How to make soap with olive oil?
In recent years, The manufacture of homemade soaps has aroused great interest Among millions of people who prefer to make their own natural cosmetics With ingredients as respectful for skin and hair as aloe vera or olive oil.
And although your preparation at home is most attractive, it is common to give up in this task if the steps of the soap “recipe” are complicated or if they include caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), a product widely used in the industry, but it involves risks in the home, since it is a highly corrosive material.
So among our ingredients to make olive oil soap is not caustic soda, but saponaria (Saponaria officinalis), an antibacterial, fungicide and antiviral plant, known as Soap grass, which perfectly replaces chemicals. Another of the ingredients is alginate, a plant-based gelling agent which is present in the cell walls of some seaweed.
In this article, we move away from the culinary advice for once and focus on The use of olive oil in natural cosmetics. To do this, we have taken the basis of the elaboration of This Saponaria Liquid Soap Recipe Video And we’ve tested with our star ingredient: EVOO Discover how to make cold olive oil soap!
Ingredients to make olive oil soap
- ½ liter of distilled or tap water
- 50 grams of ground or powdered saponaria (soap grass)
- 20 milliliters of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 grams of alginate (vegetable gelling)
- 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves
- 20 milliliters of extra virgin olive oil
Steps on how to make homemade soap with olive oil
- The first step before making the olive oil soap is to disinfect all our utensils with alcohol: a mini mixer and its glass, mixing spoons and a small strainer.
- Add the water in a saucepan with the saponaria and rosemary leaves. Once the water reaches the boiling point, leave it for 15 more minutes.
- Then, let the mixture rest until it cools down, a process that will take at least an hour.
- The time has come to strain the saponaria: you will see that you get a brown liquid.
- In a small glass of blender, place the alginate, the vegetable gelling agent that will help us obtain the texture of the liquid soap. Add half of the saponaria mixture.
- With the mini mixer, an element widely used in the manufacture of soaps and that you can find at low cost, mix the alginate well with half the mixture of the saponaria. Beat patiently (this process will take a while) and gradually add the rest of the saponaria liquid until it is perfectly integrated.
- So, it’s time to add the oil, which will add a very moisturizing touch to the soap. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oils. For example, the antiseptic Ylang Ylang.
- Once the mixture is ready, transfer it to a liquid soap dispenser with a strainer.
- And ready! This olive oil soap preparation does not need to stand cold or require the use of caustic soda. A great alternative to make your natural EVOO soap!
The benefits of soap with olive oil
Olive oil stands out in natural cosmetics due to its moisturizing capacity of the skin, which is why it is ideal for dry skin. And also for the sensitive or itchy or stinging, since it is anti-inflammatory and its positive effects on the healing of wounds have been demonstrated.
What kind of olive oil to use to make soap?
In our homemade soap recipe we recommend you use extra virgin olive oil (the highest quality) regardless of its Olive variety nor if it is softer or stronger (you will notice this mainly in the aroma). For cosmetic use, you can also use virgin olive oil without problem.
For this type of preparations we recommend using a cheaper format, but of equal quality as EVOO in bottle.
Some people also make this soap with used olive oil, something that we discourage If you want to get an optimal product. In any case, if you want to make the soap with olive oil used for ecological reasons, we recommend that it has only been used once (better if it has not been for frying) and that in no case is olive oil that has been burned. It will not only affect the aroma of the soap, but also the quality of the product that you have prepared with so much care to take care of your skin.
And if you are also a lover of extra virgin olive oil, we invite you to know our Beloleum Aragon Oil! A Olive oil ideal for gifts or to enjoy the taste of a EVOO Premium.
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