The soaps prepared for the perfumer, are distinguished into different
species, according to the fat which forms their basis. Thus there is
soap of tallow, of hog’s lard, of oil of olives, of almonds, and palm
oil.
It is from the combination of these different sorts, mingled in various
proportions, and perfumed agreeably to the taste of the consumer, that
we owe the vast number of toilet soaps sold under so many fantastic
names. One sort is rarely scented by itself, as a mixture of several is
generally preferred; in which respect every perfumer has his peculiar
secret. Some toilet soaps, however, require the employment of one kind
more than of another.
Formerly the Windsor soap was made in France, wholly with mutton suet;
and it was accordingly of inferior value. Now, by mixing some olive oil
or lard with the suet, a very good Windsor soap is produced. I have
already stated, that the fat of the London Windsor is, nine parts of
good ox tallow, and one of olive oil. A soap made entirely with oil and
soda, does not afford so good a lather as when it contains a
considerable proportion of tallow.
The soaps made with palm oil are much used; when well made, they are of
excellent quality, and ought to enter largely into all the coloured
sorts. They naturally possess the odour of violets.
The soaps made with oil of almonds are very beautiful, and preserve the
agreeable smell of their perfume; but being expensive, are introduced
sparingly into the mixtures by most manufacturers.
Some perfumers are in the habit of making what may be called extempore
soaps, employing lyes at 36° Baumé in their formation. This method,
however, ought never to be adopted by any person who prefers quality to
beauty of appearance. Such soap is, indeed, admirably white, glistening,
contains no more water than is necessary to its constitution, and may
therefore be sold the day after it is made. But it has counterbalancing
disadvantages. It becomes soon very hard, is difficultly soluble in
water, and, if not made with tallow, does not lather well. Hog’s lard is
very commonly used, for making that soap. Twenty kilogrammes of the fat
are taken, to ten kilogrammes of soda lye, at 36° B. (specific gravity
1·324); as soon as the former is nearly fluid, 5 kilogrammes of the lye
are introduced, and the mixture is continually agitated during an hour
with a wooden spatula. The temperature should never be raised above 150°
Fahr. at the commencement of the operation; at the end of one hour, 5
other kilogrammes of lye are to be added, with careful regulation of the
heat. The paste thus formed by the union of the fat and alkali, ought to
be perfectly homogeneous, and should increase in consistence every hour,
till it becomes firm enough to be poured into the frame; during which
transfer, the essential oils destined to scent it, should be introduced.
Next day the soap is hard enough; nor does it differ in appearance from
ordinary soap, only it requires prompt manipulation to be cut into bars
and cakes; for when neglected a day or two, it may become too brittle
for that purpose, and too hard to take the impression of the stamps in
relief. Such an article gets the name of _little-pan soap_, on account
of the small quantity in which it is usually manufactured. Hard soap,
made in the common way, is, on the contrary, called _large-pan soap_.
This extemporaneous compound is now seldom or never made by respectable
manufacturers. In making Windsor soap, the admixture of olive oil is
advantageous; because, being richer in oleine than suet, it saponifies
less readily than it, and thus favours the formation of a more perfect
neutral combination. When the soap cuts, or parts from the lye, when the
paste becomes clotty, or, in the language of the operative, when the
grain makes its appearance, the fire should be immediately withdrawn,
that the impurities may be allowed to subside. This part of the
operation lasts 12 hours at least; after which, the soap, still hot,
becomes altogether fluid and perfectly neutral.
For every 1000 pounds of the paste, there must be introduced 9 pounds of
essences, mingled in the following proportions:--6 pounds of essence of
carui; 1-1/2 ditto lavender (finest); 1-1/2 ditto rosemary.
The mixture must be well stirred, in order to get completely saturated
with the perfumes; and this may be readily done without at all touching
or stirring up the subjacent lyes; in the course of two hours, the soap
may be transferred into the ordinary frames. In twenty-four hours, the
mass is usually solidified enough for cutting into bars and cakes, ready
to be stamped for sale.
The above method of scenting Windsor soap is practised only in the
largest establishments; in the smaller, the soap is pailed out of the
soap-pans, into a pan provided with a steam case or jacket, and there
mixed with the essential oils, by means of appropriate heat and
agitation.
The most fashionable toilet soaps are, the rose, the _bouquet_, the
cinnamon, the orange-flower, the musk, and the bitter almond or peach
blossom.
_Soap à la rose._--This is made of the following ingredients: 30 pounds
of olive-oil soap; 20 of good tallow soap.
Toilet soaps must be reduced to thin shavings, by means of a plane, with
its under face turned up, so that the bars may be slid along it. These
shavings must be put into an untinned copper pan, which is surrounded by
a water-bath, or steam. If the soap be old and hard, 5 pounds of water
must be added to them; but it is preferable to take fresh-made soaps,
which may melt without addition, as soap some time kept does not readily
form a homogeneous paste. The fusion is commonly completed in an hour,
or thereby, the heat being applied at 212° F., to accelerate the
progress, and prevent the dissolution of the constituent water of the
soap. For this purpose the interior pan may be covered. Whenever the
mass is sufficiently liquefied, 1-1/2 ounces of finely ground vermillion
are to be introduced, and thoroughly mixed, after which the heat may be
taken off the pan; when the following perfumes may be added with due
trituration:--3 ounces of essence of rose; 1 ditto cloves; 1 ditto
cinnamon; 2-1/2 ditto bergamot; = 7-1/2.
The scented soap being put into the frames, speedily consolidates. Some
recommend to pass the finished fused soap through a tammy cloth, in
order to free it from all clots and impurities; a very proper precaution
in the act of transferring it to the frame. If the preceding
instructions be observed, we obtain a soap perfect in every point of
view; possessing a delicious fragrance, equally rich and agreeable, a
beautiful roseate hue, and the softest detergent qualities, which
keeping cannot impair. Such a soap has, in fact, been known to retain
every property in perfection during four or five years. When the
essential oils are particularly volatile, they should not be added to
the soap till its temperature has fallen to about 140° Fahr.; but in
this case a more careful trituration is required. The economy is,
however, ill bestowed; for the cakes made of such cooler soap, are never
so homogeneous and glossy.
_Soap au bouquet._--30 pounds of good tallow soap; 4 ounces of essence
of bergamot; oil of cloves, sassafras, and thyme, 1 ounce each; neroli,
1/2 ounce. The colour is given with 7 ounces of brown ochre.
_Cinnamon Soap._--30 pounds of good tallow soap; 20 ditto of palm-oil
soap. Perfumes:--7 ounces of essence of cinnamon; 1-1/4 ditto sassafras;
1-1/4 ditto bergamot. Colour:--1 pound of yellow ochre.
_Orange-flower Soap._--30 pounds of good tallow soap; 20 ditto palm-oil
soap. Perfumes:--7-1/2 ounces essence of Portugal; 7-1/2 ditto amber.
Colour:--9-1/2 ounces, consisting of 8-1/4 of a yellow-green pigment,
and 1-1/4 of red lead.
_Musk Soap._--30 pounds of good tallow soap; 20 ditto palm-oil soap.
Perfumes:--Powder of cloves, of pale roses, gilliflower, each 4-1/2
ounces; essence of bergamot, and essence of musk, each 3-1/2 ounces.
Colour:--4 ounces of brown ochre, or Spanish brown.
_Bitter Almond Soap._--Is made by compounding, with 50 pounds of the
best white soap, 10 ounces of the essence of bitter almonds.