Making soaps throughout history: Castile Soap

Hello Soapsmith Nation!

I have been reading about how soaps were made in various parts of the world and at different points in history and I thought it would be fun to recreate some of them. I started simple with probably the most commonly known soap which is a castile soap. In my interpretation a castile soap is a 100% olive oil bar although sometimes anything that is mostly or all vegetable oil is also called castile soap (I disagree with this so I did what I consider to be a true castile soap). I did add one small twist so I wouldn't have to wait for close to a year before using it. I used a method called dual lye which uses 5% potassium hydroxide (KOH) and the remaining 95% is sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as my lye. Soap made with KOH is more soluble in water and can help boost the lather of this bar soap. There is a chance it will be "softer" than a regular sodium hydroxide only bar soap but castile soaps are rock hard once they have had a good cure so I was not worried about that. This sounded more like a soap I would enjoy over some of the traditional single lye castile soaps I had made in the past. This is currently curing, I plan to try it at the 4 week cure mark to see what it feels like and if I like this new to me method of making an olive oil bar of soap. 

Some things I noticed about the making process of this soap was that while it took some time to reach emulsification it was shorter than I expected, maybe 30 minutes of me intermittently mixing and hand stirring. After those 30 minutes I felt I had a good emulsification and placed it in the mold to do its thing. I left this batch uncolored and unscented (there is something so lovely about the sweet nuttiness that an unscented soap has to it). I wrote in my notebook that it was still very "wet" about 10 hours later and to reduce the water portion next time but I was able to unmold within 24 hours without manipulating it in any way so it really was not a huge issue. I used a full water portion which I sometimes do with new formulations before I start tinkering and making changes. So, would I reduce the water for next time? Yes most likely I would so I can unmold with in about 12 hours but is it absolutely necessary to do so? Not in my opinion. 

Where would a 100% olive oil soap be historic to? Well the story goes

that it is "truly" historic to Castile Spain but we all know that olive trees are very common in many regions of europe and eastern europe, desert regions such as Syria and also parts of Africa so what I have been able to find are variations of types of olive oil soaps from many places which is pretty neat. 

So join me on this fun little journey through soaping history as I attempt to make a variety of soaps as close to the traditional recipes as possible. When possible I hope to use traditional methods just to see how the process may have been done in the past.

Stay soapy my friends

~Your Soapsmith

Calculating your soap mold

Hi There! Today I am going to give you 3 ways to figure out the size of your soap mold today. 

Method #1: Sometimes when I need to know the size recipe I can fit into a mold I cheat and look it up on the site I purchased it from. But for those times that I either can't remember where I got a mold from, if it's been discontinued or even if it is a homemade mold like a milk carton or pringles can for instance there is a calculation for figuring this out. AND it's quite simple :)

Method #2: The below formulas will give an answer in ounces but this can easily be converted to grams if that it your preferred working unit.

For square and rectangular molds: 

Length x Width x Height = X

X x 0.4 = Oz of oils needed (this number can be used in the soap calculator.)

If using centimeters your multiple is 0.7 instead of 0.4

If you need this in pounds take the ounces needed and divide by 16.

Example: 12” x 4” x 3” = 144”

144” x 0.4 = 57.6 oz always round down to prevent over-pouring so 57 oz of oil will fit into this mold.

In pounds this would be 57.6 oz / 16 oz = 3.6 pounds

For cylinder molds:
3.14 x radius squared x height of pour = X

Radius is the distance from the center of the circle to the edge. The  diameter is the distance across the entire circle. So a 3" round PVC pipe has a radius if 1.5"

X x 0.4 = Ounces of oils needed

Example: To figure out for a 3" round by 12" height of a cylinder mold:

3.14 x 1.5" x 1.5" x 12" = 84.78"

84.78" x 0.4= 33.91 ounces of oils (round down to 33 oz).

Method #3: As a third option if you are unsure of your math skills or just to confirm that you did your math correctly you can also place your mold on your scale and tare to "0" then fill with water to the height you want your soap to be. Soap is more dense than water so your batch may be a little shorter than you anticipate but it will get you pretty close without going over. This method will get you the full size of your batch, water, oils and lye.

I hope these tips and tricks help you in your soap making and calculating endeavors. Please feel free to ask questions!

As always,
Your Soapsmith

Oat Milk Soap (palm free!)

This is part 2 of the great oat caper! I've always wanted to partake in a caper, this may be the closest I get so let's just roll with it. To read about part one in which I made home made oat milk for this project click here. 

Recently I formulated twelve, yes, TWELVE new recipes and will be working through them all and writing (and possibly making videos) of the adventures. I am also going to be working with additives that I typically do not work with, it's a sort of learning and growing experiment that I am taking you all on. Today we will be using a palm free recipe that also contains shea butter. When I make test batches I make them at 1-lb each, large enough to have 4 nice sized bars to test out but not so large that I am wasting ingredients if a batch doesn't work out.

Let's look at our oil profile:
I choose olive, grapeseed, coconut, shea butter and castor oils. 

Olive oil has a pH of 5.5 which is the same as the sebum on our skin so it's quite complementary and found in many soaps and skin care products. It is medium in weight, mild and conditioning. It does not make great bubbles and can make a soap feel slimy in high amounts.  It can also slow down trace and take longer to cure in high amounts. It can product a surprisingly hard bar of soap for being a liquid oil. This is the oil used to make a true castile soap.

Grapeseed oil offers medium lather and mild cleansing. I have read accounts that this oil is prone to a short shelf life and may cause early rancidity and possibly DOS in your finished product. I have read other accounts that it has a normal shelf life too so I am still forming an opinion on this myself. Personally I have not had grapeseed oil become rancid or ruin any products so I decided to use it in this recipe. It's always a good idea to ensure you are purchasing your oils from a reputable source. If you are purchasing from a grocery store make sure it's a store that is busy enough to be able to turn over their products at a regular rate, this will help to ensure as fresh an oil as possible.

Coconut oil- creates a hard bubbly bar of soap. In high amounts (above 30%) it can create a drying bar of soap. To accomodate for a high % of coconut oil you would need to increase your superfat. For today though we are using a lower amount so it should not be an issue.

Shea butter- is mild and produces a creamy stable lather, it will also contribute to a long lasting bar of soap.

Castor oil- this is a special oil that has earned an interesting story in history, click here to read about how it was used as a form of punishment. It is the only oil to contribute ricinoleic fatty acid. It acts as a humectant and contributes to bubbles in soap.

I typically also add sodium lactate to my batches but for this project I am going to skip it so I can see how this recipe acts without it. I am curious to see if a palm free recipe will be as hard as I typically like.

Remember the oat "bits" from yesterdays milk making session? Well I saved them and added some at 1Tbsp PPO. So essentially since this was a 1 pound batch I added 1 tablespoon at light trace.

Below is the recipe listed by percentage. Please run through a soap calculator to get the size you need based on your chosen mold. I like this calculator if you need a recommendation:

Super Fat: 5%
Water Content (oat milk in this instance): 35%

Fragrance oil: 0.5 oz PPO

45% Olive oil
12% Grapeseed oil
20% Coconut oil
17% Shea butter
6% Castor oil

Notes: Since we are using a thick liquid that has solids which will account for part of its weight I chose to keep the water content on the high side. I also wanted to know if any of that mild, sweet oat scent will come through so I am doing my fragrance at half the amount I typically would do. Also, I am using oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance from Brambleberry, it's such a nice soft and sweet scent, very pleasant and plays very well in soap. You can find that fragrance here if you are interested.

Oatmilk soap in test mold.

Post soaping notes: So I made the soap and unmolded, cut and cured it and am now coming back to add my batch notes. Overall I am very happy with the hardness this palm free recipe was able to provide and will definitely make it again. This soap performs great too, it is bubbly and long lasting, smells great and has some light exfoliating due to the oat bits I added.
Some things I will do differently are to cut the amount of oat milk to about 50% and dissolve my lye in 50% distilled water before adding the oatmilk. Another way to handle this is to increase the water amount using to make the oatmilk. They reason I just cut the amount and also use water is because I like to SEE that my NaOH is completely dissolved and with an opaque liquid I can't tell. It's a matter of preference really. I might also add the oat milk to my oils instead of the lye water so the lye water will not burn off the sugars. There are a couple of different options on how to work with this recipe. I was otherwise very pleased with the recipe and really happy that I did the fragrance at half the normal rate too, it was just such a soft, sweet and subtle hint. Perfect for this batch.  

If you try this recipe or do a version of it let me know, I'd love to hear how it went and what changes you tried to make it your own.

Happy Soaping until next time.
~Your Soapsmith

Making oat milk in preparation to make an oat milk soap

Howdy Soapsmith Nation! I am working on some new recipes with additives I have been wanting to try out. After 10 years of making my tried and true recipes I have decided it's time to, once again, spread my wings and make some new awesome recipes! 

I wanted to work with oatmeal for a recipe so I decided to make it into oat milk first. Let's take a step back and look at the skin care benefits that oats can impart for us.

There are properties that will carry through saponification and some that will not carry through but are present in other skin care formulations, let's talk about both!

• Inexpensive and readily available
• Typically low allergenic and good for all skin types including problem skin
• Can provide some exfoliation
• Contains anti-oxidants and are anti-inflammatory
• May treat dry skin and remove dead skin cells
• Contains a compound called saponins which are natural and mild cleansers

Some talking points that may not carry over into soap but are relevant to other skin care formulations are:

• Helps to keep skin hydrated by forming an occlusive layer on the surface that retains water in the skin
• Imparts moisturizing, soothing, conditioning, and nourishing qualities, significantly improving skin dryness and roughness
• Helps reduce skin inflammation making it ideal for treating inflammatory skin conditions

I would be more interested in adding colloidal oatmeal to a lotion or butter to see if I could get these results. As an aside this would make a wonderful set, a lotion and soap both with various forms of oatmeal in it.

I also looked into what oatmilk/oatmeal might do for a soap formulation and what I found is not that much so I changed gears and looked up some nutritional value in hopes to find properties that may come through in a soap.

1. sugar content - 1.1g per 1 cup - might contribute to more bubbles (may also not be enough to make a difference.)

2. gluten content - this is tricky, technically oats ARE gluten free but if they are not processed in a gluten free facility they shouldn't be marketed as such. I am starting to see more people asking and searching for gluten free soaps so this is a good point to remember.

3. protein content- 6g per 1 cup (probably irrelevant to soap...)

4. fat content - 3.2g per 1 cup- maybe slightly relevant as it could contribute to superfat but probably not in a significant way.

5. sodium content 115mg per 1 cup, we do know that salt can contribute to a harder bar of soap so this might also be helpful, but again based on how small of an amount it is it's probably not significant.

There are also vitamins A, B, C, Iron and Magnesium listed, there properties will most likely not survive saponification though.

Alright so now we know what oats can bring to this party, let's make oat milk!

I combed through the internet and saw many variations on how to do this. Many of them had similarities so it makes it kind of easy to give this a go. In the end I decided to use a loose version of what it on the actual oatmeal container and see how that worked out. 

As a side note pretty much all recipes recommended using old fashioned oats as opposed to steel cut or instant and all recommended blending immediately instead of letting soak because it makes for a slimy mixture (this is probably more relevant to the folks that want to use it in coffee).

Here is what I did:
2C oats 
4C water (recommendation to use distilled for soap making). 

Instructions:
1. Add water to oats, mix with spatula then hand blend for about 30 seconds. Let sit for roughly 30 minutes to thicken.

After 30 minutes it was a thin porridge consistency and I was happy with the size of the oat pieces. 

BUT

I stepped away for approximately an hour to handle something and then it became more like a thick porridge which I did not want. This may have worked to my advantage because I determined that I wanted oat milk and not oat porridge for this project. So I went ahead and strained the milk with a wire strainer and it became a nice, thick milk with some pieces which will be great as an exfoliant.

I managed to pull off about 1C of oat pieces (grains? I don't know

what to call them now). Which left me with about 1C still in my oat milk. For me this is very doable.

I weighed out and froze the portion of oat milk I will need for the upcoming soap recipe. I also set aside the extra oat....pieces as I can add them back in to my recipe as an additive. 

Ok so stay tuned for part 2 of this little adventure when I reveal my recipe and we make a super sweet batch of oat milk soap!

~Ta for now
'Soapie

References:
https://www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com/11-benefits-of-oatmeal-for-your-skin/

The first E-Book is finished!

Well I finally did it! I wrote a soap making book. I have been wanting to start writing books related to bath and body product making for awhile and I am really pleased with the final result. I went through and detailed out all the big important parts that every beginner should know such as safety, equipment, supplies and provided a couple of basic recipes that can easily be made using oils and fats found at a local grocery store. I also included other information that I wish I had known as a beginner (you don't NEED to have every single supply offered by soap making supply vendors to succeed, for instance!) 

There is also some neat bonus information that go into a little bit of detail about additives including color, fragrance, special liquids to use like milks and beer and then an extensive troubleshooting section as well as references and resources (and a first timers shopping list too!)

This project was a labor of love and really sparked a creative part of my mind that I completely enjoyed. I plan to write and publish many more in the coming years because it gives me great joy to watch and encourage other novice makers to succeed in what I find to be a fascinating industry. 

To purchase this book please check out our site: https://www.soapsmithspgh.com/collections/e-books/products/beginner-soapmaking-guide-e-book

It's truly been a pleasure to research and write both this blog and this first e-book, I look forward to being able to share more in the future.

~Your Soapsmith

Reading and understanding Safety Data Sheets, aka SDS (formerly known as MSDS)

I had to learn about Safety Data Sheets (SDS) many different times throughout my schooling and then later in life in my professional career as well. It occured to me that maybe not everyone is familiar with them and I find them immensely helpful to refer to from time to time so I wanted to share what they are used for and why they may be helpful to you someday.

Safety Data Sheets were formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDS, this terminology change was announced in 2013 and enforced in the end of 2015 to mid 2016 with the goal of making them more consistent and easier to understand across the board. They now adhere to something called the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). There are even pictograms associated with this new system which is helpful for a quick reference.

There are 16 distinct sections to an SDS sheet:
1. Identification
2. Hazard(s) Identification
3. Composition/Information on Ingredients
4. First Aid Measures
5. Fire Fighting Measures
6. Accidental Release Measures
7. Handling & Storage
8. Exposure Controls / Personal Protection
9. Physical & Chemical Properties
10. Stability and Reactivity
11. Toxicology Information
12. Ecological Information
13. Disposal Considerations
14. Transport Information
15. Regulatory Information
16. Other Information

The first 8 sections are set up for quick reference for the people transporting and handling the chemicals as well as any emergency responders should there be an issue.
Sections 9-11 handles technical and scientific data. Sections 12-15 are not actually mandatory but they are required to be GHS compliant and section 16 will contain information on the SDS itself such as revision dates and changes since last version.

Employers are responsible for making sure there is an SDS sheet for every chemical on site and they must be available for employee reference in their immediate work area. These would most likely be for any cleaning agents in the workplace however essentially ANY product or raw material (i.e. base ingredients) can have an SDS sheet. 

Even "natural" products such as Dr. Bronner's Soap has SDS sheets as well as base ingredients such as Olive Oil. I am pointing this out because I have heard misinformed people many times refer to the information on an SDS sheet of a raw material while trying to make a point about the safety of the entire product. This is always going to be inaccurate because the SDS sheet is informing about the raw material in its most concentrated form and not as the material as used within a formulation in a diluted form. I have read countless times someone who pointed out that the person handling "xyz" ingredient has to wear a respirator or hazmat suit or face mask to handle the ingredient so that must mean it's not safe. WRONG! This reasoning could not be further from the truth. I wear gloves and sometimes a respirator when mixing sodium hydroxide which is a necessary part of making handmade soap but that in no way means that the soap is dangerous or unsafe simply because sodium hydroxide was used in the making process. It simply means that in its concentrated form I am aware that it could cause me harm so I protect myself. 

So there you have it, SDS sheets in a nutshell. Links are below for further reading if you wish.

Stay wise my friends, 
~Your Soapsmith

https://chemicalsafety.com/online-sds-databases/
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3514.html
https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/96356.htm
https://www.drbronner.com/retailers/material-safety-data-sheets-msds/

Ingredient highlight: Aluminum

Well hello again. I've been a busy bee these past few months and have been lax on posting. But I have been thinking about topics I wanted to research and write about so here I am for a long overdue ingredient highlight on Aluminum. I have been wanting to know more about aluminum in body care ingredients for awhile. They are one of those "scary" ingredients and I wasn't completely sure why so I went on a quest. 

Let's start with the basics. What is aluminum? Aluminum (Al) is a silvery-white, soft, nonmagnetic metal. Aluminum is the third most abundant element (after oxygen and silicon), and the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust. It makes up about 8% by mass of the crust. Aluminum metal is so chemically reactive that native specimens are rare and it is usually found combined in over 270 different minerals. The chief ore of aluminum is bauxite. 

In what products is aluminum primarily found? Aluminum-containing raw materials are used safely and extensively in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter (OTC) drug products. In cosmetics, they function as pigments and thickening agents. Aluminum compounds also function as active ingredients in OTC drugs such as antacids and antiperspirants. Because aluminum is present in soil, most exposure comes from foods we eat and the water we drink.  Studies demonstrate a negligible potential for Aluminum salts to penetrate the skin. Any small amount absorbed from the use of cosmetic products, would be tiny in comparison to the amounts we consume in the foods we eat daily.
https://cosmeticsinfo.org/aluminum

Next I asked the Google "How does aluminum work in anti-perspirants?" This answer popped up: Aluminium-based antiperspirants work by blocking the sweat ducts, thereby reducing the amount of sweat that reaches the skin's surface. ... When they are applied to the skin and come in contact with sweat, the pH rises causing the aluminium salts to precipitate out and form a plug over the sweat glands.  https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/antiperspirant/

Then I navigated over to cancer.org and typed in "aluminum". Have you ever been to this site? It seems good, they present information in a very neutral way which I like. On their site they first outline the claims that are going around and then they proceed to address them with facts that are backed up by scientific studies. If the studies that they reference are weak (or later disproven as it sometimes happens) they are up front about that as well, all in all I like this site. Anyway I digress back to my findings on the site about aluminum. In a nutshell through all the solid studies that have been done there is no link between aluminum and breast cancer. The information they had there was extremely insightful and there was quite a bit of it too, instead of repeating what they have written I am adding the link and encouraging you to take a look at the information there, it's a great read > https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/antiperspirants-and-breast-cancer-risk.html

Another concern I read about was aluminum exposure and a possible link to alzheimer's or dementia. This is of particular concern and interest to me because I have older relatives that have suffered with this affliction and we really don't know what caused it. So I dug in on the site alzdiscovery.org. Their information was neat because it spoke of aluminum use in multiple capacities from being in the drinking water to being in anti-perspirants. At this time all research is pointing towards the fact that neither of these diseases are caused by aluminum. I am dropping the link to their site below for your reading pleasure as well.  
https://www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/is-there-a-link-between-aluminum-and-alzheimers

Now I think it would be abundantly easier on society as a whole to just find that "bad" or "dangerous" ingredient that causes all the ailments what make people sick and just eliminate it but things will never be that easy. Certainly there have been recalls of products and ingredients which were believed to be safe then found later to either be unsafe or ineffective or highly allergenic or otherwise unusable to the public at large but it's not that common. Why you may ask? Well simply because before an ingredient is even available to be used in a formulation it's been tested extensively and exhaustively to know the safety data. Staple ingredients like aluminum are then placed on a list by the FDA of acceptable to use for _____ in this case I am referring to its use in antiperspirants. Aluminum is, in fact, the ONLY ingredient that the FDA has listed as approved in creating a product that acts as antiperspirants do.
You can search through product recalls here>>> https://www.fda.gov/safety/archive-recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/2018-recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

It seems that there were more issues with food or drug items being recalled due to contamination or concerns over sterility (in the case of drug manufacturing) than over an ingredient that was going to cause cancer or some other disease.

As always I encourage those in my tribe to be informed consumers and know the relevant data backed resources in which to pull information from when trying to make a decision about the health and safety of yourself and your family. There are great resources available to us in this day and age thanks to the internet. There are also terrible resources available because every "Karen" and "Chad" with an internet connection can just write whatever pleases them and some are convincing enough to sway public opinion which I think is a real shame. When I am looking for answers I turn to science and I always will. I hope that whatever resources you trust are ones that are keeping you and yours on a safe and happy path in life.

'Til next time
~Your (science nerd) Soapsmith

The Skin

Let's talk about our largest organ. THE SKIN! 
Fun facts:

• The skin is part of the integumentary system which comprises the hair, skin, nails, specialized glands and nerves.
• The skin is the largest and heaviest organ- it comprises 16% of your bodies weight, (bonus fact- the liver is the second largest and heaviest).
• The skin is a barrier, a thermostat, a sensor, a factory and a window.
• The skin can be broken down into 3 major layers with minor layers living within those layers
• the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis
• The epidermis has 5 layers (stratum corneum is the top most layer with stratum lucidum, stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum and stratum basale following deeper and deeper.)
• The has 2 layers and it's main job is to connect the epidermis to the hypodermis and provide structure and support (papillary layer and connective tissue are it's 2 layers)
• The hypodermis has one layer it's job is to provide insulation and support.

Alright- let's break this all down! I am going to focus on the epidermis because that is the part that is most directly affected by skin care products.

The skin is a barrier. I am going to repeat this THE SKIN IS A BARRIER, it is NOT a sponge. Every time I see someone write this on FB or say it I die a little bit on the inside. If the skin were a sponge we would drown every time we took a shower or bath. 

The skin is a waterproof barrier that seals the body from losses of fluid that could lead to dehydration and death. It resists invasions by various types of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses that cause infection and serious illness. The skin also blocks many chemicals and allergens from entering the body.

The skin is a thermostat. The skin has the ability to help cool you down or keep you warm, it works in conjunction with the blood vessels to do this. 

The skin is a sensor. It has millions of receptors and nerve endings. There are different types of receptors which perceive different stimuli.

The skin is a factory. The skin is the body's vitamin D production factory. We need vitamin D to build healthy bones a strong immune system which will in turn fight cancers and other diseases as well as mitigate depression and even multiple sclerosis.

The skin is a window. How you feel inside directly affects how your skin can look. If you are happy and healthy and internally balanced it will be reflected in your skin. If you are stressed, anxious, depressed or have some internal health issues it can be reflected by way of skin flare-ups, disease processes, brittle nails and hair. People with eczema and psoriasis tend to have flare-ups when they are stressed or having diet issues.* 

Let's talk epidermal layers!

Stratum corneum- contains 15-20 layers of dead skin cells that ultimately slough off.

Stratum lucidum- this layer is mainly found on thick skin like the palms of the hands and soles of feet, it contains dead keratinocytes.

Stratum granulosum- keratin and lipids that waterproof the skin are produced in this layer

Stratum spinosum- synthesis of keratin proteins begins in this layer

Stratum basale- the cells of this layer divide indefinitely to form daughter cells that rise through the epidermis. Basal cell cancers arise from this level.

Skin and skin care products. Some ingredients can absorb into the deeper layers of the epidermis, these are called active ingredients. Cosmetic chemists often talk about the penetration abilities of ingredients. This is what they are referring to. 

Other ingredients can absorb even deeper, sometimes because of the penetrative abilities and what they can accomplish on a deeper level these products fall into the category of being a drug and must be tested and approved through the FDA, by the way, sunscreen falls into this category, never buy sunscreen that is not FDA approved, you have no idea if it will actually provide the protection that it claims otherwise. On a side note, at this time, there is only one approved CBD topical that has been proven to penetrate deeply and be effective for bone and joint pain. Consider this if you are in the market for a CBD topical that you want to penetrate deeply. 

Some products sit on top of the skin and work their magic at that level, many handcrafted skin care items fall into this category. (some makers do use active ingredients and have products that penetrate deeper.) At the time of writing this post SOAPSMITHS products do not contain any actives nor do they fall into the category of a drug. 

Hard Cider Soap by Soapsmiths

When formulating products I take into consideration what I am trying to achieve. If I am making soap I need it to clean. THAT IS IT! If someone gives you a song and dance about other properties their soap has just smile and nod because you now know that it only cleans and as a wash off product it most likely does nothing else. The second someone claims any differently their soap becomes either a cosmetic or a drug and they could be up a creek without a paddle if the government folks catch wind of it.

Sugar Scrub by Soapsmiths

When formulating a scrub I want it to exfoliate those dead Stratum corneum cells so that the lotion that I will apply after can hydrate and protect the layers of skin that were under them.

Cocoa Mint Creme by Soapsmiths

When creating a lotion I want it to hydrate and protect. The best way to do this is to use a combination of oils and waxes which will both sit on top of the skin forming an occlusive barrier while also hydrating those top most layers. A product like a lotion is really the place to add special ingredients which may improve skin barrier function. The only way to really know would be to submit it for testing. Most small makers don't have the financial means to do this so we take our ingredient and formulating knowledge and build a product based on what we know. 

So there you have it. The skin is an amazing giant organ which keeps good things (like our organs and fluids) in and bad things (bacteria, yeast, fungi, etc.) out! Treat it well and you two should have a long and prosperous life together.

TED talk link all about the skin.

I also referred to the Reader's Digest Guide to Skin Care by Susan C. Taylor, M.D. and Victoria Holloway Barbosa, M.D.

Additionally I popped over to a blog called the Chemists Corner for information on the penetration of ingredients. https://chemistscorner.com/penetration-of-cosmetic-ingredients/

* Regarding my comment on eczema and psoriasis, if you are having trouble with skin conditions please seek professional medical advice, I am not trained in human medicine and do not make any claims or diagnoses with what I write.

~Yours in scientific musings

'Smithy

Green "life hack"

This is off topic of soapmaking, selling or anything in-between but I thought it was a cool idea and wanted to share. I have been using this little eco friendly life hack for quite some time. 

For those that purchase the paper "milk" cartons that have the plastic pour spout you can save and reuse that plastic pour spout for so many other items. Check it out, below are the two components you need to make this happen. Save the pour spout from the milk carton and locate a couple of canning jar rings.

 
 

Next, cut the milk carton to for the size canning ring you want to use. Tip: I put the spout off to the side for easier pouring. Trace your circle and cut it out. 

Finally put it all together and enjoy your new green pour spout! Below are my sugar and coconut milk pictured with their spiffy pour spouts.

I will finish by saying that while these don't last forever for liquid items like the coconut milk they do last a very long time and add more miles to the single use plastic pour spout that is on the carton. They are quick and easy to make also and I like knowing that I am reusing something that would otherwise end up in a landfill because (at least where I live) these milk cartons and their parts are not recyclable.

What are some of your favorite green living hacks? I am always excited to learn new ways to re-use everyday items so feel free to share.

As always

~Your clean & green Soapsmith

Pop-up markets in Pittsburgh

We will be at the Garfield and Squirrel Hill night markets in Pittsburgh this summer and fall. At these markets we will be offering select items from our classic and beer soap line as well as from our new Greenline. 

The awesome little sink! YES, it works :)

To make our booth even more fun we have an awesome little sink that you can use to test products! It was a BIG HIT at the first market of the season in Garfield and we cannot wait for more people to come out and check it out. 

Reusable face scrubbies available in pink and
blue flannel with a terry cloth backing.

Additionally we are continually creating partnerships with other eco friendly makers and will have their wares available at the our booth this summer too. Our first partnership is with Paige Leigh Designs. These ladies make awesome facial scrubbies that are a soft terry cloth on one side and a wonderful flannel on the other, they fit nicely into the palm of my hand and are completely washable for many, many re-uses. We are proud to be able to offer this product to our tribe here in Pittsburgh, PA.

As we forge new relationships we will announce them and very happily make them available at the markets for all to enjoy.

See you soon!
~Your Soapsmith

NEW Partnership with Arsenal Cider

We have formed a fantastic new partnership with Arsenal Cider located in Pittsburgh, PA! 

We were sitting in their Lawrenceville shop one fine afternoon enjoying a glass of their amazing cider and I got the idea that "this cider needs to be in my soap" and so I made it.

With the wonderful fragrances of apple paired with grapefruit essential oil this soap is A-MAZING! It bubbles fantastically due to the sugar content in the cider and the scent is sweet and bright with a variety of notes which are sure to please the nose. 

This soap is currently available exclusively at their Lawrenceville location and pairs well with a growler of your favorite cider. With Father's Day coming I think that this could be a perfect gift for all those hard working dads out there, don't you?

Below is a video that my hubby made showing the process of making the soap. :)

Here's to good cider and good soaps.
~Your Soapsmith

Introducing the Greenline

We are excited to introduce our new "Greenline"concept. The idea is simple; we would rather invest in your skin than in our packaging. Sure fancy little boxes and wrappers look nice, but they raise your price without adding anything beneficial to the product itself. Plus, the world could do with a little less trash and we'd like to do our part. 

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Luxurious salt soak

You can now buy these specially created label-free items in bulk at our Pittsburgh pop-up markets. Just bring a clean container with a lid for items like our salt soaks. We'll have containers available should you need and all of our Greenline products are available by the ounce to exactly fit your needs.

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If you're local to Pittsburgh, then we invite you to stop down to our next pop-up. If you're from out-of-town, just give us the name of your favorite shop and we'll take care of the rest.

Select soaps available

We will continue to add to this line and keep everyone updated. 

Stay green my friends!

~Your Soapsmith

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