MELT AND POUR (MP) SOAP TODAY

Soap making has grown from a hobby to a seriously trade in these recent years with new talents all the time. In fact, we can see different soap making bloggers in the internet showcasing their products, their talents, expertise, of course the ultimate goal is still with the intention to sell. In a way, such competition is also very keen as melt and pour soap is full of creativity and exploration, there is no end to it but only excitement and discoveries.

When soap selection is concerned, there is ‘commercial soap’, the one we used to see in supermarkets and then there is ‘homemade or natural soap’, which is usually thought of as the “safe or harmless” version. Natural soap is made with all-natural ingredients and natural soap bases. In natural soap, the important point is there should be no lye or other potentially harmful ingredients, as well as any additives.

However, commercial soap could include ingredients like parabens, SLS and SLES, which are considered the most toxic yet common beauty ingredients. Parabens help prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast whereas sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are less expensive yet harmful foaming agents in traditional soaps that linked to irritation of the skin and eyes. In short, commercial soaps we use every day may actually fill the environment with harmful chemicals and harm our bodies as well.

WHAT IS ACTUALLY MELT AND POUR SOAP?

“Melt and Pour Soap” is the name given to soap bases that have already undergone the usual soap-making process known as saponification whereby oils are combined with an alkaline solution to create a reaction. Generally, MP soap is composed of fatty acids, glycerin, and other natural ingredients. It does not have lye added to it, lye is a chemical which may potentially burn the skin. It also lends itself better than cold process soap to certain techniques, like eliminating the curing process. They are also easy to make, just simply melt the base and pour into a mold. As soon as the soap hardens and cools, it’s ready to go!

To summarise, Melt and Pour soap is pre-saponified soap that can be used with or without further chemical processing or customization. The main benefit of this method is that we do not have to handle lye as we are all concerned about this particular chemical which is caustic and dangerous. If you are a starter in soap making or afraid of messing up lye measurements or the danger it poses, Melt and Pour is a great option for you.

With the additional glycerin added to the MP soap, it offers more moisturizing, soothing and hydrating properties to the skin. It also helps produce soaps which are gentle on the skin, making it ideal for use on sensitive skin types. With all these natural ingredients involvement, MP soap is also considered to be “true” soap.

SAFE INGREDIENTS IN HANDMADE SOAP

If you read the labels of the commercial soap properly, you will notice that it contains ingredients like lauric acid, steric acid, Lauroyl Isethionate, Cacamidipropyl Betaine, etc. Don’t blame yourself for being skeptical if these words sound unfamiliar especially it comes with the name ‘acid’ but in actual fact these ingredients are even more harsh on your skin as they can strip your skin of natural moisture and oils, removing all its natural balance and at the same time harmful to our skin.

The regulatory definition of soap by the FDA is a product that only contains fats or oils and an alkali (lye). Today very few ‘soaps’ meet this definition, most of them contain harmful ingredients like synthetic detergents, preservatives, artificial scents and colours. FDA mentioned that to be regulated as “soap,” these “alkali salts of fatty acids” must be the only material that results in the product’s cleaning action. If the product contains synthetic detergents, then it is a cosmetic, not a soap. By now you must be thinking to forget about commercial soap immediately.

But handmade soap, on the other hand, is full of natural ingredients obtained from plants, flowers, and herbs which can support your skin’s health. The most important key ingredient in natural soap is glycerin which you don’t see it in commercial soap. Glycerin actually makes your soap foamier and attracts moisture to your skin, making it more nourishing and moisturizing, leaving it soft and supple while also protecting it. The opinion is that when you bathe with glycerin soap there will be a thin layer of glycerin that supports your skin from behind, the glycerine which is a humectant will draw moisture from the air onto your skin, therefore hydrating your skin.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SOAP BASE

The process of making any Melt and Pour soap begins with choosing the right base. Finding the right natural soap base that is actually healthy for your skin is essential when creating your own all-natural skin care products. As there are so many different types to choose from you need to know what is the best base for your homemade soap.

Gycerin MP soap has additional glycerin added during the manufacturing process. This is good news as integrating glycerin into your skin care regimen is one of the main benefits of using homemade soaps. Also make sure that you choose a 100% all-natural soap base. After all, if it is not completely natural, synthetic free and filled with all important glycerin, you will not be able to claim that you are experiencing true skin care benefits. It is therefore important that if you want a beautiful complexion and healthy skin, you must keep away harmful chemicals and substances off of your skin.

Transparent or clear soap base is made with naturally components of fats and oils. It contains extra glycerin and will effectively balances moisture levels in the skin and is suitable for all skin types too. Perfect to be used for adding emollients, pressed flowers, colouring, designs, etc. This soap base is the best choice for creating brightly colored soap.

White or opaque soap base is the purest solid white color soap base. It is also a scent-free soap and will hold and keep scent beautifully. It can also create bright colored soap like a transparent glycerin soap. When color is added to white soap bases, it is likely your end result will be a color of a pastel hue which forms a sweet and nice appearance.

Melt & Pour Glycerine Transparent and Opaque Soap Base has a combination of good moisturizing effect and high foaming ability which provides good cleansing power and rinsability, making it a rich dense lather and pleasant skin feel after use. Both types enable to mold into all kind of shapes and highly compatible with wide range of fragrances and other additives such as essential oils, vegetable oils, powder or liquid extracts, active ingredients, colorants, etc. All these characteristics are excellent for processing by melting and moulding as many times as you need, but still remain the clear and spotless appearance.

Both types of soap bases are made with different ingredients for their unique characteristics and properties. The different fats/oils and ingredients that make up the bases have different characteristics after the saponification process. Your job is to choose one that is completely natural and free of synthetic ingredients and chemicals.

At Green Herbology, we have 4 types of Melt and Pour soap bases to choose. The shelf life for our soup bases is around 2 years. To ensure that the soap base does not dry out prematurely, it would be best to store them in a container and place in a cool and dry place.

The Standard Transparent and Opaque SLS free– both made from vegetable oils with superior moisturizing effect from the added glycerine with excellent foaming by using the vegetable oil and skin friendly surfactant which is truly safe for skin but without the harsh chemical, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). SLS is a surfactant or a chemical agent which is used for cleaning and much needed agent to make foamy soap. It has been claimed that SLS can cause skin dryness, irritation and allergic reactions. This irritation leads to skin redness and dehydration and affects the skin’s natural pH.

The Transparent and Opaque SLS,& SLES– both are also made from vegetable oils with superior moisturizing effect from the added glycerine with excellent foaming by using the vegetable oil and skin friendly surfactant which is truly safe for skin but without the harsh chemicals, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Paraben. SLES works the same as SLS but is only milder and less irritating. Both SLS and SLES are well-documented irritants to both the skin and eyes. Parabens are preservatives which are supposed to keep bacteria and other microbes out of our personal care products but on the other hand, there are concerns that this chemical may pose certain health issues especially if used in high dosages.

The colour of the opaque soap base is more to white as a minimal amount of the chemical, titanium dioxide has been added into it to produce its white opacity. This base is most commonly chosen for producing soaps that are opaque in clarity or pastel coloured soaps and is reputed to produce creamy luxurious lather feel.

The transparent base has higher clarity which makes it ideal for embedding natural additives and also allows for exceptional color intensity. Its higher moisturising properties from the added glycerine provides a soft and pleasant skin feel.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Melt and pour soap is the easiest and quickest way to make natural and high-quality soap. Their versatility makes them popular even with beginners as MP soap allows a lot of creative options as they can be customized to individual preference by adding essential oil, plant extracts, powder, clay, etc. Apart from this, there is no curing time for MP soap. Once hardened, they can be used.

MP soap is a much safer alternative as you do not have to handle lye and most importantly, they do not contain harsh ingredients which will cause irritation to our skin. On the other hand, commercial soaps offer lesser natural benefits as they contain harsh chemicals and which is harmful to our skin and body.

Glycerin is a humectant that attracts moisture from the air to the skin and it attracts and binds water. Therefore, MP soap is suitable for all skin types including problematic skin condition such as sensitive, psoriasis, eczema and even for babies. However, for commercial soap, sad to say that glycerin is removed to be sold as a bi-product, thus making it not so skin friendly. Due to this, commercial soap is not suitable at all for babies and adults of sensitive or problematic skin conditions.

MP soap is made of natural ingredients and they are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. As the name implies, there should not be any synthetic detergents and any surfactant used must be derived from plant. The colours that you can see in MP soap are all natural using Mica, Herbs & Clays, which are all plant extracts. Even the scented natural soaps are created with Essential Oil to produce a natural, harm-free fragrance.

However, commercial soaps are produced in large quantities and mass-production can result in environmental waste and degradation. These soaps are made by machine and utilize added chemical preservatives to extend shelf life. Petrochemicals, synthetic surfactants, perfume and artificial colouring are also being used in order to save cost to obtain higher profit margin. All these can cause allergic reactions and irritation to skin. Artificial perfume scents, although they smell nice but are linked to allergies and hormonal issues.

WHAT IS GLYCERIN DEW IN MELT & POUR SOAP?

HOW TO AVOID IT?

Melt and pour soap has additional glycerin added into it throughout the production process. Glycerin is a humectant which means it absorbs and attracts water and is also a natural byproduct of the saponification process. The glycerin content actually causes your soap to turn hygroscopic and if it has a high level of glycerin and being let in a humid environment, the soap will collect water from the room and little droplets of glycerin dew will cover your soap. Moreover, when your MP soap remains on the counter or table, the glycerin in the soap will draw the wetness from the air and onto the soap. If your soap making space is in the kitchen or near the restroom, you’ll discover that your MP soap will keep ‘sweating’ or produce ‘glycerin dew.’

At the beginning, it looks like frosting but after closer inspection, it is actually water droplets covering the surface of the soap. The more humid the environment is, the more likely the glycerin will attract moisture on to the surface of the soap. Humidity is the main cause of glycerin dew on your MP soap. Glycerin dew are not harmful and does not affect the quality of your soap but it can make your soap feel slippery or slimy if it sweats a lot and it does not look appealing if you are selling your soap.

Crucial pointers to prevent glycerin dew are:

Make sure you do not put your soap in the freezer or fridge after making it. Let it harden and cool at room temperature because once you removed your soap from the fridge, the difference in temperature will cause the soap to sweat.

Wrap your MP soap tightly with shrink or cling wrap. Make sure there are no gaps or air bubbles. Keep your soap in an airtight container with rice or silica gel packets to help absorb any humidity in the container.

Adding too much fragrance or additional oils could be another reason. Just remember your liquid ingredients should not be more than 10% of the total weight of your soap base and you will be safe.

Run a fan or hairdryer over the soap regularly after the soap is popped out of the molds. This might not work in some more damp environments however it works in some less severe cases so attempt it with some smaller batches.

At your last step of soap making, gently stir the melted soap to incorporate all the other ingredients. The reason why some people get bubbles on their soap is because they stir too hard. The final important step is immediately spritz the surface with the fine mist of Green Herbology Ethanol alcohol from a spray bottle. This action will not only prevent any soap dew but also get rid of all the bubbles if they do appear.

If all methods fail, you could try remelting your soap in the microwave or double boiler and pour it back into the molds again. This time around, do make sure to keep your soap in a dry environment.

ARE THERE ANY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES OR POSSIBILITIES THAT YOU CAN EXPLORE AND PROBABLY VENTURE INTO WITH MELT AND POUR SOAP?

You probably could have started making MP soap as a hobby or for a good and healthier reason. You enjoy doing it and have become addicted to it. Have you ever thought of transforming this hobby into something profitable? Covid-19 has impacted our normal life in so many different ways and every day we are hearing about ‘hygiene’ and nothing else except ‘hygiene’. The cosmetics and personal care industry have been impacted tremendously too as the trend for hygiene products ensures that global demand is rising rapidly. In view of this, soap industry is here to stay and if you are good in handmade soap, opportunities are everywhere.

Large organization using unique designs handmade soap as corporate gift for their staff and customers.

The current trend using MP soap as wedding gifts made for customization orders is still ongoing and continue to grow.

Online selling as a full time or part time job. You can have all sorts of designs and colours and you can have your own brand name for your inventions. Orders can be customized for specific occasions or the buyer’s preferred fragrance.

Selling at craft fairs and events to showcase your distinctive product. Selling at temporary retail spaces or rented stalls at shopping malls.

Selling to souvenir shops to show off our beautiful handmade local product to travellers visiting our country.

Custom made soaps favours for any occasion, especially when coming to Christmas gifts for your friends and family. You can earn more if you are selling at flea markets during festive seasons.

As free samples for charitable causes such as hospitals, old folks’ home, orphanages, etc

As conference doors gifts for seminars to impress participants. The soap can be customized with the embedded event organiser company logo on the soap.

Beauty salons giving this as free gifts to customers. Free gifts leave a personal touch. A personal touch like this goes a long way in building relationship with customers.

DIY MELT AND POUR SOAP

Soap making is real fun. You can do it on your own or together with your friends or your kids. With melt and pour soap it is so easy to start with the most basic recipe. You can customize the color, fragrance, design, and whatever you want to add in to suit your preference. As you go along, you will get more comfortable as you can also tweak recipes and develop your own. Isn’t this adventurous and fun? Best of all, you have a practical product at the end that you can either use yourself or as a gift. Apart from feeling proud of your accomplishment, you will also gain a great sense of fulfillment and pride.

We have a video here to illustrate the simple method of DIY Melt and Pour Soap. You can get all the ingredients from our website, Lazada and Shopee. What’s more, the most widely known ‘Valentine’s Day’ is approaching. This is the perfect time to DIY a customized beautiful Melt and Pour soap for your loved ones as a gesture of love, appreciation and affection. Your DIY gift will be the best gift ever because it is made from your ‘personal touch’.

How To Make Calming Lavender Shea Butter Soap?

Oatmeal is popularly known as a diet food. It helps our body to shed the extra weight and get back into shape. But did you know that oatmeal is equally good for our skin ❓ It’s true! Oatmeal contains amazing skin care properties. In fact, if you are in love with your skin, you should know about the several benefits of oatmeal soap with lavender calming scent ❗ 😊