What makes handmade soaps the healthier and safer choice?

Buying handmade soaps with organic ingredients is trending in the market lately. While some have made the crucial switch from commercial soap to using handmade soap, there are still many others who aren't still aware of the benefits of handmade soaps.

After reading this article, you will understand as to why handmade soaps are a healthy and safe choice. You will be shocked to know the threats of using commercial soaps and what your skin has been exposed to for all these years! However, it's never too late.

Handmade soaps are made with products of the nature. Essential oils, butters, glycerine mixed with lye is what comprises of an organic, handmade soap. (It is to be noted that although lye is added in the process, none of it actually remains in the final product. No soap can be made without using lye. You can read further about lye on one of our previous articles.)

Each of the natural ingredients in a handmade soap works to provide the nutrition your skin needs.

(Picture: Glycerin is in liquid form and is colourless)

Glycerin is a natural skin softener that attracts water from the surrounding air. During the soap making process, the essential oils and lye blend together to form soap while the natural glycerin maintains its integrity. Now mass-produced soaps contain almost no glycerin, even if they claim to have so. This is because they extract all the glycerin from soaps that makes the soap very harsh on our skin and cause dryness and flaking. The extracted glycerin is then used in highly priced moisturizers and lotions. That way, a consumer has to buy two different products for their skin and the companies make more money.

Handmade soap can alone serve both these purposes! Cleansing as well as keeping your skin hydrated.

(Picture: Small bottles of different essential oils. They're strong in flavor and used in small quantities.)

(Picture: Butter used in soap. This is Shea butter.)

Handmade soaps also contain essential oils and butters. Oils are extracted from plants, they contain the characteristic features of the particular plant that lead to nourishing our skin with the necessary vitamins. They also have therapeutic properties known to heal certain body ailments. The oils also add to giving a scent to the soap. Butters are usually extracted from beans, seeds and nuts. They also play a vital role in nourishment of the skin.

Even fruit/flower flavors added to the soap are directly taken from the source, that is they are fully natural.

Commercial soaps contain none of these benefits in them. Rather, they contain harsh chemicals like Sodium Isethionate (a foam enhancer) and Dipropylene Glycol that only lead to skin rashes and drying. They also add synthetic fragrances in them. Medical tests have suggested that such fragrances may lead to causing cancer. It is a slow process. You might not notice the changes on the skin immediately, but the effects are seen over time. These soaps claim to be “natural” by using the most attractive words possible. But since the law does not require to put the ingredients on the soap pack, the common man is not aware of the ingredients in his soap bar. This problem exists all over the world.

(Picture: Essential oil being added to soap solution.)

(Picture: Soap solution is well mixed)

(Picture: Soap solution is added to moulds)

It is also important to note the method of soap-making. Handmade soap was originally made using the “cold process” method, and most handmade soaps today use the same too. In this method, the ingredients are added in perfect proportion, and then poured in moulds. Here, the saponification process takes place, where the lye completely blends itself with the oils. The soap is air dried for 3 to 4 weeks. Then it is free for application.

Watch the making of a “cold processed” soap:

https://youtu.be/O6BswCVniQI

Big companies produce soaps with the use of machines. Here, the soap is not kept for resting and filler ingredients are added that are harmful for the skin. This process cannot be called ‘ethical’.

So these are the journeys of the two soaps. The commercial market has been successfully brushing the shortcomings of their soaps under the carpet for many years now, but hopefully this will not last long. Better knowledge of soaps is all that is needed to make the right choice and we hope that you will do the same.


Share this article with someone you care about, it is time to pass on the information. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our blog!

You can get in touch with us on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/antardwand.organics?igshid=10m8i06v9a8bs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/antardwandindiaorganics/