 We begin with the base oils we use
for soapmaking at The Green Pergola which is olive oil, soybean oil
and coconut oil. Many soap companies use palm oil due to the
fact that it makes a very hard bar of soap. In our own
experience, we have found soaps that contain palm seem to leave a
"grab" on the skin and often feel drying. (this is solely based on our
own experiments in trying different soaps). After many
formulations, we feel we have found just the right combination of oils
for a soap that is rich in lather, feels soothing to the skin and
leaves you feeling clean and natural.
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FAR UPPER LEFT:
OLIVES
ABOVE LEFT: SOYBEANS
ABOVE RIGHT: COCONUT |
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Oil Properties Listed below are the properties and fatty acids
contained within each oil used in the soap making process. Lauric Acid: hard bar, cleansing, fluffy lather
Linoleic Acid: conditioning, fluffy & stable lather
Myristic: hard bar, cleansing, fluffy lather
Oleic Acid: Conditioning
Palmitic Acid: hard bar, stable lather
Stearic Acid: hard bar, stable lather
Iodine # the lower the #, the harder the bar |
| OLIVE OIL —
Linoleic:12%, Oleic:70%,
Palmitic:13%, Stearic:4%, Iodine:90
Olive Oil prevents the loss of your skin's natural moisture,
softens skin and attracts external moisture to your skin. It
helps keep your skin soft, supple and younger looking. It is
especially mild and is often used for the making of "baby soap".
100% olive oil soap is known as Castile soap. |
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| SOYBEAN OIL
— Linoleic:50%, Oleic:25%,
Palmitic:10%, Stearic:5%, Iodine:130
Soybean Oil creates a hard, white bar of soap with a lather
that is mild and stable, helping it to last throughout the
length of the bath. Soybean adds conditioning properties to the
soap and is environmentally friendly. |
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| COCONUT OIL
— Lauric:45%, Linoleic:2%,
Myristic:23%, Oleic:10%, Stearic:3%, Iodine:10
Coconut Oil makes a very hard, white bar of soap with
abundant lather. It will create large fluffy lather even in very
hard water or even sea water. It has been used for centuries in
the Tropics for hair and skin care. |
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NEW INGREDIENT in our
soaps:
purified, cleaned
SHEA BUTTER |
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As all soap makers do, we begin by melting
our oils together. Here at The Green Pergola we
create what we call a "master batch" of oils that are thoroughly
blended after melting then re-poured into 5 gallon buckets, waiting to
be measured out later to create most of our soap recipes. |
When ready to
begin the soaping process, we measure out our master batch according
to the size batch we are creating. Digitally, we carefully
measure out the right amount of lye that will turn our oils into
a rich bar of soap. The lye is added to pre-measured water (or
herbal tea), allowed to cool to the correct temperature then added to
our master batch oils.
From there we blend the soap with
hand-held blenders until, molecularly, all of the lye solution has
incorporated with the oils. Just before trace occurs (when the
soap turns to a thick pudding-like state, see photo on right) we add
our coloring, essential oils and herbs. |
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From there,
the thickened mixture is poured into soap loaf molds where it is
stacked and covered, allowing it to remain undisturbed for
approximately 24 - 36 hours while it is turning into soap.
It is then un-molded and allowed to dry
for another day before it is cut into bars of soap. (for our
soap loaf customers, the soap remains in loaf form unless they request
cutting) |
| Finally -- finished soap that is
allowed to cure between 3 and 4 weeks before selling to the public.
pictured above and to the right is our
best seller, Garden Mint |
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