SOAP FORMULATION

                   COSMETOLOGY

(NFNF 2522)

DR NG SHIOW FERN

TITLE

Soap Formulation

DATE OF EXPERIMENT

27th April 2016

INTRODUCTION 

            Soaps are carboxylate salts with very long hydrocarbon chains. Saponification is a process of making soap which is from fats and lye. For simple definition, it is a chemical reaction between an acid and base forming a salt. It is done by boiling them together under a certain temperature forming a crystalline nature of soaps before adding other substances. Hydrolysis of esters occur when triglyceride in fats/oils react with aqueous sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Acidic oils will neutralize the alkaline solution forming a salt. Thus, saponification occurs.

OBJECTIVES 

1. To understand the rationale behind the use of different types of ingredients in a soap formulation.
2. To understand the acid-base reaction (saponification process) by which soap is produced.
3. To evaluate the quality of products that have been produced.

APPARATUS 

Analytical balance, mould, beaker, porcelain mortar and pestle, glass rod.

MATERIALS 

Olive oil, vegetable shortening, coconut oil, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, glycerin, alcohol, castor oil, distilled water, petroleum jelly,  fragrance and essential oil, colorants, honey, oatmeal.

METHODS 

Honey and oatmeal soap bar :

Coconut oil	19.6%
Olive oil	19.6%
Vegetable shortening	29.6%
Sodium hydroxide	9.9%
Distilled water	20.9%
Honey	0.17%
Oats	q.s
Colorants	q.s
Fragrance/essential oil	3 drops

The above amounts were used.

1.The molds were clean and dried completely and greased with petroleum jelly.

2.The fats and oil (coconut oil, olive oil and vegetable shortening) were weighed using analytical balance.

3.The fats were melted in a porcelain evaporating dish on a water bath at around 40-50⁰C. After all the fats melted, it was removed from the heat.

4.Sodium hydroxide and water were weighed out. The sodium hydroxide were added into the water and mixed well. The solution was left to cool.

5.When the sodium hydroxide has completely dissolved in water, the solution was poured into the warm oil mixture. The oil will become opaque. The mixture was mixed in circular motion constantly for 15 minutes. It was rested and mixed more until it thickened.

6.The mixing was stopped after a ‘trace’ was formed. Honey oats, fragrance and essential oils were added and mixed well.

7.The soap was poured into the mold and was covered with cloth and kept at moderately warm temperature for about 24-48 hours.

8.The soap was removed from the mold. 

Mixture becomes opaque after sodium hydroxide is added

Color of soap mixture after colorant has been added

RESULTS 

SOAP   A	OBSERVATION
Effectiveness	The stain disappear, thus the soap are effective
Skin irritation	No irritation occur on the skin
Stability	Stable

SOAP   B	OBSERVATION
Effectiveness	The stain disappear, thus the soap are effective
Skin irritation	No irritation occur on the skin
Stability	Stable

DISCUSSION 

Soap is a product for cleaning made from natural ingredients that may include both plant and animal products, including items as animal fat, such as tallow or vegetable oil, such as castor, olive or coconut oil. The earliest known soap recipe was by the ancient Babylonians around 2800 B.C. Soap supposedly got its name from Mount Sapo in Rome. The word sapo, Latin for soap, first appeared in Pliny the Elder's Historia Naturalis. Through the ages soap has been used to wash wool in textile industry, to cure skin sores and diseases, to dye hair, and as a salve or skin ointment. But today it is generally used as a cleanser or perfume. There are some interesting facts about soap. Soaps have been categorized into several types depending on the particular purpose for which they are used. The soap industry is constantly working hard to produce newer soap formulas. There are soaps for personal use, laundry use, dishwashing and even pet cleaning. Over the course of millennia’s, soap managed to infuse itself into our culture and way of life. As one of the most primary means of maintaining personal hygiene, soaps lived through countless waves of improvements that enabled it mature into its modern state. In this experiment, we were required to make soap for personal use. There are several types of personal use soap which are hard soap, liquid soap, glycerine soap, and transparent soap.

            In this experiment, the ingredients in the soap are coconut oil, olive oil, vegetable shortening, sodium hydroxide, distilled water, honey, oats, colorants, and fragrance. Coconut oil is one of the oils for soap making that gives natural soap its lather and is good for all skin types. Coconut oil provides cleansing abilities and a big bubbly lather. Olive oil cleans the skin without stripping away the natural oils and the skin don't end up dry and flaky after its used. Olive oil also allows the skin to sweat and shed cells naturally. Other than that, Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), also known as lye, is an essential ingredient in the soap making process. When sodium hydroxide beads are mixed with a liquid, a lye solution is created. This solution, when mixed with fats and oils, will cause a chemical reaction called saponification. The result of saponification is beautiful handmade soap. Distilled water is used to help activate the lye and disperse it through the oils. Besides, used of fine blended oats in the soap will add light exfoliation and will absorb and hang onto the essential oils. Honey is actually a pretty remarkable liquid and contains antioxidants, trace amounts of vitamins. It imparts a light, warm, sweet scent, the added sugar content helps increase the lather, and acts as a humectant. Colorant and fragrance are also added to make the soap looks more attractive and masks the unpleasant scent of other ingredients respectively.

            There are 2 types of soap that we had done during the lab session, Soap A and Soap B. Soup A and soap B contain same ingredients but different in fragrance and colouring. Soap A used purple colour with apple fragrance while soap B used red colour with floral fragrance. For the evaluation test on soap, first and foremost is about effectiveness. Generally, soap is an excellent cleanser because of its ability to act as an emulsifying agent. An emulsifier is capable of dispersing one liquid into another immiscible liquid. This means that while oil (which attracts dirt) doesn't naturally mix with water, soap can suspend oil/dirt in such a way that it can be removed. In this test, we found that both soap A and soap B  produced foam and able to remove dirt on clothes. It is able to remove ground dirt with some forces applies on it.

            The next one is about skin irritation. Normal healthy skin has potential of hydrogen (pH) range of 5.4-5.9 and a normal bacterial flora. The use of soap with high pH causes an increase in skin pH, which in turn causes an increase in dehydrate effect and skin irritation. For our soap, both of  it doesn’t irritate our skin even we use it for several times. One of the reason is that, our materials is light and safe which doesn’t cause harmful effects and the soap’s pH is compatible with our skin.

            Thirdly, the stability of the soap. The purpose of stability testing cosmetic products is to ensure that a new or modified product meets the intended physical, chemical and microbiological quality standards as well as functionality and aesthetics when stored under appropriate conditions. When we exposed it to sunlight, the soap became watery and contaminated due to exposure to sunlight and environment. The colour become colourless and fragrance. In cold area, the stability of our soap doesn’t show any effect. The colour and fragrance remains the same.

            While doing this product, some precaution steps have to be taken. Lye(sodium hydroxide)  is caustic. It can eat holes in fabric and cause burns on the skin. Extra caution must be taken when using lye. Use of gloves, eyes protection and a mask are desired. When the lye is mix with water, it will heat up and fume for about 30 seconds to a minute. It may cause a choking sensation in the throat. The lye must always be added to water and not water to lye. If allowed to clump on the bottom, it could heat up all at once and cause an explosion. Next, after making soap, the equipment that have been exposed to lye must always be cleaned. The lye can be neutralize by white vinegar, then the equipment are being washed well. For the rest of it, let it sit for several days because when we first make soap, it is all fat and lye. We will be washing forever and could burn our hands on the residual lye. If we wait, it becomes soap and all it takes to clean it is a soak in hot water.

CONCLUSION 

            In conclusion, we have determined the rationale behind the use of the different type of ingredients in soap formulations. We already understand the saponification process which is an acid-base reaction. Finally, the quality of the soaps had been showed by a few volunteers when the soap is safe and user-friendly. It also shows a good result with no side effects such as rash, irritation, itchy and the most important thing is, it has a good stability.

REFERENCES 

  1.Tanya (20^th September, 2013). Lovely Greens. Retrieved on 29^th April, 2015 from : http://lovelygreens.com/2013/09/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners.html

  2. Gehring W, Gehsen M, Zimmerman V, Gloor M. Effects of pH changes in a specific detergent  multicomponent emulsion on the water content of stratum corneum. J Soc Cosmet  Chem. 1991;42:327–33. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4171909/

  3. Control of Drug & Cosmetic Regulation. 2007. Biro Pengawalan Farmaseutikal Kebangsaan.  Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia

  4. The Jabs Group, LLC. DIY Natural™. Handmade All Soap For Face and Body.

http://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-soap-2/#back-to-top-tag (Accessed 7.5.2016)

  5. St. Joseph County 4-H Youth Program, St. Joseph County, Michigan. Soap Making. (updated July 2001) http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/234/43487/still_projects/SoapMake.pdf

  6. Jordan Fox, CleanLink®. Types Of Soap: How To Pick Correctly. (2016)

http://www.cleanlink.com/sm/article/Types-Of-Soap-How-To-Pick-Correctly--4710 (Accessed 3.5.2016)