When you buy handmade soap or body products have you ever wondered what all those different oils and butters really do?  What benefits do they have on your skin?  What are their different properties?  In this guide I'll review some of the more common oils and butters -- there are so many available that it would be hard to list them all.  The most common oils used in soap and are coconut oil, palm oil, and olive oil.  These oils can also be used in body care formulations.

Coconut oil is useful in formulations for dry, itchy, sensitive skin. It will not clog pores, and it absorbs readily into the skin. Coconut oil helps to make a hard bar of soap with fluffly lather.  It is also used in some body care products such as lotion bars.

Palm oil helps to make for a hard bar of soap when used with coconut and olive oils.  It also helps the soap to saponify more quickly.

Olive Oil is one of the best moisturizing oils available.  It happens to be my very favorite.  I've done lots of formulations using all types of oil and olive always comes up a winner!  Olive oil is high in oleic acid and is a good skin cell regenerator. It is traditionally included within soap, cream, balm, body butter, herbal infusion and hair care formulations. Olive oil attracts external moisture to the skin and still permits the skin to properly release sweat, shed dead skin and release sebum.  Olive oil is high in oleic acid and is a good skin cell regenerator. Olive oil attracts external moisture to the skin and still permits the skin to properly release sweat, shed dead skin and release sebum. It is a good oil for inclusion in massage oil formulations and it helps to sooth inflamed skin.

Other wonderful oils are sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, and jojoba.  Sweet almond oil is a great emollient for softening and conditioning the skin and hair. It is well suited for eczema, psoriasis and itchy, dry and inflamed skin. It is rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E.

Apricot kernel oil is a light, yet emollient oil that is high in oleic and linoleic acids. It is similar in feel and properties to sweet almond oil and is readily absorbed into the skin. It is recommended for mature skin, sensitive skin and skin that is inflamed, irritated or dry. Apricot kernel oil makes a wonderful massage oil for babies and adults and is used extensively in aromatherapy. Apricot kernel oil is a light, yet emollient oil that is high in oleic and linoleic acids. It is similar in feel and properties to sweet almond oil and is readily absorbed into the skin. It is recommended for mature skin, sensitive skin and skin that is inflamed, irritated or dry. Apricot kernel oil makes a wonderful massage oil for babies and adults and is used extensively in aromatherapy.

Jojoba oil is actually a liquid wax. Jojoba offers the traits of both an oil and a wax to make it an ideal ingredient within soap, cream, lotion, balm and massage oil formulations. It is highly penetrating and closely resembles the natural sebum within our skin.

Shea Butter is my favorite butter because it does so much for the skin.  It is an ideal treatment for dry or aging skin. Its high content of non-saponifiable fatty acids gives it the ability to moisturize and retain the elasticity of the skin. Shea butter also helps to protect the skin against the damaging effects of the sun while repairing cellular degeneration.   It can be used in soap, body care formulations, or even rubbed directly into the skin.

Cocoa butter is a soothing emollient that has been used for centuries in Africa for skin care. It has been traditionally used to heal and moisturize skin that has been exposed to the elements. Cocoa butter helps reduce the formation of stretch marks during pregnancy by keeping the skin supple.

The next time you purchase handmade soap or body products look for some of these wonderful ingredients on the label.  Your skin will thank you!