Pros and cons of lye soap

Do you ever think about what lye is and why it is used in soap? Many homemade soap recipes include lye as their primary ingredient.

Before getting into the specific details of producing homemade lye soap, it's necessary to understand how the lye chemical process works and why it's so trendy nowadays.

To make soap, saponification requires the addition of the chemical lye to water. When this occurs, sodium hydroxide is produced.

Lye soap can be manufactured in a variety of ways, including the cold process, hot process, and even the more conventional handmade soap recipe using an ash and lye mixture. However, the end product is always soap.

There are typically two varieties of lye that are utilized in the production of soap. It depends on how you would like your soap to feel in your palms and on your skin.

Sodium hydroxide is the best chemical to consider for making a soap that feels wonderful in your hands. While saponifying your fats or oils, use your lye base in conjunction with coconut oil or olive oil.

Potassium hydroxide, which has similar results in terms of pH levels, would be more appropriate if you want something more exfoliating on your skin in liquid form.

Pros 

Lye contains the necessary ingredients, which enables it to decompose the dirt. Thus, lye soap is excellent for cleaning various surfaces in addition to your skin.

Additionally, unlike mass-produced soaps, lye soaps preserve the natural glycerin. It therefore offers people a unique appearance that many people truly adore.

For these reasons, many individuals believe that lye is superior to synthetic soaps. You may also use it as a substitute for detergent.

If you've ever been bitten by an insect, you know how irritating and unpleasant the bite can be. However, lye soap is a time-tested home cure that offers non-toxic relief from severe itching.

Lye soap was traditionally used by older generations to alleviate the discomfort caused by insect bites. This is due to the soap's natural oil composition, which can reduce swelling and itching. Lye soap is also effective in keeping ants and mosquitoes away from your skin.

Using lye soap could be a great approach to help your skin retain more moisture if you have dry skin. There is a common misconception that lye soap is harsh and should only be used on clothing because of the lye ingredient. But, as we talked about before, during the process of making soap, the lye is chemically changed into soap and glycerin, so none of the original lye is left.

Cons

Lye is a very corrosive substance. Handling lye with extreme caution is advised while manufacturing lye soap at home. When mixed incorrectly, lye can produce devastating effects. Additionally, poorly prepared lye soap may have an excessive amount of lye or lye that hasn't been correctly blended, which will keep it caustic.

Despite the fact that lye soap has been used and loved for a long time, it has a reputation for occasionally being abrasive and irritating to the skin. This raises concerns regarding the safety of lye soap together with the fact that lye is a caustic substance.

FAQ's

Is lye soap good for your skin?

Lye is a caustic material that, if you are exposed to it, can definitely harm your skin. When ingested, it is capable of causing a wide range of adverse effects, including burns, blindness, and even death. However, soap that is made with lye — which is the only kind of soap that can be considered genuine — will in no way irritate your skin.

Is lye soap good for eczema?

Lye soap has the ability to alleviate the skin discomfort produced by dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and rough, scratchy skin caused by winter. Detergent and scent are not present in original Lye Soap. When you take your first shower, you'll notice the change. Lye soap is also excellent for treating insect bites, poison ivy, rashes, and hives.

Does lye soap lighten skin?

Use this 100% natural, handcrafted lye soap to wash your entire body or just your face and neck. If you use this soap on regular basis it will lighten or remove the dark spots or blemishes on your skin. Both dry and oily skin can benefit from lye soap.