What makes a soap foamy?

Foam or lather is created when foaming agents in soaps, detergents and shampoos mix with air and water. The most common foaming agents used in personal care are chemicals sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfate (sometimes referred to as sodium dodecyl sulfate or SLS) and coco-glucoside.

What are commercial soaps?

Commercial soaps are mass produced by large multinational companies, with factories all over the globe. This mass-production can result in environmental waste and degradation as well as poor living conditions for thousands of people worldwide.

Why is handmade soap better than store bought?

Handmade soap preserves the integrity of the oils/fats/butters. Coconut oil goes in, saponified (made into soap) coconut oil comes out. Shea butter goes in, shea butter comes out. Because of this, the oils/fats/butters maintain their vitamins, minerals and skin-loving qualities in the final soap product.

How does foaming soap work?

How Does Foaming Soap Work? Foaming soap starts in its container as a liquid. When someone pumps the container, air is injected into the liquid, creating the foam. As a result, foaming soap also cuts costs by using less liquid while still looking like you have a lot of soap in your hands.

What stops soap from foaming?

Vinegar and salt are both great at reducing the foam caused by detergents for hand washing. Salt reduces the surface tension of the water which inhibits the production of suds.

What causes soap to lather?

The interaction between the soap bubbles pushes the water molecules away from each other relieving surface tension. So a natural soap bubble is just air wrapped in a film made from soap and water. The air bubbles are now trapped, and lots of trapped air bubbles covered in soap molecules are what we call soap lather.

What is the difference between homemade soap and commercial soap?

The biggest difference between handmade soap and commercial soap is their shelf life. Since handmade soaps contain natural and pure ingredients, they have a shorter shelf life for 8-12 months. Due to the chemical content and preservatives in them, commercial soaps last for 2-3 years.

How is commercial bar soap made?

Synthetic detergent soap (commercial store soap) is made from Petro chemicals. In natural soap the fats are hydrolyzed by the lye yielding natural soap and glycerin. Detergent soap retains no glycerin and is extracted because it would make the soap too soft so you are left with only the detergent.

Is making your own soap healthier?

Mass produced soaps are often made by combining detergents, lathering agents and synthetic ingredients, and can by definition not be called soap (make sure the label actually says soap). Handmade soap is milder and keeps the skin healthier.

What does handmade soap mean?

Also known as “handmade soap” or “homemade soap”, handcrafted soap is a blend of both science and art. Soap ingredients are usually food-quality, natural ingredients starting with a variety of vegetable oils such as olive, coconut, or palm, or purified tallow or lard.

Is there a difference between commercial soap & natural soap?

The natural soap bar costs more than commercial soap. So you ask yourself, “Is there really a difference between commercial soap & natural soap? I mean, soap is soap, right? Both bars clean your skin, right?” While I may agree that both bars clean the skin, the similarity goes no further.

Is your bar soap really soap?

If it does not say “soap” then it is not really soap! Commercial bar soaps are produced on a large scale with harsh chemicals, synthetic ingredients, cheap fragrance oils, and artificial colors all of which can irritate your skin. Today there are very few true soaps on the market and even fewer natural soaps.

Is a surfactant in soap the same as detergent?

A surfactant decreases the surface tension of water which allows grease and water to mix. But, soaps and detergents are NOT the same. Handmade Natural Soaps are made of materials found in nature, like pure plant-based oils, oats, honey, and goat milk.

What is the legal definition of soap?

The word “Soap” actually has a legal definition provided by the FDA. Most commercial brands are not called soap because they are detergents and do not meet the legal definition of soap. Both soaps and detergents are surfactants (a blended word that comes from “surface-active agents”).