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What is whipped soap?

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whipped soap
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You may have seen a jar of whipped soap in your news feed or at your local beauty shop, but what is inside its buttery recipe that makes it different from regular bar soap? A lot of people love it more than any other body care product. So, it is worth asking ourselves why it is so special.

What is whipped soap?

Whipped soap is fragrant body frosting. Just a slight amount is enough to clean your hands and arms. Thanks to its soft and creamy texture, you can put it on a sponge or scrunchie. With a little water, it turns into a bubbly, foamy, and moisturizing liquid.

Aside from the striking difference in ingredient types, whipped soap is different because it can replace shower gel. And it is also useful to wash your hair.

The fragrance from these products stays on the skin for hours. In fact, the combination of moisturizing ingredients and fragrance oil makes the scent last longer. Depending on the brand or manufacturer, the color can also vary as well as the conditioning agents.

How to use it

Like any other soap, whipped soap cleanses your body. It solubilizes dirt and grime when applied to the skin. But thanks to its creamy lather, it also works as shaving cream.

In any case, it is always a good idea to introduce new body care products slowly and intentionally. So, the first step is to use just a marble size portion, which can clean half of your body. This is the best option for people with sensitive and reactive skin because many manufacturers use different ingredients. Of course, most people will not have any problem using whipped soap. But it is very easy to use too much product all at once since it looks like mousse.

Place a knob of product on your palm and wipe it on your hands, legs, and body. The right product for you ensures a smooth, gentle clean, which brings a soothing feeling to the skin. Of course, apply it to the armpit and crotch to remove impurities from sweating and perspiration. Finally, wash it away with water.

For use as a shaving cream, add a second layer of soap to moisturize the area you want to shave. Let it soak the skin for a couple of minutes before shaving as usual. As this product dissolves completely in water, you can shave in your shower for maximum convenience.

How it is made

Fluffy whipped soap still goes through the process of saponification. But unlike traditional soap making for soap bars, it uses a base known as Foaming Bath Butter. Ingredient-wise, this base contains gentle surfactants that lower the water surface tension. For example, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), which is a common biodegradable surfactant that comes from coconut oil.

Manufacturers mix the surfactants before adding a carrier oil or butter. Butters come from vegetable sources or seeds and contain lots of fatty acids and vital elements for protecting the skin. When using butter, an emulsifier is also necessary. Otherwise, the oil and the distilled water that follows next cannot come together.

During the water phase, humectants like Glycerin and Sorbitol dissolve in distilled water. Mainly to help with thickening the product to achieve that glossy look. After that, heating both the surfactant and the water mixes forms a cream-like substance, making the final blend possible.

At this point, the whipped soap only needs to cool down. Clay and extra ingredients-like fragrance-can be added to finish the product and make it unique. Artisanal products do not always include a preservative. But most commercial products let you store it in a container for months because of it.

The benefits

These days, whipped soap gets all the hype. So, you can find countless formulas and deals. But besides the benefits that come with popularity, the main perks are:

  • Calming properties. When you pick a product with all-natural essential oils, the aroma enhances your mood and elevates your spirit.
  • All in all, you do not need much product every time. So, a standard jar can last for several months.
  • Protection from environmental damage. Above all, the moisturizing ingredients prevent dryness and itchy skin.
  • You can use one product to wash your body and hair at the same time.

Story by Sarah Jensen

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