Where is the one place on earth whose power and productivity is vital for human existence?
Where many of the world's products and commodities we use everyday originate - from medicines, body, and hair care products, to fruits, nuts, and spices, even coffee.
The Amazon, of course!
No, not amazon.com.
Although, yes, we all know that we can procure all of these items, and more from amazon.com.
No, I'm not talking about an online warehouse, I'm talking about the South American rainforest.
God's warehouse of wonder.
The amazing Amazon rainforest, the world's largest rainforest, is not only one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature of the World, but its also a crucial contributor to our global climate.
Home to the largest river in the world by volume, holding 20% of the world's fresh water, and the world's second longest river (the Nile River wins that title), the Amazon River, the Amazonian rainforest is an ethereal ecosystem of flora, fauna, insects, and wild life.
It's dubbed Earth's built-in filtration system because of its production and release of oxygen and absorption of carbon dioxide.
The industrialization and deforestation of the Amazon's rainforest is a shameful topic that's way outside the scope of this post, but I'm grateful that there are compassionate, determined people and organizations who are on the case of saving this remarkable ecosystem and helping it continue to thrive.
Brazilian Skin Care Ingredients
So you can see why the best quality oils, butters, and other skin care ingredients hail from the most fertile part of the world.
Is it no wonder then why Brazilian women are considered the world's most beautiful?
Wonder Woman, any one?
The good people of South America, Brazil in particular, have direct access to some of the most sustainable, effective, and diverse raw ingredients ever used in the production in skin care products.
And that includes...
Vegetable-based, Handcrafted Soap.
You could say that, when it comes to demanding that their skin care products and cosmetics come from natural, sustainable resources, Brazilians are the most "woke" among us.
The non-profit organization Union for Ethical Bio Trade researched how much more sophisticated and knowledgeable the average Brazilian consumer is of the origin of natural ingredients and various environmental issues than the rest of the world, including the United States.
Brazilian body care ingredients are world renowned for, not only their lovely pronunciations, but also for offering superior protection for the skin, from being anti-aging and high in antioxidants, to improving elasticity and the skin's healing resiliency.
It stands to reason then that body care ingredients from the region, most notably the oils and butters, would be dy-no-mite in soap.
And they are!
I've outlined only 10 here, but believe me, there are so many more.
THE OILS
1. Andiroba (Carapa guianensis)
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Also known as crabwood oil, andiroba oil is extracted from the very tall andiroba tree in the Amazonian rainforest. It's excellent for treating eczema, other dry skin conditions, and insect bites. It is also used as a carrier oil in massage and would be quite beneficial as a super-fatting agent in hand-milled soaps. Because of its high percentage of unsaponifiables, it may solidify when cold. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 50 - 85 Linoleic: 7 - 30% Linolenic: <1% Oleic: 45 - 58% Palmitic: 10 - 28% Stearic: 5 -10% |
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Usage and Shelf Life
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3 - 10% in Cold-Process formulas 3 – 10% as a super-fatting nutrient Shelf life: 12 - 24 months Refrigerate |
2. Bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba)
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A thick, viscous oil extracted from the pulp of the bacaba fruit. It is slightly fragrant, light green in color, and moisturizing for extremely dry skin. Image credit: Lüdenscheidt CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 55 - 68 Linoleic: 7 - 16% Oleic: 50 - 65% Palmitic: 13 -15% Stearic: 4 - 7% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
3 – 10% as a super-fatting nutrient 5 - 10% in Hand-milled soap, Cleanser and Scrub formulas Shelf life: 12 months or more Refrigerate |
3. Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa)
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This oil has an orange-reddish color due to its high beta-carotene content, even exceeding carrot seed oil. Buriti is a powerful anti-oxidant and nourishes sun-damaged skin and dry, brittle hair. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 50 - 80 Linoleic: 10 - 25% Linolenic: .5 - 2% Myristic: .2% Oleic: 45 - 75% Palmitic: 8 - 19% Stearic: 1 - 6% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
3 – 10% as a super-fatting nutrient 5 - 10% in Hand-milled soap, Cleanser and Scrub Formulas Shelf life: 12 months or more Refrigerate |
4. Guava (Psidium guajava)
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Guava oil is celebrated for it's high linoleic fatty acid content, which means the oil packs a lot of nourishment and moisturizing punch, but it also oxidizes pretty quickly. Very high in a number of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants; also astringent, and excellent in facial soap for problem, acne-prone skin. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 133 - 135 Linoleic: 77 - 79% Linolenic: .7 - 1% Oleic: 10 - 11% Palmitic: 7% Stearic: 5% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
3 – 10% as a super-fatting nutrient 5 - 10% in Hand-milled soap, Cleanser and Scrub Formulas Shelf life: 12 - 24 months Refrigerate/Freeze |
5. Maracuja (Passiflora edulis)
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Also known as passion fruit oil, this is wonderfully light, delicate oil, perfect for combination, sensitive, mature, and aging skin. Especially useful around the eye area. Incorporate it in a Cold-Process formula as a super-fat or in hand-milled soap. Absorbs quickly into the skin so it is a great addition to facial cream soap and massage oils. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 140 - 145 Linoleic: 60 - 65% Linolenic: 5 - 6% Oleic: 19 - 20% Palmitic: 7% Stearic: 1 - 2% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
3 – 10% as a super-fatting nutrient 5 - 10% in Hand-milled soap, Cleanser and Scrub Formulas Shelf life: 12 - 24 months or more Refrigerate |
THE BUTTERS
6. Bacuri (Platonia insignis)
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Unique, highly prized, and earthly-scented, this alluring butter, in its raw and unrefined state, serves up a velvety glow to the skin when applied directly. Bacuri is an all-purpose wonder in skin care and luxurious in handmade soap. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 50 - 65 Oleic: 22 - 27% Palmitic: 67 - 75% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
6 – 15% in Cold-Process soap 3 - 10% in Cleanser and Scrub Formulas Shelf life: 12 - 24 months Store at room temperature |
7. Cupuaça (Theobroma grandiflorum)
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A rich, intense butter extracted from the cupuaça tree in the cacao family, has superior emollient, moisturizing, and healing potential. It's used in many vegan skin care products as a alternative to lanolin. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 33 - 42 Lauric: 20 - 25% Linoleic: 5% Myristic: 8 - 12% Oleic: 25 - 45% Palmitic: 7 - 11% Stearic: 16 - 31% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
10 - 20% in Cold-Process soap formulas 10 - 20% in Cleanser and Scrub Formulas Shelf Life: 12 months or more Store at room temperature |
8. Murumuru (Astrocaryum murumuru)
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Murumuru on the wall! Who is the butterest of them all?! I would say murumuru ranks high in the upper butter echelon for sure. Extracted from the regionally abundant murumuru palm, it resists rancidity very well, so it has a pretty long shelf life. It's also antiseptic and high in antioxidants. Used as a vegan alternative to silicone in many hair and skin care formulations. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 0 - 25 Lauric: 45 - 50% Linoleic: 1 - 5% Myristic: 26 - 33% Oleic: 5 - 13% Palmitic: 5 - 10% Stearic: 2 - 5% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
8 - 10% in Cold-Process soap formulas 10 - 20% in Cleanser and Scrub Formulas Shelf Life: 12 months or more Store at room temperature |
9. Tucuma (Astrocaryum vulgare)
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Extracted from the seed kernel of the tucuma fruit, this butter is also used as a vegan alternative to silicone like murumuru butter, and can be found in high-end hair care products. In soap making, it contributes hardness to bars, is ultra-moisturizing, and great for all skin types. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 8 - 30 Lauric: 44 - 55% Linoleic: 2 - 5% Myristic: 22 - 30% Oleic: 10 - 16% Palmitic: 5 - 10% Stearic: 2 - 5% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
10 – 15% in Cold-Process soap formulas 5 – 10% in Cleanser and Scrub formulas Shelf life: 12 months or more Store at room temperature |
10. Ucuuba (Virola surinamensis)
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Cold-pressed from the seed of the red ucuuba fruit, this butter has a high melting point and will contribute hardness to soaps. It’s antiseptic properties are reputed to treat many types of skin ailments such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Image credit: P. S. Sena CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Fatty Acid Profile |
Iodine: 12 - 15 Lauric: 16 - 20% Myristic: 72 - 76% Palmitic: 7 - 9% |
| Usage and Shelf Life |
10 – 15% in Cold-Process formulas 5 – 10% in Cleanser and Scrub formulas Shelf life: 12 months or more Store at room temperature |
Want a handy list of the 10 Brazilian oils and butters at your fingertips to make ordering them easy? Download the below checklist and keep it in your body care and soap making notes.
Click the image above above to get your checklist of the 10 Brazilian oils and butters sent to you IMMEDIATELY!
When it's time to experiment with new oils and butters, you have a resource to help with your shopping.
A Common and Valid Concern about Using High-Quality, Natural Ingredients In Handcrafted Soap Making
A question of concern I am often asked by other soap makers and even users of natural soap is...
Oils, butters, and other exquisite ingredients used in soap making (such as herbs and essential oils) are precious and can be relatively expensive. Won't the rigors of saponification kill or significantly diminish the quality and integrity of the raw ingredients used, therefore lessening their skin care benefits?
My A to that Q is...Yes and No.
Depending on the soap making technique you are employing, some of the healing and medicinal properties of some ingredients COULD very well be compromised.
In Cold-Process soap making, when the saponification process is activated by the addition of the alkali to the fats, the high heat can transform many of the nutritional components of some ingredients, including the oils and butters.
Oils and butters are made up of ester bond compounds called triglycerides. These ester bonds react with an aqueous alkali solution to create glycerin and a fatty acid salt, or what we call soap.
With any ingredient used in soap making, whether an oil, butter, essential oil, herb, etc., some of the chemical compounds in the ingredients will react with the alkali (or break down from the heat of the solution), and some will not.
At the end of the day, technically, it's a difficult question to accurately answer without intense testing and research.
I look at it this way...
When I use handcrafted soap made with high-quality ingredients, I can feel, sense, and smell, the benefits the raw materials are disseminating.
I can see the skin care benefits from the tone, texture, and clarity of my skin.
I can discern that healing properties of the essential oils have served my skin due to it's apparent softness and healthy appearance.
I can feel the rich intensity of the soap's lather and how moisturized and pliable my skin is after consistent use of handmade soap.
Without these high-quality ingredients and the healing energy they bring to the soap making table, I doubt I would experience the favorable results I do.
Final analysis...
I believe a significant amount of healing properties of most ingredients do survive the saponification process during Cold-Process soap making.
Of course, like most things in life, this is a subjective theory that is based on my own personal experience and that of others who are raving fans of all-natural, handcrafted soap.
HOWEVER, I will say that it is imperative for reason and common sense to prevail in the high-quality ingredients versus saponification discussion.
I, personally, won't subject prohibitively expensive raw materials such as rose otto or neroli essential oils to saponification. In spite of the unknown skin care benefits that MIGHT survive, these essential oils are too costly for me to use them in a Cold-Process formula. (Someone else may feel absolutely comfortable with adding these essential oils to the soap pot, and to them I say, carpe diem! To thine own self be true, and all that jazz.)
As with just about any topic, there are going to be varying opinions and conclusions.
There is a lot of complexity going on in a soap pot.
As a soap maker, it is crucial for you to develop your own experiences and realizations about different ingredients and the results they produce.
I encourage you to experiment with many types of oils and butters, and also with other methods of soap making.
Hot-Process soap making is purported to "save" most of the healing properties of ingredients.
Making hand-milled soap is another way, and one of my most preferred ways, to make soap with exquisite ingredients.
Just as with any process that is unique and handmade, in soap making, there is no one-size-fits-all approach or outcome.
That's the beauty of this undertaking.
There is no right or wrong.
For further reading about the science of soap making...
...and how ingredients behave and survive during saponification, I recommend this book:
Scientific Soapmaking: The Chemistry of the Cold Process by Kevin M. Dunn
You can also read an interview with Kevin Dunn by Robert Tisserand, an esteemed expert in the field of Aromatherapy, about essential oils and soap making here.
From his many years of research, Dunn has determined that some healing properties from essential oils do in fact survive the saponification process.
Now, go and be great with your soap making.
Excellent Resources for Brazilian Oils and Butters:
