Pure Soapmaking

This is anexcerpt from AVAILABLE JANUARY 2016 ED I T E D BY Lisa Hiley A RT D I R ECT I O N A N D BOOK DE S I GN BY IN D E X E D BY Michaela Jebb Nancy D. Wood © Lara Ferroni (author), Mars Vilaubi (back), and Michaela Jebb (front and spine) COV E R P HOTO G RA PH Y BY © Tara Donne, WI T H PH OTO ST YLING BY Raina Kattelson: 1–3, 5–8, 11, 18, 42, 54, 68–70, 78, 82, 86, 100–102, 108, 114, 118, 126, 130, 136, 140, 146–148, 158, 162, 166, 178, 182, 186, 190, 198, 204, 210, 218, 224 STI LL- L I F E P HOTO GRAPH Y BY © Lara Ferroni: 15, 16, 21–39, 45–50, 58, 60, 64, 72, 73, 76, 77, 80, 81, 84, 85, 88, 89, 92–94, 98, 99, 104–107, 110–112, 115–117, 120, 121, 124, 125, 128, 129, 132–134, 137–139, 142–145, 150–152, 155, 157, 160, 161, 164, 165, 168–171, 174–176, 179–181, 184, 185, 188, 189, 192–196, 199–203, 206–209, 213–217, 220–223, 226–229, 232–236 H OW-TO P HOTO G RA PH Y BY A D D I T I O N A L P HOTO GRAPH Y BY COV E R L E T T E R I N G BY Mars Vilaubi: 52, 74, 122, 136, 154, and Michaela Jebb: 90, 96, 172, 230 © Nicolas Fredrickson Be sure to read all the instructions thoroughly before undertaking any of the projects in this book and follow all the safety guidelines provided. © 2016 by Anne-Marie Faiola All rights reserved. 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Storey Publishing 210 MASS MoCA Way North Adams, MA 01247 www.storey.com T he B eau T y of P u re , h an dm ade Soa P 8 INTR O D U C TI O N The Beauty of Pure, Handmade Soap CHAPTER 5 Using Herbs Other Natural Additives P u re Soa Pm ak i n g T in body care products, long a popular commercial trend, continues to increase. Adding herbs and other natural additives can increase customer demand, label appeal, and overall aesthetics. Additives such as herbs and flowers, coffee and tea, nuts, chocolate, oatmeal, silk fibers, and even tobacco can be added for many different reasons. For starters, many of them have excellent antioxidant properties, which can help to increase the skin-loving traits of your bar. Others make for great use as exfoliants. They can also help to color your soap or add texture. HE US E O F N AT U RA L I N GR E D I E NTS Before You Start When adding natural products to soap, there are a few things to take into consideration: if using any of these. (See Considering Nut Allergies, page 41.) Will it discolor? While some herbal additives produce beautifully colored soap, most others will eventually turn brown and discolor the final product. Some cause a “halo” effect where the color spreads out from the herb particles in the soap, eventually taking over most of the bar. You’ll want to plan for this when creating your soap design. Or just use those soaps up more quickly! Should I use the herb itself or make an infusion? When using herbs to color your soap, you’ll need to make an oil infusion to extract as much colorant as possible. To use them as an exfoliant, to add texture, or for aesthetic purposes, adding the actual herb directly at thin trace is fine. (See pages 48–49 for directions on making herbal infusions.) How scratchy will it be? If you’re using additives as an exfoliant, you’ll want to do some testing to find the correct “scratch factor.” A product that is ground too finely or used in very small amounts will be unnoticeable; using larger chunks or adding too much of it could potentially cause harm. (Nobody wants to lose a layer of skin!) Is this additive a possible allergen? Additives like nutshells could cause an allergic reaction in some sensitive people. You’ll want to make sure you add a warning to your label How long will natural colors last in soap? How long color lasts depends on the ingredient. Natural green colors tend to fade fairly quickly (within a couple of weeks) to brown or gray or even become almost nonexistent. Shades of orange and red, such as the tomato color in Layered Tomato Swirl Bars (page 126) will fade, but not as drastically or as quickly as the greens. Keeping your soap out of direct sunlight can help extend the life of the color. A good alternative to natural colorants is to use natureidentical oxides, which are often called for in this book. They hold their color much better. 43 A N ET N ET 5-month ORA th n mo 5- P O INFUSI T T A INA h s re e fresh t ARROW Y h fr 5 5-mon RIKA SPIRUL AN N nth o m TTO INFU A N N fresh AP ON W YARRO COCOA 10X AL ORANGE A f sh f f re sh re re E ESSENTI G N ESS ENTIAL 10X IS ON sh A f AL LK fresh KA s OMFREY C h fr esh R RO OT 5- mon DE M ADDER th MAD ROSE Y CLA 5- PAPR I sh KA th on f th m re COA RO OT 5-mon CO 5-m on o -m nth SPIR NA ULI 5 th e fr sh NETTL E ROSE CLAY 5-m on f COM F s re h INDIGO N ET T L E 5-month I GO NDI m th on REY 5- th CHAPTER 9 All HAbout P R 8 Simplicity T C A E All about Simplicity RECIPES Comfrey & Spirulina Multicolored Cubes Comfrey Spirulina MU LT I C O B LO R E D C U ES Makes 9 bars Spirulina is a dark-green algae that grows in lakes. It is rich in essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3s, -6s, and -9s, that are great for the skin. Comfrey leaves contain allantoin, which is said to protect the skin and promote new cell growth. The addition of refreshing rosemary and peppermint essential oils cools the skin and awakens the mind. Mold and Special Tools Oil Amounts » 9-bar silicone cube mold 8.5 ounces palm oil (23%) » Heating pad 9.2 ounces coconut oil (25%) Colorant and Additive Amounts 1.9 ounces avocado butter (5%) Lye-Water Amounts 5.1 ounces lye (5% superfat) 11.5 ounces distilled water 2 teaspoons sodium lactate (optional) 11.1 ounces olive oil pure (30%) 0.7 ounce castor oil (2%) 5.6 ounces rice bran oil (15%) Essential Oil Blend 1.1 ounces rosemary essential oil 0.3 ounce peppermint essential oil, 2nd distill 1 tablespoon comfrey powder dispersed into 1 tablespoon rice bran oil 1 teaspoon spirulina powder dispersed into 1 tablespoon rice bran oil 1 teaspoon rose clay dispersed into 1 tablespoon distilled water 1 teaspoon alkanet root powder dispersed into 1 tablespoon rice bran oil Note: This mold creates beautiful bars, but it can be tricky to remove them if sodium lactate is not included. Safe Soaping! Wear proper safety gear the whole time. No distractions (keep kids and pets away). ativepro.com Work in a well-ventilated space. 71 12 2 ga rden er S c ru B wi T h co f f ee g ro u n dS Gardener Scrub with Coffee Grounds Pale Ale with Cocoa Powder Goat Milk Sunset Burst