Handmade Soap - Good For Your Skin AND The Enviroment!

Handmade or handcrafted soaps can come in many shapes and sizes, there are also many different ways to make these soaps.  One of the most common is the Cold Process Method where different oils react with lye (sodium hydroxide) to create a skin-friendly bar of soap.  So why is handmade soap so much better for your skin than commercial 'soap'?

Because commercial soaps are made up of synthetic detergents, most are labeled as 'beauty bars' not soap.  They also have many harsh additives and fillers, not to mention perfumes and dyes.  Natural handmade soap is made using many different oils, such as olive, coconut and palm oils, to name a few.  Natural soap is also usually scented with pure essential oils.  It is naturally gentle and mild, since it contains naturally forming glycerin, something that is usually removed from commercial soaps.  Glycerin is a humectant, which means it attracts moisture to your skin, it is a natural byproduct of soap making.  Many commercial manufactures remove the glycerin and use it in more profitable products, such as lotions and creams.  Handmade soaps can also have an excess of oil left that has not reacted to the lye giving you that extra bit of moisture that is great for your skin.

Since handmade soap is not made from synthetic materials it does not add any excess phosphates to the environment, which cause the overgrowth of algae.  And because of the all natural ingredients, handmade soaps are easily biodegradable.  So they are good for your skin and the environment!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/handmade-soap-good-for-your-skin-and-the-enviroment-2824109.html

Melissa Dignum is a busy mother of three young children.  She enjoys making and writing about handmade cold process soap.  Find out more at www.sincerelynatural.ca or check out her blog www.soapmakingmommy.blogspot.com.