Soap vs Surfactant base cleanser
This question has been asked once too many times and I would like to dispel any misgivings on these two types of body cleanser.
You will find there are many soap makers in many parts of the world who creates their soap bar or liquid soap from either their homes or dedicated premises if the quantity they produced is large. There are many online courses about soap making of both versions, dedicated online groups who are learning to make them with support from other soap makers free of charge.
Soap is a result of saponification of oils, water and sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide for both soap bar and liquid soap respectively. This means, sodium hydroxide or the potassium hydroxide will not be left in the final soap anymore once they are cured. Cured here doesn’t mean that the soaps are sick and recuperated. Cured here means the period the soaps are left on racks or shelves to dry for about 6 weeks. This is where the water from the soap bars will evaporate and it will produce a firmer or harder soap bar. It will also last longer when the soap bar is used in the shower.
The pH of the soaps are relatively high between 8 – 11 and sometimes it can go beyond. This depends on the type of oils used in the formula. The pH can be brought down a little but it should not go below 8. If you try to adjust the pH lower than 8, the soap will breakdown and it will be a slab of separated oil and water mess.
Surfactant base cleanser on the other hand are either gel base cleanser or emulsion base. There are no sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide involve here. There are various type of surfactants that can be used which are natural base. At the point when this was written, natural surfactant base generally do not produce much foam or even if the foaming is good, it will dissipate within the minute.
These type of surfactant base cleansers pH can be adjusted to between 4.5 – 6 depending on the intended use. They are milder to the skin as the pH of the skin is somewhere 5 – 5.5.
I hope this simple write up helps to clear the air on the differences.
Thank you for spending your time here!
Lovely thoughts, Eliza
**credits to the owner of the photograph.
