The favorite ingredient of soap makers is glycerin. Despite the abundance of controversy surrounding it, the positive effects it has on the skin more than compensate for its few disadvantages.
Glycerin is a chemical substance whose formula is C3H8O3. It helps deeper penetration of beneficial nutrients into the skin, enhancing their effect, and is used in the manufacture of soaps and care products for dry and sensitive skin. Experts do not recommend abusing glycerin-containing preparations for those with oily skin, since their main component, creating a film on the surface of the skin, can cause clogging of pores and, as a result, the appearance of pimples.
Recently, homemade cosmetics, including soap, have become increasingly popular. Someone makes entire batches to order, making it a way to make money. Some people please only themselves and their immediate circle with natural soap. It is much more useful than store-bought, which contains a terrifying list of all kinds of chemical additives with terrible, unreadable names (and even more terrible effects on the skin).
The benefits and harms of glycerin
Regarding the positive effects of glycerin on the skin, the “consequences of its use” may be as follows:
- being part of the face cream, it actively moisturizes and promotes rejuvenation (some literally call it a cure for aging);
- smoothes expression lines;
- the skin tightens and becomes more elastic and firm;
- metabolism in the upper layers of the skin begins to occur faster, resulting in more intensive removal of impurities, excess fat and toxins; the face becomes fresher, more ruddy and rejuvenated;
- rough, keratinized skin on the heels softens, as well as dry skin on the knees and elbows.
But it is also worth considering the fact that glycerin is primarily a chemical substance. If you overdo it in the process of skin care, you can get a whole range of diseases. Glycerin deficiencies may manifest themselves as follows:
- used in large quantities, it can dry out the skin, depriving its upper layer of moisture;
- when used together with silicone, creates a dangerous mixture;
- categorically incompatible with inflamed and sensitive skin.
In addition, it is important to know that its moisturizing properties can be beneficial not only for the skin, but also for hair and mucous membranes. It can be used as a component of hair masks or for purulent sore throat. By the way, Lugol's drug, used to treat purulent tonsillitis, contains glycerin and also iodine.
Glycerin-based soap washes out melanin from the skin, and therefore its use will contribute to some lightening of the face (up to several tones). Thus, it is absolutely not suitable for fans of tanned skin, but it will please those who want to look like Snow White.
Features of using glycerin soap
In order to enhance the positive effects of such soap while minimizing harm, you must follow a number of simple rules:
- do not wash your face with soap too often and for a long time (especially in winter);
- in the composition of purchased soap, glycerin should be in the last or penultimate place (this guarantees its minimum content in the soap bar); when making at home, it is necessary to ensure that its percentage does not exceed 5%;
- If the humidity in the room where cosmetic procedures with glycerin-containing products are carried out is less than 50%, the air must first be humidified, and after the procedure is completed, stay in the room for some more time (so that the glycerin remaining on the skin in the form of a thin film has time to become saturated with moisture ). To accurately measure the humidity level, you need to purchase a special device - a hygrometer, and install it in the part of the room opposite from the humidifier. If such a purchase is too expensive, you can use “cheap and cheerful” analogues: hang a towel moistened with water on the radiators during the heating season, periodically moistening it, or simply spray water around the room with a spray bottle;
- While using glycerin soap, drink enough water (especially in the summer heat) so as not to dry out the top layer of skin;
- Most likely, soap will not be the only cosmetic product containing glycerin. Decorative cosmetics also include a considerable amount of it, and therefore, again, drinking regime and air humidification.
DIY glycerin soap
Homemade harmless soap can be created in two ways: from scratch and from a soap base.
The first method is more expensive, but the entire manufacturing process is visible, and the composition is “transparent” and known from the first to the last component.
The second one is less labor-intensive and time-consuming, but also not so interesting.
Glycerin soap from soap base.
For preparation you will need:
- 200-250 ml of base (glycerin);
- a spoonful of crushed spirulina;
- a teaspoon of liquid glycerin;
- chlorophyll capsule.
First you need to melt the base. This can be done using a microwave or in a water bath. You just need to make sure that the composition warms up gradually and does not have time to boil. The crushed kelp must be thoroughly mixed with liquid glycerin and the mixture must be added to the soap base, stirring. Chlorophyll is added last. Having thoroughly mixed the composition until completely homogeneous, pour it into molds (preferably silicone) and leave to harden.
DIY glycerin soap from scratch.
A natural product, made with your own hands “from start to finish,” it is extremely pleasant to the touch and has moisturizing properties. By the way, any handmade soap contains a certain amount of glycerin, because it is formed during the interaction of alkali and oils, and this process is an integral part of soap making. Thus, in the recipe described below, the concentration of the substance is only slightly increased. Another feature is the need for a large volume of ethyl alcohol.
Ingredients:
- 15% each of olive and coconut oils;
- 10% each of almond and avocado oils;
- 5% superfat;
- 50% palm oil;
- lye and water.
In addition, you will need ethyl alcohol in the amount of 50% of the weight of oils, stearic acid 4%, glycerin - 15%, a quarter of sugar and a tenth of water (of the same indicator). The soap according to this recipe comes out with a dense color, which, however, does not diminish its advantages.
After making sure with the help of scales that the proportional ratio of the components is observed, you should melt the butter. Stearic acid - mix with glycerin. Next, following safety regulations, you need to make an alkali solution and mix oils with it. Beat the mixture, bringing it to the “trace”, and put on fire, covering with a lid. The composition should thicken somewhat and become translucent.
After adding two-thirds of the alcohol, you need to close the lid again. The mixture will cook for about another hour, during which it is necessary to periodically look at it, reducing the temperature if necessary, adding alcohol and stirring. When the mass begins to resemble liquid soap in appearance, you can pour in the sugar syrup prepared in advance. After leaving for another hour and a half, the base can be removed from the heat and poured into molds.
Glycerin soap is a useful cosmetic product. You just need to use it correctly, following the rules, and even better, learn how to cook it yourself, creating your own soap masterpieces - beneficial to the skin, pleasant and beautiful.
Contents of the article:
Toilet soap, prepared at home, has long become a popular handicraft item, allowing you to obtain fragrant products from natural raw materials of various shapes and colors. The technology of home soap making is simple even for beginners, and the components for its preparation can be purchased at any place convenient for you - both in a regular store or pharmacy, and in a specialized online store.
Homemade soap is distinguished by natural ingredients, the use of aromatic oils, unusual shapes and original design. But many still don’t know how to make transparent soap at home. This soap can be made in two ways - using a glycerin base or making clear soap from scratch.
Glycerin soap - benefits and disadvantages
Why do you need glycerin soap? The fact is that glycerin, although not a natural product, facilitates the penetration of other nutrients contained in any cosmetic product into the skin. This is why glycerin is often added to soap, hand or face creams. In addition, glycerin provides additional hydration to the skin, which prevents the formation of expression lines and age-related wrinkles. However, you should not get too carried away using such soap, since an excess amount of glycerin accumulates in the pores, impairing the oxygen supply to the skin.
Well, if you realize how important it is to learn how to make glycerin soap at home, let's look at the features of the technological process.
How to Make Glycerin Soap from Scratch
Measure out 150 g of palm oil and 105 g of coconut oil, add 100 ml of castor oil and 70 ml of olive oil. Place the resulting mixture in the microwave to melt the solid butter.
Using a scale, measure out 70 g of alkali and pour it into 145 ml of ice water. As a result of the chemical reaction, heat is released, so we allow the resulting solution to cool, and at the same time wait for the mixture of oils from the microwave to cool down a little.
Pour the melted butter into a wide container, add the alkaline solution filtered through a strainer, mix gently and beat the mixture with a blender until a trace appears. After this, we warm up the future soap in a water bath for 40 minutes. Be sure to cover the container with a lid to prevent the liquid from evaporating. From time to time, stir the mixture with a spoon, and in the meantime, prepare the syrup from 45 ml of water and 112 g of powdered sugar.
When the sugar is completely dissolved, move on to the next step. We measure 25 g of stearic acid and dilute it in 68 g of glycerin. When the soap base, standing in a water bath, goes through the gel stage and begins to thicken, add 118 ml of alcohol to it, keep it covered for another 5 minutes, and then pour out the sugar syrup. Now all that remains is to add the glycerin base and 40 ml of alcohol, and after 10 minutes we pour in 20 ml of olive oil, the so-called superfat.
If foam appears, remove it with alcohol, spraying it through a spray bottle. Remove the container from the heat, add dyes and flavors and pour the finished soap into molds, first sprinkling them with alcohol. After 24 hours, we remove it and admire the result of our labor.
The composition of the oils can be changed, using them depending on your capabilities and preferences. To obtain transparent soap products, you can use almond oil, castor oil, avocado oil and even lard. Essential oils of orange, lavender or mint can be used as flavoring agents, enriching homemade soap products with a healing and healing effect.
How to Make Clear Glycerin Soap
This cooking method is much simpler. Cut the finished transparent soap base into cubes or grate it, melt it in a water bath or in the microwave, add oil, flavoring and coloring. You can add a little milk, cream or herbal infusions to the base. We pour the resulting mass into molds and after an hour we get a beautiful and fragrant soap.
Do not rush the process and put the soap in the refrigerator to harden as quickly as possible. If you rush, you will end up with a cloudy, unattractive product instead of a clear, soapy masterpiece.
As you can see, anyone who does not want to use industrial products, but wants to use an exclusive natural product, can make their own soap.
Safe soap making
Homemade soap itself is completely harmless, but individual components, in particular alkali, can be harmful to health, so we remember and use the rules of safe work.
When making soap, your eyes and hands must be protected from contact with alkali or alcohol vapor. Rubber gloves, a respirator and safety glasses - these protective equipment must be purchased before you even begin the soap making process.
Alcohol and open fire are a dangerous combination, so be careful when adding alcohol to your soap base. Lye should not be poured into dishes used for food. If you often make soap, purchase a separate container for the lye or use disposable cups.
In addition to a pronounced caring effect, glycerin soap made at home expands the possibilities of obtaining original products worthy of being an excellent gift. For example, before pouring the soap base into molds, you can arrange rose petals or even whole flowers, coffee beans or spices. The result is soap with a very unusual decorative effect.
You can make a combination soap by alternating transparent and opaque layers, or divide the transparent base into several parts and paint them in different colors, then pour it into a large mold in layers. After hardening, cut into thin slices and roll them into a roll. Such an original spiral soap will certainly delight and bring many pleasant moments to everyone who happens to use it.
Soaps of different colors can be cut into cubes and filled with a transparent base to create a colorful mosaic soap. There are many ideas for making homemade soap that you can find on the Internet, but don’t be afraid of bold experiments and your own imagination. In this case, your soap will definitely be unique and inimitable.
A variety of containers can be used as molds. Soap poured into silicone molds for muffins or cookies looks original and creative. You can use plastic cars, cubes and other hollow containers found in children's homes, and also make soap in molds designed specifically for home soap makers. The material of the molds can be any, but do not use glass containers, from which it is very difficult to get the finished product. To make it easy to remove, silicone, plastic or metal molds must be lubricated with liquid Vaseline, any base oil, or sprinkled with alcohol.
Do not rush to use the finished product, wait a week or two so that it dries thoroughly. And after this period, you can profitably and with great pleasure experience the foaming, aromatic and moisturizing properties of a homemade soap product, feeling well-deserved pride in the result obtained.
By the way, if you want to monetize your hobby, turn it into a family business. It’s worth practicing several times, experimenting with different compositions and recipes, learning how to beautifully design finished products, and then starting looking for clients who will be able to appreciate your efforts.
Today's post is all about glycerin soap and my goal is to combine a tutorial on how to make glycerin soap from scratch as it is plus achieving clarity in the soap. It became important for me that my glycerin soap should be transparent, like a Komsomol member’s tear. I think many people will be interested in this too.
From the name “glycerin soap from scratch” it is clear that its main feature is the glycerin content. This soap is suitable for almost any skin without drying it out. There is information on the Internet that this type of soap dries the skin, because... glycerin moisturizes the upper layers of the skin, drawing moisture from the inner layers, and thereby dries out the skin as a result, which is not true. Glycerin penetrates the skin with water and, under the influence of water, moisturizes it. Of course, there will be no effect if you smear pure glycerin. Or if you overdo it with the dosage.
By the way, any soap from scratch contains glycerin, because... in a certain amount it is formed by the interaction of alkali and oils. But of course there is more of it in glycerin soap.
The technology for preparing glycerin soap from scratch is quite specific; in addition, in addition to oils, liquid and alkali, soap also requires additional ingredients such as:
- alcohol (96% is best, vodka and simply alcohol-containing ones will not work) 40-50% of the total weight of oils,
- glycerin up to 15% (sometimes I take 20),
- sugar or sorbitol 25-30% (sometimes I take 45).
- It is not necessary, but it is advisable to have stearic acid 1-5% (but I sometimes take up to 10%) - the soap hardens for a long time, and the acid contributes to a faster process. In addition, stearin will increase the stability of the foam.
It is generally accepted that making glycerin soap from scratch requires a certain selection of oils. It is believed that the most suitable oils are: palm, olive, coconut, castor, shea (and according to my observations, shea clouds the soap), almond, lard, apricot kernel, avocado. Soy is also good.
But using only recommended oils does not mean that the soap will necessarily be clear. Clear glycerin soap from scratch is often a stumbling block for many beginning soap makers. Many work hard to achieve transparency, but it (transparency, that is), still does not come. And as it happens, the oils are selected, and the alcohol is the best, and... and... In general, here you need to work painstakingly on the balance of oils and others ingredients.
There is also an important point: if you put all the superfat into the calculator at once (as with HS), the soap will be more transparent than soap with added superfat at the end of cooking, as with HS
So, using the example of how to cook a glycerin base, I’ll tell you: for myself, I have developed two basic recipes for transparent glycerin soap from scratch and share them with you.
Glycerin soap from scratch - recipes:
First recipe:
- Water 33%
- Safety overfat (if for base) 2%
- Coconut oil 15%
- Palm kernel oil 40%
- Almond 17%
- Castor 18%
- Stearic acid 10%
- Alcohol 45%
- Sorbitol 45%
- Glycerin 20%
- Water and lye according to the calculator. Water 2/3 for lye, 1/3 for syrup.
Second recipe:
- Coconut oil 15%
- Palm kernel oil 37.5%
- Almond 24.5%
- Castor 12.5%
- Lard 8.5%
- Stearic acid 2%
- Alcohol 45%
- Sorbitol 30%
- Glycerin 15%
- Water and lye according to the calculator. Water 2/3 for lye, 1/3 for sire op.
Preparation technology, how to make glycerin soap.
There are different methods, but the essence is the same. I have identified the most convenient method for myself.
It all starts as if you were making regular soap, that is, I prepare the ingredients, equipment, and workplace. You also need to remember about safety precautions when working with alkali.
Here is the finished soap. Well, or glycerin soap base, depending on what I’m cooking). Transparency is quite satisfying to me. How about you?
Glycerin soap from scratch. In my opinion, it’s so beautiful!!!
Glycerin soap from scratch
The thickness of this round piece is 2-2.3 cm
- I measure out the ingredients.
- I divide the water into 2 parts, 1/3 and 2/3, into syrup and lye.
- I heat solid oils in a bathhouse along with stearic acid.
- When the batters are melted, I introduce heated liquid oils into them. The container in which the soap mass will be placed must be immediately raised higher, later you will see why.
- When I prepare an alkaline solution, I remind you that it needs to be prepared with 2/3 of the total amount of water. The rest of the water is for sugar syrup.
- I introduce the solution into the oils and achieve a trace. Here I want to note that there is information that for transparency, the oil and solution must correspond to a temperature of 30-40%. I tried both this way and at higher temperatures, the soap is equally transparent according to these two recipes. The main thing is that the temperature of the oils and solution are the same. And one more thing - oils with stearic acid can thicken as they cool; the more stearic acid, the more thick it becomes. This is roughly what it looks like:
Thickened oils and stearic acid. To avoid this, work at higher temperatures
- But don’t be afraid of this, you just need to carefully introduce the alkaline solution into the oils and mix very carefully by hand first. If you immediately mix it with a blender, there is a good chance that everything will scatter throughout the room. The mass will liquefy a little after gentle stirring by hand, and you can use a blender. You just need to work extremely carefully! To prevent such thickening from happening, you just need to work with a warmer mixture of oils and stearin.
- I put the mass reduced to a trace in a bath until it gels.
- I prepare an alcohol-glycerin mixture: mix alcohol with glycerin and heat it up (do not bring to a boil!). I usually heat it in the microwave.
- When the soap mass has completely entered the gel, I carefully introduce 2/3 of the mixture of alcohol and glycerin, leaving 1/3 for later. I introduce the alcohol very carefully so that nothing catches fire (alcohol is flammable). At the same time, the soap mass can boil, foam and show its character in every possible way (that’s why we take the container higher initially), this is normal, but extreme care and accuracy in the process is required. Another thing I want to say: it’s a good idea to wear a respirator during this time, there is a chance of inhaling alcohol fumes, and this is dangerous!
This foam has already settled; at the very peak there was no time for filming))))
- I stir the soap, if necessary, sprinkle plenty of alcohol on the foam. But I don’t forget about accuracy. I close the lid and leave it alone to dissolve the lumps of soap.
- I prepare syrup from the remaining water and sorbitol or sugar. I heat it in the microwave, stirring until it dissolves.
Here is sorbitol mixed with water. Now I’ll heat it until it dissolves and forms a soapy mass.
- The lumps of soap gradually dissolve, I stir them periodically, and spray the film on the surface with alcohol. Under the foam and lumps, glycerin soap is gradually formed from scratch.
Do you see the yellow transparent? This is the future soap.
- Well, everything is ready. I pour it into prepared forms and immediately put it in the freezer.
Now I'm putting them in the freezer!!!
Yes, yes, in the freezer! I won’t explain this now, I’ll tell you in the next publication.
There are practically no lumps of soap, only foam remains, which I generously spray with alcohol to dissolve. Time to introduce the syrup and the remaining alcohol.
Now there are very few lumps and it’s time to add the syrup, then the rest of the alcohol (remember, 2/3 was poured in earlier, and the rest was left for later?). I stir the soap one last time, stirring gently, but very thoroughly. That’s it, after that I don’t stir it anymore, but leave it alone until all the lumps dissolve. If necessary, I spray with alcohol. You can do a transparency test by dropping a drop of soap somewhere...I dropped it on an Ikea catalog. After hardening, the drop should be transparent. I don’t know what the special meaning is in this, the soap is almost ready anyway, it’s already there anyway. The only thing you can do is add a little more sorbitol if the drop is not clear enough.
I wonder if the debate between the zero soap makers and the foundation soap makers will subside?
- Our soap is natural, but yours is not!
- But ours is beautiful and fragrant, but yours is “a la poop”!
But there is such a soap, it is both beautiful and fragrant, and its naturalness does not suffer. And it's called "glycerin soap from scratch." It has a very pleasant velvety structure, it can be poured into the most intricate mold, you can make unusual swirls with it, which are quite difficult to make with zero soap, especially prepared using a hot method. Glycerin soap is very gentle on the skin.
And today I will show you one way to make glycerin soap from scratch.
To work we need the following materials:
coconut oil, palm oil, castor oil, shea butter, almond oil, sodium hydroxide, purified water, glycerin, ethyl alcohol 95%, sugar, sea buckthorn oil, bay laurel oil, tropical verbena (Litsea cubeba) essential oil, calendula petals.
Tools:
protective equipment - glasses, mask, gloves; thermometer, container for NaOH, spoon, spatula, strainer, blender, napkins, vinegar solution, electronic scales, indicator paper.
Recipe: The peculiarity of glycerin soap from scratch is the special selection of vegetable oils. I selected the following: palm, coconut, castor, shea, almond. They have proven themselves to be suitable for glycerin, maintaining transparency and hardness, providing good cleansing, softness and gentle care.
Divide the total amount of water according to the recipe - 33% into 2 parts, 2/3 - for sodium hydroxide solution, 1/3 - for preparing sugar syrup.
To prepare glycerin soap, special components are used: alcohol (the higher the degree, the better) from 35% to 45%, glycerin 15%, sugar syrup (28% sugar, 10% water). The percentage is calculated from the total weight of the oils.
Usually, when preparing a recipe for the hot method, I add 1-2% excess fat. In this case, I set the excess fat to 0% in the calculator; I’ll explain why later.
Laurel and sea buckthorn oils, as well as tropical verbena essential oil - for overfat.
So, let's get started?
We weigh solid and liquid oils, put the solid ones in a water bath.
Combine with liquid oils and cool to the desired temperature.
While the oils are melting and cooling, weigh the lye. At the same time, we are wearing protective equipment, the hood is turned on and the window is open, and a vinegar solution is prepared nearby just in case of a fire.
The water for the solution was pre-cooled well. Place a container of water in the sink and carefully mix the lye and water. Pour the lye into the water in small portions and stir gently. Be careful! Be extremely focused and collected at this moment! Nothing should distract you.
Now you need to ensure that the temperature of the alkaline solution and the temperature of the molten oils become almost the same. In this case, there is no need to overheat the oil, and the temperature of 36-40 degrees suits me quite well.
Now you need to combine the alkaline solution and oils. Use a strainer to prevent undissolved sodium hydroxide crystals from getting into the oil.
Gently mix the mass. At first she looks like this.
After a few passes of the blender it will look like this.
And here is our beautiful, beautiful trail!
You like? I really like it!
Turn on the stove and place the saucepan with the future soap in a water bath.
Cover the pan with a lid and a napkin to prevent condensation from getting into the soap mass.
And we sit down to wait for the gel stage. Now you can relax a little and drink some coffee.
And here it is, the gel!
From the moment the saucepan is placed in the bath until the gel appears, different times pass. This depends on many reasons: the selection of certain oils, the amount of soap mass, the temperature of the bath and the environment. Wait until all the soap mass has entered the gel.
After this, heat the alcohol and carefully, in a thin stream, pour in small portions into a saucepan with soap. Do this very carefully! Since alcohol vapors can ignite, especially if you have a gas stove. Leave 2-3 tablespoons of alcohol for the end of the procedure. At this moment, wear a mask or respirator, because strong alcohol vapors will be in the air
The soap begins, as I say, to “go crazy” - it boils, seethes and tries to “escape”. Therefore, choose a pan in such a way that the soap mass can increase several times.
Gently stir the mixture with a spatula and leave covered for 10 minutes.
During this time, take the sugar and remaining water.
Grind the sugar into powder in a coffee grinder, then it will dissolve better and faster in water.
Heat the syrup until the sugar is completely dissolved and pour into the soap mass through a strainer. The soap will start going crazy again. Leave it on for 5 minutes.
According to pre-compiled recipes, I will make 2 different soaps from the entire soap mass, which is why I set the superfat to 0. For one part I prepared laurel oil, for the second part - sea buckthorn oil. And mixed these oils with essential oil.
5 minutes after the sugar syrup, pour in the heated glycerin and the rest of the alcohol and leave the soap for 40 minutes. We leave - not in the sense of “without attention”, but in the sense of “alone”. The less you disturb the soap by stirring, the better.
It should turn out like this.
To prevent a film from forming on top, spray the surface of the soap with alcohol from a spray bottle.
Cool the mass slightly and you can paint it, flavor it and pour it into molds. You can pour the soap and cool it in one piece, and then cut it off and use the right amount. Glycerin soap hardens longer and is more problematic than regular soap from scratch. But don't give in and don't put the soap in the refrigerator. Transparency will disappear.
And here is our soap participating in the master class.
With sea buckthorn oil and calendula petals.
With laurel oil.
Yes, it is not as transparent as the soap from the base, but we don’t need to read newspapers through it, we wash ourselves. However, you will notice that it is very different from regular hot process soap.
It turned out to be imperfectly transparent because I poured in the superfat at the end (as the recipe called for it). If I had put SF directly into the calculator or after the gel stage, the soap would have been clearer.
For example, like this.
That's all, actually)
It is believed that a lot of waste is generated during the making of glycerin soap. But in a good economy everything will do, so
