What's in our soap? A peek inside the mixing bucket

Have you ever wondered about the ingredients in our soaps? Well, wonder no more! Today, I will run down a list of the oils we use in our soap recipe with a little information about each one. I've chosen oils and butters that have amazing properties for moisturizing the skin. I have included their INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) so you can become more familiar with the scientific names we use when labeling our products. Sometimes seeing large, unfamiliar words can make some leery of purchasing products. Rest assured that the oils we use are all natural and have fabulous skin benefits. Let's get started.

Olive oil, Olea Europaea, is an amazing oil. It's so amazing that we use it in a number of our products. From soaps to lotion bars, this oil is top notch when it comes to moisturizing the skin. Olive oil has naturally occurring antioxidants. Vitamin E, polyphenols, and phytosterols are the major antioxidants found in it. Antioxidants may help protect the skin from free radicals and help to smooth skin. The fatty acids allow it to penetrate the skin while the squalene softens.

Rice bran oil, oryza sativa, is a moisturizing powerhouse! It is filled with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that allow it to deeply penetrate the skin and nourish it. It is also high in Vitamin E which can make skin soft and supple. Rice bran oil is used in some products as an anti-aging ingredient. With its high vitamin content and array of skin nourishing fatty acids, we love using this ingredient in our soaps, lotions, and other products.

Coconut oil, cocos nucifera, is an often used oil in the soaping world. Because of its ability to produce a stable, fluffy lather, it is often used in a majority of soap recipes. But coconut oil is so much more than just a bubble booster! It has fatty acids (capric/ caprylic/lauric acid) that have been shown to have antimicrobial and disinfecting properties. That's one of the reasons why 100% coconut oil liquid soap is popular as a cleansing soap for household use. It also contains vitamin E and is a nourishing moisturizer for the skin.

Lard is made by rendering fat from pigs. Did you know that pigs are very similar to humans? Lard is easily absorbed into the skin because it's molecular make up is our own. Many of the commercially available skin moisturizers contain animal fats because of the easy absorption and nourishing moisture it gives to skin.

Cocoa butter, theobroma cacao, has been used for centuries as a natural moisturizer. It is high in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E which can help moisture penetrate deeply. It is used in many skin healing creams such as stretch mark creams because it creates a barrier that holds in moisture and allows the vitamins and fatty acids to help repair the skin.

Castor Oil, ricinus communis, is often used in soaps to help,increase lather, but it does so much more than that. It naturally has humectant properties which draw moisture In while the fatty acids enable the moisture to penetrate. It enhances other oils, when combined with them, to allow skin to absorb all of the natural vitamins and minerals while drawing in moisture. It also has antibacterial properties.

Most of our soaps contain either a fragrance oil or essential oil. When we use fragrance oils, we only use high quality, phthalate free, skin safe fragrances. Whether we use fragrance or essential oils, we always stay within the IFRA (International Fragrance Association) guidelines for skin application. Some of our soaps also contain colorants which are skin safe and made of natural ingredients that are soap stable, due to the ph level of soap.
We hope you have enjoyed learning more about our soap oils. If you would like to know more about any of these oils, I encourage you to research skin benefits of specific oils. If you have any questions or comments about any of the information or would like to know more about our goat milk soaps, please feel free to ask.