch.

Rose petals in handmade soap can take on a very unexpected green color - it is better to decorate with soap roses.

Hibiscus flowers (hibiscus) are also useless to add to the soap mass - they do not color at all, but themselves become gray.

Adding salt to soap also has its own characteristics. If you make soap from scratch, add salt at the light trace stage, when after mixing the lye and oils the mass thickens slightly. When added to a hot soap mass from baby soap, it separates it into water and soap flakes. Salt thickens the soap base very quickly. After hardening, the salt may form crystals on the surface of the soap. Salt soap is almost not colored by food coloring.

Crystalline menthol is diluted with alcohol, preferably alcohol. It also works well in soap base.

All dry additives to the soap base settle at the bottom of the mold. This applies to scrubbing agents and powder dyes.

Zelenka in soap does not give such a bright emerald color. She is fading.

A lot of coffee powder in soap or dry herbs will feel like a hard washcloth on the skin. And this is not always pleasant.

Coffee liquid does not give off a coffee smell.

There is no need to color the soap with potassium permanganate! In the best case, it will simply dry out, in the worst case, you may not notice, unmixed manganese crystals will end up in the soap and then on your skin. There may be a burn.

Organic additives (petals, seeds and fibers) must be placed dry. If you add poorly dried additives (fresh petals, herbs or orange slices), they will mold inside the soap.

When making soap with loofah, there is no need to soak it. A soap base combined with water and a porous loofah will produce a lot of foam and excess liquid in the soap.

The usual strong aroma of store-bought soap is achieved by fragrances, and not by natural essential oils. Essential oils do not smell much.

Do not use essential oils and fragrances, fragrances, and scents at the same time. There must be one thing.

When dry mint is added to soap, the soap will have an unpleasant odor.

Red wine, raspberry and beet juices turn the soap gray.

Dry dyes must first be dissolved in a base oil or liquid, otherwise they may remain grains.

Making soap at home is very exciting and creative process. So choose which method you prefer and experiment.

Good luck and creative success))

The two basic ingredients for soap making are baby soap and soap base. Baby soap as a rule, soap making beginners use it, since it is the simplest and affordable way to try your hand. Soap base is a much better material because it provides even more room for creativity and as soon as you master “children’s” soap making, you will definitely want to try making soap from soap base.

There are two types of soap base: transparent (glycerin) and white matte (made from coconut or palm oil, with the addition of titanium dioxide). Soap base is well suited for creating bright, beautiful soap - it is easy and pleasant to experiment with.

Making soap from a soap base is much easier than from “baby soap.”

Here are just some of the advantages of making soap from a soap base:

• The soap base does not need to be crushed or grated, just cut into pieces is enough.
• It melts easily, both in a water bath and in the microwave.
• There is no need to add water or other liquid to it.
• There is also no need to dry the soap after casting; as soon as the soap hardens, it can be used.
• The difference between soap made from a soap base is that it is not necessary to add base oils to it. They can be added, but the amount should be no more than 1/3 tsp. per 100 gr. base, otherwise the soap will turn out too soft and will not harden. You can find a soap base that already contains all the necessary moisturizing oils.

How to make soap from soap base:

1. Place the pieces of the base in a melting container and melt the base in the microwave or in a water bath. Heat the base only until it melts. It is very important not to overheat it to more than 60-65 degrees. And under no circumstances bring the base to a boil.
2. Now you can add dyes and fillers to the molten base. Remove from the water bath.
3. Add essential oils.
4. Pour the soap base into molds. To make it easier to get the finished soap out of the molds, you can definitely lubricate them with any vegetable oil.
5. To keep your handmade soap longer, wrap it in cling film or put it in a cardboard box. Before this, you need to let it “rest” for several days.

It turns out softer than regular store-bought soap and is much more original and beautiful! You can make two-color soap from a transparent and matte base, you can add small flowers to the transparent base, you can pour coffee beans or herbs into the bottom of the mold! In general, experiment for your health!