5 Tips for Choosing the Best Handcrafted Soaps

There are many types of handmade soaps available on the market today that leave the consumer with an abundant amount of options to choose from. Handcrafted soaps are becoming more and more popular as awareness to skin nutrition continues to rise. Many choose to use natural skin care products such as handcrafted soaps for therapeutic reasons. When searching for the best quality handcrafted soaps for such reasons, there are a few things one should look for.

1. Vegetable oil base such as olive, coconut, palm, sunflower or soybean. These are the most common oils used in soap making today. Olive oil offers the best quality of all the oils, and does not interfere with the skins normal functions.

2. Be aware that handmade soaps with animal fats or tallow are known to clog the skins pores and remain on the skins surface creating a barrier, vegetable oil based soaps offer more therapeutic value. Milks are often added to the base as well. Goat milk when added to handmade soaps helps bring the ph level closest to the skins natural ph level.

3. Look for handmade soaps that have added emollients such as Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Vitamin E and Aloe Vera that are soothing and softening to the skin.

4. Stay away from synthetic fragrance oils if you are chemically sensitive. These oils are produced in laboratories by chemist. The oils cost less, smell great but hold no therapeutic properties and could cause skin irritations and allergies. Look for handmade soaps that are scented with essential oils instead which are concentrated extracts from plants by distillation or expression. These oils add color, textures, therapeutic properties and aromatherapy. For very sensitive skin try an unscented soap bar.

5. Herbs and spices used in homemade soaps not only add color and texture but add to the therapeutic value as well. Ingredients such as oatmeal, cornmeal, ground almond and cinnamon are great for exfoliation, and herbs such as lavender, calendula, and rosemary are a few of the many herbs that are commonly used in soap making.

These are five things to consider when shopping for the best quality handmade soap for healthy skin. Also keep in mind, after purchasing your new handmade soap bar, to make sure it dries out after each use. It is not good for handmade soaps to sit in a puddle of water after use. Unlike commercial store bought soaps, handmade soaps have no artificial hardeners in them; they are in their most natural state full of glycerin. The soap will turn to a mushy mess if not kept on a soap dish/tray allowing it to dry. So after each use be sure to place your handmade soap bar on a soap tray to prolong its use.