Is handmade soap alkaline? Does handmade soap contain soap base?

Many of us are familiar with handmade soap, because handmade soap is also a common skin care product that can be used to wash the face or take a bath. So here we need to understand whether handmade soap is alkaline? Does handmade soap contain soap base?

Is handmade soap alkaline?

It is alkaline because soap is a salt, a weak acid and strong base salt. Handmade soaps are all weakly alkaline, and the pH value of some facial cleansers with stronger cleaning power is also 9-10. The production of handmade soap can be roughly divided into two types: one is the hot process; the other is the cold process. Most of the soaps sold on the market are made by the hot process, which is more economical. Glycerin is produced in the soap-making process, so glycerin is usually extracted because the value of glycerin is far higher than that of soap. Handmade soap can be used to wash your face. The most important principle of use is personal skin type, season and region. Because no clean artificial chemicals are added in the production process of handmade soap, the handmade soap will be completely neutralized and decomposed within about 24 hours after it comes into contact with water, so it will not cause burden and pollution to the earth's ecological environment. Therefore, while enjoying a comfortable bath, you can also protect the ecological environment at the same time.

Does handmade soap contain soap base?

Soap base is a simple basic raw material for making soap - sodium fatty acid. Without soap base, it is not called soap. Cold process soap, soap base soap, and commercially available soap must contain soap base. But soap base soap is made using another process, which refers to buying ready-made soap base, melting it and then processing it into soap. The soap base is not made by yourself, but purchased from the factory. In addition to being made at high temperatures, the soap base uses mostly coconut oil and palm oil as the reactant. The quality of the oil is uncertain and the variety of the oil is single. In addition, additives such as solubilizers are added to facilitate later processing. Some unscrupulous manufacturers will also extract glycerin or directly use stearic acid to react to obtain the soap base. Such soap base itself does not contain glycerin. Cold process soap can be understood as a soap base that you make yourself, and it is made under low temperature conditions, using safe oils. You can choose a variety of oils to match according to the different needs of different skin types. It has more variations, retains glycerin, does not add chemical additives, and is more natural. Of course, there are definitely unscrupulous businessmen who use bad oils. But the difference with soap-based soap is that as long as you find the right soap maker, you can buy soap that is of guaranteed quality and suitable for your skin.

How to store handmade soap

When storing, be sure to keep it in a ventilated and dry place. Since handmade soap is DIY and has not undergone professional chemical operations, its stability is relatively short compared to professional soap-based products and facial cleansers. Soap-based products should be stored in a dry and ventilated place. However, the storage temperature cannot be too low, because too low a temperature will freeze and crack the handmade soap, and too high a temperature will cause bacteria to grow or melt. Therefore, the storage of handmade soap is a big problem. If handmade soap is properly stored, it can be stored for more than half a year or even 1 to 2 years. If various essential oils are added to it, its shelf life will be relatively short. If milk or other fruit ingredients are added to it, the shelf life will be shorter than other soaps and it is best to use it up within half a year. Handmade soap absorbs a lot of moisture in the air, and its water absorption capacity is very strong so it is easy to deteriorate. Therefore, handmade soap spoils very quickly, so it can be stored in an environment with relatively suitable temperature and humidity. If you want to improve the stability of handmade soap, you need to add oil ingredients to it for saponification. This way, the handmade soap will be more durable.

How long does it take to use handmade soap?

Generally it can be used within 40-60 days. When handmade soap is just made, it has a strong alkaline nature and will cause certain irritation to the skin. It cannot be used directly. It takes 1-2 months for the pH value of the soap to drop to a mild range that the skin can adapt to. Only then can the soap be used. This period of time is called the maturity period. After the soap matures, its foaming ability and hardness become better. If it is stored for too long, its cleaning power will decrease and some essential oil additives will evaporate. It must be kept in a cool and dry environment.