Additives and Lye

If you are familiar with the soap-making process, you would know that additives and lye are essentials for this. Additives like isopropyl alcohol are used in soaps for its antiseptic properties. Due to the same reason, you can see it as an essential ingredient in several lotions, aftershaves, and other cosmetic products.

Magnesium sulfate is another essential additive which is commonly added to the beauty products. Its use is backed by the fact that it gets easily absorbed through the skin and also replenishes the depleted magnesium reserves of the body.

Magnesium sulfate has also been credited for several other uses and that is exactly why it must be used as an essential additive for the soaps you make. To make soaps, lye can either be in the form of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

Soaps made using potassium hydroxide are usually much softer and more soluble than soaps made using sodium hydroxide. Lye is very caustic so one needs to carefully handle it while adhering to all the precautionary measures.