Sign in
Register now
My Reward PointsA sustainable and environmentally friendly substitute for synthetic ingredients, natural soap-making uses saponification to make soap from food-based oils and fats.
Yogurt, a fermented dairy product, is a popular ingredient in handcrafted soap due to its nutrient-dense properties and natural lipids and proteins that enhance skin moisture.
This blog will provide the yogurt soap benefits for skin, its making methods, safety precautions, storage and curing tips, its recipes, tips for using Yogurt in soap safely, and its common mistakes.
Benefits of Using Yogurt Soap For Skin
This soap, made with colloidal oats and Yogurt, is suitable for sensitive or dry skin. It has natural fats and lactic acid added in trace amounts for a creamier lather.
1. Rich in Lactic Acid
Yogurt is rich in lactic acid, which is a key ingredient in yogurt soap, a gentle exfoliant that removes dead skin cells, unclogs pores, promotes skin renewal, lightens skin, and may reduce hyperpigmentation.
2. Moisturizing Properties
The hydrating qualities of yogurt soap, which is high in fat and lactic acid, make it a natural exfoliant and moisturizer that is perfect for relieving dry, irritated skin.
3. Contains Probiotics
Yogurt is a rich source of probiotics, and some yogurt soaps may contain this beneficial ingredient, potentially enhancing skin health by strengthening the skin's natural barrier.
4. Gentle for Sensitive And Acne-Prone Skin
Yogurt soap is beneficial for sensitive and acne-prone skin due to its natural exfoliant properties and probiotics, but it's essential to buy plain, unsweetened Yogurt and test it on a small area before use.
5. Creates a Creamy, Luxurious Lather
Yogurt soap, rich in lactic acid and natural lipids, creates a creamy, luscious lather in soap bars, making it a popular choice for mild, conditioning washing, according to skincare and soap-making professionals.
6. Adds Natural Proteins And Fats
Yogurt soap is rich in natural proteins, fats, and lactic acid, which provide skin nourishment, moisturize, exfoliate, eliminate dead skin cells, and create a smoother, radiant complexion.
Methods of Making Yogurt Soap
There are two ways to make DIY yogurt soap: the melt and pour method and the cold process method. Both of these procedures are defined below:
1. The Melt And Pour Yogurt Soap Method
Melt and pour is a simple method for making yogurt soap, with various base options like goat's milk, aloe vera, castile, and honey.
Glycerin is a moisturizing substance, and bases can be specifically designed for Yogurt or combined with other bases like shea butter or cocoa butter.
To prevent spoilage, use Yogurt as a partial or total replacement for water in the lye solution. Mix it into melted oils and butters.
Freeze yogurt before adding it, and use powdered Yogurt. Proper temperature control is crucial during the soap-making process.
Keep melt and pour yogurt soap cool, dry, and dark, away from moisture and direct sunlight, to prolong its shelf life.
2. The Cold-Process Yogurt Soap Method
The Cold Process Yogurt Soap Method is a natural soap production method that involves blending oils and lye at room temperature, then adding Yogurt.
This process uses saponification, a natural chemical reaction, to create soap without heat. The Yogurt gives the soap moisturizing properties and may have probiotic benefits.
Safely add Yogurt by freezing it in ice cubes and adding a thin trace after the lye solution is blended. Essential ingredients include lye, water, oils, and Yogurt.
Equipment like a scale, stick blender, thermometer, safety goggles, gloves, and molds are required. The soap typically takes 4-6 weeks to cure.
Safety Precautions When Using Iye
- Cover everything that may come into contact with lye when the soap-making process is underway.
- This includes long sleeves, gloves, long pants, and closed-toed shoes.
- You also need to wear goggles that completely cover your eyes; glasses are insufficient.
Storage And Curing Tips
- Leave the soap in the mold for 24-36 hours to solidify.
- Unmold and slice it.
- Place the soap bars in a sealed box and let them cure for at least 7-8 weeks.
Easy DIY Yogurt Soap Recipes
This section will show you how to make yogurt soap with the melt-and-pour and cold process methods. For novices, the former is quicker and simpler, whereas the latter necessitates more time and caution because of the lye.
Recipe 1: Simple Melt And Pour Yogurt Soap
Ingredients
- Melt and pour soap base: 500 grams (goat's milk, shea butter, or clear glycerin)
- Yogurt: 2-3 Tablespoons (plain Yogurt, either regular or Greek)
- Carrier oils (optional): 1-2 tablespoons (almond, coconut, or olive oil)
- Essential oils (optional): 10-15 drops
- Colorants (Optional): Mica powder or soap dyes
- Isopropyl alcohol
How to Make
- Slice the melt-and-pour soap base into 1-inch cubes to guarantee uniform melting.
- Melt the soap cubes in a heat-safe container using a double boiler or microwave (in short bursts with stirring in between), or by submerging the container in a pan of boiling water.
- Once the soap base has melted, gently whisk in the Yogurt. Add a tiny bit of water to thin out the Yogurt if it's too thick.
- If desired, add the carrier oils, essential oils, and colorants to the mixture, stirring thoroughly to ensure even distribution.
- Pour the melted soap solution into the molds.
- Now spray the isopropyl alcohol on top of each mold to remove bubbles.
- Allow the soap to cool and firm entirely, which could take some hours.
- Once the soap has solidified, carefully remove it from the molds.
Tips
- Butters and oils should not be added straight to melt and pour soap bases since they can impact lather and hardness.
- Control temperature at 120 to 130°F (49 to 54°C) and avoid temperatures above 170°F (77°C).
- Dilute powdered colorants with rubbing alcohol.
- Freeze them in ice cube trays using either fresh Yogurt or yogurt powder.
- Remelting leftover soap scraps, maintaining a constant temperature, and eliminating air bubbles are ways to troubleshoot problems.
- Keep the soap in an airtight container in a cool, dark area away from direct sunlight.
Recipe 2: Cold Process Yogurt Soap For Glowing Skin
Ingredients
- Lye: 101 Grams
- Water: 150 Grams
- yogurt: 120 grams (Greek double cream)
- Shea butter: 400 grams (refined)
- Coconut oil: 220 grams
- Almond oil: 100 grams
- Castor oil: 5 grams
- Baobab oil: 5 grams
- Pink Clay: 8-10 Grams
- Fragrance: 20 grams (try rose or geranium essential oils)
- A handful of dried rose petals.
How to Make
- Measure out all of your ingredients.
- Slowly add the lye to the water, stirring until dissolved.
- Place it outside or in a well-ventilated area to cool.
- While your lye mixture cools, combine all of your oils and butters, excluding the baobab and castor oils.
- Allow the oil mixture to cool.
- Once the lye and oil mixtures have cooled to roughly 50℃ (or lower, but ideally within 10℃ of each other), Mix in the Yogurt.
- Slowly add the lye mixture to the oil mixture and stir with a stick blender until a trace is obtained.
- Stir together the pink clay, baobab, and castor oil until no lumps remain, then add to the soap batter and blend to combine.
- Now, add your essential oils for aroma.
- After pouring the soap batter into the loaf mold, swirl it around and top it with rose petals.
- Leave the yogurt soap for glowing skin in the mold for 24-36 hours to solidify.
- Now, slice the soap after unmolding it.
- Place the soap bars in a sealed box and let them cure for at least 7-8 weeks.
Tips
- You can color your soap with mica powders or use different essential oils and dried flowers to change the look and aroma.
- Use plain, additive-free Yogurt, preferably full-fat, at room temperature.
- Control the temperature to prevent burning milk proteins.
- Pour the lye into the water carefully when creating soap.
- Use essential oils for aroma and rosehip seed oil for relaxation.
- Allow soap to cure for 4-8 weeks for proper hardening.
- Store in a cool, dry place to prevent drying out.
- Watch out for natural substances that can cause allergic reactions.
Tips For Using Yogurt in Soap Safely
1. Freeze Yogurt
In the process of making soap, freezing Yogurt before combining it with lye reduces the temperature during saponification, which avoids yellowing and an unpleasant smell.
2. Use Full-Fat, Plain Yogurt.
Full-fat and plain Yogurt, particularly Greek Yogurt, are often recommended for their moisturizing and skin-smoothing properties due to their higher fat content, which aids in moisture retention and skin suppleness.
3. Temperature Control
Maintain moderate temperatures during yogurt soap production to prevent overheating, which can cause issues like volcanoes, glycerin rivers, mottled appearance, color damage, and eventual hardening.
4. Add Yogurt at a Trace.
Yogurt is often added to soap batter during the trace stage or after cooking for its fluidity, creamier lather, and skin benefits like lactic acid and natural lipids.
5. Add a Natural Preservative.
Yogurt soap may not always require a preservative due to its natural properties and high pH in soap-making, but it's crucial to evaluate the yogurt soap recipe and components and add a natural preservative if necessary.
Common Mistakes to Avoid While Making Yogurt Soap
- When making soap, avoid adding Yogurt to boiling lye solution without precautions, as this could cause the Yogurt to scorch or curdle, leading to an unpleasant soap texture and unpleasant odor.
- When manufacturing yogurt soap or any soap, accurate measurements are essential. Using the wrong amounts of ingredients can result in an imbalanced soap that causes skin irritation or fails to saponify effectively.
- Steer clear of curing for a brief time. Curing soap for 4-6 weeks is recommended to produce a firm and longer-lasting bar, allowing saponification to proceed and allowing water to evaporate.
- Flavored or sweetened Yogurt is not recommended for soap production, as it can spoil the soap or react poorly. Instead, simple, full-fat Yogurt is the optimal choice for soap production.
- Ensure your mold is heat-safe by using a microwave-safe plastic mold, as thin plastic molds can melt with hot soap, causing unpleasant soap-related outcomes.
FAQs – DIY Yogurt Soap
We hope you know a lot about homemade yogurt soap. Now is the time to consider some of the frequently asked questions below:
Q 1. Can I use flavored Yogurt?
Ans: Avoid flavored Yogurt for soap manufacturing due to its potential to cause irritation, breakouts, and congested pores due to its high content of artificial substances, perfumes, and sweets.
Q 2. Is yogurt soap good for the face?
Ans: Lactic acid-rich Yogurt is a natural face treatment ingredient that can help lighten skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation by exfoliating dead skin cells and promoting cell turnover.
Q 3. Can I use goat yogurt or vegan Yogurt?
Ans: Goat and vegan Yogurts are popular soap ingredients due to their moisturizing and skin-nourishing properties, while vegan Yogurt, made from plant-based ingredients, is suitable for those avoiding animal products.
Q 4. Does Yogurt in soap spoil quickly?
Ans: Although Yogurt is a fresh ingredient, the process of creating soap itself provides natural preservation, which makes it unlikely that the Yogurt will spoil.
Q 5. What is yogurt soap good for?
Ans: The moisturizing, exfoliating, and calming qualities of yogurt soap make it good for all skin types, but especially sensitive ones.
Conclusion
The moisturizing qualities and high lactic acid content of yogurt soap make it ideal for dry or sensitive skin.
It contains probiotics and provides nourishment, moisture, and exfoliation through a creamy lather.
Since making your own natural yogurt soap is easy and rewarding, readers are encouraged to try out different variations and experiment with other natural ingredients like milk, honey, or fruit purees.
