Tundra
February 26th, 2010, 07:43 AM
SOAP-MAKING: WHAT TO USE AND WHEN: The Ins and Outs of Colorants, Essential & Fragrance Oils
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap2.jpg
I wanted to write a follow-up post to my Soap-Making Myths Busted (http://www.notebookinhand.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10729)article. Many people starting out in the soap-making industry may not know the difference between essential and fragrance oils, how to properly use them, health concerns, etc.
In this article I will be discussing the pros and cons of each, as well as talking about colorants best suited for the process of soap-making you choose: Melt & Pour, and Hot or Cold Process.
First let's cover some basics:
FRAGRANCE OILS (FOs): Fragrance oils are not natural but they have come a long way. Many FOs are used in place of Essential Oils due to it's lower cost, and duplication of scents not able to be found in it's "natural state" (ie. Chocolate, Cookie, Banana, and many other food-type scents). It's really hard to shop for fragrance oils online because you can't really know if they will suit you or stand up to other ingredients. Once you find a brand you like, stay with them! A good place to start is www.brambleberry.com (http://www.brambleberry.com/) although many times you can find a supplier closer to your own State/Country to save on shipping costs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap3.jpg
ESSENTIAL OILS (EOs): Essential oils are entirely natural. Not all essential oils are created equally (some brands have been diluted or "cut" with cheaper synthetic oils). If you want the highest quality EOs, look for therapeutic grade. Young Living, Aura Cacia (the organic line) and Oshadhi are all reputable sources for pure essential oils. On the other hand, some essential oils are not especially recommended for skin, eye, or sensitive area contact. You need to read up on the properties of essential oils before you use them in soaps or bath products.
EO's are natural, lovely smelling and can be fabulous. But they can be insanely expensive (Rose is a good example), because the natural ingredient is rare or in some cases takes a lot of material to create a small amount of scented oil (again Rose is a good example.) Some oils can cause issues to those with health issues or women who are pregnant or nursing.
FO's are typically pure synthetic, so they offer no health benefits. But they also tend to cause less issues for those with health problems. However, some can be allergic to the ingredients and unfortunately under privacy laws suppliers are not expected to put anything but "fragrance" as their listed ingredients---this is to protect the competition from duplicating signature scents exactly. They can be used to recreate scents that can not be created naturally like many fruits and berries.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap.jpg
They both have their fans and their critics, for me its preference depending on the oil. Overall I love FO's but do use some EO's for some projects. Quality of supplier is the only thing that really matters for both.
When using Essentail Oils, they should be treated like medicine. Again, research is needed to examine the pros and cons of the EOs you plan on using, especially when blending, as well as the amount needed for your soap recipes.
_____________________________________________
Specific Suggested Precautions From A Reputable Soap Supplier (The views expressed in the precautions listed below do not neccessarily reflect those of the article Author, and are listed here for your own course of education and base for further research):
1. Do not use at all, or under the supervision of a qualified expert: (These are the most hazardous of essential oils, possessing very high oral and dermal toxicity): Bitter Almond, buchu, camphor, sassafras, calamus, horseradish, mugwort, mustard, pennyroyal, rue, savin, savory, southernwood, tansy, thuja, wintergreen, wormseed and wormwood.
2. Do not use during pregnancy: aniseed, balsam peru, bay (laurel), basil, benzoin, bergamot, bitter almond, basil, birch, cajeput, camphor, cedarwood, celery seed, chamomile (blue), cinnamon (bark and leaf), cistus, clary-sage, clove, cornmint, cypress, dill seed, Douglas fir, eucalyptus, eucalyptus lemon, fennel, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender (spike), lemon, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, lemon verbena, lime, lovage, marjoram, myrrh, myrtle, nutmeg, oakmoss, oregano, parsley seed, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine (scotch), rose, rosemary, sage, savory, spikenard, St. Johns wort, sweet marjoram, tangerine, thuja, thyme, valerian, wintergreen, and yarrow
3. Do not use on skin (ever): ajowan, cinnamon bark, cassia, clove leaf-stem-bud, costus, elecampane, bitter fennel, oregano and pine
4. Do not use if you have high blood pressure: hyssop, rosemary, sage or thyme
5. Do not use if you have epilepsy: sweet fennel, hyssop, sage, rosemary and wormwood
6. Skin irritants: Angelica root, bergamot mint, birch, bitter almond, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, clove bud, costus, grapefruit, hyssop, lavender (spike), lemon, lemon verbena, lime, marjoram, orange peppermint, oregano, parsley seed, peppermint, pimento berry, pine, savory, spearmint, tagetes, tangerine, red and wile thyme and wintergreen
7. Will make skin more sensitive to sunlight: most concentrated citrus oils, angelica, bergamot, and lemon verbena.
8. Not to be exposed by mucous membranes or ingested: all absolutes, allspice, ajowan, amyris, benzoin, calendula, cinnamon (bark and leaf), Douglas Fir, jasmine, lemon myrtle, manuka, myrrh, oregano, parsley seed, pennyroyal, pine (scotch), savory, St. Johns wort, tarragon, tea tree, thuja, and thyme"
__________________________________________________
Now let's move to Colorants. There is a wide array of choices in how you can color your soaps--micas, FDC colorants, oxides, ultramarines, pigments, clays, and botanicals. Each color and fragrance if bought from a good place will have the recommended level of use in the listing. It is hard to say what that what i like you will since we are all different. Find a supplier you trust and has great quality and is close to you since shipping can sometimes cost more than your supplies.
Here's the nitty-gritty on the different types of colorants used in soap-making:
MICAS: Synthetic manufactured mineral colors that lend themselves beautifully to any soapmaking process. They are non-toxic, non-bleeding, and some of them do not change in the alkaline environment of CP soapmaking. Micas do not fade in soap. Approved for use in Soap and Cosmetic uses, to include lips and eyes. Contrary to popular belief, micas are not natural and have not been so since the 1950’s.
FDC COLORANTS: These colorants are very popular in the food industry and can be found in many processed goods. FDC colorants have a very wide range of colors available that come in both powdered and liquid form. They are relatively inexpensive adding very little to your cost per bar. In soap making they are mainly used in melt and pour soaps as they are not very stable for cold process soap making.
OXIDES & ULTRAMARINES: Oxides & ultramarine pigments are stable mineral colors that lend themselves beautifully to any soapmaking process. They are non-toxic, non-bleeding, and their colors do not change in the alkaline environment of CP soapmaking. Oxides and Ultramarines, do not fade in soap.
CLAYS: Clays are a great example of how to add unique flair to your soap. Just as with oils you use, different clays can infuse your soap with different characteristics. And give different colors. This works best in the CP and HP soap-making process. Clays normally add a more silky, creamy feel to your soap lather, as well as exfoliants.
BOTANICALS: You can add herbs, spices, and flower petals to your recipes to give added texture, Color , or to enhance a scent. Your botanicals can be used as a decorative topping, finely ground to add some texture, or infused in a tea to create a nice smooth color. As with all natural ingredients, many of your spices colors will fade a little with time, but your creations will prove so popular, they probably won’t last that long. Always try to use organic grown herbs, botanicals and spices, but if you can’t, use ones that are free from pesticides and chemicals. Ones grown in your own garden are best but store bought ones are ok too. You can get herbs and botanicals from legitimate herb suppliers on the internet and from most soap suppliers.
As you can see, there is a plethora of information here to digest. Even more info in books, on the web, and from reputable creators and suppliers of soap-making materials. As with everything, do your research, learn all you can about your craft first BEFORE selling it (or even giving them away as gifts!), and then do some more research. Believe me, the rewards are worth all of the work :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap4.jpg
This has been another article from Karina Gallo, from Soap That Makes Scents (http://www.soapthatmakesscents.com/).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap2.jpg
I wanted to write a follow-up post to my Soap-Making Myths Busted (http://www.notebookinhand.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10729)article. Many people starting out in the soap-making industry may not know the difference between essential and fragrance oils, how to properly use them, health concerns, etc.
In this article I will be discussing the pros and cons of each, as well as talking about colorants best suited for the process of soap-making you choose: Melt & Pour, and Hot or Cold Process.
First let's cover some basics:
FRAGRANCE OILS (FOs): Fragrance oils are not natural but they have come a long way. Many FOs are used in place of Essential Oils due to it's lower cost, and duplication of scents not able to be found in it's "natural state" (ie. Chocolate, Cookie, Banana, and many other food-type scents). It's really hard to shop for fragrance oils online because you can't really know if they will suit you or stand up to other ingredients. Once you find a brand you like, stay with them! A good place to start is www.brambleberry.com (http://www.brambleberry.com/) although many times you can find a supplier closer to your own State/Country to save on shipping costs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap3.jpg
ESSENTIAL OILS (EOs): Essential oils are entirely natural. Not all essential oils are created equally (some brands have been diluted or "cut" with cheaper synthetic oils). If you want the highest quality EOs, look for therapeutic grade. Young Living, Aura Cacia (the organic line) and Oshadhi are all reputable sources for pure essential oils. On the other hand, some essential oils are not especially recommended for skin, eye, or sensitive area contact. You need to read up on the properties of essential oils before you use them in soaps or bath products.
EO's are natural, lovely smelling and can be fabulous. But they can be insanely expensive (Rose is a good example), because the natural ingredient is rare or in some cases takes a lot of material to create a small amount of scented oil (again Rose is a good example.) Some oils can cause issues to those with health issues or women who are pregnant or nursing.
FO's are typically pure synthetic, so they offer no health benefits. But they also tend to cause less issues for those with health problems. However, some can be allergic to the ingredients and unfortunately under privacy laws suppliers are not expected to put anything but "fragrance" as their listed ingredients---this is to protect the competition from duplicating signature scents exactly. They can be used to recreate scents that can not be created naturally like many fruits and berries.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap.jpg
They both have their fans and their critics, for me its preference depending on the oil. Overall I love FO's but do use some EO's for some projects. Quality of supplier is the only thing that really matters for both.
When using Essentail Oils, they should be treated like medicine. Again, research is needed to examine the pros and cons of the EOs you plan on using, especially when blending, as well as the amount needed for your soap recipes.
_____________________________________________
Specific Suggested Precautions From A Reputable Soap Supplier (The views expressed in the precautions listed below do not neccessarily reflect those of the article Author, and are listed here for your own course of education and base for further research):
1. Do not use at all, or under the supervision of a qualified expert: (These are the most hazardous of essential oils, possessing very high oral and dermal toxicity): Bitter Almond, buchu, camphor, sassafras, calamus, horseradish, mugwort, mustard, pennyroyal, rue, savin, savory, southernwood, tansy, thuja, wintergreen, wormseed and wormwood.
2. Do not use during pregnancy: aniseed, balsam peru, bay (laurel), basil, benzoin, bergamot, bitter almond, basil, birch, cajeput, camphor, cedarwood, celery seed, chamomile (blue), cinnamon (bark and leaf), cistus, clary-sage, clove, cornmint, cypress, dill seed, Douglas fir, eucalyptus, eucalyptus lemon, fennel, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender (spike), lemon, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, lemon verbena, lime, lovage, marjoram, myrrh, myrtle, nutmeg, oakmoss, oregano, parsley seed, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine (scotch), rose, rosemary, sage, savory, spikenard, St. Johns wort, sweet marjoram, tangerine, thuja, thyme, valerian, wintergreen, and yarrow
3. Do not use on skin (ever): ajowan, cinnamon bark, cassia, clove leaf-stem-bud, costus, elecampane, bitter fennel, oregano and pine
4. Do not use if you have high blood pressure: hyssop, rosemary, sage or thyme
5. Do not use if you have epilepsy: sweet fennel, hyssop, sage, rosemary and wormwood
6. Skin irritants: Angelica root, bergamot mint, birch, bitter almond, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, clove bud, costus, grapefruit, hyssop, lavender (spike), lemon, lemon verbena, lime, marjoram, orange peppermint, oregano, parsley seed, peppermint, pimento berry, pine, savory, spearmint, tagetes, tangerine, red and wile thyme and wintergreen
7. Will make skin more sensitive to sunlight: most concentrated citrus oils, angelica, bergamot, and lemon verbena.
8. Not to be exposed by mucous membranes or ingested: all absolutes, allspice, ajowan, amyris, benzoin, calendula, cinnamon (bark and leaf), Douglas Fir, jasmine, lemon myrtle, manuka, myrrh, oregano, parsley seed, pennyroyal, pine (scotch), savory, St. Johns wort, tarragon, tea tree, thuja, and thyme"
__________________________________________________
Now let's move to Colorants. There is a wide array of choices in how you can color your soaps--micas, FDC colorants, oxides, ultramarines, pigments, clays, and botanicals. Each color and fragrance if bought from a good place will have the recommended level of use in the listing. It is hard to say what that what i like you will since we are all different. Find a supplier you trust and has great quality and is close to you since shipping can sometimes cost more than your supplies.
Here's the nitty-gritty on the different types of colorants used in soap-making:
MICAS: Synthetic manufactured mineral colors that lend themselves beautifully to any soapmaking process. They are non-toxic, non-bleeding, and some of them do not change in the alkaline environment of CP soapmaking. Micas do not fade in soap. Approved for use in Soap and Cosmetic uses, to include lips and eyes. Contrary to popular belief, micas are not natural and have not been so since the 1950’s.
FDC COLORANTS: These colorants are very popular in the food industry and can be found in many processed goods. FDC colorants have a very wide range of colors available that come in both powdered and liquid form. They are relatively inexpensive adding very little to your cost per bar. In soap making they are mainly used in melt and pour soaps as they are not very stable for cold process soap making.
OXIDES & ULTRAMARINES: Oxides & ultramarine pigments are stable mineral colors that lend themselves beautifully to any soapmaking process. They are non-toxic, non-bleeding, and their colors do not change in the alkaline environment of CP soapmaking. Oxides and Ultramarines, do not fade in soap.
CLAYS: Clays are a great example of how to add unique flair to your soap. Just as with oils you use, different clays can infuse your soap with different characteristics. And give different colors. This works best in the CP and HP soap-making process. Clays normally add a more silky, creamy feel to your soap lather, as well as exfoliants.
BOTANICALS: You can add herbs, spices, and flower petals to your recipes to give added texture, Color , or to enhance a scent. Your botanicals can be used as a decorative topping, finely ground to add some texture, or infused in a tea to create a nice smooth color. As with all natural ingredients, many of your spices colors will fade a little with time, but your creations will prove so popular, they probably won’t last that long. Always try to use organic grown herbs, botanicals and spices, but if you can’t, use ones that are free from pesticides and chemicals. Ones grown in your own garden are best but store bought ones are ok too. You can get herbs and botanicals from legitimate herb suppliers on the internet and from most soap suppliers.
As you can see, there is a plethora of information here to digest. Even more info in books, on the web, and from reputable creators and suppliers of soap-making materials. As with everything, do your research, learn all you can about your craft first BEFORE selling it (or even giving them away as gifts!), and then do some more research. Believe me, the rewards are worth all of the work :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Livinginthepast/NiH/soap4.jpg
This has been another article from Karina Gallo, from Soap That Makes Scents (http://www.soapthatmakesscents.com/).