Best Essential Oils for Soap Making

Summary

In this video, Heidi from Healing Harvest Homestead shares her expertise on the best essential oils for making handmade soap. With years of soap-making experience, she discusses her top essential oil picks, offering safety tips and blending suggestions for creating unique scents. Heidi highlights the importance of using natural essential oils over synthetic fragrance oils and shares her favorite suppliers. She also promotes her soap-making course and other resources, emphasizing the benefits of making your own high-quality, natural soaps. This video is perfect for both beginners and experienced soap makers looking to refine their craft.

Takeaways

• 🧼 Heidi shares her experience with making handmade soap, having done so for years.
• 📹 Heidi has created a soap-making course with step-by-step videos to help others learn.
• 🛁 Soap is a wash-off product, so while essential oil safety is important, it's less critical for soap since it's rinsed off.
• 🌿 Heidi prefers using natural essential oils over fragrance oils in soap due to their chemical-free nature.
• 💧 Essential oils used in soap making may differ from those used in aromatherapy, but some, like citrus oils, can be phototoxic.
• 🧴 Heidi recommends avoiding 'hot' oils or being cautious with essential oils that could be sensitizing, especially in soaps meant for sale.
• 💸 She emphasizes that while essential oils can be expensive, the ones she suggests are reasonably priced for soap making.
• 🧴 Some of her favorite essential oils for soap include lavender, patchouli, tangerine, frankincense, and eucalyptus.
• 👶 Essential oils like eucalyptus and peppermint should be used cautiously around children under 10.
• 🌱 Heidi recommends Star West Botanicals for purchasing quality essential oils in bulk for soap making.

Q & A

What makes handmade soap better than store-bought soap?

Handmade soap is often made with natural ingredients, offering better control over what goes into the product. It allows for the use of high-quality essential oils and avoids chemicals found in fragrance oils, making it more skin-friendly and customizable.

What is the importance of using essential oils in handmade soap?

Essential oils provide natural fragrance and can offer various skin benefits, such as antibacterial or calming properties. They also enhance the overall quality of the soap, compared to synthetic fragrance oils which often contain chemicals.

Why is soap considered safer for experimenting with essential oils compared to other skin products?

Soap is a wash-off product, meaning it doesn't stay on the skin for long. This reduces the risk of sensitization or irritation from essential oils that might otherwise cause issues if used in leave-on products like lotions.

What are some common safety considerations when using essential oils in soap making?

Soap makers should be aware of the maximum topical dilution rates for essential oils, avoid using phototoxic oils like citrus in large amounts, and be cautious with 'hot' oils like cinnamon or clove. While soap rinses off quickly, certain essential oils may still cause irritation or sensitization.

Why does Heidi prefer essential oils over fragrance oils for soap making?

Heidi prefers essential oils because they are natural, whereas fragrance oils often contain synthetic chemicals. She believes essential oils are better for the skin and offer a higher-quality product, despite being more expensive.

What are some of Heidi’s favorite essential oils for soap making, and why?

Some of Heidi's favorites include lavender for its versatility, patchouli for grounding lighter scents, and eucalyptus for its refreshing properties. She also likes using benzoin as a substitute for vanilla due to its similar scent but lower cost.

How does Heidi suggest handling older essential oils?

Heidi recommends using older essential oils for cleaning products or in diffusers and room sprays, rather than on the skin, since their potency and quality may have diminished over time.

What is the role of oils like lemongrass and patchouli in soap blends?

Lemongrass acts as a base oil that helps to ground lighter, more volatile citrus oils, while patchouli is often used to deepen and balance blends. Both oils contribute to making longer-lasting, more complex fragrances.

What is the difference between therapeutic essential oils and essential oils used in soap making?

Therapeutic essential oils are typically used in small amounts for treatments and need to be of the highest quality since they are applied directly to the skin. Essential oils used in soap making can be bought in larger quantities and are still high-quality, but may not need to meet the same rigorous standards.

What are the benefits of using tea tree oil in soap?

Tea tree oil is known for its antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, making it a great addition to medicinal-type soaps. It’s particularly effective for those dealing with skin conditions such as fungal infections.