Soap Additives That Add Natural Scent and Color to Your Homemade Soap

You can add natural ingredients to your homemade soaps to enhance their health benefits and uses. Here are some of them.

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices have natural fragrances and colors that would add to the quality of your homemade soaps.

Basil
Basil has a natural antibacterial component to protect you from diseases caused by harmful microorganisms.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon when used sparingly, could add a unique, spicy scent to your soap. This home baked scent is used in aromatherapy as stress reliever and senses stimulator. Its natural color could give your soap an attractive brown hue.

Chamomile
This spice acts as a mild astringent for the skin. It is used in aromatherapy to calm and refresh people who are stressed-out and anxious.

Cloves
Ground cloves are added to soaps for their spicy and stimulating effects.

Cocoa Powder
The attractive brown color of cocoa lends a natural warm shade to your soaps.

Eucalyptus
This naturally occurring spice provides a refreshing and titillating scent to your soaps.

Lavender
The lavander's scent relieves stress and anxiety. It helps people to relax.

Lemongrass
The aroma of lemon grass has a stimulating and refreshing effect.

Rosemary
The natural scent of Rosemary helps in relaxing frayed nerves. Adding it to your homemade soap would make your soap a gentle astringent, as well.

Butters and Milks
These ingredients can add natural scents and moisture to your homemade soaps. Add small amounts of these ingredients, from ¼ tsp to 2 tbsp per pound of soap. Prepare your soap according to your preferences.

Cocoa Butter
This component hardens your soap and produces a creamy texture to it.

Shea Butter
This natural ingredient lends a moisturizing property to your soap.

Milk
Powdered milk acts as a natural skin cleanser, eliminating extra-foliated skin. Avoid adding too much because it would soften your soap's texture. Coconut or Goat's Milk - Milk are natural skin cleansers. You could add 1 tbsp of milk per pound of soap base. Add vitamin E, to prevent mold formation.

Other Natural Additives

Almond Meal
Adding this to your soap helps in the treatment of excess skin oils and clogged pores.

Aloe Vera
This could be used in soap as treatment for dry and burned skin.

Beeswax
This ingredient hardens soap and provides fragrance.

Calendula Petals
Calendula petals add a natural hue to your soap.

Clay
Clay in the form of Bentonite and Glacial are used to eliminate excess oil from skin, producing a smooth skin texture.

Corn Meal
You could add corn meal to act as a skin exfoliant.

Coffee Grounds
These get rid of body odor by acting as a deodorizer.

Ground Apricot Seed
Apricot acts as an effective skin exfoliant.

Honey
Honey acts as a relaxant and soap softener.

Oatmeal
This acts as a skin exfoliant and smoothening agent.

Poppy Seeds
These act as an exfoliant too.

Sugar/Salt
Both of these substances are effective exfoliants.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E has antioxidant and preservative properties good for your soap.

Tips for Using Additives in Soaps

If you want your additives to appear on top, add them to the mold before putting your soap base. To get your additives suspended, add them to the soap base, stir. Allow to be slightly thick, before pouring them into the mold. If you do not like the result, you can melt the soap and start anew. To avoid clumping, stir the additives with a small volume of soap base until there is uniform distribution. You can then add the rest of the soap base.

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Article Source: Soap Additives That Add Natural Scent and Color to Your Homemade Soap