Is Lye dangerous in soap?

Lye is a caustic substance that can certainly damage your skin if you’re exposed to it. It can cause a number of problems, such as burns, blindness, and even death when consumed. But, and this is a big but, soap that is created with lye (which is all real soap) will do absolutely no harm to your skin.

Is lye in soap bad for you?

Lye is a caustic substance that can certainly damage your skin if you‘re exposed to it. It can cause a number of problems, such as burns, blindness, and even death when consumed. … The lye gets entirely used up during the process, which means it’s no longer present and can do no harm to your skin.

Is lye soap safe for skin?

When saponification occurred, some lye was left in the soap, making it harsh on the skin. … To answer the question, yes, soap made with lye is completely safe and is not harsh when made properly, using every precaution.

Can soap be made without lye?

The main way that you can make soap without handling lye is by using melt-and-pour soap. … Melt-and-pour soap comes in all types. Clear glycerin soap, creamy goat milk soap, palm-oil free, the list goes on. Melt-and-pour soap can also be a detergent, so watch out for the ingredients.

Why do you need lye in soap?

Without lye, the oils in your recipe would stay oils. Nothing would happen to them. A chemical change involving lye must happen in order to create soap.

Does Dove soap contain lye?

Dove. It is true that the words “lye” or “sodium hydroxide” do not appear on the Dove ingredient label. But, the first ingredients listed were sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate, and sodium palm kernelate. … Yes, Dove is made with lye!

What can I substitute for lye in soap?

Here are some good choices:
  • Goat’s Milk Soap Base.
  • Shea Butter Soap Base.
  • Glycerin Soap Base.
  • Cocoa Butter Soap Base.

Where does lye come from naturally?

A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtained by leaching wood ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions. “Lye” most commonly refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), but historically has been used for potassium hydroxide (KOH).

What does lye do to dead bodies?

Under high heat and pressure, lye can turn corrosive enough to disintegrate fat, bones and skin. A lye solution, heated to 300 Fahrenheit degrees (148 Celsius), can dissolve an entire body into an oily brown liquid in just three hours.

Can you make goats milk soap without lye?

If you have goat milk to use but you prefer soap making without lye, adding milk – no more than one tablespoon per pound of melt and pour base – is simple and easy. You can also add powdered or condensed goat milk at the same rate – one tablespoon per pound of base.

How do you make natural soap ingredients?

Ingredients
  1. ⅔ cup unrefined coconut oil (to produce good lather)
  2. ⅔ cup olive oil (which makes a hard and mild bar)
  3. ⅔ cup almond oil (grapeseed, sunflower, or safflower oil will also work, just make sure it’s a liquid oil)
  4. ¼ cup lye (100% sodium hydroxide … you can also find at local hardware stores)

What is a natural soap base?

Shea butter, olive oil, goat milk, or honey are all prime examples of natural ingredients that enhance the basics and create a unique melt and pour soap base. One of the many benefits of the variety of melt and pour soap bases is the ability to choose a soap base with ingredients that benefit your skin type.


Can you buy lye in stores?

Lye used to be available in the supermarket but not anymore. You might be able to find it in some hardware stores often in the drain cleaning section next to the Draino. In order for that lye to be effective in soapmaking, you need to make sure that you are getting 100 percent sodium hydroxide.