# Ingredients - Sodium Hydroxide or not?



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 21, 2013)

I put sodium hydroxide on my list of ingredients, but I was thinking to myself that it actually contains none of it - it was used in the process.

Is that a technicality?  Is it safer just to put it on there?  I know my regulations over here will be different, but just as an idea.


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## squyars (Dec 21, 2013)

Your ingredient list is everything you mixed to make your soap.  Think of it this way, the oils are no longer the same thing either.  They AND the NaOH have all gone through a transformation.  Good luck.


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## pamielynn (Dec 21, 2013)

I list it. If people ask about it, that gives me an opportunity to explain why I make "lye soap". I list everything that goes IN the pot. Some list what comes OUT of the pot - but they usually do it wrong.


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## judymoody (Dec 21, 2013)

If you were selling cake, would you omit eggs and flour from your ingredients list because they no longer resemble their original form?

I believe in full disclosure, if for no other reason to contradict people who claim you can make soap without lye.


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## soap_rat (Dec 21, 2013)

If your local laws allow/require labeling soap with INCI cosmetic terms (the I is for international) you list what is in the soap, like sodium palmate, not the beginning ingredients like lye and palm oil.  You do have to calculate how much glycerin and put it in the right spot--there is a thread on this forum somewhere stating the glycerin yield from soapmaking, gram per gram.

Here's one of the lists of terms one would use:
http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/PDFS/SaponifedTerms.pdf

I have only started selling, and while I will soon use INCI terms (because US law allows me to talk about moisturizing properties if I do), I will still be up-front about the lye when people ask me about how I make soap.  I figure it is part of what makes my soap homemade.  (although I probably could leave out the lye bit and just focus on it being my own recipes and talk about the oils I choose).  I had one customer react with a little caution, but I mentioned how all soap is made with lye, it's just a question of whether I touch the lye or a melt-and-pour company touches the lye, about the safety factor of the superfat, my scale etc..  She is a beautician and deals with hair chemicals that react and neutralize, and she totally got it.  I hope when I get other cautious buyers that they get it too!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 21, 2013)

That's what I was thinking, all.  Many many thanks.

As I said, at the moment I list it the NaOH and oils, but was just curious as it technically doesn't have any.


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## girlishcharm2004 (Dec 24, 2013)

Technically, in the US, you're not required to list the ingredients in soap.  However, I've heard people recommend using INCI terms regardless of whether you're listing what goes into the pot, or what comes out of it.  In the US, you have the option to list it either way you want.


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## Relle (Dec 24, 2013)

girlishcharm2004 said:


> Technically, in the US, you're not required to list the ingredients in soap. However, I've heard people recommend using INCI terms regardless of whether you're listing what goes into the pot, or what comes out of it. In the US, you have the option to list it either way you want.



The person asking is in Austria, so what is, or is not required in the US, might not apply to them.


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## Lindy (Dec 28, 2013)

In Canada and my understanding the UK, lye is not listed as it is no longer present in the finished product.  We are required to list what is in the product you are selling, not what went in making it.  Therefore since there is no lye in the finished product, there is no lye on the label.

*ETA* We are also required to use INCI which covers the completed ingredients as well and represents the transformation of saponification.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 29, 2013)

I'll also be looking in to the other soaps on the market and seeing what they say.  Ty for all the input


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## Lindy (Dec 29, 2013)

Check with your Safety Assessor, they will be able to guide you on the regs in the UK


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 29, 2013)

Lindy said:


> Check with your Safety Assessor, they will be able to guide you on the regs in the UK



I'M not in the UK anymore - I live in Austria now, so I have the added problems of it being a second language that I need to work all this out in.  roblem:


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## Lindy (Dec 29, 2013)

Oh lovely!  Are the regulations that much different from the UK?  Since the UK is so stringent I would have thought using their model would keep you on the right side of the regs....


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 29, 2013)

I am pretty certain that the EU regs will cover - there is a favourite in my browser from a post on this forum with some info on it.


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