Olive Oil Soap - Some Facts and Some Fiction

     Bar soap is the result of the reaction between sodium hydroxide and fatty acids in the form of vegetable fats and oils.  Most soap is made with a mixture of oils to get different properties in the final soap - lather, hardness, conditioning and so on.  Pure olive oil soap is soap that has been made using only olive oil.  It is also known as "Castille" soap after the region in Spain where it originated.
     Many sources say that making olive oil soap is a time-consuming affair that will only produce a soft bar of soap, but there are many factors that could affect the quality of the final bar like what type of olive oil is used, the amount of water in the formulation and the method that is used to make it.  

     Pure olive oil soap will not lather as readily as soaps containing coconut or palm oil, especially in hard water, though the lather does improve if you use a washcloth or body poof.  The lather consists of small bubbles and has been described as "slimy" by some.  But lather is not a measure of cleansing ability, although we have been conditioned to equate the two properties.  The soap itself will be hard to start with (if it has been cured properly), but may start to feel a little bit tacky with use.  That is why many soapmakers will add other oils to the olive oil to change the hardness of the final soap, how well it holds together with use and to get a frothier, more bubbly lather.  Using a draining soap dish and not allowing the soap to sit in water will help to keep it from going soft.  

     Olive oil soap is incredibly mild.  So much so that it is widely recommended for use with babies.  Also, handmade soaps tend to have some superfatting (which is when more oil than is needed to react with the sodium hydroxide is used, leaving free olive oil in the soap), which adds to their natural moisturising and conditioning properties.

   On packaging, soap that is made with olive oil appears in the ingredients list as 'Sodium Olivate'.  If a soap is truly made using only olive oil it will not have any other ingredients called 'Sodium ...' in the list.  So next time you see a soap being marketed as "Castille" or "Pure Olive Oil" soap you can check for yourself.

     Two of our soaps use purely olive oil as the oil base - Simply Soap and Honey & Orange Blossom. The formulation and method that we use result in hard bars that are fairly long-lived.  If you can get used to the slightly different feel of the soap on the skin compared with commercial soap, you will find that they are very nourishing soaps that are gentle on the skin and especially beneficial if you have sensitive skin.

Make Time For Yourself

My older sister always makes time for grooming.  Regardless of what's going on, she'll put aside time to wash, scrub, buff and whatever else needs doing.  I used to be a bit of a slacker when it came to personal grooming; my main excuse being that I didn't have time.  So my grooming regime was a little haphazrd.  But in the last couple of months I've taken a leaf out of her book and started to make an effort to put some time aside every week.

Today, I was able to get it all done in about an hour :-)  My general routine is not massively involved, consisting of washing my hair (I have virgin Afro hair which I wash once a week), a face mask, full body exfoliation with a salt scrub, and waxing when needed.  It doesn't sound like much, but I've already started to see an improvement in my much neglected hair.  


If, like I used to, you always put off giving yourself a facial, or sorting out your feet, or whatever other grooming activity because you don't feel that you've got the time, try taking my approach to housework - don't try to do it all at once; pick a task or two to do a day, or every couple of days and before you know it you'll be smooth and glowing.

Earth Hour - 27th March 2010

We've signed up in support of the WWF's Earth Hour campaign to show that we care about climate change.  Show your support tomorrow night by switching off your lights for one hour between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.  There's still time to sign up and show that you care too.  A great excuse for a candelit bath or romantic dinner...

The Loveliness of Natural Perfumes

I decided to try out an acidic rinse after washing my hair, which I made up with citric acid and Orange Flower water.  (The aim being to neutralise any residues of soap, which is alkaline, and restore the hair's natural pH, thereby improving its appearance and resilience.) It left my hair looking good and smelling fabulous!  All that day and the next I kept getting wafts of Orange Blossom, which is one of my favourite aromas.  It made me think about how easy it can be to make a simple perfume, and that a hair rinse is a great way to wear it.   

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Floral waters are easily obtainable - Orange Flower water and Rose water can both be bought at the supermarket, and there is a wealth of other floral waters available to buy online.  Or, you could try making your own:  lavender, lemon balm and chamomile give up their scents very nicely.  Simply steep a tablespoon of flower/herb per 100ml hot water and then strain well (through coffee filter paper or a couple of layers of muslin) and leave to cool.  Then rinse through the hair after washing.  Unless you intend to add a preservative to your rinse, it's best to use it straight away.  Your imagination really is the limit with such a wide range of flowers, herbs and spices easily available.  Create your own signature scent.  But a word of caution - be sure that any flowers or herbs that you do use are organic or suitable for consumption to ensure that there are no pesticides or other chemicals lurking around.  

Happy experimenting!