I know you've heard that soap is made from animal fat. While soap can be made from animal fat, it doesn't have to be. With soap making, any type of fat will do. This includes fats in the form of oils from plants. For most modern soap makers, these oils extracted from plants are the easiest and most popular fats to use. In addition, these oils can also carry different properties that can be healthy for your skin.
When it comes to soap making, there are 3 different types of oils that can be used. These fall into the categories of carrier oils, essential oils, and fragrance oils. Parts of various plants are used to extract carrier oils and essential oils, while fragrance oils are synthetic.
Common carrier oils for soap making include:
Caster Oil: Extracted from the caster bean, this oil is known to sooth your skin while also helping to moisturize. It can be used in conjunction with other oils for soap making and help to make bars of soap harder.
Coconut Oil: You probably guessed where this oil comes from! Coconut oil helps to make frothy lather from your soap but it also works to make your soap bars hard.
Avocado Oil: Full of vitamins A, D, and E, this oil is great for healing and moisturizing your skin.
Palm Oil: Expensive bars of boutique soap will often be made with palm oil. The use of this oil is a proven moisturizer.
Olive Oil: A versatile oil used throughout the ages, olive oil can also be used in soap making. It helps to retain the skin's natural moisturizer and it also helps to soften the skin. Keep in mind that not all types of olive oil work well for soap making.
There are hundreds of soap making oils on the market today ensuring that you will have plenty of variety in this craft.
One thing to keep in mind is that not all oils will be friendly with your skin. Everyone is different and an oil that may soothe one person's skin may irritate that of another person. Additionally, allergens from the host plant do survive the soap making process. This means that if you are allergic to coconuts, you should not use coconut oil to make your soaps. Make sure you ask your supplier about the oils you are planning to buy before you make your purchase.
Want to find out more about how to make soap, then visit Soap Making Fun.
