SOAP BASE OILS AND BUTTERS

Saponification occurs when the lye is mixed with the oils and butters during the initial stage. This means that the oils and lye solution have bonded together, neutralizing the lye and creating soap from the ingredients.

Briallen handmade soaps have a selection from these butters and oils as base ingredients, providing a balance of conditioning and cleansing properties; soaps with a high cleansing factor generally have low conditioning properties, leaving the skin overly dry.

Cocoa Butter

A relatively hard butter which helps to add hardness to soap and to provide conditioning properties.

Coconut Oil

This oil is used to provide hardness, cleansing and foaming properties in soap. It is an excellent emollient and a powerful antioxidant also known to have the ability to kill bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Olive Oil/Olive Pomace

Olive oil is a gentle oil, rich in oleic acid; it is an emollient, giving valuable conditioning properties to the finished soap.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is used in soaps for its balance of hardness and conditioning properties and also for its high Vitamin E content.
Many people are concerned about the devastating effects the creation of palm plantations is having on ancient forests and endangered species, particularly in Indonesia. The palm oil used in Briallen soaps is sourced from sustainable, eco-friendly crop plantations in Columbia.

Palm Kernel Oil

(organic from sustainable source) This oil has very similar cosmetic properties to Coconut oil and adding similar properties to finished soap.

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is very high in essential fatty acids and helps to moisturise, regenerate and condition the skin; in finished soap it adds conditioning properties.

SUPERFATTING OILS AND BUTTERS

Superfatted means that oils or butters remain in the soap unconverted by the lye either because the amount of lye was decreased to allow some fat/oil to remain, or that oil/fat was added after the mix had saponified.

Adding a supperfatting oil after saponification ensures that all the properties of an expensive oil, such as Argan or Tamanu are preserved.

Argan Oil

An oil containing vitamin E, linoleic acid and natural tocopherols thus having nourishing and anti-ageing properties.

Avocado Oil

Rich and fast penetrating, avocado oil is highly moisturising for dry skin and can improve skin elasticity.

Babassu Oil

Babassu is a superior emollient which gently moisturises the skin without creating an oily sheen.

Calendula Oil

With antiseptic and healing properties, calendula oil is ideal for use on irritated skin.

Castor Oil

Castor oil is an excellent emollient.

Evening Primrose Oil

Rich in GLA, evening primrose oil is a skin nutrient and moisturiser.

Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is easily absorbed, has a light texture and imparts a silky feel to the skin.

Hazelnut Oil

Hazelnut oil is an easily absorbed, lubricating oil which is rich in vitamins and oleic acid. It is nourishing and revitalising to all skin types.

Hempseed Oil

Rich in essential fatty acids, hempseed oil is moisturising and has good penetrating properties.

Kokum Butter

A very white, smooth butter which helps regenerate skin and helps it to retain elasticity and flexibility.

Mango Butter

Mango is highly moisturising, has good lubricity and is a great source of essential fatty acids.

Neem Oil

Neem oil has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties.

Shea Butter

Skin soothing and replenishing, shea nut butter offers protection to dry, cracked skin.

Sweet Almond Oil

Sweet almond oil is widely used as a skin conditioning agent due to its penetrating, smoothing and softening properties.

Tamanu Oil

In the South Pacific it is used for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties; it is also beneficial for eczema, psoriasis and facial neuralgia.

Wheat Germ Oil

Wheat germ oil has high level of vitamin E which is an anti-oxidant and excellent for use on dehydrated skin.