Here is an example and explanation from the company that is doing the testing on my soap:
Cold process and Hot process Soaps - labelling
Example recipe –
300g Coconut Oil
300g Palm Oil
300g Olive Oil
100g Castor Oil
143.1g Sodium Hydroxide
380 g Water
During the manufacturing procedure (saponification) the oils in the above recipe are converted to the sodium salts
(soaps). Glycerine is also formed during the reaction.
Fat/Oil + NaOH > Glycerine + Soap
1 g NaOH produces 0.77g Glycerine in the soaping reaction.
1 g Oil/fat produces approximately 1 g of soap salt
Excess water is lost during the curing process leaving final concentration of around 8.5 - 12.5 % of the initial weight of oils.,
depending on cure time. As a general rule, water should be above glycerin on your labels - as per the example below.
So, in the final product, we will have
Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palmate, Sodium Olivate – 300g each (900g total)
Sodium Castorate – 100g
Glycerine – 110.2g
Water 125g
As a simple guide, when using 1000g of oils/fats/butters etc. The sodium salts of those present in the initial recipe at
less than 100g should go after water and glycerine on the list of ingredients.
So this basic product would be labelled as follows:
Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palmate, Sodium Olivate, Aqua, Glycerine, Sodium Castorate.
Now let’s include the essential oils, lavender, at 1%, sandalwood, at 0,5% and sweet orange at 1%
300g Coconut Oil
300g Palm Oil
300g Olive Oil
100g Castor Oil
143.1g Sodium Hydroxide
380 g Water
10g lavender Essential Oil
5g Sandalwood Essential Oil
10g Sweet Orange Essential Oil
The ingredient list would now read
Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palmate, Sodium Olivate, Aqua, Glycerine, Sodium Castorate, Lavandula angustifolia oil,
Santalum Album Wood Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil.
BUT
We also need to think about Allergens
Lavender essential oil contains the following allergens:
Geraniol - 1,1%
Limonene - 1%
Linalool - 45%
In lavender we have:
Geraniol is present at (1,1% x 1%) = 0.011% in the final product
Limonene is present at (1% x 1%) = 0.01% in the final product
Linalool is present at (45% x 1%) = 0.45% in the final product
Sandalwood Essential Oil doesn’t contain any allergen but Sweet orange Essential Oil contains as follows:
Citral – 0,1%
Limonene - 95%
Linalool - 0,4%
In Sweet Orange we have:
Citral is present at (0,1% x 1%) = 0.001% in the final product
Limonene is present at (95% x 1%) = 0.95% in the final product
Linalool is present at (0,4% x 1%) = 0.004% in the final product
As this is a rinse off product, only Geraniol, Limonene and Linalool will need to be labelled, because they are present
above 0.01%, so our final ingredients label read:
Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palmate, Sodium Olivate, Aqua, Glycerine, Sodium Castorate, Lavandula angustifolia oil,
Santalum Album Wood Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil (the names of the essential oils can be replaced by Parfum),
Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.
Example Label for this product
Countryside Soap
Handmade
With Pure Essential Oils
110ge
Ingredients :Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palmate,Sodium Olivate,
Aqua, Glycerine, Sodium Castorate, Lavandula Agustifolia Oil,
Santalum Album Wood Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil, Geraniol,
Limonene, Linalool.
For external use only. If irritation occurs discontinue use.
Batch Number 050909LS COMPANY NAME & CONTACT
