Whenever we share with friends on our process of making my naked bar soaps, they were amazed to know how much work goes into every batch. Not just the actual crafting of the soaps, but the pre-soap preparation and the month-long curing afterwards.
They've always asked that we share this in more details but it took us forever to capture and document every step for one soap and to sit down and pen it out. But here it is, finally.
IT ALL STARTS WITH A USER IN MIND
We were seeking a facial bar for users with dry skin. Something that provides a good level of daily deep cleansing, yet leaving the skin really supple after use.
We've always been intrigued by the benefits of milk on skin. Since all my naked bar soaps are vegan, we explored plant-based milks like oat and rice milk. Reading stories of ancient beauty routines where rice water is used for washing the face and showering for smooth glowing skin, we were inspired to try out rice water and milk in our modern bar soap. (#didyouknow that today, many major commercial brands have also started to incorporate rice water infused formulas into their skincare ranges.
If you've washed rice, you'd notice that smooth feeling on your hands afterwards, and we wanted to replicate that, on top of a special blend of plant-based oils specially selected for dry skin. Plus, white kaolin clay which is the gentlest of all clays, suitable to purify the skin without drying it out. AND maple syrup to add more moisturising touch.
Nuff said. Let's go behind the scenes!
PRE-SOAP PREPARATIONS @MYNAKEDBAR
Soaping often starts way earlier than the actual soaping day itself. And this is especially the case for our rice milk bar.
At my naked bar, we've always preferred to prepare our own ingredients instead of buying prepackaged ones, to enjoy the goodness with the least processing and packaging. And that's how we've done it with this bar too.
First we wash, then soak our organic brown rice. This precious rice water is saved for our soaps and frozen into ice blocks.
Now it's time to cook (almost) the rice.
In order to make the rice milk, we boil the organic brown rice to soften the grains so we can extract the goodness for our soaps.
The softened grains are placed into the blender with water and blended into a beautiful rich white liquid - our rice milk!
Blending in action
This is probably the most tedious step.
As the milk is still rather thick, we needed to strain out the liquid portion.
Finally the milk is ready to be frozen into mini ice blocks.
Presenting....our glorious rice milk....ready to go into the freezer.
After so many steps, we can FINALLY make our soap.
When using such delicate ingredients, we need to take extra steps to ensure the rice milk is not scorched in the crafting process, meaning mixing the ingredients at a s....n....a.....i.....l..... pace and managing the temperature well.
IS IT READY YET?
mynakedbar Padi Paddy Rice Milk 2.0 - Replicating rice grains on the soap top
After hours of hard work, the crafting of soap is finally completed. But the soap is far from ready. Cos now we have to wait 2 days to cut and stamp the soaps before they are sent into curing for at least the next 4 weeks!
There you have it. Behind the scenes in static motion. Of the making of our Rice Milk Bar for dry skin.
Contains:
Rice water + rice milk from organic brown rice,
Rice bran oil
Avocado oil
Shea butter
Maple
Kaolin clay
Lavender essential oil
Eucalyptus essential oil
Peppermint essential oil
Every ingredient is chosen specifically to help provide a good face cleansing for dry skin users while leaving the skin feeling smooth and supple afterwards. The first batch with limited quantity is now in store at www.mynakedbar.com
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