The Physical Characteristics of Handmade soap with Plant-Based Additives

Abstract

The application of soap is very significant in daily lives to eliminate any dirt which
cannot be completely remove by water alone. The production of soap is mainly
consisting of harmful chemical substance which can deliver bad effect on human
skin for long term use. Moreover, the commercial soap focuses on increasing the
mass production of the soap which can reduce the physical characteristics of the soap
such as hardness, pH value and resistance of dissolvement. Accordingly, there is a
need for improved physical characteristics of the soap. The objective of this research
is to use virgin cooking oil and different types of herbs in soap making process and
to identify the physical characteristics of the soap which is made using virgin
cooking oils and herbs additives. This study also needs to prepare simple and
attractive information using brochure for distribution among small and medium
enterprise (SME) for soap making process. The production of handmade soap
involves virgin cooking oil, lye, and plant-based additives by using cold process
method. Three types of tests were conducted to determine physical characteristics of
handmade soap with plant-based additives which is Scratch Resistance test, pH test,
and Swelling test. The scratch resistance test was carried out by using pencil
hardness method to ascertain the hardness, pH test for pH value, and swelling test for
resistance of dissolvement in four different solutions including oil, vinegar, salt and
sugar. The results indicates that the handmade soap with plant-based additives
produced acquire strong hardness and a safe range of pH value 9 to 10. To conclude,
this study revealed that handmade soap with plant-based additives significantly
enhance the physical characteristics of the soap and can be improve for next research
with some recommendations