The Benefits of using Cold Processed Soap
Soap was reportedly discovered centuries ago when the fat from cooking dripped into fire ash and the chemical reaction that took place created soap. Soap has been made this way ever since using animal fat and caustic soda or caustic potash dissolved in water.
Corrynne’s natural soap is made to this age old recipe, however animal fat has been replaced with plant oils. This type of natural soap is called cold processed soap. The process of saponification (soap making) occurs when fatty acids are acted upon by lye which is also called caustic soda or sodium hydroxide mixed with water. Once the soap has saponified and been left to cure and harden no caustic will remain. This process ensures that the soap retains all the moisture from the plant oils which is called glycerine making the soap softer and moisturising to the skin. It has a pH of 7.5 which means it’s not too acidic or too alkaline. Dove soap has a pH of 7.5 and they market this as ‘not a soap’ but a moisturising bar.
Commercially made soap by contrast is made using cheaper ingredients such as synthetic surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulphate. This ingredient which is a known carcinogen is used to make the soap lathery, forming big bubbles. The down side to surfactants is that they strip the skin of oils leaving it dry and exposed to the elements. The pH of the skin is changed temporarily allowing infections and rashes such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis to take hold.
Corrynne’s natural soaps are also made with essential oils which all have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and healing properties.
The skin is our largest organ so it pays to look after it.